Global Warming Essay - 2,309 words

Global Warming (1) The problem of Global warming is considered one of the most troubling issues of contemporary era. It has been
noticed that the average air temperature in different parts of the world is being on constant rise, ever since humanitys existence
began to depend more and more on exploitation of fossil fuels. Whereas in 1870, the carbon fuel emissions in the air were almost
non-existent, in 2000, the amount of such emissions has reached 6 billion tons. Many scientists agree that it is this the increased
levels of CO2 in the air, which is directly linked to Global warming, although there is no universal conformity, in regards to this
matter. While burning, fossil fuels release large amounts of carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere. This causes a so-called greenhouse
effect, when suns energy does not reflect back into the space, but becomes trapped underneath the layer of greenhouse gases. This
leads to Earth atmosphere being excessively heated up.

In its turn, this will eventually affect the lives of people. Therefore, it is only logical that many of them strongly associate Global
warming with evil, which needs to be contested, regardless of the cost. Some authors go as far as suggesting that, even today, the
process of Global warming prevents many people from having a normal life. Hans Baer is one of them. In his article Global Warming
as a By-product of the Capitalist Treadmill of Production and Consumption--The Need for an Alternative Global System, he relates
Global warming to the worsening of epidemiological situation around the world: Global warming appears to be the primary impetus
behind the spread of infectious-borne diseases to environments north and south of the equator and heat waves that threaten the lives
and health of vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and the sick (Baer, p. 59).

At the same time, there are many scientists who believe that peoples industrial activity, in recent decades, has very little to do with
the fact that the average temperature of Earth atmosphere seems to be on the rise. After all, the eruption of one volcano emits as
much CO2 into the atmosphere as do all coal-operated power plants in the world, over the period of fifty years. In his article Global-
Warming Myths, Hoff Stauffer makes very good point when he says: The debate on global warming is burdened with unfortunate
misconceptions that inhibit progress in moving forward. One misconception is that draconian measures would be required to mitigate
global warming (Stauffer, p.14). The biggest problem with the issue of Global warming is the fact that there is no scientifically
substantiated proof that greenhouse effect is being caused by peoples industrial activity alone. The article There is No Global
Warming, which can be found on the site of American Policy Center, states: Scientific research through U.S.

Government satellite and balloon measurements shows that the temperature is actually cooling - very slightly - .037 degrees Celsius.
In 1936, the Midwest of the United States experienced 49 consecutive days of temperatures over 90 degrees. There were another 49
consecutive days in 1955. But in 1992 there was only one day over 90 degrees and in 1997 only 5 days (APC). In other words, Kyoto
Protocol is based on scientific assumption, not the hard facts. We all know what happens when countries domestic and international
policies are being adjusted to correspond to such assumptions.

The story of Iraqis weapons of mass destruction can serve as the best example. This is the reason why Australia and U.S. were not in
the big rush to sign up Kyoto Protocol, according to which, industrialized and developing nations are presented with their own quotas,
in regards to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The ultimate goal of Kyoto Protocol is to reduce such emissions worldwide
by 10%-15%, before the year 2012. Countries that have signed the Protocol, agree to be subjected to UN monitoring, which is meant
to insure that every particular participant stays committed to its obligation, within a context of Protocol. These obligations vary
greatly, in accordance to geopolitical status of every country.

Thus, 137 developing countries that have signed Protocol, including Brazil, China and India, have no responsibilities, under the
agreement, beyond monitoring and reporting emissions, despite the fact that their share in global CO2 emissions is substantial. What
makes many people to doubt that Kyoto Protocol might benefit the environment is the fact that dealing with the issue of reduction of
CO2 emissions is being delegated to UNs bureaucracy. Throughout the history of its existence, there was no single instance of UN
being able to deal with the issue of global concern in effective manner. It became a customary practice for the UN officials to begin
their meetings with discussion of how to end worlds hunger, for example, while the gap between poor and rich countries continues to
widen. There are good reasons to believe that the same thing is going to happen with UN intention to reduce the amount of carbon
dioxide emissions, because UN simply lacks the effective means to control the implementation of its own resolutions. For example,
China is one of the biggest producers of CO2, but despite this fact, Kyoto Protocol does not require this country to shut down coal-
operated power plants, the way it requires Western countries.

At the same time, such important participants of Kyoto agreement as Ethiopia and Somalia, are made eligible for the large financial
donations from developed countries, as the mean to encourage citizens of these countries to become more environmentally aware.
All this reveals Kyoto Protocol as another initiative of UN bureaucracy to legitimize the misuse of finances, on its part. It appears
that the issue of Global warming cannot be referred to as purely environmental. Apparently, it is being used to push a political
agenda, which is the reason why more and more people grow skeptical about the effectiveness of proposed measures to improve
environmental situation in the world. As recent as twenty years ago, environmentalists were suggesting that thinning of ozone layer
over Antarctica was a direct result of people using aerosol sprays. In his article A Necessary Apocalypse, John Dunn says: Ozone
depletion did serve a useful Green purpose in drawing public attention to the atmosphere, and confusing people as to exactly what
the problem was all about (Dunn, AT).

However, a few years after the beginning of this environmental craze, it was being proven that usage of aerosol sprays cannot be
related to the widening of ozone holes over Antarctica. In fact, these holes had simply patched themselves up, without any
involvement, on the part of people, within a matter of few years. As for today, there are no more talks about the dangers of aerosol
sprays and about the wickedness of human race, which destroys its own environment. We cannot be absolutely sure that the same
thing will not happen with the issue of Global warming. Numerous signs point out to the fact that the effects of Global warming are
being artificially exaggerated. First of all, it became a
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