Climate Change as an International Crisis - Essay Example

Both, the U.S. space program and oceanic exploration, are important for humanity. Nevertheless, the global community is facing a new threat – climate change. People need to understand that it affects all spheres of their life. Being an international crisis, climate change concerns all countries. Mankind should learn how to deal with climate change and adapt to it.

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period. It affects the environment every day. There are “national and global issues that are occurring due to climate change” (“The current and future consequences of global change”). Climate change poses great risks: extreme weather, melting ice, rising seas, shifting rainfall, floods, droughts, cyclones, and health problems. And it is not the full list. It affects the whole world, but not all regions are in the same position. Some countries face critical problems right now. Others will face them shortly. Risks of climate change can be grouped into different categories, for example, “risks to human health, global food security, economic development, and to the natural world” (“Consequences of climate change”).

Climate change transforms the natural world. Oceans and rivers become bigger, ice melts, and flora and fauna change: new species appear, while other species become extinct. Expanding oceans due to rising temperatures concern every nation in the world, but northern and island nations are under the greater impact. According to Jim Hwang, Taiwan is especially sensitive to the impact of climate change. Because of flooding, people there lose their homes and can’t produce enough food (1). One country cannot cope with it. Only cooperation can solve this problem, but it is hard to reach an agreement between all nations. Some countries do not want to spend money on studies about climate change, while others do not have money to spend.

Climate change is a great challenge for international law, too. Differences in bills and types of governments make it impossible to take action immediately. Sometimes, to sign an agreement, countries need to rewrite their laws. According to Hari M Osofsky, international lawmaking should create a special system to simplify this process (423-233). It requires many resources, a lot of money, and qualified scientists. Not all countries have a good education system, which makes it impossible to exchange knowledge and experience.

Economic development is, probably, the biggest problem. Countries are forced to import food from the other side of the world because they cannot produce it. It is economically unprofitable. And the situation is getting worse. Water shortage in African and Asian countries “results in the reduction of agriculture” (“The current and future consequences of global change”).

In conclusion, it should be said that climate change is a real indicator of the international crisis. The disability to cooperate with different countries and nationalities developed into a global problem. Nowadays, climate change poses a big economic, social, and health threat to people all over the world. Immediate actions should be taken to prevent a catastrophe.