The Issues on Climate Change - Book Report/Review Example

Your The Issues on Climate Change INTRODUCTION The hot debate on climate change has become a real threat with recent happenings such as severe typhoons and floods in the Philippines, cyclones in Burma and an intensity 7-earthquake in Haiti. While some are still debating over the real causes and effects of climate change, some are already suffering from the consequences of it. The book Warming World rightfully mentioned that the entire world population is not equally concerned about it since the effects are not yet felt on some regions (Blowers, 7). People have different opinions about it primarily because of the differences in their situation. One of the threatened countries is Bangladesh. Floods and storms are common in the country, but scientists conclude that climate change is making the situation worse, primarily attributed to increasing sea level (DVD program). MAIN BODY The Natural And Anthropogenic Causes of Climate Change Since what we are now is a product of the world's constant change, it is assumed by some that the climate change that is happening is a natural process. Indeed, glaciers have melted before but they are seen as a natural process (Blowers, 14). Scientists including geologists and climate scientists are united in claiming that our present geographic condition and the entire planet has undergone "major changes long before humans evolved" (Blowers, 14). Climate and geographic changes can therefore be a product of a natural process which includes "bombardment from asteroids, changes in the solar activity, tectonic plate movements and volcanic eruptions" (Blowers, 18). The ice ages in which ice covered the most of the planet lasted several thousands of years until the interglacial periods "ice retreated towards the poles" (Blowers, 18). These changes in the phase of the earth have been remarkable but hey did happen for a long period of time. What causes alarm is the faster climate changes that are apparently unnatural but anthropogenic. The Theory of Climate Change. Climate Change is indeed natural, but undoubtedly there are human activities which dangerously alter the normal course of the environment. The increased volume and concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is singled out as the main cause of increased temperature. These greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) (Blowers). Both the absence and increased volume of greenhouse gases are seen to be detrimental to the environment as less of it might cause negative temperature which disallows the earth to sustain life (Blowers, 19). The book, Warming World explained the details of why greenhouse gases causes warming of the earth. It particularly discusses the process called radiative forcing which is the "difference between incoming solar radiation and reflected - or outgoing - solar radiation in the earth's climatic system" (Blowers, 19). Short-run solar radiations that pass through the earth are reflected back into the space from surfaces with high measures of reflectivity, which we call albedo. Not all surfaces however are able to reflect the solar radiation. This includes areas of low albedo such as lands and oceans, instead they absorb the radiation. When this absorbed radiation are reflected back in the space they become long wave radiation which are trapped by greenhouse gases as heat, thereby causing the warming of the atmosphere (Blowers, 19). Human participation comes to play through activities that increase the concentration greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which then changes "the radiative forcing of the Earth's climatic system" (Blowers, 19). The direct cause of warming may be natural, but it is enhanced by human activities. This is the point when we can say that the climate change is anthropogenic. Human activities such burning of fossil fuels from industrial manufacture that emits carbon dioxide, use of nitrogen fertilizers with nitrous oxide and deforestation all contribute to the increase in greenhouse gases. Other greenhouse gases which do not necessarily occur naturally are "manufactured industrially" (Blowers, 20). The more potent of these greenhouse gases is methane and the most emitted is carbon dioxide, which "accounts for 63% of the total warming effect" (Blowers, 21). A major human activity, deforestation contributes to global warming in two ways. Aside from the one mentioned above which is emission of methane, deforestation also diables the forest to serve as carbon sink which is the absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (Blowers, 21). The understanding of the real effect of climate change is pretty easy. It indeed seems natural but with much participation from human activity, the effect is aggravated becomes much more potent. Anthropogenic climate change is indeed apt to describe the event because certainly the changes are happening much earlier and in worse condition than the natural. There is what scientists term a "positive feedback effect" which has apparently enhanced the warming effect making it more severe. If this is so, then why some still doubt the contributions made by human in this climate change We will discuss the answers in the next section. Scientific Uncertainties and Politics Behind Climate Change Scientists believe that anthropogenic