Overview of Climate Change in the United States Outline 1. Overview 2. Uncertainty 3. The Structure of Government 4. Economic Impacts 5. The United States' Inward Focus 6. The Media 7. Partisan Politics 8. Conclusion Overview Climate change is on the international policy agenda primarily because of warnings from scientists. Their forecasts of a potentially dangerous increase in the average global temperature, fortuitously assisted by unusual weather events, have prompted governments to enter into perhaps the most complicated and most significant set of negotiations ever attempted. Key questions - the rapidity of global climate change, its effects on the natural systems on which humans depend, and the options available to lessen or adapt to such change - have energized the scientific and related communities in analyses that are deeply dependent on scientific evidence and research. At both the national and international levels, the policy debate over climate change is unfolding rapidly. But it is also becoming increasingly mired in controversy, and nowhere more so than in the United States. This raises a crucial question: Why is it that this country - the undisputed leader of the world in science and technology - is finding it so difficult to agree on policies to address an ecological threat that, if it materializes, could have catastrophic consequences for itself and the rest of the world? The perhaps surprising answer is that in the U.S. policy process, climate change is not now a scientific issue. Although much of the controversy appears to revolve around scientific principles, political and economic forces actually dominate. In a sense, this is not surprising: in dealing with possible climate change, policymakers, stakeholders, and the public have to confront competing economic interests, significant political change, and such difficult issues as intergenerational equity, international competition, national sovereignty, and the role (and competence) of international institutions. What are the primary factors that determine policy outcomes on this complex subject? Detailing them vividly demonstrates how scientific knowledge interacts with the formulation of policy on a significant issue in the United States. Of the many factors that can affect the role scientific evidence plays in questions of public policy, most important in the case ... ... middle of paper ... ...climate change. It will greatly ease the political difficulties of taking action if there are policy options that will reduce the costs both generally and to the major stakeholders. The menu for the scientific and technological communities is large, even if at present political factors dominate the issue. Eventually, however, the work of these communities will provide the necessary underpinnings for policy decisions. But it is important not to assume that current research and analysis will automatically determine policy. They will enrich the debate, to be sure, but that debate will hinge on a different calculus for some time to come. Disillusionment with this situation is not useful; realistic assessment of the role of knowledge is. Sources 1. L. D. D. Harvey, E. J. Bush, "Joint Implementation: An Effective Strategy for Combating Global Warming?," Environment, October 1997. 2. J. Lanchbery, "Expectations for the Climate Talks in Buenos Aires," Environment, October 1998. 3. E. B. Skolnikoff, Same Science, Differing Policies: The Saga of Global Climate Change, Cambridge, Mass., 1997 4. W. Kempton, "How the Public Views Climate Change," Environment, November 1997.
Climate Change in California is a book written by Fredrich Kahrl and David W. Roland-Holst. Through scientific facts and statistics, the book focuses on the negative influence climate change has, and will continue to exhibit, on California regarding its economy, natural resources, public health, and agriculture. All of these aspects ultimately come together to affect the overall livelihood of its residents. Similar to Tanaka’s Climate Change, the book also heavily stresses the idea that society needs to first recognize the magnitude of the risk climate change poses on humanity before any major improvement occurs. Unless that recognition happens soon, our generation might just be the last to witness the prosperity and natural beauty California is known for.
Quasem, AA, Jafaar, AH & Chamhuri, S 2010, 'Climate change mitigation and Policy Concern for Prioritization', International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management , vol. 2, No 4, Emerald Group Publishing, Bingley, UK.
On December 12, 2015, President Obama and world leaders secured a global agreement to combat climate change” (White House). For the past eight years in the presidency, Barack Obama showed his devotion in addressing the worsening effects of climate change. He proposed and coordinated with different institutions to help solve the problem. However, since this problem has been around for so long, the results of any projects and programs will not be seen right away. It may take several years, decade or even a century. On the other hand, this is a great start for us. This is his legacy and this should be practiced for us to achieve what we really wanted in solving this problem. We should not just wait, we should
Human impact of global warming and climate change (now simply referred to as GWCC) has become a political issue because not all individuals and business are willing to voluntarily take the actions necessary that could help slow the rate of GWCC trends. According to Milfont (2012), these necessary actions “would require stringent policy interventions, which in democratic societies, would only be possible by widespread public support for at least the broad and long-term goals of such interventions” (p.1003). Media greatly influences this public support.
