Climate Change Policies

Introduction

Climate change is the changing of weather patterns that can last for several years. It may refer to changes in the weather conditions or to the time disparity of weather (Eccleston, 2010). Environmental change has become a very serious issue and has gained a lot of attention from policymakers, the media, and the general public. People are so concerned that if these changes continue at the current pace, it will soon be very difficult to survive on the earth.

The environment of the earth is changing so rapidly that we have to think seriously about the factors that are causing serious damage to our surroundings. Some atmospheric and earth scientists are conducting thorough research on the excessive concentration of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other gases in the atmosphere and are trying to understand the consequences of the accumulation of these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Many human activities are causing serious damage to the climate. The use of CFCs and fossil fuels as coolants and for energy generation, along with many other factors, is becoming a reason for the depletion of the ozone layer. Acid rain is also caused due to human activities. As we burn fossil fuels for heat and power generation, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide combine with water vapours and cause acid rain.

The human activities that are causing damage to the climate are focused on meeting the needs and desires of the people, and as the population of the world grows, these activities will also increase, causing more damage to the climate. In order to save the earth from these dangerous gases and to make it a place livable for everyone, we have to work on how to save the world from climatic changes.

Discussion

In order to save the world, we have to make sure that the human activities that are causing damage to our surroundings must vanish or at least be reduced. For this, first, we have to identify the major problems that our climate is facing and identify the areas in which we have to work to save our environment.

Environmental Challenges

Our climate is constantly changing. We cannot deny that, but as the environment is changing, it’s important to become more aware of the problems that the earth is facing. Pollution of soil, air, and water needs millions of years to recover (Gutierrez, 2001). Despite being aware of this fact, we are continuously polluting our air by building more and more industries and with the gases that are emitted by our cars and trucks. We are polluting our water with acid rain, oil spills, and many other factors.

Global warming is also caused by changes in the climate. The main reason for global warming is greenhouse gases. The temperature of the atmosphere increases due to global warming and thus causes the melting of glaciers and a rise in the sea level. These unusual patterns cause flash floods, desertification, and excessive snow.

Forests are very important not only for human life because they consume carbon dioxide but also work as a home for many animals and plants. Forests help produce oxygen, which is an essential element for humans to survive. Cutting down the trees and clearing the forests to provide humans a place for living and working by establishing residential and official colonies is heavily affecting the climate.

Sun rays are very harmful to the human race. We are being protected from these harmful rays due to the presence of the ozone layer. This layer cannot be seen through the naked eye and thus saves us from ultraviolet radiation. The ozone layer is continuously being damaged by GHGs (John, 2002). These gases are present in an excessive amount in our atmosphere, and once they reach the upper level, they cause holes in the ozone layer.

Acid rain is also one of the major threats that our environment is facing. It is caused by pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels. It is also known as a problem that can adversely affect aquatic life, wildlife, and human health.

Direct/Indirect Environmental values

As time passes, we are facing more and more environmental challenges that bring a lot of effects, such as the loss of biodiversity. Activities being done by human beings are causing the loss of biodiversity and the extinction of different species. The ecosystem comes into a dangerous situation whenever any species’ population starts decreasing.

Excessive production of carbon dioxide is also causing ocean acidification. Today, acidity in the ocean has been at its maximum level for the last 250 years. However, research shows that it will increase by 150% by the end of 2100 (Wallace, 2017).

Policy Description

People around the world are getting their sleeves up for the protection of the environment and to make efforts to save the world from climate change. Fighting climate change is not an easy task. For this purpose, all the individuals have to work by themselves because change will only come when we will change ourselves.

To save the world from climate change, we don’t have to do any complex work. Our goal is simple. Climate’s worst enemy is carbon dioxide. We have to work in a way that we can minimize the use of such things that emit carbon dioxide and have to plant more and more trees (Rushefsky, 2018). More trees will soak more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and will produce more oxygen. We have to encourage people to plant more and more trees as the amount of cutting trees per annum is far higher than the amount of planting of trees.

Pros and Cons of the Policy

Pros of the Policy

1. Maximum tree plantation will have a positive impact on our economy as well as on the environment.
2. It will increase the amount of oxygen in our surroundings, thus making our lives more healthy and safe.
3. This policy will help to keep people informed about the environmental changes.
4. It will provide a habitat to many animals and other species.
5. It will reduce the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere.

Cons of the Policy

1. Plantation of many trees requires the use of chemicals, which will ultimately pollute nearby lakes and ponds.
2. It will contaminate the soil due to the use of herbicides and pesticides, which are harmful to many species of animals.
3. It will reduce the land for settlement.
4. A huge cost will be incurred for the implementation of this policy.

Conclusions

The climate of our earth is changing day by day. There is no doubt about that. The situation is getting worse as we, the custodians of this earth, are damaging it by ourselves. Excessive use of different chemicals that emit GHGs is causing air pollution, which is causing damage to the ozone layer as well as increasing the number of greenhouse gases, which are dangerous not only for human health but also for plants and animals. Tree planting is a way to overcome this situation. As we plant a maximum number of trees, we can save our earth from climate change. As more trees soak up more carbon dioxide, they produce more oxygen, which ultimately saves the environment.

References

Eccleston, C. H., & March, F. (2011). Global environmental policy: concepts, principles, and practice. CRC Press

Gutierrez, D. (2001). Natural Disasters Up More Than 400 Percent in Two Decades

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2015). Climate change 2014: mitigation of climate change (Vol. 3). Cambridge University Press

John, M. (2002). Environmental Policy in the European Union. The European Series, 21

Rushefsky, M. E. (2018, January 13). What is Environmental Degradation? Retrieved from Conserve Energy Future: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-ofenvironmental-degradation.php

Wallace, D. (2017). Environmental policy and industrial innovation: Strategies in Europe, the USA and Japan. Routledge.