Ventus 26American Governments At some point you’ve probably heard the term “global warming” thrown around on television or the internet. But what does this phrase mean, and why does it matter? Global warming is an important issue worthy of attention because, if unchecked, its lasting effects include: more extreme temperatures, both hot and cold; increased weather catastrophes, such as tropical cyclones and hurricanes; more instances of debilitating drought; and rising sea levels that could contaminate drinking water and harm coastal environments. Clearly, these scenarios are something we want to avoid, but in order to fight global warming we must first understand what it is and how it is caused.
Global warming is the gradual increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and surface due to the greenhouse effect caused by high levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), and other pollutants in the air. The picture below does a nice job of illustrating the greenhouse effect , if you are unfamiliar with the term: The greenhouse effect is essential for understanding global warming, because greenhouse gas molecules act as a blanket around the earth that trap heat near its surface. The more molecules that accumulate in the air, the more heat gets trapped and the more the surface temperature rises. And the majority of climate scientists agree that the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions–and, in turn, the current global warming trend – is human activity. Over the last century, humans have primarily generated energy by burning either coal or oil. This can occur on an industrial scale at a coal-fired power plant, or on an individual scale by using gasoline to power automobiles. But the burning of these fossil fuels has the side effect of releasing carbon dioxide molecules into the air, which gather in the atmosphere and amplify the greenhouse effect. CFC’s, on the other hand, are becoming less common since more is known about their harmful side-effects, but they are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays (like hairspray) and as refrigerants. While many believe that there are no consequences to the burning of coal or the use of products like hairspray, the evidence suggests otherwise. Global surface temperatures have been rising steadily since 1901, and over the past 30 years the rate has accelerated dramatically (“Climate”). Right now, there is still time to take action against global warming and reduce its effects, but there will come a point where it becomes irreversible and could forever change life as we know it. Election Impact Global warming is a very topical subject discussed at nearly all levels of government, both state and national. At the state level, California has made several positive moves towards combating global warming, including passing the California Global Warming Solutions Act in 2006. By requiring a substantial reduction of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the state, this act “was the first program in the country to take a comprehensive, long-term approach to addressing climate change” (California). While it is excellent that the California legislature acknowledges that global warming is a serious threat and has taken significant action, the largest impact on the fight against global warming comes at the national level, since national elections and legislation direct the course of action the entire country will take. The recent 2016 presidential election had many repercussions for this fight, and it is where the efforts to reverse global warming need improvement. While not the main issue addressed, global warming was a topic of discussion during the 2016 presidential race. The frontrunners were Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump, and according to a 2016 Yale report, 92% of Clinton’s supporters believed global warming is happening, while only 56% of Trump’s supporters shared that belief. In addition, 76% of Clinton supporters believed that global warming is caused by human activity, compared to 55% for Trump supporters (Leiserowitz et al.). The divide in these statistics mirror the differing views of the candidates, which is why the inauguration of President Trump had several negative consequences on the effort to stop global warming. Trump and his administration have maintained a stance that global warming is a hoax created by the Chinese, and that it is certainly not caused by human activity. He often tweets about winter storms, using them as evidence that global warming doesn’t exist (which highlights a common misconception that weather is the same as climate). Because of his unyielding beliefs, Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris climate agreement, an agreement signed by every other nation in the world that pledged to undertake efforts to combat climate change. In addition, he reversed a climate policy established by President Obama that aimed to expedite the elimination of carbon dioxide emissions. Trump instead introduced a proposal that would allow states to establish their own emissions standards for coal-fired power plants, prolonging our nation’s substantial contribution to the greenhouse effect. Finally, Trump’s most recent nominee to take over the EPA – the agency charged with protecting the environment – stated in his confirmation hearing that he “would not call [global warming] the greatest crisis” (Ebbs), essentially confirming that he would not make combating the causes of global warming a priority. The results of the 2016 presidential election will have many negative long -term effects on the effort to stop global warming, and the actions taken by the president’s administration will help propel the climate towards the point of no return. However, many Americans are becoming more aware that global warming is a current issue–not just an abstract event in the future– that affects everyone regardless of where they stand on the political spectrum. It is because of this that the issue of global warming will most likely take a more prominent position in the upcoming 2020 election, hopefully producing candidates who are committed to reducing human contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. And a s long as we don’t give up on fighting against global warming, hope remains that we can avoid a world on fire.
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AuthorUndergraduate student generated content. Blog posting and updating done by Kristina Flores Victor, Assistant Professor of Political Science at CSUS Archives
March 2020
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