climate change mitigation is an urgent call, but some still take the "denial" side, making deaf ears towards the call (Blowers, 60). The latter blame it to scientific uncertainties but the former believe it is purely politics. Scientific tests include experiments where there an artificial circumstance is created. The body of knowledge derived from this experiment is then compared to the real world context which is of greater complexity (Audio Program). The climate change issues such as global warming and movements of huge parts of the earth including the space makes it difficult for experiment. Since the earth is one, scientific inquiry where two variables are tested with the other as controlled cannot be performed (Blowers, 68). This is where the "deniers" bank on. The book Warming World mentions two groups of people who are doubtful in taking immediate actions against climate change: the skeptics and the "deniers" (Blowers, 60). The skeptics are scientists who are still not convinced of the evidences of anthropogenic climate change. They are those who demand greater scientific studies and evidences to support the claim. On the other hand, the deniers have simply closed their thoughts on the side of human causing climatic changes. Instead, they are those who believe that climate change are natural so that it will have no adverse effect (Blowers, 83). The declaration of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on February 2, 2007, should erase doubts as to whether anthropogenic climate change indeed happens. The declaration has particularly mentioned two important things regarding this issue: one is that climate change is indeed occurring and two is that this is driven by human emission of carbon dioxide and this is believed to be true by 90% of the scientists. (Audio Program). Although, there is still 10% of the scientists who believe that further investigation should be done to merit the claim, this group does not necessarily stand in the way of this issue. What causes real problem is the politics of climate change. Since scientists are not necessarily policy makers, they still depend on the latter for actions. The politics behind climate change is composed of two things: the country's limited resources and the corporate power to oppose any move against them, relating to climate change. The politicians consult the scientists in their policy making. In fact, it was found out that there is an increasing number of scientists as consultants, one in every department of the government (Audio Program). This shows the value that politicians put into scientific inquiry. However, politicians don't seem to be convinced of the results, as they demand "certainty". The difficulties that science faces in ascertaining the exact data such as when the tipping point is and how the effect of the terrestrial areas differ from the oceans in terms of climate change makes the politicians doubtful into spending for it (Blowers, 64). Faced by a budget constraint, politicians naturally want the best out of the government budget. However, this again is a product of the differences of situations in each country. Countries that suffer wants urgent action, while some who are yet to reap the effect of environmental destruction are slow into acting. The politicians facing limited resources face this quandary. Since some aspects of the study are not yet complete, policy makers can be confused as to which should be the priority. The second political concern of climate change, however can be worse. It does not deal with the uncertainties but with the corporations who certainly do not want to limit their greenhouse gas emissions for profit's sake. The Exxon stand s an example of this. Particularly Exxon claimed that "any changes to the Earth's temperature are predominantly natural in origin" (Blowers, 58). Since the Kyoto Protocol, countries particularly in Europe promised to limit greenhouse gas emissions and this includes the private companies. Since steps in lessening the burning of fossils and carbon emission entails great amount of money, these things do not appeal to the profit-maximizing private companies. The economic considerations of mitigating anthropogenic climate change which is expected to "reduce the value of the world economy by up to 20 percent" is the real issue (Blowers, 103). Conclusion As to whether we are in already in the tipping point is still beyond the capacity of scientific inquiry. This does not however limit our ability to act and make an effort so as to make necessary reparations of our planet. It is just worse that it is seemingly the third world countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines and others who are reaping the destruction caused by climate change, which is by the way caused by large industrialized countries such as the USA. It's disheartening to know that during the Bush administration, efforts for climate change mitigation was radically reduced. And where did the budget of the national coffers go To war with Iraq. See, how USA can be so cruel to the world. With the failure of the Kyoto Protocol, there needs to be another agreement to reduce carbon emission by sizeable amount. This time, it should be for real. Works Cited Audio Program DVD Program Blowers, David Humphreys and Andrews. A Warming World. United Kingdom: Scotprint Haddington, 2009. Read More