Global Warming, Global Problem - Research Paper Example

? GLOBAL WARMING Global warming is as a result of increase of earth’s average surface temperature. It occurs when the earth atmosphere is overloaded with heat that traps carbon dioxide, which are emitted from the burning fossil fuel for energy-coal, natural gas, and oil- plus the loss of forests due to deforestation, more especially in the tropics (Global warming,2009). These carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants continuously collect in the atmosphere forming a thick layer like blanket, it is this layer that do trap the sun’s heat hence causing the planet to warm up. These threaten large-scale change or disruptions in climate pattern, accompanied with disastrous consequences to the living organisms. The planet’s temperature is constantly rising, and the trend has continued over the years. Globally, the average surface temperature has increased much in some degrees, and this is basically the effect of the greenhouse. Naturally the earth’s temperature depends on the amount of energy entering and leaving the planet. But when that later like blanket has been formed, the incoming energy from the sun gets absorbed and as a result, the earth warms. With the absence of this layer, the energy from the sun is therefore reflected back into the space, there will be no warming effect. Due to the fact that this energy has been reflected back, the earth experiences a cooling effect. Balancing of the energy leaving and entering the earth’s surface has been over a long period of time changed by both human and natural factors (Houghton, 2004). This has brought; variations in the sun’s energy reaching the earth’s surface, changes have occurred in the reflectivity of earth’s surface and that of the atmosphere. It has also caused major changes in the greenhouse effect, which has considerably affected the amount of heat that is retained in the earth’s atmosphere. These and many more factors have caused climate change in many unexplained ways. It is worth noting that climate change has now become a complex phenomenon with its dangerous impacts that are hard to predict in good time to take action. Many more mysterious consequences are likely to be witnessed if the same current trends continue. This is going to bring negative impacts on our ecosystem, agriculture, water sources, transport and energy supply (Robbins,et al.2010). And when all these challenges dawns at once, human beings and other living organisms have no chance rather to be exposed climate related health effects, increased risks of illnesses and more death that are as a result of extreme heat and heat waves from the sun (Have, Agius, & Unesco.2006). There is no short cut to curb these climate related problems. The only way out is to act now and try if we can reduce our carbon emissions in to the atmosphere, plant more trees, slow down the pace of global warming. And to the next generation, we should pass on to them a healthier and a safer world. The main goal of environmental policy is to ensure that the environment is protected for the future generation. The regulations are created to ensure that there is a great control of disposal of hazardous waste into the environment and to increase the quality of water and air which circulates in the atmosphere. When all these are taken into control, to a greater extent, it is going to balance the amount of energy entering and leaving the earth surface. It will also boost the reflectivity of the earth’s surface and that of the atmosphere which in turn brings the cooling effect to the earth. It will considerably bring to control the climatic change that results into greenhouse effect that determines the amount of heat retained in the atmosphere. Different governments in the world have written and established various policies (Robbins,et al.2010). These rules and regulations have to a lesser extent helped to curb the problem of global warming that has claimed the lives of innocent citizens, deteriorated world economies and destruction of properties due to earth quakes. The policy tools are based on rules and inducements. The rules outline the standards and performance standards; the performance standard is to spell out emission levels and allow those covered by the rules decide how those levels will be met. While on the other hand the inducements are rewards or punishment used by the government to influence people or groups’ actions to curb global warming. Various countries and other related environmental organizations have come up with certain policies to help reduce the global warming. In 1969, a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was introduced to give a guideline on how to protect the environment. It was established to ensure that everyone within the United States, up to including government officials gives prior consideration to the environment before undertaking any action that could affect the environment (Meiners,et al.2012). Environmental assessments and Environmental Impact Statements are to be produced before any federal action is taken (Have, Agius, & Unesco.2006). It also made sure that all agencies’ funding be made with the full consideration of the impact to the human and natural environment. This policy also required that the public as well as the interested parties be informed of the impacts before any action is taken so that they can be held accountable in an event of a disaster. Therefore before any activity is carried out, there should be a rigorous evaluation of alternatives so as to ensure that there is no health risks posed to human beings and the environment as well. Around 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was enacted. It comes at a time when the whole world’s climate faced several challenges as a result of human activities. Yet less was done by the government and other environmental organizations to provide alternatives for such problems (Meiners,et al.2012) . Therefore, when it was created, its mandate was to protect the public health, by putting across the principles and enforcing standards to protect the quality of the air that people breathe and water that is used. Unfortunately, much is still need to be done; for quite long period of time, many firms have abused the loopholes that allowed them to pollute at higher rates more than their cleaning counterparts. EAP has been challenged and cannot perform its duties effectively, it has been hard for the congress to enact laws that protects or brings the issues of global warming on board. However, some unrealistic groups have constantly called for the congress members to