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SudokuLegendProposal

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 11 months ago

Joe Knittel

Kem Crimmins

Proposal - Final Draft

 


The Kyoto Protocol: An End-all to Global Warming

Recently, the world has undergone a severe environmental decline. Growth in business throughout the world has increased pollution output, thus greatly affecting the world we live in. In the past, carbon dioxide has proven to be beneficial as it provides a natural greenhouse effect and heats the planet as much as 20 degrees Celsius. Each year, however, carbon dioxide makes up more and more of the atmosphere that surrounds Earth. The increase of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases causes a phenomenon called global warming. Studies show global warming, an observed increase in the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans, has crippling effects on Earth’s weather and its ecosystems. Many countries throughout the world have recognized the hard-hitting effects of global warming and they have worked in conjunction to produce the Kyoto Protocol. Countries that ratify the 1997 amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases (“Kyoto Protocol” 1). In order to avoid further destruction to ecosystems, extinction of species, and catastrophic weather events, the United States (one of the only countries that have not approved the amendment and the nation that emits more greenhouse gases than any other) must ratify the Kyoto Protocol and begin limiting its greenhouse gas emissions.

“Over the past 50 years, mankind has changed the natural environment of the planet faster and more extensively than at any other time in human history…” (Lowy 1). Expansion in industry has caused an explosive increase in carbon dioxide emissions internationally. The atmosphere currently contains a carbon dioxide concentration of approximately 350 parts per million, a 25% increase from the mid-1800s (Wirth 4). Such a steep increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases has caused a noticeable jump in the Earth’s average temperature. In fact, according to __Time Magazine__, 19 of the 20 hottest years on record occurred in the 1980s or later (Kluger 3). This global warming has already generated some crippling results worldwide including melting polar ice caps and abnormally brutal weather. A 2005 study headed by glaciologist, Eric Rignot, showed that roughly 53 cubic miles of ice melts away from Greenland each year causing sea levels to rise (Kluger 3). Earth’s weather has also become rather chaotic from such a drastic international increase in temperature. Some of the most devastating hurricanes, fueled by unusually warm ocean temperatures, have caused catastrophic damage over the past few years. Heat waves have also become more prevalent, as seen in the 1995 Chicago heat wave that killed hundreds of people and the 2003 European heat wave that killed over 45,000 people (National Environmental Trust 1). Global warming has already begun to unleash its wrath on the world; without a drastic change, Earth’s inhabitants will soon have to live in a much more volatile climate.

If emissions continue to increase, numerous catastrophes may occur very soon. Earth’s average surface temperature is predicted to rise up to 5.5 degrees Celsius, or 10 degrees Fahrenheit, over the next century (Rosenzweig 1271). Such an increase in temperature would just accentuate the issues Earth is currently undergoing due to global warming. Weather will most certainly cause widespread grief throughout the rest of the 21st century. The overly-heated planet will soon produce some of the most destructive weather hazards man has ever seen. “Enhanced evaporation will intensify the global hydrological cycle, leading to a global precipitation increase of between 3 and 15% by 2100” (Saunders 3470). This extra rainfall, in addition to melting polar ice caps, will increase sea levels by as much as seven feet by 2075 (Wirth 8). Such an increase in sea level would have crippling effects on the United States and various other locations. Roughly half of America’s coastal wetlands will be demolished and entire countries may become inundated with water. As the oceans become warmer, Category 4 and 5 hurricanes will become more prevalent and may soon begin striking areas that have previously been safe from tropical storm systems. If this severe weather were to occur, even bigger issues may arise. Around the world, ecosystems would be destroyed and several species may become extinct. As global warming begins to intensify, moisture within the Earth’s crust will evaporate quicker causing droughts in many places. Parched lands will succumb to more frequent wild fires which have the capability to destroy ecosystems as many animals rely on trees and grasslands for shelter, shade, food, et cetera. In addition, hundreds of animals will be threatened by extinction due to the effects of global warming. The heat will likely kill off most of Costa Rica’s harlequin frogs, salmon population are at risk due to destruction of their habitat, and polar bear may eventually perish as polar ice continues to vanish (Kluger 5, 6). The effects of global warming are absolutely hideous and the Kyoto Protocol may provide the only way to evade these horrible outcomes.

The Kyoto Protocol, an amendment to the UNFCCC, was developed in order to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Collectively, the treaty looks to industrialized countries to reduce emissions by 5.2% compared to 1990 (“Kyoto Protocol” 1). As stated earlier, the concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere directly affects the temperature of Earth’s surface. The recent increase in carbon dioxide’s concentration within the atmosphere has caused widespread effects in many places across the world. Many countries have realized the potential effects of global warming and understand they need to work together in order to limit emissions and stabilize the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. To date, only a few countries in Africa and the Middle East have not signed the amendment. Overall, these countries emit minimal greenhouse gases and therefore their allegiance in this project is not particularly important. The United States, however, signed the Kyoto Protocol way back in 1997, but never submitted the treaty for ratification in the country. Current President, George W. Bush, proclaims that ratifying the amendment and agreeing to reduce emissions would be far too costly. Additionally, Bush considers the treaty flawed and argues that countries such as China and India are among the leading emitters of greenhouse gases and they need not follow the restrictions of the treaty because they are developing countries (“Kyoto Protocol” 1). President Bush sees the Kyoto Protocol as a way to slow the growth of the world’s industrial powers and that simply isn’t the case. Although many politicians in the United States regard Kyoto as a means of leveling international power, the treaty was not intended to bring about such negative thoughts. The Kyoto Protocol was developed with intentions that within the next century, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will have stabilized and global warming will have slowed to a halt.

The United States must ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Global warming remains an intricate problem that the world must work together to resolve. The puzzle will never be worked out if an integral piece, such as the United States, does not do its job. Instead of wasting money funding war efforts, the United States could focus monetary efforts on solving the much greater issue of global warming. By agreeing to reduce emissions, the U.S. will save thousands of people from dying in disastrous weather events, prevent dozens of species from extinction, and keep ecosystems across the world from shattering all while unifying the world by solving a major international issue.


Works Cited

“Global Warming.” National Environmental Trust. 2005. 26 Mar. 2006

http://www.net.org/proactive/newsroom/release.vhtml?id=29057.

 

Kluger, Jeffery. "Polar Ice Caps are Melting Faster Than Ever..." Time 26 Mar. 2006. 26 Mar. 2006 http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1176980,00,html.

 

"Kyoto Protocol." Wikipedia. 26 Mar. 2006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_protocol#Description.

 

Lowy, Joan. "A Sobering Look at Global Environmental Decline." Seattle Post-

Intelligencer. 30 Mar. 2005. 26 Mar. 2006

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/218091_ecoreport30.html.

 

Rosenzweig, Cynthia. "Global Climate Change: Predictions and Observations."

American Journal of Agricultural Economics (1989): 1265-1271. JSTOR. 26 Mar.

2006.

 

Saunders, Mark A. "Earth's Future Climate." The Royal Society (1999): 3459-3480.

JSTOR. 26 Mar. 2006.

 

Wirth, David A. "Climate Chaos." Foreign Policy (1989): 3-22. JSTOR. 26 Mar. 2006.

 


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