Global Warming

The scientific classification of Staghorn Corals is described as follows: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Cniadaria, Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia, Family Acroporidae, Genus Acropora, Species Acropora cervicornis (NMFS, 2015). The A. Cervicornis has algae that lives inside its tissues and gives the animal its Golden tan or pale brown color, and the Staghorn coral colonies usually appear in these colors but they also contain white tips (NMFS, 2015). These corals usually have tentacles in multiples of three, and at night their tentacles are visible from the surface of the water and they look like stars in water (Alter, 2000; McGregor, 1974). Staghorn corals have antler-like branches and typically branch out from the center and angle upward (McGregor, 1974; NMFS, 2015). Branches are typically 1 to 3 inches thick. They form relatively large colonies, which are mad up by individual polyps that grow together and they are copies of each other. Individual colonies can grow to four feet high and six feet wide (NMFS, 2015). Staghorn corals need specific stinging cells to be able to feed. They are located on their tentacles, and these cells are called nematocysts (Sisson 1973; Alter, 2000).

A. cervicornis corals prefer warm waters and they are usually found close to the surface in marine waters, more specifically, they are found around 15-16 feet where the temperature is warmer and it is higher than twenty degrees. The most coral diversity appears around the tropical western regions of the oceans. These corals are commonly found in clear, oxygenated, and shallow water because they need supplies of small planktonic animals, they need to reduce light, and they need protection against heavy rain of sediment that could suffocate them (Alter, 2000; McGregor 1974; NMFS, 2015). The specific locations where A. cervicornis are found include: Bahamas, Florida, and the Caribbean. A. cervicornis lives in many coral reef habitats including spur and groove, bank reef, patch reef, and transitional reef habitats, as well as on limestone ridges, terraces, and hardbottom habitats for the polyps to settle (NMFS, 2015).

A. cervicornis like many other corals have a unique symbiotic relationship with algae and a strong dependency on them. Without the algae these corals’ growth decreases, and they are not able to produce as large colonies as they usually do with the presence of algae (Alter, 2000; McGregor 1974). The reason for this dependency is that carbon is passed to the coral by the alga. Based on the fact that algae need sun for photosynthesis, and corals need algae, algae determine and limits the coral habitat and environment (Alter, 2000). Staghorn corals provide complex habitat for fish and many other coral reef organisms because of their bush-like growth form. When there are a lot of staghorn coral colonies, they tend to provide shoreline protections from large waves and storms (ABRT, 2005). Their diet is not known to be broad and complex. They usually eat planktonic animals floating in the water (Alter, 2000). They also get food from the photosynthetic algae, which lives inside their cells (ABRT, 2005).

They have an interesting way of reproducing as it contains both sexual and asexual reproduction, which is common among corals. A. cervicornis reaches reproductive maturity when it is seven inches tall. It is a simultaneous hermaphrodite, in other words, each colony produces both eggs and sperm but does not self-fertilize. Staghorn corals sexually produce once per year, and this sexual reproduction occurs after the full moon in late summer by releasing eggs and sperm into the water column (NMFS, 2015). The first step of reproduction is a sexual reproduction stage called reef-building. Reef-building happens because the polyps produce millions of spermatoza into the water, later, these gametes find their way into other polyps that are nearby. If the situations are suitable the fertilization begins and the fertilized eggs develop the larva, which then floats to produce new polyps.

The larva produced is called planula. It is very small and has a bulb shape. The planula larva will float in water to get to an appropriate hard surface to continue its development and produce more polyps and colonies. It is a food source for many aquatic animals, but some of them manage to survive and when they do, they attach themselves to the hard surfaces and spread. According to scientific research, some specific species of crustose coralline algae (CCAs) have been observed to facilitate larval settlement of the coral species Acropora cervicornis (Williams, 2010; Sharp & and Ritchie, 2012). After the attachment, they begin to secrete a white star-like outer skeleton, which eventually will develop tentacles and grow into mature polyps. Once the first skeletons are built, the sexually produced polyps, multiply by asexual reproduction, such as, budding. Acropora grow branches, also known as buds (McGregor 1974; Alter, 2000).

