Global Warming: No Longer a Heated Debate

Back to back Category 4 Hurricanes, Michael and Florence, both pounded the Southeastern United States reminding us that high intensity hurricanes are happening more often and more frequently. Michael in particular was a prime example of this extreme weather. It was still a Category 3 when it was as far inland as Albany and a Category 1 when it was in Macon in middle Georgia, 5 hours from the coast. With over 32 deaths, major damage--including widespread flash flooding--and power outages for over 1 million residents, Michael is a cautionary tale that this type of extreme weather is becoming more frequent and more dangerous.

The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters occurring seems to send a clear signal: climate change is real. No, it’s not propaganda created by the Democrats or a conspiracy created by scientists. It’s certainly not a Chinese hoax. After all of these forceful storms, such as Hurricanes Florence, Michael, Irma, and Sandy, have hit us in just these past few years, it’s time we take action to pacify our environment.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently reported that a further temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius would be still manageable (and currently inevitable), but a rise of 2 degrees Celsius - a seemingly trivial difference - would be calamitous. From the tropical storms and flooding along the Florida coast to extreme forest fires in California, our nation has so much natural beauty to lose from global warming. This matter is no longer just the environmentalist’s concern, but it has snowballed into an impending crisis to humanity. In order to salvage what’s left of the environment, we need to rapidly reshape the economy in a way that supports our environmental goals. The clock is ticking and the future of the world is literally in our hands.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has no intention of addressing global warming. In fact, they plan on rolling back fuel economy standards which, according to Huffington Post, “would put 8 billion additional tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.” Our nation has been absent in the fight against climate change and based on last year’s Ikea Climate Change Behaviour Index, which considers various factors like recycling, energy saving, and food waste, the United States scored the lowest out of all the countries surveyed.

Although critics of progressive climate change policies argue that implementing environmental regulations would cost money and restrict the economy, not acting will actually be counterproductive in the long run. The effects of environmental policies will not be as immediately obvious as the fluctuation of the stock market, but the estimated damage of not enacting regulations would amount to $54 trillion. Delaying our attention to global warming will ultimately cost us more damage and more money.

Humans have only recently inhabited Earth in its 4.5 billion year history, but we are already on the verge of destroying its once-enduring beauty. For the sake of our planet and future generations, we must act decisively at this crucial point in time. We need to make known to our legislators that the environment is a widespread public concern that must go on their political agenda, or we risk losing everything.