discontinue their role of protecting public health (Have, Agius, & Unesco.2006). Their main aim is to continue exploiting the ignorance of the innocent who suffer at the long run. For these and many more reasons, much has not been achieved despite the good work that has been done by the policy, many problems have remained unaddressed giving leeway to the disaster of global warming. With the industrial revolution, many countries in the world have been able to build stronger economic pillars; this has made them to be more powerful compared to the third world countries. China has industrialized faster than any other nation in the history of the world. It is true to say that urbanization and industrialization are accompanied with great benefits. Her citizens have with no doubt reaped the fruits of industrial revolution; this has made china’s global power to be increased to a higher level. Unfortunately, environmental policies that should ensure environment is kept safe and healthier for the future generation have not kept the same pace with the economic growth (Meiners,et al.2012) . Her air is seriously polluted; rivers too are contaminated to an extent that they are dangerous for human and animal use as well as for industries. Through these pollutions, china’s economy has faced a greater challenge and its status also; as a result it spends heavily on related problems. Laws are made to help the societies run smoothly without hiccups; they are enshrined in the governments’ constitutions and made available for all to adhere to them. Despite china having the most detailed and well elaborated environmental laws, they are may be not put into action or not effective enough to stop the environmental problems. The same also can be witnessed in U.S, people have always violated environmental laws, and the courts have not been able to interpret these laws to bring the perpetrators on board (Have, Agius, & Unesco.2006). The penalties that are put are low; they have also been under viewed by various firms, businesses and individuals hence they do not bring any impact. It is also very difficult to run the enforcement agencies more effectively. This is because their functions have been politicized; they are understaffed and have not embraced the use of technology for accuracy and less working hours. These have increased the environmental problems faced by the two countries to a greater extent as precautions are not taken; as a result they spend expensively on the challenges faced by the citizens. Pollution is a real problem that in the entire world. Therefore, there is need to have in place the ethical laws to ensure that the potential victims are compensated adequately. To be sure that the victims’ rights are not violated, the principle of private property has been put in place but over the years this has been ignored when it comes to environmental legislation. Consequently, it is ethical when individuals are held responsible for their actions before the law. But however, this principle of individual responsibility has not always been put into consideration when implementing environmental laws. The public knowledge has been that, an individual’s daily actions can not lead to global warming. The principle of proportionality has been unobserved when settling the environmental disputes; victims, whose properties have been destroyed by the polluters, should be compensated, but according to almost every environmental law the money that is paid always goes to the state budget or fall in the hands of corrupt leaders at the expense of the victim’s rights (Have, Agius, & Unesco.2006). In addition, the principle of strict casualty connection states that the plaintiff must prove must be able to give the casualty connection between the actions of the defendant and the invasion of his rights. But more surprisingly, this principle has been left out in the most environmental legislations. All living organisms need fresh air to breath, clean water is an essential ingredient for their health and the best food to eat. But the biggest question has not been answered yet-local food an answer to waste and pollution? All streams around processing firms are full of toxic chemicals from industrial processes. On most factory farms, animals are overcrowded, their urine and manure are funneled into massive waste lagoons. Rivers are overloaded with nutrients from farms, trash blowing away from landfills, skies covered in smog all in the name of processing food. These have lead to profound effects on human health and the environment as well. Those who live around the factory farms breathe in gases that are harmful to their lives that are released by the lagoons or formed when manure decomposes. Solutions to these problems do exist. But implementing them has been a challenge to most governments (Meiners,et al.2012). Serious actions need to be taken to enable the coming generation find a safer and healthier environment to live in. Global warming is too massive problem to be left for one person to solve, but still individuals can have positive impacts by their actions that can in turn motivate other so that they can take collective actions. The actions that would see the global warming reduced almost to the zero level. A political action should be taken by the government to ensure that everyone gets the relevant information global warming and other health related problems, people should rather be challenged on the vital roles they can play to help curb environmental problems (Robbins,et al.2010). Prioritizing on health matters should be responsibility of everyone including the government officials; these will help in seeing that relevant precautions are taken to reduce the risks of global warming. There is also need to change our consumption habits, through recycling the used products to avoid wasting and heaping since most materials can be very dangerous when they are decomposing. These will therefore contribute to having a clean, safer and healthier environment for the coming generation. References Global warming. (2009). Irvine, CA: Saddleback Educational Publishing. Have, H. ., Agius, E., & Unesco. (2006). Environmental ethics and international policy. Paris: UNESCO. Houghton, J. T. (2004). Global warming: The complete briefing. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University. Meiners, R. E., Ringleb, A. H., & Edwards, F. L. (2012). The legal environment of business. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Robbins, P., Hintz, J., & Moore, S. A. (2010). Environment and society: A critical introduction. Chichester, West Sussex, U.K: Wiley-Blackwell. Read More