Synthesis of an Environmental Science Class

RCC Environmental Science Spring 2014 Class

After all we have discussed during this Spring semester, in my opinion, it is really hard to select just one topic as the most important environmental issue, I would say that due to the overpopulation issue, and the poor Governmental changes in manage our natural resources in a sustainable manner, Climate Change is the major issue that is affecting us every single second of our lives.

“Climate change is the alteration in the long-term patterns and statistical averages of meteorological events” (Houtman, Karr, and Interlandi 393)

Why did I select this topic?

After studying this topic in class, I have done more research about it, where I have founded valuable information: books, articles, movies, documentaries. For example, the NASA, in his article, The Current and Future Consequences of Climate Change, states: “Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gasses produced by human activities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century” (climate.nasa.gov/effects/)

After that, I started questioning myself:

 -What if it has been proven by scientists that climate change is impacting drastically and negatively worldwide, the majority of the population looks skeptical about it?

- Why governments worldwide don’t do much about it?

- Why the general population hasn’t been informed about what is really happening?

 Although climate change is an inherently global issue, the impacts will not be felt equally across the planet. Impacts are likely to differ in both magnitude and rate of change in different regions or continents.  In my personal opinion, this issue of climate change can be discussed in three categories as: political, social, and economical.

The moral imperative to confront climate change worldwide

First, climate change can be discussed as a political issue. The United Nations, on its Climate Change page says: “In 2011 the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa produced the Durban Platform . In Durban, governments decided to adopt a universal legal agreement on climate change as soon as possible, but not later than 2015” (http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/climatechange/index.shtml)

The Durban Platform is a proposal made by the UN president  of recognizing that climate changes represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to human societies, thus it requires to be addressed urgently by all countries. For this project, the UN has assigned an Ad Hoc Working Group, which has extended one more year doing a research in the Bali Action Plan.  Then, what is the Bali Action Plan? It is a proposal that was implemented by the OPEC in 2007, to minimize the gas emission worldwide. In 2012, the UN appointed to continue with this plan, that hasn’t be efficient, contrary to reduce gas emissions, it has been increasing, since the plan started working. The UN, in its Climate Change conference in Doha, states:

“Governments decided in Durban at the end of last year to complete the 2007 Bali Action Plan, covering the areas of mitigation (curbing greenhouse gas emissions), adaptation to climate change, and the finance, technology and capacity-building which developing countries require to build their low-emission, climate-resilient futures”
(http://www.un.org/climatechange/blog/2012/11/26/un-climate-change-conference-in-doha)

Then, if there has been proven by scientists that climate change in a big problem because of changes in climate may threaten human needs with increased temperatures, sea level rise, changes in precipitation, and more frequent or intense extreme events.  Also the UN has pointed this issue formally during his assembles, and worldwide leaders have signed on it. Why there are not positive results about it? It might be that governments have filled it up this issue, or maybe they are planning to work on it later on.  Indeed, climate change can be discussed as a political issue; since governments worldwide are aware of this topic, it is complicated to work in a global manner; the bigger limitations is politics, since every country rules by different customs, values, etc, there might be more amoral governments that prefer make business without  taking in consideration their population well being, especially third world countries.

Third world countries are the most vulnerable to suffer dramatic climate changes

What can we do about it as a society?

Second, climate change can be discussed as a social issue. Some societies will likely experience more adverse effects than others.  Contrary, other societies may benefit from climate changes.  A social discussion of climate change includes the way of how people can be impacted regarding this topic. For example, changes in climate may threaten these needs with increased temperatures, sea level rise, changes in precipitation, and more frequent or intense extreme events.  The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on his publication, Climate Impacts on Global Issues, states: “Changes in climate could have significant impacts on food production around the world. Heat stress, droughts, and flooding events may lead to reductions in crop yields and livestock productivity"(http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/international.html) 

Let's work together before it gets to late. 

For example, at mid to high latitudes, cereal crops yields are projected to increase slightly, in the other hand, at lower latitudes, cereal crops yields are projected to decrease.  Moreover, the UN says: “By the middle of the 20th century, it was becoming clear that human action had significantly increased the production of these gases, and the process of ‘global warming’ was accelerating.  Today, nearly all scientists agree that we must stop and reverse this process now — or face a devastating cascade of natural disasters that will change life on earth as we know it”. Different, other organizations, as the Heartland Institute, and non-profit organization, on his publication: The Myth of Global Warming Consensus”, states: “there is no survey or study that supports the claim of a scientific consensus that global warming is both man-made and a problem and ample evidence to the contrary. There is no scientific consensus on global warming” (http://heartland.org/policy-documents/research-commentary-myth-global-warming-consensus) This is an example of creating conflict and confusion to the general population, because people that has an skeptical position about this topic, might have an excuse just to being skeptical. Also, a person that might have some knowledge about the topic easily can change his mind. To conclude, there might be more than five answers to all our questions, but let’s say that climate change can be discussed as a social issue due to the entire population is affected by this phenomenon worldwide. Even though, these changes might be affecting people in different scales, it would depend of their specific home, region, or country. To sum up, indigenous groups in various regions, such as Latin and South America, Europe, and Africa, are experiencing threats to their traditional livelihoods. Rising sea levels and extreme events threaten native groups that inhabit low lying island nations. This can reflect the social migration problem, since poor people who lives in extreme poverty could be affected by losing their properties due to landslides, earthquakes, storms, etc. They should migrate to big cities in order to try to survive.

