Assignment 2: Global Warming: Cause And Mitigation Due Week

Assignment 2: Global Warming: Cause and Mitigation Due Week 9 and worth 160 points

Compare and contrast natural versus anthropogenic climate changes. Include specific examples of each.

Take a position as to whether or not global warming is taking place. Provide three (3) lines of evidence to support your position.

Assess two (2) current mitigation strategies for global warming, such as carbon sequestration, carbon taxing, clean coal technology, higher fuel efficiency standards, and so on. Include a discussion on the effectiveness of this mitigation strategy, as well as its potential costs and policy implications.

Speculate what policy changes you would propose to help stabilize global climate and which business sectors or nations would be held to more strict standards if you implement your proposed policies.

Use at least four (4) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. The body of the paper must have in-text citations that correspond to the references. Integrate all sources into your paper using proper techniques of quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing, along with proper use of in-text citations to credit your sources.

Your report must follow these formatting requirements: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Global warming has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental issues of the 21st century, eliciting significant scientific, political, and societal debate. As the planet faces increasing temperatures and atmospheric changes, understanding the underlying causes and exploring mitigation strategies are critical for sustainable future planning. This paper examines the natural and anthropogenic influences on climate change, evaluates evidence supporting the occurrence of global warming, analyzes current mitigation efforts, and proposes policy recommendations to address this global challenge effectively.

Natural versus Anthropogenic Climate Changes

Climate change occurs due to a variety of factors, broadly categorized into natural and human-induced (anthropogenic) causes. Natural climate variability results from processes such as volcanic eruptions, solar radiation fluctuations, oceanic cycles (e.g., El Niño and La Niña), and Earth's orbital variations, known as Milankovitch cycles. For instance, volcanic eruptions release aerosols that can temporarily cool the Earth's surface by blocking sunlight, as seen with the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 (Robock, 2000). Similarly, changes in solar output over solar cycles have historically influenced global temperatures, with solar maxima correlating with warming periods (Fröhlich & Lean, 1998).

In contrast, anthropogenic factors primarily involve increases in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), resulting from industrial activities, deforestation, and fossil fuel combustion. The massive scale of anthropogenic activities since the Industrial Revolution has significantly altered the composition of Earth's atmosphere. For example, the increased CO2 levels from fossil fuel burning have risen from approximately 280 parts per million (ppm) in pre-industrial times to over 420 ppm today (NOAA, 2023). This substantial augmentation enhances the greenhouse effect, trapping more heat and leading to global warming.

Position on Global Warming

I firmly support the scientific consensus that global warming is currently taking place. The majority of climate scientists agree that the evidence overwhelmingly indicates an ongoing rise in global temperatures attributable to human activities. Three key lines of evidence underpin this position:

  1. Rising Global Surface Temperatures: Data from NASA and NOAA show a clear upward trend in global average temperatures over the past century, with recent years ranking among the warmest on record (NASA, 2022).
  2. Melting Ice and Glacial Retreat: Satellite observations reveal rapid loss of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, along with shrinking glaciers worldwide, contributing to sea-level rise (Shepherd et al., 2021).
  3. Increased Frequency of Extreme Weather Events: There has been a notable increase in the frequency and intensity of hurricanes, heatwaves, and heavy precipitation, consistent with climate change models predicting more volatile weather patterns (IPCC, 2021).

Mitigation Strategies for Global Warming

Among various strategies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, carbon sequestration and higher fuel efficiency standards are notable.

Carbon Sequestration

Carbon sequestration involves capturing CO2 emissions from industrial sources or directly from the atmosphere and storing it underground or in terrestrial ecosystems. This strategy has gained attention for its potential to offset emissions, particularly in sectors where reduction is challenging (Royal Society, 2009). Its effectiveness depends on technological advancements and proper site selection. However, concerns exist regarding costs, long-term storage security, and potential ecological impacts (Gough et al., 2012). Policy incentives such as emission trading schemes can encourage deployment, but substantial investments are necessary.

Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards

Implementing stricter fuel economy standards in the automotive industry per vehicle mile reduces fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions. Evidence from the U.S. and European countries demonstrates that such policies can significantly lower transportation-related emissions (Schafer et al., 2007). While costs to manufacturers may increase initially, consumers benefit from lower fuel costs, and environmental gains justify policy enforcement. Nonetheless, the effectiveness depends on compliance and complementary measures such as public transit development.

Policy Recommendations and Sector Implications

To stabilize the global climate, comprehensive policies should emphasize international cooperation, incentivize renewable energy adoption, and impose stricter regulations on high-emission sectors. For example, implementing globally aligned carbon pricing mechanisms, such as carbon taxes or cap-and-trade systems, could internalize environmental costs and promote cleaner technologies.

Specific policy proposals include incentivizing renewable energy investments through subsidies, establishing methane emission standards in agriculture and waste sectors, and phasing out coal-fired power plants. Industrial sectors such as transportation, energy, manufacturing, and agriculture would be held to more stringent standards due to their significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Countries with higher emissions, like the United States, China, and India, should adopt more aggressive targets to fulfill global climate commitments (UNFCCC, 2021).

Conclusion

Global warming presents a complex interplay of natural variability and human influence. Scientific evidence confirming rising global temperatures, melting ice sheets, and extreme weather incidents substantiates the reality of ongoing climate change. Mitigation strategies such as carbon sequestration and fuel efficiency standards offer promising avenues but require careful assessment of costs and policy frameworks. Future policies should aim at robust international cooperation, technological innovation, and strict regulation of high-impact sectors to effectively confront climate change and safeguard future generations.

References

  • Fröhlich, C., & Lean, J. (1998). The 11-Year Solar Cycle: Representing Its Variability and Its Impact on Climate. Space Science Reviews, 85(1), 193–202.
  • Gough, C., et al. (2012). Opportunities and barriers for carbon capture and storage in the UK. Energy Policy, 50, 429–437.
  • IPCC. (2021). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
  • NASA. (2022). Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/global-temperature/
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (2023). Climate Fact Sheet. https://www.noaa.gov
  • Robock, A. (2000). Volcanic eruptions and climate. Reviews of Geophysics, 38(2), 191–219.
  • Schafer, A., et al. (2007). Role of technological innovation in reducing transportation sector emissions. Environmental Science & Technology, 41(15), 5223–5229.
  • Shepherd, A., et al. (2021). Mass loss from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets during 2000–2019. Nature, 593, 283–289.
  • Royal Society. (2009). Carbon Capture and Storage: A Policy Perspective. The Royal Society.
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). (2021). Annual Report on Climate Action. https://unfccc.int

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