On Monday, the Obama administration released a statement detailing the widespread consequences of climate change on public health, even claiming that it poses a greater danger than the polio virus. Climate change is a problem that needs to be recognized by the masses before a solution can be reached.
To those who don’t believe that we, as humans, play an important role in climate, I understand the points you are making, but the facts are against you.
“The climate has changed before. What about the ice age?”
About five significant ice ages, in which global temperatures decreased and glacial expansion took place, have occurred during Earth’s history. Solar radiation and plate tectonic activity have proven responsible for these shifts in global temperature, but these natural processes are no longer the problem. As humans add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere with the use of fossil fuels (which are commonly used to power vehicles, industry, etc), the sum of greenhouse gases increases and traps the heat radiating from the earth in the atmosphere, causing temperatures to rise. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, models including human factors paired natural factors show a much greater increase in temperature over time than models with natural factors alone, and the observed changes over the years correspond with this.
“The sun isn’t getting any warmer.”
The sun isn’t the problem. According to BBC News, the solar output has actually decreased over the last 20 years, whereas global average temperatures have increased. Over the last 1000 years up until the 1800s, volcanic eruptions have served as the primary source of climate change. However, since 1900, the greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere have caused the most change in global temperature. The process in which greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere further reinforces the idea that solar radiation has nothing to do with it. Greenhouse gases trap the heat radiating from the Earth’s surface in the atmosphere, so naturally humans play a role in climate change by producing carbon dioxide waste.
“Humans’ contribution to climate change is miniscule.”
Many individuals assume that though humans contribute to climate change, the change in the quantity of greenhouse gases or the levels of deforestation occurring world wide are not enough to entice humans to prioritize climate change over other global issues. This opinion rules out the fact that humans are altering the environment on a severe scale, contributing significantly to changes in temperature. According to an assessment report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, scientific experts concluded that there is more than 90 percent probability that human’s actions have contributed to an increase in Earth’s temperature over the past 50 years. Industrial activity alone has raised carbon dioxide quantities in the atmosphere from 280 to 400 ppm (parts per million) during the last 150 years, which is a significant change for the most influential contributor to climate change: greenhouse gases.
“Models are unreliable. Temperatures change every year. No significant change in temperature has changed over the years.”
Climate is not considered on a year-to-year basis; it is the average temperature over a period of time. It is not enough to say, “it is snowing outside” or “this is a record low temperature.” Yes, fluctuations occur yearly, but that does not account for the average change in temperature that has been addressed by a multitude of experts. According to the National Academy of Sciences, about 82 percent of climate experts agree that humans play an important role in the warming of the planet. Additionally, some have claimed that the changes or rate of warming is not significant enough to warrant a response from the government or the general public. In other words, they don’t believe they should change their habits or participation in industry for the sake of the environment. According to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, the average global temperature has risen by about 0.8 degrees Celsius, with two-thirds of this change occurring after 1975. This fact illustrates that the problem has escalated, and most scientists have attributed this severe increase to humans' involvement.
To all climate change skeptics, the experts are against you. The facts suggest that your assumptions are wrong, and that perhaps you are making these claims to avoid tackling this problem, but we can wait no longer. The importance of this matter far outweighs other global issues in the long run.
Related links:
Don't forget to worry about climate change
Be American, stop ignoring climate change
Reach the columnist at ghirneis@asu.edu or follow @ghirneise2 on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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