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Lauren Bosteder

Prof. Leonard

English 1201-507

27 November, 2021

The Issue of Climate Change

The Earth is home to some of the most picturesque ecosystems: the Amazon Rainforest,

the Great Barrier Reef, and the Grand Canyon are among the most beautiful locations on the

planet. With these places being so distinctive, it would be difficult to fathom a world devoid of

these ecosystems. It is hard to picture, correct? Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, these

marvelous ecosystems may cease to exist in the near future, and the actions of humans may be

responsible for this. If these human activities continue, these flourishing landscapes will suffer

irrevocable damage and, in time, will become barren, bleak environments unfit for living. The

Amazon Rainforest will be condensed into nothing but a ragged savanna. The Great Barrier Reef

will be transformed into a graveyard. The Grand Canyon will become a lifeless desert. But what

may humanity be doing to allow such calamities to occur? The answer is straightforward: our

behaviors are contributing to climate change. The issue of climate change is a serious, evident

issue that not only affects the well­being of the Earth’s atmosphere, seas, and biodiversity but

also affects the health conditions of people around the world.

It should come as no surprise that the causes of climate change are from the collective

acts of humankind. In fact, since the year 1850, evidence has shown that greenhouse gases and

other anthropogenic factors can explain the longstanding effects of climate change (Hausfather).

Although various natural variables are known to impact climate change, the truth remains that

humans are responsible for most of the repercussions. From 1951-2010, it is estimated that
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anthropogenic efforts are primarily to blame for approximately 93-123% increase in the global

mean temperature (Hausfather).

Ever since civilization opted to push forward with industrialization efforts, the

repercussions have appeared to have an impact on our environment. From the years 1901 to

2020, the global temperature has risen 1.98°F (1.1°C) across the entire world, which has led to a

change in weather patterns like drought and flooding (National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration). Even while it may appear that a slight increase in temperature will have an

insignificant effect, it has proved to have negative consequences all over the world. The melting

of glaciers and sea ice at the poles is being attributed to rising temperatures, resulting in a 3.2

mm increase in sea levels per year since 1993 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration). On top of this, due to the industrialization of present-day society, the amount of

carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced and released into the atmosphere has risen

by about 40% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration). From an ecological perspective, climate change has been shown to

be a major driver of biodiversity loss, forcing organisms to find new ways to adapt to their

environment (Nunez et al. 3685).

Greenhouse gases are one of the most powerful contributors to climate change. As

civilization has advanced, society has become more reliant on energy than ever before,

particularly regarding the use of fossil fuels. Michael Blune, the director of the Sierra Club,

stated that most of our modern-day economy is based on fossil fuels with the main sources

consisting of oil, coal, and natural gas (Before the Flood, 8:44--59). The combustion of these

fossil fuels contributes to the production of fuel for modern society's industrial efforts. Oil has

primarily been used to fuel transportation, while coal and natural gas have both been used to

generate electricity worldwide (Before the Flood, 9:01--08). The usage of these fossil fuels has
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resulted in the release of emissions into the atmosphere. Continuous consumption of fossil fossils

is a primary contributor to the release of greenhouse gas in copious quantities, which in turn has

proved to warm the Earth’s atmospheric temperatures (United States Environmental Protection

Agency).

In modern society, the consumption of nonrenewable energy has proven to be massive. In

the United States, more than 6.5 billion metric tons of CO2 were emitted into the atmosphere in

2019, with around 80% of those emissions consisting of carbon dioxide (United States

Environmental Protection Agency). Despite massive emissions of these gases, particularly

carbon dioxide, the amount of these gases released per year has been observed to be rising at an

exponential rate. The release of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous gases, etc.)

into the atmosphere in the year 2020, the index was 1.47 -- a 47% increase in three decades, with

carbon dioxide emissions escalating to a large quantity of 412.5 parts per million (the number of

carbon dioxide molecules per molecules of dry air) (National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration). This mass release of carbon dioxide has proved to influence the effects of

global warming. According to the National Oceanic Atmosphere Administration, the average

surface temperatures have increased at a rate of 0.14°F per decade since 1880, with this

temperature doubling in 1981 due to increased emissions (National Oceanic Atmospheric

Administration; NOAA, NCEI). Along with this, the weather changes and the pollution that is

caused by these greenhouse gases caused detrimental effects around the world (Nunez).

