“Global Warming and Climate Change”
“That so many of us are here today is a recognition that the threat from climate change is serious,
it is urgent, and it is growing. Our generation’s response to this challenge will be judged by history,
for if we fail to meet it – boldly, swiftly, and together – we risk consigning future generations to
an irreversible catastrophe.”
These are the words of former U.S President Obama used to begin his global warming speech
before the united nations summit in 2009.
Two of the environmental issues are Global Warming and Climate Change. The signs of these are
everywhere and the effects are increasing every year. According to NASA, the Earth’s climate has
changed. Most of these two are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change the
amount of the solar energy our planet receives. These two are often used interchangeably but have
distinct meanings. They also have big effects in our environment that is why we also need to know
the importance of protecting our environment.
Before going further to our discussion, we must know the effects it shows to our planet but first,
what is Global Warning and Climate Change?
Global Warming refers to the long term warming of the planet since 20th century and since the
1970’s because of the increase in fossil fuel emissions since the industrial revolution. On the other
hand, Climate Change refers to a broad range of global phenomena created by burning fossil fuels
which causes to add heat-trapping gases to the Earth’s atmosphere. It is somehow connected to
Global Warming because of the increased temperature trends but it also encompasses changes such
as sea level rise.
Since the definition was stated, we must also know its effects to our planet and to us and discuss
ways on how to protect our environment from this major problem. Think about what happens when
you open your car door after the windows have been rolled up on a hot day. Heat from the sun
enters the car, but the frame of the car prevents it from escaping. To a small extent, this is a
representation of what happens during Global Warming. Burning fossil fuels like petroleum and
deforestation both contribute to the problem. Adding the melting of the artic glaciers and ice caps
which threatening indigenous life such as the polar bear. And the melting process of these may
also cause sea level to rise. Global Warming increases the ocean temperature and that’s why there
some storm during summer because of intense heat buildup in our ocean and the increasing
temperature in our ocean causes some of algae to die which can affect to the entire food chain.
Yes, we cannot stop this from happening but we can do something to lessen it. Even Genghis Khan
reduce carbon in our atmosphere by 700 million tons. We don’t need to be Genghis Khan and
massacre 40 million peoples to reduce the amount of carbon in our atmosphere. In just simple
ways, we can save our world and the entire humanity. First, start with yourself, discipline yourself
by using less plastic in everything. Plastic take 450 years to decompose and during that time some
of it are eaten by the animals causing them to die and it will emit a carbon gas. Second plant trees
not tree. I know it is cliché however, terrestrial sequestration is one of the most effective way to
absorb carbon gas. Moreover, UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization suggest that plantation
forests comprised an estimated 7% of global forest area in 2010. And third, educate people
regarding the climate change and the effects of it. Even though there are tons of projects and
advocates exist, awareness is not enough. Being aware is different from being conscious to the
effects of climate change to the world. Because consciousness is when a stimulus occurs, the
person is affected and will do something on it. That’s why most of those projects and advocacies
are not effective because impact to the people is not that hard that will make them move. As a
member of this society and a living organism, have concern, be conscious and take action to it.
Because if we all do that, we can all combat this crisis.
We are the steward of this world. It is our job to maintain its beauty and make sure that it won’t
be destroyed. We have our concept of sustainable development however; it doesn’t mean we can
destruct our environment just to improve our lives. We develop our world while maintaining it.
We don’t have to decimate habitats in order to have buildings. We don’t have to do something bad
to earn, we thought, good. All we need is to protect our environment and do our job as stewards.
Hopefully, this speech may help you to inform what is the effects and causes of Global Warming
and Climate Change to our planet. It’s up to you to decide how you can help to do something about
it.
