Reporters and the majority of the population utilize the terms climate change and global warming interchangeably, but only about 25% are currently aware that each term has its own distinct definition. Not only are many unaware of the significant differences between the two terms, but several communities also misinterpret the causes and effects. Global warming and climate change stem from incredibly different causes; Thus, they have a variety of different effects on the earth as well. Global warming, mostly referring to the gradual heat caused by carbon emissions, is almost entirely caused by human activities. Climate change refers to all factors that gradually shift Earth’s climate. Climate Change and Global Warming are not synonymous terms and there should be processes implemented that fully explain and define the causes, effects, and consequences of Global Warming to the general public.
Global warming is merely one aspect of climate change since climate change is the gradual shifts of Earth’s climate based on negative and positive impacts. Despite the common denotation, climate change and global warming are not synonymous terms and both have fairly different meanings; Subsequently, the general misconception leads to a lack of understanding about the effects of global warming as a whole. According to the United States Geological Survey (2016), which designated itself on factual and unbiased information, climate change refers to the overall alterations of Earth’s climate as a whole, which includes both harmful and beneficial environmental factors in all nations; Therefore, global warming cannot be synonymous because it’s a specific contributor to climate change that is only caused by increasing greenhouse gas emissions (para. 1). The common misconceptions and lack of understanding about global warming are only furthered by the incorrect use of both terms. Reporters and the general public using the terms interchangeably leads to misunderstandings and prevents the population from learning accurate information about global warming, its causes, and its effects. Based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration article—written by Rebecca Lindsey and LuAnn Dahlman(2021), both scientific researchers and writers— unlike climate change, global warming has resulted in nearly 30% of the natural glacier and ice sheet melt; Subsequently, the increased greenhouse gas emissions and the overall warming of the atmosphere has resulted in 2019-2020 being the warmest years on record since the Industrial Age: or 1880’s-1900’s (para. 4). Climate change consists of precipitation, ozone, wind patterns, weather, and other related aspects while global warming is just a single aspect of climate change. Global warming, or the gradual rising in heat, has produced irregular weather patterns which prove, not only that global warming exists, but that its effects are currently taking place. Global warming causes several hundred different types of effects, some beneficial to the nearby environment and others harmful, but all causes and effects affect or have been caused by humans. While climate change and global warming are incredibly different, global warming has detrimental effects on the Earth’s overall climate. Gradual heat can and will continue to harm all environments as they shift to accommodate the excess carbon emissions.
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While the term is often misconstrued, about 63% are aware that global warming exists and that its main cause is human activities. Global Warming is a worldwide and increasing process that is caused by several different aspects: one of the biggest contributors being the human race, and certain activities that humans depend on, creating millions of tons of greenhouse gases. The Environmental Information Association (2020) elaborates that the main contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and global warming, is the process of burning fossil fuel-related substances to supply energy to nationwide communities; Consequently, the necessity of human energy has created 5,130 million metric tons of greenhouse gases by burning about 21% of coal, 33% of natural gas, and 46% of the petroleum (para. 6). Before the Industrial Age, carbon emissions grew merely based on natural factors but the discovery of fossil fuel-based energy has forced carbon dioxide emissions to skyrocket. Human activities contribute about 6,677 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide with about a third being purely created to support growing energy demand. Greenhouse gas emissions, which lead to global warming, also have extremely harmful effects on Earth and its communities: such as increased climate temperatures, flooding, erosion in coastal areas, ocean acidification, ocean temperatures, extinct species, droughts, decreased agriculture, economic stability, air quality levels, forestry, ecosystems, habitats, infrastructure, etc. (Inter-government Panel on Climate Change, 2021, para. 14). Greenhouse gas emissions can and are causing detrimental effects, which are mainly caused by human activities. The several effects are gradually lowering environmental stability and health. Global warming is caused solely by human activities, one of the biggest factors being fossil fuel-based energy, and the results of said carbon emissions will only worsen the already dwindling stability of the environment. Carbon imprints, ice cores, and seafloor expansion are all factors that prove raises in greenhouse gas emissions since the industrial revolution with the climate gradually shifting in current times. The causes and effects of global warming are