Carbon dioxide has been shown to influence climate change. Carbon dioxide emissions

have contributed to about 80% of all U.S greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, with fossil fuels

(oil, natural gas, coal, etc.) being the main emitter (United States Environmental Protection

Agency). Oil has primarily been used to fuel transportation, while coal and natural gas have both

been used to generate electricity worldwide (Before the Flood, 9:01--08). The mass release of
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CO2 causes the trapping of heat within the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide molecules absorb heated

infrared energy from sunlight and once soaked up, the molecule pulsates and excretes this energy

in all directions, leaving a fraction of this energy to travel into space and the rest of the energy

left over to travel as heat back to Earth contributing to the ‘greenhouse effect’ (Fecht).

Along with this, the oceans and rainforests have been shown to absorb massive amounts

of carbon dioxide and stabilize the atmosphere from becoming overrun with gas, approximately

1/3 of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (Before the Flood, 45:08--17). But, with the amount

of carbon dioxide that is being produced by human activities, the ocean is unstable to

comfortably stabilize the carbon emissions, which could also be a factor of warming (Before the

Flood, 45:19--31).

Along with carbon dioxide, methane has also been linked to the warming of the

atmosphere. Methane emissions accounted for around 10% of greenhouse gas emissions in the

United States in 2019, and while this is much less carbon dioxide, they are still considered a role

in global warming. Approximately 50-65% of methane emissions globally come from human

activities, including agriculture (livestock), the distribution and production of natural gas, and

waste products from homes and businesses, (United States Environmental Protection Agency).

Methane emissions also come from natural sources, including natural wetlands and products of

natural disasters (United States Environmental Protection Agency). Methane is emitted into the

atmosphere in about the same way that carbon dioxide is, but agricultural livestock sources have

been able to emit vast amounts of this greenhouse gas into the environment. Certain livestock,

particularly cows, release methane into the atmosphere by the ingestion of food from their

mouths. Because of this, a large cow population located in one area can threaten the health of the

atmosphere. With substantial populations of cows within certain areas of the United States, an
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overabundance of methane in the atmosphere has proven to be a large enough issue that it

contributes to warming (Before the Flood, 51:10--52:43).

Because the global temperatures have risen has 1.98°F (1.1°C) across the entire world

between the years 1901-2020 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), it has caused

massive changes worldwide. Although the rise in temperatures can be attributed to the increase

in greenhouse gas emissions, they can also be associated with the rise in sea levels throughout

the years. According to the European Climate Foundation, sea levels have already risen 0.2

meters since 1800, with this amount surging in the past several decades (Hausfather). Although a

fifth assessment report (AR5) issued in 2013 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

concluded it would be very unlikely for the sea level to rise to surpass one meter this century

(Hausfather), this is not to say that rising sea levels are not a concern.

It is apparent that the main reason for the rise in sea levels is due to the increase in

temperature generated by global warming. It is straightforward: what happens to ice when it

heats up? The ice melts because of being exposed to heat. This process is currently taking place

on a much greater scale but envision the ice caps as the source of the water and the source of the

heat as the temperature increases due to the impact of climate change and greenhouse gas

emissions. The temperature has increased in recent decades, it has affected the glaciers located

within the ice caps. Because of the rising temperatures, our arctic glaciers located in areas such

as Greenland and Antarctica are melting at an alarming rate, causing a rapid flow of melted

debris (excess water) to flood into the oceans. Data from the National Oceanic Atmospheric

Administration has concluded that at least 15% of ice-covered areas from September 1979- to

2020 is declining at a rate of 13.1% per decade. Along with this, over the last four decades, the

oceanic area that is covered by ice from September 1979- to 2020 has declined by 40% (National

Oceanic Atmospheric Administration; NSIDC).