A. Cervicornis is one of the most important corals in the Caribbean because along other corals they have built the Caribbean reef for thousands of years (NMFS, 2015). The existence of these corals provides important habitats for other animals. However, throughout many years there have been many factors that have affected the population of Staghorn corals. Even though their lifep reaches thousands of years, there have been occurrences, such as severe diseases, that caused the death of more than half of the Staghorn corals. Other than diseases, Land-based sources of pollution, Unsustainable fishing, Small population size, Habitat degradation have had a great impact in decreasing the population of this coral. Moreover, the most important factor that causes the death of this coral is the Global Climate Change.

The global warming causes the ocean warming. This situation forces the Staghorn corals to release the algae they have inside their tentacles, which provides them with carbon and food, and leads to the corals’ death. One of the reasons to global warming is the increased amount of 〖CO〗_2 (Carbon Dioxide) in the atmosphere, and this ends up creating more hydrogen protons in the water making it more acidic. Ocean acidification caused by global climate change, threatens the A. cervicornis since the more acidic water dissolves the carbon that the algae provides to the coral to build its skeleton. More acidic water makes the formation of coral skeleton harder. Climate change is the greatest global threat to corals. Although there are some people who doubt the accuracy of the global warming, scientific evidence now clearly indicates that the earth’s atmosphere and oceans are warming.

Scientists state that these changes are caused by the greenhouse gases produced by human activities. As temperatures rise, more corals release their algae and lose their food resources, also, more infectious disease outbreaks are happening frequently. Additionally, Ocean acidification, carbon dioxide altering the water chemistry by decreasing the PH of water, has already begun to reduce calcification rates in reef-building and reef-associated organisms (NMFS, 2015).

As mentioned before, A. Cervicornis corals have a very important role in providing habitat for many animals including fish. Acropora cervicornis provides shelter and houses many creatures. Some of these creatures might be useful in scientific researches including the medical research field. Some of the species which are found in the corals have yielded compounds against inflammations, asthma, leukemia, tumors, heart disease, fungal and bacterial infections, and some viruses such as HIV (Chadwick 1999). Based on the fact that Staghorn corals have an important positive impact on human and other animals’ lives, there are many researches and studying being done on their genetic and biological structures. According to the reaserch “Ecology and Evolution” by Crawford Drury, Stephanie Schopmeyer, Elizabeth Goergen, Erich Bartels, Ken Nedimyer, Meaghan Johnson, Kerry Maxwell, Victor Galvan, Carrie Manfrino, and Diego Lirman, threatened Caribbean coral communities can benefit from high‐resolution genetic data used to inform management and conservation action (Drury et al, 2017).

Acropora cervicornis corals are very beneficial and they provide habitat for many creatures including fish. They are, however, very effected and vulnerable against the Global Climate Change. They prefer to be close to the surface of water (15-16 feet), although they prefer warm, clean, and oxygenated water, the global warming has increased the temperature of ocean water too high and it is not suitable for the Staghorn corals. The warmer water causes them to release their algae, which are the providers of their food and carbon, and this leads to the corals’ death. Another way that the global warming is affecting the Staghorn corals is by ocean acidification, which means the PH of water decreases due to the addition of too many hydrogen protons caused by the extra Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. The more acidic the ocean water get, the harder it is for the corals to make and form their skeleton.

Pollution Is not a simple problem that the world Is facing; actually pollution Is the reason behind the occurring of global warming. Global warming refers to the increase of temperature on the earth’s surface. For every action there is a cause and effect. Global warming is one of the biggest problems that the world is facing nowadays. There are many solutions that we can go for to prevent the massive problems that might happen later on in the future. Introduction: “We” as human beings we want to survive and live in a planet that might not be armful for our health.

Sadly we’re not recognizing what damages we’re leaving behind us because of the several kinds of pollution that we made by ourselves. There are several kinds of pollution some are visible like air, water, and human pollution while others are invisible. Those kinds of pollutions are affecting our planet In a dangerous way that might lead us to a global warming one day. “Air pollution occurs when the air contains gases, dust, fumes in harmful amounts. ” Air pollution is affecting humans health in a negative way like causing cancer, birth effects and genetic mutations.

