Global Warming is a Reality

Debate on whether global warming is a reality or a myth has dominated modern discussion on the environment. Whereas some argue that there is nothing like global warming, scientists have come to a consensus that global warming is a reality that arises from emissions from man’s activities. In the last two decades, the challenge of global warming has featured in the meetings of world leaders due to its potential to wipe out all creation from the earth’s surface. Scientists are equally painting a pale picture of the current trends in global warming, arguing that people might not adapt to rapid changes in the natural ecosystem arising from global warming. From the scientific evidence and changes in the environment witnessed in recent years, global warming is a reality rather than a myth as proposed in some arguments.

Skeptics argue that the planet cannot be warming because of what they see happening around. For instant, they argue that if the world were warming, then there would be no snow everywhere. Indeed, they believe that the winters are getting chillier than before (Archer 201). This might raise concerns as to whether the world is getting hotter as scientists are arguing. However, scientific evidence goes contrary to this argument. Indeed, temperatures taken at any particular place have little to do with global warming trends in the long-term. Scientists argue that local variations in where patterns might not reveal global trends over several years. Indeed, to comprehend the reality, one needs to evaluate climatic conditions over a long period. Looking at recent data on temperature changes reveals that new record high temperatures are nearly as twice as new record lows. This indicates that global temperatures are raising gradually, a phenomenon that most people might not realize (Fuchs 98).

According to a recent survey in the US, these trends continue to produce panic among the citizens. In the UK, an opinion poll conducted in 2010 indicated that almost every person had some knowledge about greenhouse effect. About 80% of those interviewed said they were worried about global warming. They also believed that the government was doing little to mitigate the effects of global warming (Leroux 84). In the USA, 60 per cent of the public believe that global warming is a worrying issue, and 72 percent want the US government to take the lead action on it.

Several studies conducted in the last decade and summarized in several chapters of the Greenpeace Report indicates that there is a probability of reducing carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere in the next few years and at a negative cost. According to Seymour, with the right legislative framework, it is easy and cheaper to “save energy than find extra capacity for generating it” (42). The cost of energy is going up everyday for several numbers of renewable sources of energy production. However, there are also various ways of generating, “new future energy requirements in green house friendly ways, which do not involve the burning of fossil fuels” (Fuchs 141). However, this approach requires the willingness of governments, especially the developed countries that emit more carbon dioxide, as well as the right measures for intervention and investments (Fuchs 142).

The UK government leads the host of those nations impaled by their own prejudices. According to Archer, research and development expenditure for energy efficiency in 1989-90 was just 8.9 million pounds ($15.5 million) for all renewable just 18 million pounds ($31.4 Million). In the year 2007, the figure was slightly above $ 60 million (Archer 231). The Government regularly spends these kinds of sums on its own advertising (Weaver 53). Elsewhere, the picture is the same. In the United States of America, funding for energy and renewable resources has been cut hugely in the 1990s. In the European Community, research and development budgets for nuclear are still much higher than for renewable and energy efficiency combined. This trend has continued to be reflected in the preceding years (Leroux 110).

The Greenpeace Report was born of our certainty in the Greenpeace that the scientists in the IPCC would fairly reflect the unprecedented scientific consensus, which exists in the world today, and people’s equal certainty that most governments would choose to ignore them as far as they possibly could. According to Rapp, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has not taken its responsibilities seriously. Moreover, policy makers have consistently refused to head advice given by climatologists (Fuchs 103).

Recent reports show that, climatologists have done away with any further delays and it is only a matter of time before the reality dawns on world leaders. Most governments are looking at the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to come with up with a proper regulatory framework for mitigating global warming. However, the interim measures taken by governments do not engender confidence in tackling global warming concerns. In America for example, the government through the Department of Energy projects that carbon dioxide emissions will go up by about 25% by the year 2015 (Fuchs 103). However, leaders have opposed a clear provision in the Clean Air Act. This provision would require manufacturers to increase vehicle efficiency to “40 miles per gallon as a means of cutting carbon dioxide emissions from oil” (Leroux 119). In the UK, among many such examples, the Department of Energy has been busy inflating its energy estimates to reduce the effect of any decision to cut emissions. Indeed, although governments realize the reality of global warming, their approaches in reducing carbon emissions have been lackluster (Weaver 56).

In summary, the threat from global warming is real. Whereas there are those who believe otherwise, recent events leave no doubt, that global warming is a reality that requires urgent solutions. On the other hand, world leaders are not showing seriousness in combating this menace, which is capable of wiping out all creation. There is an urgent need for all countries to take a lead in addressing the problem posed by global warming. The advice from climate experts should be taken seriously and necessary resources allocated to tame climate concerns.

All nations should applaud all the measures undertaken to minimize the effect of global warming which has proved to be an environmental problem facing the world as at large. World leaders should come up with strategies aimed at reducing global warming and discourage the use of energy sources, which are destructive to the environment. Alternative sources of energy that does not contribute to global warming should be exploited to replace other sources of energy, which have adversely affected the environment through global warming.

Works Cited

Archer, David. Global Warming: understanding the forecast. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2011. Print.

Fuchs, Ralph. Global Warming: impacts and consequences of Global warming. New York: Routledge Publishers. 2011. Print.

Leroux, Marcel. Global Warming-Myth or Reality? The erring ways of climatology. London: Collins, Print, 2008. Print.

Weaver, Andrew. Generation Us: the challenge of global warming. New York: Orca Book Publishers, 2011. Print.