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The thawing of the ice caps creates a seesaw effect causing an increase in sea levels. The

global ocean levels have increased during the 20th century after a period of 2,000 years with

minor changes (United States Environmental Protection Agency). As a result of their studies,

they have discovered that the average rate of change in the sea levels in the present day has risen

substantially. From 1880 to 2013, the absolute sea level on average has been increasing by 0.06

inches annually. These long-term water levels have doubled since 1993, with the levels currently

increasing at a rate of 0.12 to 0.14 inches annually (United States Environmental Protection

Agency).

Sea level rise poses a great threat to coastal settlements, particularly developments that

are located on sea level. With over 10 million Americans living on a coastal floodplain, the rising

sea levels leave many people at risk (United States Environmental Protection Agency). Many

coastal areas are at risk of losing land, as well as being more vulnerable to flooding. The sea

level along the U.S. coastline has risen substantially between 1960 and 2020, particularly parts of

the Mid--Atlantic and the Gulf coasts, with some regions witnessing an increase of more than 8

inches (United States Environmental Protection Agency). As the sea level increases, these

coastal developments are being threatened as the rising water levels are causing the loss of land.

Data from the United States Environmental Agency has concluded that at least 20 square miles

(about twice the area of Chicago O'Hare airport) of dry land and wetland have fallen victim to

the waters along the Atlantic coast between 1996 and 2011 due to the rise sea levels (United

States Environmental Protection Agency).

The loss of land can also be attributed to the increase in flooding in the U.S and across

the world. Inland flooding along the U.S coastline recently been increasing at a rate between 300

- 900%, which is a higher percentage than seen 50 years prior. (Lindsey). This inland flooding is

already causing problems around the world, particularly in the state of Florida. The city of
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Miami, Florida has already begun to face the repercussions of this sea level rise. Rising sea

levels cause the back flow of sea water into the street drains, resulting in a phenomenon known

as "sunny day flooding” where the streets become overflowed with floodwater from the drains.

The mayor of Miami, Philip Levine, has had to raise tax revenue from citizens in order to raise

the millions of dollars required to elevate street levels and create drains to keep water off city

streets. (Before the Flood, 19:57--21:55).

Along with the increasing greenhouse gas emissions and the rising sea levels, the loss of

biodiversity and ecosystems is another component affected by climate change. The extinction

and endangerment of both plants and animals due to climate change is an upcoming issue.

Climate change is now affecting roughly 10,967 species, with its effects promoting the

elimination of these organisms (International Union for Conservation of Nature). The elimination

of a single organism from a food chain as a result of climate change can have far-reaching

consequences for the ecosystem. The elimination of krill populations in the Arctic Ocean is a

great example of this phenomenon. The runoff from the melting ice is causing acidity levels to

rise in the Arctic Ocean. This is an issue because the rising acidity is harming the nature of

ecosystems located in those areas. The acidity in the water is reducing populations of krill which

in turn are endangering several consumer species within the arctic ecosystem (including whales,

penguins, seals, etc.) that rely on krill for their nourishment (International Union for

Conversation of Nature). This major decrease in krill populations ended up affecting the

ecosystem and other organisms within the food chain, causing a trickle-down effect of

population loss within the ecosystem.

In addition, the destruction and alteration of an ecosystem because of human efforts has a

significant role in the endangerment and elimination of many organisms across the world. More

than 9% of the world's projected 5.9 million terrestrial organisms are sharing habitats that are not
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being restored, making them inadequate for long term survival. With this, worldwide terrestrial

habitat integrity that is prompted by habitat destruction is shown by a 30% reduction rate.

(United Nations). A species' decline can also be caused by the loss of native land as a result of

the combined impacts of climate change. The population of abundance and the range of a species

is determined by the changes in land-use that are directly caused by effects of global warming

(Nunez et al. 3685).

