Reporter
Garrett Hobbs
It is no doubt humans have already caused major climate change to happen and have set in motion more changes still. Unfortunately, we cannot stop global warming overnight, or even the next several decades. However, if we stop emitting greenhouse gases today, the rise in global temperatures could slow down and could even begin to drop within years. If the U.S. government passes the Green New Deal, a policy to end fossil fuels and build green jobs, our planet might survive.
As scientists have predicted, high gas emission levels have caused severe storms, wildfires, heat waves and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. It is important to understand how/why carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gas emissions cause global warming. Global warming occurs when air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation, which creates a gradual increase of earth’s temperature. Humans also contribute carbon emissions from electricity generation and the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gasoline and natural gas.
N.Y. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposes an environmental and economic plan, called the Green New Deal (GND). The resolution calls for massive increases in renewable energy production. The ultimate goal of the GND is to stop temperatures from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius, the global emissions would need to be zero for over ten years. The deal calls for making all the United States power demand become clean and renewable, which would end the use of fossil fuels and emission energy sources. A common argument is that the GND will be very costly, the answer is life on earth doesn’t have a price tag on it.
The GND also calls for welfare and social justice; such as access to nature, clean air and water, healthy food, affordable housing, community resiliency, high-quality health care, while addressing social exclusion and injustice. The GND creates millions of jobs, “with a family-sustaining wage, medical leave, paid vacations and retirement security for every American,” said by Alexandria. The International Labour Organization estimates a net of eighteen million jobs will be created and six million jobs will be lost by a clean energy transition. The plan also advocates restoring ecosystems, through land preservation and afforestation. “Afforestation is very important during our global crisis, Jeff Bezos just pledged $732 million to help reforestation in Africa, sounds like great news to me,” said Jordan Cook, business major.
Another goal is to upgrade existing infrastructure and create buildings to achieve maximum energy efficiency, water efficiency and safety affordability/durability. Investing in manufacturing renewable power sources would increase the growth of clean energy. The GND would also invest in transportation systems, a zero-emission vehicle public transit and expand electric car manufacturing. Lastly, sustainable farming would be invested in as well, “working with famers to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as much as is technologically feasible, while supporting family farms and promoting universal access to healthy food,” said Alexandria.
This is everyone’s issue, if the GND isn’t passed and climate control continues and becomes irreparable, the carbon cycle will reverse. Instead of absorbing carbon dioxide, vegetation and soil start to release it. Algae will leave coral reefs, causing them to weaken and kill the marine ecosystem. Our Arctic will become ice-free, summer will become all four seasons, sea levels will increase and will impact one billion people by the year 2050. We will also be introduced to extreme heat waves every five years, flooding will be a frequent occurrence and wildlife will lose more than half of their habitats. If the GND is passed, then this will not be our reality.
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