Air pollution is affecting our environment as well, since its affecting “the ozone layer in the atmosphere and it can increase the amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth, where It damages crops and plants and can lead to skin cancer and cataracts. ” According to the UNEVEN scientists, they estimated that the pollution in the cloud contributes to at least 700,000 premature deaths every year. This shows how the air pollution is affecting our environment and human beings.

Some of the everyday things are the main things of causing air illusion like: automobile emissions, tobacco smoke, combustion of coal, acid rain, noise pollution from cars and construction, power plants, manufacturing buildings, large ships, paint fumes, aerosol sprays, wildfires, and nuclear weapons. To help the environment and the human health we should work on keeping the planet clean from air pollution. “The number one way to prevent air pollution is to walk or bike more and drive less. This will prevent fossil fuels from polluting the air. “Water pollution Is the Introduction of chemical, biological and physical matter Into argue bodies of water that degrade the quality of life that lives In It and consumes It. ” Factories, refineries, waste treatment facilities, mining, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, human sewage, oil spills, failing septic systems, soap from washing your car, oil and antifreeze leaking from cars, household chemicals, and animal waste are the main sources that can cause water pollution. “The best way to prevent water pollution Is to not throw trash and other harmful chemicals Into our water supplies. Construction. Agriculture can cause land pollution because of “the local pests that have existed for hundreds of years along with the new invasive species so they are laden with chemicals that are not found in nature”. Soil pollution and waste disposal are examples of land pollution. Deforestation can cause land pollution as well because of the endless trees that people are cutting every single day and this causes the land to be imbalanced. Construction can release chemicals that can inhibit the growth of plants and animals.

By decreasing the amount of papers we’re using we can decrease the amount of trees that we’re cutting every single day which this is the reason behind the land pollution. Global warming is happening now. Our planet temperature is increasing way more than it is supposed to be. Obviously “we” are the reason behind what’s happening in the world. Since we’re overloading our atmosphere with carbon dioxide it’s raising the planets temperature. Before its too late, we should follow some instructions to prevent the global warming from getting worse.

Manufactures and use of pesticides and fertilizers, fuel and oil for tractors, equipment, trucking and shipping, electricity for lighting, cooling and heating, and emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and other green souse gases increases the impact up to between 25 and 30 percent of the U. G’s collective carbon footprint. Deforestation, or paving over green space for suburban expansion, result in more surface warming( Dunn,2009). While chopping down a forest might make it “feel” cooler, forests have much greater potential to sequester carbon dioxide than does monoculture, industrial agriculture.

Farmers grow corn in climatic zones that are ideally suited to corn. It followed that any change in weather conditions, to warmer or colder temperatures would have a negative impact on the Ron crop, since it was a removed from ideal conditions. But new impact models used in his study assume that gradual warming will result in adaptive farming behaviors such as new tillage techniques, planting crops earlier, the introduction of more heat- tolerant species, and the northern migration of some crops. Under this scenario, global warming will benefit Canada, the United States, and Europe.

The CA effect will outweigh any losses in the agricultural sector. Conceivably, the limits of Canada’s rich agricultural prairies could be pushed further north (Wheeler, 1998). Tropical entries will probably not fare as well. Increased temperatures could push tropical crops out of their ideal growing ranges. But there may be counterbalancing effects. (Wheeler, 1998) There might be some initial overall benefit to warming for a decade or two but because future warming depends on greenhouse gas emissions today, if we delay action it would put global agriculture on an unstoppable trajectory to serious damage. Cline,2007) It is also possible that global warming will lead to global food shortages, Studies predicts that rice production will increase slightly in some entries, but that a substantial drop in output of wheat and corn is likely in major production sites such as China and India. It is estimated, for example, that the production of winter wheat will decrease by 55% in India and 15% in China by the year 2100. This will in turn have serious impact on Japan, which depends heavily on other countries for its food supply. (Fox, 2009) Global warming is also a contributing factor that will have impact on human health. Read about during a cold winter there is a natural gas shortage

Humans health will be the ones who suffer the most from global warming. First off he rise in temperature will increase the chance of over working the cardiovascular system. Meaning that hotter temperatures will lead to an increase of heart and respiratory problems, and people who already do have heart problems are most vulnerable as it puts additional strain to the cardiovascular system to keep the body cool. ( Miller ,2007). Also a rise in allergies and asthma will potentially occur because of the Ozone layer. You see, higher air temperature increases ozone at ground level.

