Source-Based Essay

Elijon King 

 Professor Pastore 

ENGL 11000 

27 September 2021 

Every day we use materials that have the potential to change the environment such as fossil fuels, livestock farming, and anything that increases CO2 levels in the atmosphere. With the effects of global warming becoming more apparent by the minute and an entire group of individuals in power denying climate change for the sake of profit, it may seem like the world is doomed. However, there is no denying the effect that global warming is having on the world right now. A slight increase in the temperature of the atmosphere by 2 degrees Celsius can cause devastating natural disasters such as Hurricane Ida. The goal of this paper is to express different peoples’ perspectives on climate change, and how it is currently affecting the world. and how  “We now face the prospect of at least 2 degrees Celsius and up to 6 degrees Celsius by 2100. (Smith, Mark Stafford, 2015). Smith believes that we might be able to “mitigate” or adapt to a new way of life as climate change continues to affect our environment. In an opposing article named “The Economics of Climate Change” published by the American Economic Association, there is no adapting or “mitigating” the effects of climate change. “The last time temperature was in the region of 5°C above preindustrial times was in the Eocene period around thirty-three–fifty-five million years ago. Swampy forests covered much of the world and there were alligators near the North Pole. Such changes would fundamentally alter where and how different species, including humans, could live. Human life would probably become difficult or impossible in many regions that are currently heavily populated, thus necessitating large population movements, possibly or probably on a huge scale.” (Nicholas Stern, 2008). 

Nicholas Stern argues in his paper “The Economics of Climate Change” that climate change would have devastating consequences for human civilization. There is a concern not just about how climate change will affect human existence, but also about whether humanity will be able to adapt quickly enough in such a short period of time. “While there is no way that we can be precise about the magnitude of the effects associated with temperature increases of this size, it does seem reasonable to suppose that they would, in all likelihood, be disastrous.” (Nicholas Stern, 2008). 

Stern doesn’t only see climate change as a detriment to our society. He sees it as a way for society to change for the better. Climate change poses an issue that could potentially cause people to think of ways to lower greenhouse gasses and explore different alternatives to cleaner energy. In addition to that, he believes that taking actions such as these would reduce damage costs in the long run. “Finally, reducing greenhouse gasses can bring strong benefits elsewhere. Cleaner energy can provide greater energy security and energy access. It can give reductions in local air pollution. Cleaner transport policies can increase life expectancy. Combating deforestation can protect watersheds, sustain biodiversity, and promote local livelihoods. Taking these associated benefits into account would reduce cost estimates further.” (Nicholas Stern, 2008). 

Climate change and ways to deal with it have become a controversial subject that has gained a lot of attention in our society over the years. Some people believe climate change could have a positive effect on the world economically in the long run. While others believe it’s already too late to mitigate the devastating effects global warming is having on the world right now. However, a few people have decided to use this problem as a way to change how our society functions for the better. Whether that be reducing greenhouse gases or finding means of creating cleaner energy sources.  

An article titled “The Impact of Global Warming on Agriculture” published by the American Economic Review argues that climate change could have a beneficial impact on crop growth in some parts of the United States. “According to the cropland model shown in Figure 4, warming will be particularly harmful to the entire southern part of the United States and will only be beneficial to the northern fringe of the country.” (Mendelsohn, Robert, 1994.) In an opposing article titled “Climate Change and Food Security in Kenya,” there are numerous reasons why an alternation in the environment will be very disastrous to agriculture. As already mentioned, the greenhouse gasses and a temperature rise can be beneficial in some ways towards northern agriculture. However, in a country such as Kenya (which lies close to the equator), a slight rise in temperature can be threatening towards the production of crops. In addition to a rise in temperature, climate change could alter the frequency of natural calamities, droughts, and rainfall patterns. The number of people in danger of hunger and malnutrition is expected to rise dramatically as a result of climate change. Droughts and storms that are more intense and frequent are expected to cause more destruction, according to predictions. Rising sea levels will deplete crops and destroy rich plantations. “The World Food Programme (2011) notes that climatic change threatens to significantly increase the number of people at risk of hunger and under-nutrition. Predictions are that more powerful and more frequent droughts and storms will wreak greater devastation.” (Mariara, Jane, and Kabara, 2015).  

