Monday, September 21, 2009

In Order to Combat Global Warming, We Need a Global Contract


Many people believe that it will take a lot to fix what has been done. Global warming has taken a toll on our world, and there are necessary steps that need to be taken to correct this. According to an article in Science Daily, the steps we need to take begin and end with a global cooperative force.


When writing in the journal, Science, researchers say that "nations alone are unable to resolve the sorts of planet-wide challenges now arising." The researchers are calling for a cooperative global committee to deal with the issues we are facing, issues which existing governments and institutions cannot deal with alone, says the article.


The researchers pointed to issues that need global action such as "ozone depletion (the Montreal Protocol), high seas fisheries and antibiotic drug resistance" and they even said that enforcing compliance may be necessary. They make an interesting point when identifying that laws and rules may need to be set in order to accomplish change, a point that I agree with.




They say that these issues are happening too quickly for institutions that are attempting to fix them. They are just simply not able to keep up. It is apparent that cooperation and collaboration is the key to overcoming these issues and making a change.


The article goes on to make a point that I find to be very poignant and valid, the main challenge is getting countries to agree to take part in global institutions designed to prevent destructive human practices.




The United States considers itself to be a powerful country, and there needs to be an effort put in place that would use our power to bring together countries for the cause of helping to maintain and fix our environment.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Global Warming May Be a Threat, But Temperature Reading From This Summer Could Prove Otherwise





Temperatures this past summer prove that global warming may not being affecting every climate and place the same, as explained an article posted on the website for the Environmental News Network. The averages for June-August 2009 for the United States are the 34th coolest on record, according to the article.


The average for the summer 2009 for the United States was "71.7 degrees F. This was 0.4 degrees F below the 20th Century average. The 2008 average summer temperature was 72.7 degrees F."

Over the summer the United States as a whole had a decrease in average temperature but states such as Florida, Washington and Texas had some of their hottest recorded summers in history. "Florida had its fourth warmest summer, while Washington and Texas experienced their eighth and ninth warmest, respectively."

According to an article on the National Climate Data Center website, the Northeast region of the U.S., including Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, Mass., and New Hampshire, experienced some of the wettest weather they have ever seen. "For the summer season (June–August), the Northeast Region had its eighth wettest period on record."

It seems that global warming has indeed affected certain areas differently than other, even within the U.S.. While some areas experienced high temperatures, a lot of areas experienced record low temperatures. This proves that global warming is having an effect on our climate, but the results are varied and inconsistent.

Here is a video describing the effects of global warming courtesy of MSNBC.