When ozone is mixed with dust, smoke and chemical fumes over urban, you’ll get OMG. Known as fog. It damages lung tissues and affect those with lung diseases such as asthma. (Shapely,2007). The rise in temperatures means rising heat related death. Headwater, a period of high temperature for more than 3 days and temperatures over 32 degrees Celsius, will be more frequent and intense. The European heat wave of 2003 was already bad enough. It led to a health crises in several countries that saw 35,000 people dead as a result of the heat wave (Roach, 2006) .

The rise in climate temperature also has a higher impact on natural habitats ND agriculture making them very vulnerable due to heat waves. Most importantly, the rise and spread of disease. Global warming might allow insects to carry infectious diseases like mosquitoes, ticks and sniffle. Cases of malaria, dengue fever, lame disease are Just some of the disease that may increase to a significant level in countries that had no reason to previously be concern with. ( Clark,2006). An increase of malaria disease in the highland areas of Papua New Guiana, where it has always been too cold for disease spreading mosquitoes. ASPI, 2008) Climate change may have an effect on human being but also animals and plants. A new study suggests that global warming could threaten one-fourth of the world’s plant and vertebrate animal species with extinction by 2050. ( Handwork,2006). This is also a huge effect of global warming because animals are essential to maintain the circle of life and the food chain. It is Just not the animals alone, insects, reptiles and the aquatic life are all interdependent on each other, and on the plants and humans as well. (Loveland,2009). Global warming causes climate change, deserts like the

Sahara, are no longer able to sustain their animal population. Loss of habitat is most seen in the Arctic, like previously mentioned because global warming is also melting the glaciers causing polar bears into extinction. Also due to rise in ocean levels many tropical island and forests and the animal life are threatened. Changes in weather patterns and coastlines affect the food patterns of most aquatic creatures. (Loveland, 2009) There is a general worldwide consensus there is climate change occurring, but many still claim it’s not man made, but a natural earth cycle.

While this may contain some Ruth, most believe it is caused from the burning of fossil fuels and man in general. The bottom line it is coming (if not already here) and we have to figure out what we can do. Waters rising will be a disaster, food will be affected and we go to plan for catastrophes like Strain. It’s social effects will impact out water resources, agriculture, human health and animals and plants will be harmed. This is going to hit everyone, not Just the poor or the democrats or the Catholics, we’re all in a heap of trouble and the sooner we accept this FACT, the better we can weather and try to fix r prolong the situation.

Global warming is a blessing. I had to do a research paper for my oceanography class about global warming. As I was doing my research, I realized global warming is not a problem at all. Everyone talks about global warming as a problem and how is it going to be a struggle for us to solve it. I see the opposite of that. I think global warming is a big beneficial for mankind in many ways. The earth is going to warm up including people, carbon dioxide will increase, ocean levels will rise and the economy will increase too.

As the earth is warming and the weather is always warm, people will not need to heat their house and their heating bills with decrease which saves them money. One study said that warmer winters could save up to 40,000 lives a year in the United States alone, which means less people will die of the cause of cold weather diseases. This also means the cost of health care will also decrease. The carbon dioxide will increase which is great, because plant growth will increase.

Increasing in plant growth mean decreasing in the price of food. It also means there will be enough food for everyone and we are going to solve one of the biggest problems which is world hunger. Ending of world hunger means less skinny people will be seen in the world. I have always dreamed to live next to the beach, now with the global warming, my dream will come true. The rise of ocean level due to the melting of icebergs will make the beach closer to home, especially because I live far from the beach.

This is a great benefit not only for me, but for everyone that lives far from the beach. Every morning, opening the windows, looking at a beautiful view of the beach, this is marvelous. Without icebergs in the way, the Arctic Ocean would be completely open, creating a new trade route from the Atlantic to Asia. Traveling tickets are always expensive in summer, but global warming could make fall and winter warmer, which means people will not need to travel only in summer and traveling tickets are less expensive.

