Global climate change is the gradual change of global weather patterns caused by a build up of green house gases in the atmosphere and the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer (Climate science, 2010). The major green house gases include Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor and halocarbons. However carbon dioxide released through combustion of fossil fuel is the biggest contributor to global climate change with its large emission no longer able to be absorbed by plants.
The green house gases trap heat radiated from the earth surface and radiates it back to the surface of the earth causing rising in global temperatures. The ozone layer on the other hand protects the earth from harmful rays from the sun and its destruction now sees these harmful rays reach the earth surface (Climate science, 2010). Global climate change as per now stands as the biggest threat to existence of life on earth as it is projected to increase in this century. This threat can only be mitigated if major contributors of green house gases like the United States regulate their green gases emissions.
Changes in global climate has been recorded in different parts of the earth with some places recording drought while others recording floods. Ice has also melted in the glacier regions causing a rise in the seas level and now coastal regions are under threat of being submerged. These effects of climate change can only be reduced if countries cut on their green house gases emissions. According to a 2007 report released by CDIAC for the United Nation, the UnitedState is the second largest contributor of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere after China. The report indicates that the UnitedState contributes 19.91% of the total global carbon dioxide emission (Wikipedia, 2010).
This is in disregard of other major green house gases such as methane which when included in this rating would the UnitedState largest contributor to climate change. It is very crucial that the U.S reduces its green gases emission if we are to escape the threat of climate change. This can be achieved through: (1) Investing in alternative sources of energy to fossil fuel. This may include wind, solar and hydro power, nuclear and bio-fuels. (2) Increase the number of trees. Research has shown that a single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide in its life time.
(3) The government should provide economic incentives to industries that make efforts to reduce green gas emission. This will motivate many companies to move in this direction. (4) Change of lifestyle of the American people. The Americans should turn on a green life style, reduce their use of carbon fuels, change their power consumption habits will make a big difference.
The Kyoto protocol is an international agreement sponsored by the United Nation that is aimed at fighting global warming through stabilization of green house gases in the atmosphere to level that will not cause climate change. It was initially adopted in 1997 where industrialized nations agreed to cut back on the green gas emission but the U.S was not and still is not a signatory (Wikipedia, 20100.
This protocol is worth supporting as it will invoke commitment for the Nation to fight global warming keeping in mind it is one of the major contributor.The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate is an innovative new effort by partner countries including Australia, Canada,China, India, Japan, Korea, and the United States to accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies (Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, 2010).
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