Climate change has been nothing, but controversial in the last fifty years. Climate change is a change in the average weather of a region or city. Scientists have opted to use the term "climate change" instead of global warming because as the Earth's average temperature changes, winds and ocean currents move heat around the globe in ways that can cool some areas, as well as warm others. There is an ongoing dispute about the effects of humans on the global climate and about what policies should be implemented to avoid possible undesirable effects of climate change. Ninety-seven percent of published scientific research concluded that climate change is real, problematic for the planet, and has been exacerbated by human activity. But what about the three percent that contradicts that?
Is global warming in America really a big deal? What can Americans do to reverse the increase in earth’s temperature? In the last 50 years, evidence of global warming in the United States has been on a sharp incline. In data taken from a graph in “Climate Change,” in 1950 the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere was 320 parts per million. The graph shows further that this number had steadily grown to close to 400 parts per million. So what causes global warming? Global warming is caused by gases in the atmosphere, mostly carbon dioxide, trapping heat between the atmosphere and the surface, creating a greenhouse effect. Contrary to popular opinion, global warming is not something that just happens without any consequences. Consequences of
Stern ,N, (2006). What Is The Economics Of Climate Change. World Economics Vol 7. p(1-10).
Although it is often a topic for contention in politics, global warming over the span of several decades, has led to climate change, which has had an alarming impact globally. Climate change needs to ...
It is becoming increasingly certain that climate change will have severe adverse effects on the environment in years to come. Addressing this issue poses a serious challenge for policy makers. How we choose to respond to the threat of global warming is not simply a political issue. It is also an economic issue and an ethical one. Responsible, effective climate change policy requires consideration of a number of complex factors, including weighing the costs of implementing climate change policies against the benefits of more environmentally sustainable practices.
“An introduction to climate change.” Natural Resource Defense Council. Natural Resources Defense Council 8 November 2015 n. pag. Web. 28 November 2015.
Actually, Americans have dealt with climate change exactly as can be expected from human behavior. Leaving American citizens without a comprehensive plan on how to control climate change has left them prey to tragedy of the commons, confused on how to accomplish the task, and fixed to the idea that carrying out climate change policy is ‘too hard.’
Hansen, J., Ruedy, R., Sato, M., & Lo, K. (2002). "Global Warming Continues." Science, 295, 275.
There is widespread agreement in the scientific community that the climate is changing and it has likely received contributions from humans in the form of increased carbon emissions. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated that there is ninety percent certainty that human activity has been the primary cause of temperature rises seen since 1950; if the climate rises by more than two degrees Celsius, scientists predict dire consequences to be faced by humans and the world (McMichael and Lindgren, 2011, p. 402). Changes in climate, no matter how small, bring with it changes in other seemingly unrelated aspects of life. As current research suggests, climate change will have negative effects on human health and nutrition, increasing disease states while having a negative effect on the world food supply. Both of these effects will have negative implications on the quality of life for people living around the globe.
The Earth is currently locked in perpetuating spiral of climate change. While the global climate has unarguably been changing since the dawn of it's manifestation, the once steadied ebb and flow of climate change has become increasingly more unpredictable.The risk of rising sea levels, and drought plaguing the fresh water supply, during the time that flooding and sporadic storm conditions turn once fully inhabited regions into uninhabitable death traps. Climate change catalyzed by human's increased production of carbon dioxide, is more noticeable than ever in our recorded history (United States, 2014 National Climate Assessment). Thankfully however, with the changing weather conditions due to carbon related emissions, the change in public opinion about their personalized influence on climate change is also increasing. Kevin Liptak Jethro Mullen, and Tom Cohen note that In reaction to the most recent governmental report on climate change, even the U.S. government believes that a stronger approach needs to be taken to correct our self-generated cataclysm.
Williams, Laurence O. An End to Global Warming. Ohio: Pergamno, 2012. Web 13 May 2015