In this blog post, we will look at the reasons why we put off taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions even though we know the seriousness of global warming.
Recently, people have not taken global warming seriously. Although they are fully aware of the dangers and causes of global warming, they overlook the dangers because there are no immediate major effects. However, even under these circumstances, the concentration of carbon dioxide is steadily increasing, and as global warming progresses, sea level rise, climate instability, and natural disasters such as extreme weather are on the rise. All members of society should be aware of the dangers of global warming and make efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States and environmental activist, used the documentary An Inconvenient Truth to warn the public of the dangers of global warming. Although there have been criticisms that the content contains exaggerations and contradictions, it is true that the recent trends in rising carbon dioxide concentrations and rising average temperatures are the same. It is said that the average global temperature has risen by about 0.8 degrees over the past 200 years and by 0.6 degrees over the past 30 years. In his book Six Degrees of Extinction, British environmentalist and journalist Mark Lynas presents a scenario in which 90% of the Earth’s species will be extinct if global average temperatures rise by more than 6 degrees, starting from the point where global average temperatures rise by 2 degrees. If the temperature continues to rise at the current rate, scientists warn that global average temperatures will rise by more than 2 degrees when the concentration of carbon dioxide reaches 480 ppm. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) also regards this 2-degree rise as an important indicator and is calling for a reduction in greenhouse gases to prevent it. However, the rate of carbon dioxide increase has reached 2.25 parts per million per year over the past three years, and this figure is increasing every year, so if this continues, the global average temperature is expected to rise by more than 2 degrees by the middle of the 21st century. Therefore, efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are urgently needed to prevent irreversible disasters.
However, most people are only superficially aware of the severity of this problem and the need for efforts. This is because the effects of climate change are currently only slightly noticeable, but serious changes have not yet occurred to the extent that the public is aware of the problem. In addition, many people do not know how to take action. However, if we broaden our view to look at global climate change, serious changes are already occurring in some regions. In the case of the Antarctic and Arctic, very large climate fluctuations are observed compared to other regions, and we cannot be relieved that the immediate climate change is not felt significantly.
It is a fact that cannot be scientifically refuted that the greenhouse effect is accelerating global warming due to carbon dioxide emitted by humans. Even if we consider climate change caused by natural cycles, the recent rise in temperature is an unusual phenomenon that has appeared along with a rapid increase in carbon dioxide concentration. Therefore, the increase in greenhouse gas concentration caused by human activities is having a clear impact on global warming.
However, some people are skeptical about the claim that increased carbon dioxide concentrations cause global warming. They argue that global warming is the result of a complex combination of various factors, including the eccentricity of the orbit, changes in the tilt of the axis of rotation, the precession of the Earth’s axis, and solar activity. There are also claims that the impact of increased carbon dioxide concentrations on global warming is negligible, and that there is insufficient evidence to prove the correlation.
Of course, it is true that various factors are complexly involved in changes in the Earth’s temperature. However, even taking these differences into account, the recent unusual rise in temperature is likely to have been largely influenced by the rapid increase in carbon dioxide concentrations. For example, according to the Milankovitch Cycles, which analyze climate patterns caused by the Earth’s orbital motion, it was predicted that the Earth would gradually cool over tens of thousands of years and enter an ice age. However, recently, the Earth’s temperature has been rising rapidly, contrary to expectations. In addition, a 2011 study predicted that solar activity is currently slowing down, and as a result, global temperatures will drop, but in reality, temperatures are rising. This is strong evidence that the cause of global warming is related to the increase in greenhouse gases.
The concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, which are typical greenhouse gases, show a drastic difference between before and after the Industrial Revolution. This is closely related to the use of fossil fuels and the increase in livestock farming. In particular, the concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane have risen significantly since the Industrial Revolution, far exceeding the levels of increase over the past 800,000 years. Therefore, it is undeniable that human activity has caused a rapid increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases, which has caused the greenhouse effect and influenced the recent rise in temperature. Even if we accept that global climate change is cyclical and occurs naturally, the impact of human activity cannot be ignored.
If humanity does not make enough efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the current state of affairs continues, global warming will one day pose a serious threat to human survival. Although the impact is not yet fatal to survival, considering the vicious cycle caused by the greenhouse effect, there is a high possibility that irreversible and drastic climate change will occur at some point. The vicious cycle of the greenhouse effect refers to the phenomenon in which the amount of dissolved carbon dioxide in the ocean decreases due to rising temperatures, and the greenhouse effect is further accelerated as greenhouse gases contained in the permafrost melt and are released. If this process repeats, the changes will have a major impact on relatively immobile plants, which may eventually lead to a reduction in species diversity or extinction. This will also affect animals that feed on plants, and as a result, food problems will arise for humans at the top of the food chain. In addition, human society may also face great threats due to extreme climate change such as heavy rains, storms, floods, droughts, and forest fires caused by abnormal weather. In addition, the number of climate refugees will continue to increase as settlements in low-lying areas and islands are flooded due to rising sea levels.
On the other hand, some experts argue that this global warming trend is already out of human control, and that it is now more realistic to come up with adaptation measures. They believe that global warming is the result of natural cycles and that humanity should seek ways to adapt rather than trying to prevent it. However, as mentioned earlier, even if we take natural changes into account, we cannot ignore the impact of humans, and if we only adapt without reducing greenhouse gases, the limits will be revealed. Therefore, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must be made, even if all of this is the result of a natural cycle.
Since the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, countries around the world have been running headlong to develop their economies. As a result, science and technology and civilization have developed, while environmental issues have become serious. Among them, one of the biggest environmental issues is global warming. Global warming is still ongoing and its pace is getting faster. International cooperation is essential to counteract it. Various international cooperation efforts are underway, such as the Kyoto Protocol and renewable energy, but they are still insufficient to prevent global warming on a global scale. If each country neglects environmental issues and pursues only its own interests, the so-called tragedy of the commons will occur.
Although the debate over the causes of global warming continues, countries must recognize the impact of human greenhouse gas emissions on global temperature rise and seek sustainable development solutions. Efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions or capture and store greenhouse gases already present in the atmosphere are necessary whether global warming is caused by human activity or natural cycles. Individuals who make up society must also recognize the seriousness of global warming and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Earth’s temperature is currently rising abnormally. To solve this, all members of the Earth must work together with a sense of urgency.
