By Anonymous
How may climate change transform our lives you ask? rising sea levels, increased greenhouse gas emissions and extreme heat waves across the world have been on the rise in recent years (Oreskes,2005). These statements may not mean much to you, but environmental scholars have connected the direct links between human utilization of fossil fuels such as oil and coal and the release of enormous amounts of heat trapping carbon dioxide into the air and its continual interaction with the natural environment in not so positive ways. Although many may disagree, science and common sense suggest climate change is real and will affect humans in ways which will transform the lives of future generations to come if we don’t act quickly. In NASA’s “vital signs of the planet series”, the effects of climate change are listed for those who dare to care.
What may climate change do you ask? well, according to a New York Times article published in 2017, the current rate in which heat is accumulating on the earth due to human emissions and deforestation of carbon holding plantation is roughly equal to the heat which would be released if 400,000 atomic bombs were detonated. Experts estimate by the year 2040 things will begin to deescalate and the irreversible ramifications of climate change will begin to take a firm hold. Think about it? What would all that Carbon dioxide do to our weather conditions, agricultural yields and daily human life. It is reported the animal kingdom will suffer the most casualties during this period. Their direct dependence on the natural earth means they stand right in the shooting line of this beast called climate change. In this New York Times article big questions pertaining to climate change are addressed using short answers.
400,000 atomic bombs, that’s insane!!, however many people are still in denial about climate change including world leaders. Skepticism has increased and heads of states such as Donald Trump are openly fighting the facts about climate change and how it is affecting the planet. His views on the subject have remained consistent over the years and he isn’t shy from expressing them. Even before his presidency, tweets about his non-agreeance to globally agreed on facts, about the changing climate of the world were becoming more frequent. For example, in October 2015, he tweeted “Boy its cold outside, wouldn’t be bad to have a little of that good old Global Warming right now!” (Trump, Donald. Twitter post. October 2015, 1.30AM ) after responding to a question about climate change and the cold weather America was having. Check out the link to read more tweets. (Insert link)
As it may be, skeptics of climate change are increasing and spreading their views about the topic. You ask why this may be? Psychologists Gorman & Gorman 2019, put forward a few reasons why some people choose to deny climate change. Gorman & Gorman 2019, suggest one reason for denying climate change might be motivated interference or having a bias to dismiss certain evidences that may contradict your way of life. For example, people whose daily bread is dependent on the oil industry may be inclined to favor rhetoric against climate change as it supports the continuation of their livelihood. Another reason why so many people dismiss climate change is the size of its implications. If true, climate change will force many people to come to terms with the truth which will mean deep self-reflection and the acknowledgment of immediate change. Eating less meat and removing cars from daily human life as well as expelling the airplanes used for tourism to lessen the carbon dioxide emissions made by humans maybe hard for some people to adopt. Climate change experts have also long understood the economic benefits invested in the fossil fuel industry. Industries such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and other giant petroleum companies spend millions on propaganda to mislead the public’s perception on climate change and the decline of the earth. They work tirelessly to influence politics at the top level and invest heavily in projects which advance their interests (Gorman & Gorman, 2019).
According to Greenpeace, 2019 the oil and gas companies in America spent 142 million dollars on lobbying the US government on climate change in 2014. Oil and gas still remain the number one contributor to climate change this century. It is important world nations band together and confront this unforgiving beast as it destroys indiscriminately. Future generations will then have access to a world which appreciates balance and avoids waste. Which in turn will pave the way to the enhancement and development of humanity (Greenpeace, 2019).
References:
Gorman, S & Gorman J.M. (2019, January 12). Climate Change Denial. Facing a reality too big to believe [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.pschologytoday.com/intl/blog/denying-the-grave/2019/climate-chnage-denial
Greenpeace. (2019). Oil. Retrieved from https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-warming/issues/oil
Oreskes, N. (2005). The scientific consensus on Climate change. Science, 306(5702), 1686.
2019 Social work blog 413 /713 