People who have houses next to the beach will have an increase of property value. All that will boom the economy, so there will be no more poor countries. Global warming should be seen as an advantage not as a problem. People should stop complaining about how dangerous is. With the decrease of people dying, the increase of plant growth, beaches close to home and the new trade route from the Atlantic to Asia everyone with should think global warming is a blessing.

Memorandum This memo serves as an informative and analytical document discussing globalizations largest threat – global warming. I will address the following issues: • What is global warming and how is it being caused? • Who is contributing to its advancement? • The threats and consequences of global warming • Recommendations we can do to slow global warming Global Warming and It’s Cause Global warming could have started as early as the 1860’s due to the Industrial Revolution that began after the Civil War. This was a time of invention and creation; where man made machine and machine changed society.

Not only did the machine change society, but it also changed the atmospheric gases – more specifically, greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases consist of carbon dioxide – known to cause the greatest amount of global warming – methane gas, ozone, and nitrous oxide. These four greenhouse gases act as a blanket over the surface of the earth. As the sun hits the earth’s surface, the heat is reflected back towards the sun. The heat is then contained by the greenhouse gas blanket and warms the earth. Without this blanket, we would live in a very cold world.

This atmospheric balance the earth provides is currently being tested by man. What happens when we expel our own greenhouse gases? The ‘blanket’ thickens and it traps in more heat. This extra heat upon the earth’s surface is known as global warming. Therefore, global warming can be defined as the effect that increased greenhouse gases have on the earth’s atmosphere. The increase of greenhouse gases are the result of two economical factors: the burning of fossil fuels for energy, and deforestation for industrialization. The first factor contributes to the majority of the xpelled greenhouse gases – that is: The Burning of Fossil Fuels As globalization spreads and increases industry, it also increases the deposit of polluting gases into the atmosphere. One such gas is carbon dioxide. The release of CO2 is more specifically caused from the burning of oil, coal, and gas. These three natural fuels, which are used in manufacturing and industrial growth, have constituted roughly 75% of human generated CO2 emissions expelled into the atmosphere during the past 20 years (IPCC WGI). Here is a graph supporting the increases of CO2:

Indicators of the human influence on the atmosphere during the Industrial era [pic] (IPCC Chart 1) As you can see, this graph stops in the year 2000. Assuming there was an energy increase in the past 6 years by rapidly developing nations such as China and India, along with developed nations consistent energy use, we can also assume the CO2 concentration has continued its vertical climb. Deforestation The destruction or clearing (as some companies might put it) of the worlds’ forests are due in most part to agricultural needs and industrialization.

Why scientistists agree that this practice is detrimental to the enviroment can be summed up in two ways: 1. trees act like sponges that suck in carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen 2. when trees are burned, they release the stored carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, adding to the pollution Hence, the more trees that are burned, the less carbon dioxide gets harbored. According to Greenpeace, “Thirty percent of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere over the past 150 years is thought to come from deforestation, but this is a small amount compared to what is still stored in forests.

The Canadian and Russian boreal forests alone hold 40 percent of the world’s carbon stocks” (Greenpeace Science). In other areas of the world, carbon stocks are not being contained, but continually released through deforestation. Global Forest Watch, an independent oprganization that provides current information on forest development stated: “In 2002, about 47% of the Brazilian Amazon was under some type of human pressure; recent estimates comparing this figure with new data from 2005 show that human pressure has increased by 7%” (Global forest watch).

Not only are we losing the possibility of finding rare tropical plants that could be converted into pharmaceuticals, but we are also destroying indigenous communities that dot the Amazon rainforest. It is understandable that deforestation is need for civilization, but there are ways we can curb its destruction and preserve the rainforests. Contributors of Global Warming If your means of transportation today did not consist of walking or riding a bike, chances are, you contributed to the burning of fossil fuels. Americans would not be able to survive without the use of fossil fuels.