Many habitats have fallen victim to human activities that influence climate change.

Events such as global temperature rise, extreme weather events such as droughts, tropical

weather events, increasing ocean levels, deforestation, disease, and pollution by greenhouse

gases emissions, among other things, will destroy or alter the original ecosystem (International

Union for Conservation of Nature). Along with this, the Bramble Cay melomys (Melomys

rubicola) may be the first mammal to be recorded to go extinct as an immediate result of climate

change. The species have only been reported to reside on the Great Barrier Reef Island of

Bramble Cay. Due to climate change, its island habitat has been eroded by increasing sea levels.

The destruction of the ecosystem greatly reduced the resources needed for the Bramble Cay

melomys to survive, driving them to extinction (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

As a result of climate change, numerous developmental features produced through

adaptation in animals from declining environments have been observed. Behavioral changes

observed in the North American tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) have shown to have earlier

breeding times due to the rising temperatures (International Union for Conversation of Nature).

With this, the genetic changes observed in the common toad (Bufo bufo) and the green toad

(Bufotes balearicus) in southern Italy have been shown to be affected by global warming,

developing traits such as hybridization (interbreeding as the species’ habitats are altered

significantly) (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

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It is clear to see that the effects of climate change are also affecting the human

population as well. Research published by the journal Nature Climate Change determined that

approximately 85% of humanity is currently experiencing the impacts of climate change based

on a collection of 102,160 observed research of meteorological phenomena that may be

correlated with climate change (Callaghan et al. 1) The research that was obtained focused on the

effects that carbon emissions have on fluctuations in temperature and precipitation worldwide.

The results of the data show that over 80% of the world’s land area is being affected by

anthropogenic climate change, which forms a correlation between global warming and human

activities (Callaghan et al. 1).

With a vast number of people being affected by climate change daily, there is a growing

concern about the threat of climate change pertaining to the health and wellness of people around

the world. The exposure to these impacts of climate change has wreaked havoc on the well-being

of populations around the world. Exposure to these elements, such as extreme heat, poor air

quality, poor food, and water quality, and more has led to medical consequences including heat

related illnesses, cardiopulmonary illnesses, and food and water-borne diseases among many

others (United States Environmental Protection Agency).

Th amount of greenhouse gas emissions as well as other pollutants from industrialization

are negatively affecting both the environment and the people that live within them. Due to the

rapid growth of industrialization and urbanization, it can cause the air quality of certain regions

to become unsuitable to sustain living in. The Asian Journal of Psychology has studied the

effects that climate change has had on the citizens of China. They have discovered that due to

China’s rapid industrialization, they are the world’s largest producer of carbon dioxide. The

amount of carbon emission being released into the atmosphere in China causes serious
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environmental issues, which can lead humans, organisms, and ecosystems to suffer as a result

(Olivos et al. 156--158).

The educational attainment a person achieves has been shown to correlate with concerns

toward global warming. According to the Asian Journal of Psychology, they describe a study

they connected to indicate how individuals in China respond to the threat of climate change.

They discovered that in China, educational achievement has a positive correlation with

environmental concerns. (Olivos et al. 156--158). This means the more education you receive,

the more likely one will understand the harmful effects of global warming, with these two factors

correlating with one another.

Even though the evidence supporting the problem of climate change has been proven to

be a real-world problem, many people around the world continue to reject the idea that climate

change is a problem or even a grave issue at all. Although approximately 97% of scientists

believe that global warming is an evident issue and that humans are the primary cause (Cook et

al., 2016) and about 7 in 10 Americans understand that the climate is changing (Leiserowitz et

al., 2021), there are still individuals around the world who discredit climate change as an urgent

issue. It is estimated that approximately 27% of Americans claim to believe that global warming

is not a significant issue, and perhaps even a problem at all (Goldberg et al., 2020).

