by Sean Begin
Over 300,000 people descended on New York City on Sunday for the People’s Climate March, calling for action from the international community over the growing global warming issue. The march comes as the United Nations prepares to meet for a summit to discuss climate change.
The idea of global warming has been around for some time, often assailed by critics who call it a hoax. But large amounts of studies exist showing that the Earth continues to get warmer while countries continue to pump out more and more greenhouse gases.
While it’s true the planet goes through cycles of warming and cooling, it’s become clear that humans have made a major impact on the natural cycle, perhaps irreversibly.
The Global Carbon Project, which tracks emissions levels across the world, recently released numbers showing that world greenhouse gas emissions increased 2.3 percent in 2013 to record highs.
From an article in the Sunday NY Times: “The nations of the world have agreed to try to limit the warming to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which would require that emissions slow down and largely stop in the next 30 years or so. If they continue on their present course through the century, scientists say that the earth could warm by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit above the preindustrial level. This would likely be incompatible with human civilization in its current form.”
The march in New York City on Sunday was part of protests occurring around the world trying to call attention to this issue, which continues to be ignored as if it’s a mere inconvenience.
As usual though, politics and division will likely stand in the way of any significant change.
The UN summit that happened on Tuesday was one of the largest of its kind. But like most meetings before, it was a divide among rich and poor nations.
From a separate article in the NY Times on Saturday: “If history is any guide, the rich countries of the world will say how concerned they are about the damage their emissions of heat-trapping gases are causing. The poor countries — whose people have done little to contribute to global warming but stand to suffer the most from it because of their vulnerability to rising seas and weather extremes — will point out that this professed concern never seems to translate into sufficient action.”
To date, most of the work to fight climate change has been big on talk but small on action. Emission levels continue to skyrocket at an alarming rate and the temperatures this summer were the highest ever recorded, both attesting to the fact that Earth is getting warmer.
With the mountains of evidence showing support for a warming climate, it’s hard to imagine that anything will change as long countries continue to divide themselves along financial lines. If scientists are correct and the planet becomes increasingly hotter, it could signal a slow extinction for humanity.
As fresh water reserves running out, a warmer Earth would make it difficult to grow crops. And as one protestors sign at the march on Sunday proclaimed: “There is No Planet B.”