We produce them in our cars, our homes, and even in our waste. The bottom line is: fossil fuels create energy, and we need energy. So, it is not surprising that Americans are responsible for 25% of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, despite having only 5% of the world’s population. (Stix 47) This makes America the largest polluter in the world. It is evident that when a country becomes a world leader through Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the focus becomes business. The need for business profits by corporations apitalizing on industry have an impact on the environment. Unfortunately, many industries do not take into consideration the effects their business has on the environment. Below is a chart comparing three countries – the United States, Former Soviet Union, and Japan – and their CO2 emissions: [pic] (IPCC Chart 2) In 2005 according to the CIA World Factbook, these same three countries had GDP’s of $12. 3 trillion, $4 trillion, and $1. 6 trillion respectively (GDP). While the U. S. has nearly doubled it’s GDP, you can bet as a developed nation, it has also increased it CO2 emissions.

But, developed countries like the United States and Japan can’t be blamed for emitting all the CO2 into the atmosphere due to their industrialization. We must also look at developing countries such as China and Brazil who, while aspiring to increase their standard of living, are also increasing their energy use. As these nations develop and increase their industrialization, they inturn release substantial amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. With the ever-increasing CO2 emissions and deforestation, what does it mean for the stability of our enviroment? The Threats and Consequences of Global Warming?

The aforementioned greenhouse gas emissions and the deforestation process have been contributing to the global warming crisis. The most recent supporting evidence was reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control (IPCC) in 2001. Established in 1988 due to climate change curiosity, the IPCC is composed of over 2,000 scientists and is regarded as the foremost authority on climate change by the United Nations (Wikipedia IPCC). They concluded, through a 2600 page comprehensive analysis of scientific research, that global warming is in fact caused by CO2 emissions and eforestation. According to the IPCC, the two primary factors of global warming are temperature and sea level. Using the latest research and the current trends in global warming, the IPCC predictions through the end of the 21st century are as follows (IPCC SPM): • A rise of global temperatures from 2. 5° to 10. 4° F • A rise of Sea levels from 4″ to 3′ Rising of Global Temperature The effects of this variable are quite profound. Scientists predict it could increase the frequency and magnitude of hurricanes; similar to what happened on the U. S. ’s Gulf Coast in the fall of 2005.

They predict it could also do the same to El Nino; which is felt on the west coast – especially in Southern California. Southern California’s fire season begins towards the end of summer, due to the dry climate. In the fall of 2002, San Diego felt the effects of an out-of-control fire. What started as human error, continued for weeks, as brush and forest fires tore through San Diego Country. Its duration and strength was assisted by warm El Nino winds. Since El Nino thrives from available heat, you could say global warming is feeding El Nino’s hunger.

In 1998 National Geographic had this to say about El Nino: El Nino’s abnormal effects on the main components of climate—sunshine, temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, cloud formation and ocean currents—changed weather patterns across the equatorial Pacific and in turn around the globe… In the past 98 years there have been 23 El Ninos and 15 La Ninas. Of the century’s ten most powerful El Ninos, four—the four strongest—have occurred since 1980. (Suplee) Considering it is possible global warming energizes the climate event El Nino, it can also melt glaciers.

A widespread retreat of non-polar glaciers during the 20th century, and a 10% decrease in world snow cover since the 1960’s was captured by satellite imagery; the shrinking of snow cover and the retreat of glaciers are not expected to slow down during the 21st century (IPCC SPM). Researchers agree that melting glaciers coupled with melting ice sheets, like those covering Antarctica and Greenland, will become significant factors in causing the sea levels to rise. Rising Sea Levels Rising sea levels could devastate coastal tourism spots. This may become a very costly problem for coastal cities.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated a one foot rise along the eastern seaboard by 2050. According to researchers, if this rise were to occur on the west coast, which is more likely than not, California would lose 2-4 feet of beach due to erosion. [pic] (IPCC Chart 3) The EPA also had this to say about rising sea levels: Rising sea level inundates wetlands and other low-lying lands, erodes beaches, intensifies flooding, and increases the salinity of rivers, bays, and groundwater tables. Some of these effects may be further compounded by other effects of changing climate.

Measures that people take to protect private property from rising sea level may have adverse effects on the environment and on public uses of beaches and waterways. (EPA) Even though the damage to the U. S. ’s coastline would be expensive, planet earth has over 4 billion people outside the U. S. that live on a coastal plain. (Greenpeace Going) Rising sea levels could completely demolish low-lying coastal cities around the world: New York, Miami, Tokyo, San Diego, and London are a few such cities that could experience rising sea levels first-hand.