both greatly misunderstood by the general population which incites the need for education programs. Due to the lack of understanding and accurate facts presented to the public, extensive classes or programs presenting every side, result, and impact of global warming should be implemented to broaden the commonwealth's knowledge and allow them an educated choice on the matter. Nicholas Smith and Anthony Leiserowitz (2010), both Yale University graduates with PhDs in Forestry and Environmental Studies, have researched that nearly 63% of Americans are aware of global warming’s presence and potential impact on the Earth, and that about 75% of Americans are curious to understand the process in more detail (p. 4). Studies show that most communities are, at the very least, curious about the processes of global warming and wish to know more about the effects, causes, and associated factors before pushing towards government intervention. Nicholas Smith and Anthony Leiserowitz (2010) from the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication also researched that about 75% of Americans strongly encourage schools to implement more curriculums involving global warming and climate change education and that another 68% would gratefully welcome general and informative classes implemented by the government to increase commonwealth understanding (p. 4). Not only are most Americans generally unaware of the processes, but many are incredibly welcoming to the idea of receiving informative and unbiased opportunities to educate themselves on the subject. The government should implement general and optional education programs that will provide informative, scientific, and objective analyses of global warming and climate change facts. Americans are seldom oblivious to the overall topic and extremely receptive to the potential of government-implemented processes that lift the sheltered haze and allow the general populous to make their own decision.
Many are likely to argue against the opportunity entirely because it creates a false sense of security since mitigation and adaptation processes would be costly. This inherent fear is incredibly viable since both processes, despite one being much more relieving on the economy, are quite costly to manage properly. Both processes of mitigation and adaptation for the results of global warming are far too costly for the economy and working class; Therefore, advocating or promoting supporting processes is pointless for the millions of dollars will simply weaken the economy in turn. Hannah Ritchie (2017), an Oxford Martin graduate, speculates based on current report data that mitigation and adaptation processes, even if approached by the lowest possible income-based standards, would cost around $200-$350 billion every year by 2030 (para. 3). Despite the necessary risk, economic instability is already taking its hold within the community because of decreasing environmental welfare. While mitigation and adaptation processes enacted to prohibit, regress, and perpetually halt global warming effects are quite costly, certain numbers ranging around $200-$350 billion, ignoring the issue entirely or refraining from implementing either solution will only double the overall costs in the long run. Regardless of the initial costs of mitigation or adaptation prevention processes, Hannah Ritchie (2017) also claims that waiting on any sort of prevention initiatives will end up significantly tripling the initial totals, which would result in much more economic failure than the initial tax increase required to begin mitigation processes (para. 20). Implementing processes that allow the commonwealth the knowledge and understanding to make the choice has little to do with income, and if mitigation or adaptation processes are implemented as well the initial costs are much more beneficial than prohibiting any and all progress. Prohibiting adaptation or any sort of stabilizing processes will also lessen the possibility of allowing the Earth to recover at all. Mitigation refers to reversing most damage causes, while adaptation focuses on adjusting species to the abrupt climate shifts.
Global warming and climate change both require an economic understanding that provides the commonwealth with objective information and also pertains to their own choice. General knowledge about global warming and its effects being offered to the public provides each individual with the chance to make a decision on the topic based on unbiased and factual information. Global warming effects are detrimental to the environment and each year only pumps thousands of tonnes more carbon into the atmosphere: effectively worsening the issue. The issues and results of global warming affect all species occupying the Earth: animals, plants, and of course, humans. Regardless of social class or income, global warming effects—whether solved through mitigation or adaptation—will greatly affect general human processes. The government should implement more accessible and affordable programs that dutifully explain, elaborate, and advocate global warming facts and information to the Commonwealth. If little to no change occurs, human populations will be forced into either mitigation or adaptation processes. If nothing is done to prevent or regress global warming changes, the overall cost to mitigate or stall greenhouse gas changes will increase drastically. Each individual should continue to research the causes and effects of global warming to receive as much information as possible in order to make an accurate, well-informed choice on the matter of mitigation or adaptation.
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