Global Warming Hits Hard
What is global warming? According to Live Science, “Global warming is the gradual heating of Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere.” Some argue that global warming is just a myth, while others try to solve the problem before it becomes too terrible to reverse. One act put in place to fight global warming is the Paris Climate Agreement.
In the agreement, it lays down actions to be taken by all those who agree to help fight against global warming. According to Dictionary.com, greenhouse gases are “any of the gases whose absorption of solar radiation is responsible for the greenhouse effect, including carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and the fluorocarbons.” For example, “4.) A mechanism to contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable development is hereby established under the authority and guidance of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Agreement for use by Parties on a voluntary basis. It shall be supervised by a body designated by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Agreement, and shall aim: (a) To promote the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions while fostering sustainable development; (b) To incentivize and facilitate participation in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions by public and private entities authorized by a Party; (c) To contribute to the reduction of emission levels in the host Party, which will benefit from mitigation activities resulting in emission reductions that can also be used by another Party to fulfil its nationally determined contribution; and (d) To deliver an overall mitigation in global emissions.” Mitigation is, “the act of mitigating, or lessening the force or intensity of something unpleasant, as wrath, pain, grief, or extreme circumstances,” according to Dictionary.com. Also, when the document says “sustainable development,” it is talking about creating new ways to sustain life on Earth, besides polluting the very land we have to live on.
On September 3, 2016, President Obama joined the Paris Climate Act. Alongside him, President Xi of China also agreed to join. This showed countries coming together to support the cause of saving the world from itself. To give an example on how bad global warming is, here is a list of animals that have been “hit hard” according to National Geographic: polar bears, Orange-spotted filefish, Quiver tree, Adélie penguin, and North Atlantic cod. The United States and China haven’t always had the best relationship, but the two countries joined the other 193 countries that have come together for this one cause.
According to the World Economic Forum, the United States and China make up nearly 40% of the world’s pollution. Australia has still not signed, along with many countries in Africa, and some in Europe. The Paris Climate Agreement is bringing unlikely foe countries together to battle the biggest threat to change the world as we know it: global warming.