Many individuals in the U.S. and around the world do not believe that climate change is a

major issue due to the output of certain data from politicians who do not believe it is a severe

problem. Based on a new analysis from the Center for American Progress, climate deniers

comprise approximately 52% of House Republicans; 60% of Senate Republicans, and more than

a fourth of all elected members in 116th Congress, with about 139 climate change denying

members in the 117th Congress (Drennen). Due to the leadership status of these members of
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Congress and other world leaders, the influence that they bring about to the public can help to

influence change in the public opinion of climate change for the better or worse.

Climate change is a serious, well-documented issue that affects not only the health of the

Earth's atmosphere, seas, and biodiversity, but also the health of people all over the world.

Greenhouse gases are one of the most powerful contributors to climate change, especially in

terms of fossil fuels. Due to the warming of the climate, sea levels are beginning to rise, posing

serious threats to the arctic caps as well as coastal settlements. Human efforts have also caused

the loss of species and ecosystems around the planet, as well as developing new traits to adapt to

the ever-changing climate. The health of humans is being severely impacted by the effects of

climate change, causing issues in air quality, and allowing for medical problems and diseases to

develop within humans. Since the data supporting the problem of climate change has been

demonstrated to be a real-world problem, many individuals throughout the world continue to

deny that it is a problem or even a severe issue at all. Understanding that climate change is a real

problem can help people grasp the consequences of human activity and how it is affecting the

globe today.
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Works Cited

Callaghan, Max, et al. “Machine-Learning-Based Evidence and Attribution Mapping of 100,000

Climate Impact Studies.” Nature Climate Change, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-

021-01168-6.

“Climate Change Impacts.” Climate Change Impacts | National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2019,

https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate/climate-change-impacts.

Cook, John, et al. “Consensus on Consensus: A Synthesis of Consensus Estimates on Human-

Caused Global Warming.” Environmental Research Letters, vol. 11, no. 4, 2016, p.

048002., doi:10.1088/1748-9326/11/4/048002.

Drennen, Ari, and Sally Hardin. “Climate Deniers in the 117th Congress.” Center for American

Progress, 12 Nov. 2021, www.americanprogress.org/article/climate-deniers-117th-

congress/.

Goldberg, Matthew, et al. “For the First Time, the Alarmed Are Now the Largest of Global

Warming's Six Americas.” Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, 16 Jan.

2020, climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/for-the-first-time-the-alarmed-are-

now-the-largest-of-global-warmings-six-americas/.

Hausfather, Zeke. “Explainer: How Climate Change Is Accelerating Sea Level Rise.” Carbon

Brief, European Climate Foundation, 11 Oct. 2021,

https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-climate-change-is-accelerating-sea-level-rise.
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Leiserowitz, Anthony. Climate Change in the American Mind, September 2021. George Mason

University, Center for Climate Change Communication, 2021.

Monroe, Mark, et al. Before the Flood. Performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, YouTube, National

Geographic Society, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbEnOYtsXHA.

Accessed 14 Oct. 2021.

Nunez, Sarahi, and Rob Alkemade. “Exploring Interaction Effects from Mechanisms between

Climate and Land-Use Changes and the Projected Consequences on Biodiversity.”

Biodiversity and Conservation, vol. 30, no. 12, 2021, pp. 3685–3696.,

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02271-y.

Olivos, Francisco, et al. “Educational Attainment and Environmental Concern in China: An

Instrumental Variable Approach.” Asian Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 24, no. 2,

2020, pp. 156–168., https://doi.org/10.1111/ajsp.12431.

“Species and Climate Change.” IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, 22 Oct.

2021, www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/species-and-climate-change.

Timsit, Annabelle, and Sarah Kaplan. “At Least 85 Percent of the World’s Population Has Been

Affected by Human-Induced Climate Change, New Study Shows.” The Washington Post,

11 Oct. 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/10/11/85-

percent-population-climate-impacts/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2021.

“Understanding the Connections Between Climate Change and Human Health.” EPA,

Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/climate-

indicators/understanding-connections-between-climate-change-and-human-health.
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