The Argument Over Global Warming
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Two Arguments?
There is a common media consensus that are two sides to the Global Climate Change Argument.
Pro
Man made Global Climate Change is real. Greenhouse gasses are produced by human activity. Thus our emissions should be capped and our carbon footprint should be reduced. Advocates, including Al Gore, propose that we cap emissions and increase fuel efficiency standards. Those who believe that action should be taken often support the Kyoto Protocol. Most major Nations have public policy in favor in reducing man's carbon footprint. The European Union is at the forefront of reducing greenhouse gasses. As of 2005, the EU has reduced its collective carbon footprint by 3% with an intent to reduce by 8% in 2012 and 20% by 2020. The EU claims that the effects on European economic concerns is belittled in the face of the possible effects of a climate shift.
Con
The climate is changing but it is a natural cycle of the climate. The increase in temperature could be due to an increase in solar radiation. In all actuality our effect on the planet is negligible, and our efforts to correct it is just as negligible. The United States is the only developed nation which has not ratified Kyoto. The US has claimed that first Kyoto does no require the World's 2nd largest producer of Carbon, China, to participate, and believes that economic impact of reducing emissions is so great that it warrants further review before entering into "Draconian regulations".
The United States has supposedly placed pressure on US scientists to not publicly support global warming. The Bush administration has been accused of censoring government material that might indicate human caused global climate shift.
There are those who claim, that this bickering is pointless. That even if global warming is not man made, man should make efforts to correct it.
Neutralizing the Debate Video
Shah, Anup. "Global Warming, Spin and Media." Global Issues. 18 Mar 2007. 21 Feb 2008 <http://www.globalissues.org/EnvIssues/GlobalWarming/media.asp>
Comments (1)
gtobara@... said
at 2:16 pm on Feb 21, 2008
As a Japanese person, I cannot uunderstand why the United States does not agree to the Kyoto Protocol! I believe that all countries should accept it. I hope Al Gore would help us.
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