Kenya drafts effects of climate change

What can I do about it?   

OPEC: and the crude oil business 

                Third, climate change can be discussed as an economical issue. At this point, I will suggest a couple of ideas regarding this event. For example, we will start by talking about the OPEC, and his influences regarding climate change. OPEC is the Organization of the Petroleum Countries. In 2011, during the OFID that is the OPEC’s Fund for International Development 35 anniversary, they have presented his principal commandments, as:

1.        Emphasize that eradicating poverty should be the first and overriding global priority guiding local, regional and international efforts.

2.       Urge developed countries to facilitate access to modern technologies by developing countries, that are reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound

3.       Continue to align the programs of our aid institutions, including those of the OPEC Fund for International Development, with the objective of achieving sustainable development and the eradication of energy poverty in the developing countries, and study ways and means of enhancing this endeavor, in association with the energy industry and other financial institutions.

(UN SEFA FH: 2011)

OPEC members 

Today, the OPEC counts with 12 members, specifically countries that have crude oil in their natural resources. Even though, the United States has much natural gas as a natural resource, is not part of the OPEC.  Economic crisis doesn’t affect the organization, for example in a recent publication, World Oil Demand just Keeps on Rising, states: “OPEC backs this comment with the forecast that last year’s global GDP growth of 2.9 per cent will rise to 3.5 percent in 2014” (http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/press_room/2777.htm).

In addition, to the oil companies, there is the coal market economy that also influences negatively on climate change. Coal is the most polluting of all conventional fossil fuels; in addition, coal is one of the most carbon-­intensive methods of energy generation.  The coal industry has been affected recently, since Stanford University will no longer invest in the coal companies, the industry might lose investments of 18.7 billion dollars per year. It seems, as a victory for many ambient lists, but most importantly, the general population is the winner in this kind of resolutions (http://www.rtcc.org/)

                Equally important, natural gas is a new movement to improve in “clean gas” and increase our local economy. The most common form of extracting natural gas is known as “Fracking”. Hydraulic Fracturing or Fraking, is a technique designed to recover gas and oil from shale rock. A drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well.  The cons of this new fracking process are: The excessive use of water, that has to be transported to the fracking plants, the potential risk of carcinogens chemicals used during the extracting process can be easily get out and end into our water supplies, and the process  pollutes the environment.  This process is another way to make business regardless the people well being. It is just another method to make money, that it!  

                Finally, I will present my proposals regarding this topic. First, we have to understand that economics is important for a society. The invisible hand principle, proposed by Adam Smith, long time ago, has many markets failures, since many principles are violated. For example, capitalism is a social economic system in which the means of production and distributions are privately or corporate owned operated. Under this principle, the United States has been succeeding as a leading economic country in the world. Even though, this economic surplus is getting only in few hands: the elite.  In addition, the government promotes monopoly. The central government reserve promotes a monopolistic competition, where only few companies sell the same product or service. For example, the big oil companies (Exxon, BP, Shell) are the only ones that controls the market. Since, they own billions of dollars, governments around the world don’t do much in order to protect our environment, or even worse, this big companies can buy judges, laws, and have the power to elect presidents worldwide.  If Adam Smith would be alive, he might be very embarrassed about his economic principle of the Invisible Hand, because all their principles are violates while doing this kind of 

business. 

Emission of fossil fuels while producing "Energy"

 My proposals are:

-          The government has to educate his society. Many people are not aware of the climate change issue, so it might be necessary to include a class of environmental science from Elementary till High School. This class might include sustainable ideas regarding our environment. Also, present the issue to all audiences (in accordance with age) about the topic.

I believe in education, because at any age, an educated person can improve in others people’s life, starting with his/her family. There is not regret for being educated.  Then, I will support any initiate that involves education.

I believe in Education as the primary source to address climate change

-           The government also has to tax more to this big oil companies. For example, is not the country that produces or has crude oil as natural resource the one that has to pay for it; conversely, the big oil companies are the owners of the big industry that are processing the crude, the ones that have to face the music.  Previous governments, worked only in protecting big companies self interests; there are many laws that cannot changed, that is why I don’t like politics, even though, this is a necessary evil. As a new economists, students have to project his efforts on support environmental economic projects in order to work in a sustainable manner. I haven't get there, but I;m working on it. 

Environmental Education Worldwide