Environmental Protection Issues and Global Warming
There has been a great deal of discussion concerning global warming. Global warming has been an issue that concerns a great number of scientists in the United States and abroad. As you are aware, the melting of the Arctic are the most visible signs. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, other early warning signs include melting glaciers, shifting ranges of plants and animals, and the earlier onset of spring. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, global warming is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases that are emitted primarily by the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests. These gases remain in our atmosphere for decades or even centuries.
If we continue to experience global warming at the current rate that we are experiencing it now, we will continue to experience extreme heat and drought, rising sea levels, and higher-intensity tropical storms. We may also be faced with living conditions in the inner cities during the summer, and issues with farm life, forests, and fisheries may also be severely affected.
A question to consider is whether or not we can control global warming and if so, what steps do we need to take to ensure that everyone is in compliance? Secondly, the top NASA scientist James Hansen, during a 2006 interview with sixty minutes, mentioned that the Bush Administration instituted restrictions as to what the public should know about global warming. If this is true, is this a form of censorship? Should the public be advised if global warming is occurring? We will also consider the possible chaos and pandemonium that could occur, if we were aware of the current status of global warming.
Assignment Instructions -
1. Conduct research and locate two scholarly journal articles that discuss global warming.
2. Develop an argument that supports the occurrence of global warming or an argument against the occurrence of global warming.
3. Discuss the articles and incorporate references from the text.
4. Identify facts that support your argument and cite the reading material.
5. Identify environmental protection issues.
6. Discuss the role of the Government and the level of responsibility to inform the American Public.
7. Include the following in your response:
¨ If the Bush Administration is restricting information provided to the public, is this a form of censorship?
¨ Should the public be advised if global warming is occurring?