Poor, undeveloped countries that lack technology, would be the ones to lose entire populations from a force that is beyond their control. What can we do to stop this rising tide? Recommendations to Slow Global Warming • Adhere to the Kyoto Protocol • Increase forestation Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol, which began in 1997, has developed an international treaty to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The overall goal is for countries to lower these emissions to 1990 levels by 2008. For the policies to take effect, 55 countries that accounted for at least 55% of the greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 must ratify the protocol.

The founders of the Kyoto Protocol – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), require countries that have ratified the protocol to: • Enhance energy efficiency methods on the countries largest polluters • Tax economic sectors that are the countries largest polluters • Research, develop, and implement new forms of energy • Promote forestation (UNFCCC) Only a few countries have said “no” to this protocol. Unfortunately, the United States is one of those countries. As a world leader, we should ratify the Kyoto Protocol and enforce its requirements on our industry.

Our government could give tax cuts for companies utilizing new technology with a low-carbon output. This technology could be in the form of: hydro-electric, wind, or solar power. We could also enforce strict pollution policies to regulate and limit what can be released into the environment. Other enforcements could be directed at absorbing the CO2 in the atmosphere through forestation. Increase Forestation Forests act as sponges to suck up, or decrease, the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Curtailing the lumber and logging industry in the U. S. is a first step towards increasing forestation.

This is especially true of the industries in and around the Amazon. Because rainforests are denser than ordinary forests, they absorb much more carbon dioxide. Plus, the rainforests trap in precipitation to prevent flooding, and preserve bio-diversity and indigenous cultures. Another, more realistic approach is to plant trees and re-grow the forests. One example of this approach is happening in China. Due to deforestation, the Chinese government requires those between the ages of 11 and 60 to plant up to 5 trees per year; they claim to have planted 1 billion trees in the past 20 years. (Wikipedia Deforestation)

Conclusion Global warming affects everyone; it has no boundaries. It is not intended to directly harm other cultures and peoples, but it inadvertently does through continually disregard for the environment. This disregard happens when nations become industrialized: more specifically – from burning fossil fuels and the deforestation process. But, we do have the power of choice. The citizens of the United States should step forward and assume responsibility. It is our duty to contribute to the reduction of global warming by regulating our CO2 emissions, and even becoming aware of our paper consumption.

With the assist of other developed nations, we should be implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices to deter our current pollution. These technologies might come at a high price. But, in the long run, it could reduce the costs and damages associated with the foreseeable climate change. Works Cited CIA World Factbook. “List of countries by GDP (PPP). ” Wikipedia. 2006. 18 Sept. 2006 EPA. “Coastal Zones. ” Environmental Protection Agency. Jan. 2000. 15 Sept. 2006 Greenpeace. “Going, Going, Gone?. ” Greenpeace.

July 2005. 13 Sept. 2006 Greenpeace. “Science. ” Greenpeace. 2006. 14 Sept. 2006 Global Forest Watch. “Human Pressure on the Brazilian Amazon Forests. ” 2006. Global Forest Watch. 17 Sept. 2006 IPCC. Chart 1. “Indicators of the human influence on the atmosphere. ” IPCC. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 IPCC. Chart 2. “Comparison between GDP and CO2 emissions for selected countries. ” Climate Change 2001 Synthesis Report 5-6. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 IPCC. Chart 3. “Third Assessment Report – Climate Change 2001. ” IPCC. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 IPCC. Climate Change 2001: SPM: The Scientific Basis. ” IPCC. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 IPCC. “Climate Change 2001: Working Group I: The Scientific Basis. ” IPCC. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 Stix, Gary. “A climate Repair Manuel. ” Scientific American Sept. 2006: 47. Suplee, Curt. “Unlocking the Climate. ” National Geographic May 1998. 13 Sept. 2006 UNFCCC. “Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC. ” UNFCCC. 1998. 19 Sept. 2006 Wikipedia. “Deforestation. ” Wikipedia. 2006. 19 Sept. 2006 Wikipedia. “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ” Wikipedia. 2006. 12 Sept. 2006