In the article “The Economics of Climate Change”, the author conveys a message that hints towards the idea of reducing cost estimates even further by learning how to mitigate the effects of pollution. However, that article was geared towards people that contribute to the rise in greenhouse gasses every day. Poor agricultural and husbandry farmers contribute very little to the rise in sea level and temperature change. Their harvest numbers are still being affected by the change in the environment. “Climate change is expected to affect food security in several respects: increased vulnerability to climate change due to dependence on rain-fed agriculture; high levels of poverty;  and low levels of human and physical capital as well as generally poor infrastructure.  IPCC predicts that, by 2050, crop yields in Sub-Saharan Africa will have declined by 14% (rice), 22% (wheat), and 5% (maize), pushing the vast number of already poor people, who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, deeper into poverty and vulnerability.”  (Mariara, Jane, and Kabara, 2015). Food security is likely to be impacted by climate change in a number of ways. Due to reliance on rain-fed agriculture and high levels of poverty, people are more vulnerable to climate change. An increase in the number of hungry children, with 52 million in Sub-Saharan Africa alone by 2050. 

This means that if society does manage to evolve and make a profit on a crisis such as a climate change, it will benefit the world. (Including the people who are in poverty).  

Climate change fundamentally affects the world in the same way. The temperature rises due to greenhouse gas emissions, the rise in sea levels, and deforestation. However, as previously mentioned, a rise in temperature does not affect Kenya in the same way it affects the northern United States. The northern United States is experiencing a positive effect on the economical and agricultural side of things. The rise in CO, fertilization could prove to be beneficial to the northern United States. It could effectively produce better harvests, and produce positive effects in irrigation. “The effects of CO, fertilization should be included, for some studies indicate that this may produce a significant increase in yields.  Other omitted variables are the effect of extremes and ranges in climatic variables as well as the effect of changes in irrigation.” (Nicholas Stern, 2008). 

While Kenya is experiencing severe droughts, temperature, and even a lack of food security due to their increased rates of poverty. It has become such a problem that Kenyan environmental scientists had to perform a study between the correlation of poverty and food security. “This paper analyzes the effect of climate variables on food security in Kenya, a low-income country characterized by low and declining crop productivity.” (Mariara, Jane, and Kabara, 2015).  

All things considered, there is no “one size fits all” solution to climate change. Completely eliminating deforestation in Kenya will not solve the greenhouse gas problem in the southern United States. To mitigate/ eradicate climate change entirely, every corner of the world will have to contribute. “Achieving change in individual and organizational behavior to meet the challenges of global environmental change will be seen as a defining benchmark for our generation.  Global environmental change challenges characteristically require inter-sectoral, multi-level responses within a fundamentally unpredictable complex systems framework.” (Nicholas Stern, 2008). Extreme weather patterns are shifting around the globe as a result of human-caused climate change. This is ranging from a slight change in rain patterns to extreme storms such as Hurricane Ida. Human-caused climate change has also affected how common these natural disasters will occur. Despite the fact that our understanding of how climate change affects extreme weather is continuously developing, research suggests that extreme weather may be influenced far more than previously anticipated. Extreme weather is on the upswing, and all signs point to it continuing. Even though climate change has the potential to be deadly, humans have the potential to mitigate or completely stop all the effects of climate change. 

Works Cited Page 

  • Mendelsohn, Robert, et al. “The Impact of Global Warming on Agriculture: A Ricardian Analysis.” The American Economic Review, vol. 84, no. 4, American Economic Association, 1994, pp. 753–71, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2118029. 
  • Stern, Nicholas. “The Economics of Climate Change.” The American Economic Review, vol. 98, no. 2, American Economic Association, 2008, pp. 1–37, http://www.jstor.org/stable/29729990. 
  • Smith, Mark Stafford. “Responding to Global Environmental Change.” Change!: Combining Analytic Approaches with Street Wisdom, edited by Gabriele Bammer, ANU Press, 2015, pp. 29–42, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt16wd0cc.7.