Government Intervention and Climate Change

This assignment analyzes the effects of global warming on the environment, identifying major contributing factors. It explores the approaches taken by governments and businesses to address climate change, highlighting both the pros and cons of government interventions. The report argues in favor of government involvement in mitigating global warming. While acknowledging business efforts in complying with regulations and recognizing risks, it emphasizes the need for robust governmental action.

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Introduction: The gradual increase in the atmosphere and temperature of the oceans results in
an overall change in the earth's atmosphere leading to the increase in sea level, which is called
‘global warming’ or the ‘climate change’. As per the intergovernmental panel on climate change,
the causes of the global warming are increasing in carbon dioxide concentration in the
atmosphere, resulting in the depletion of the Ozone layer, deforestation, present of the aerosol in
the atmosphere, rise in the sea level, burning of fossil fuels, activities of mining, and increase in
the population. All the above written impacts will continue to escalate, if the immediate actions
would not be taken to reduce the Global Warming emissions(Gillis & Fountain, 2016). There are
two causes of Global Warming, which are divided into two categories: that is, natural and
human influences on global warming. The natural causes are defined as the greenhouse gases
and continuous rotation of the Sun changes the intensity of light while moving closer to earth.
The other natural cause of global warming is volcanic eruptions and use of Methane. The human
influences that the effect of global warming are more than that of natural causes. This report is
written to identify the problems caused by the global warming and the strategies the government
or the business should undertake in response to the change in the climate. This report also
includes the arguments for and against the government intervention and what responses of
government or individual or business take to mitigate the risk of global warming.
Problems posed by global warming: It has been analyzed in the past 150 years that the earth's
temperature has been gradually increasing day by day and the main reason behind this increase
in temperature is the greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere due to the human activities.
Approximately 40% of the emission of carbon dioxide is released from the burning fuel while
producing the electricity. As there is a high demand for electricity products in the market and so
the use of the electricity, humans are highly dependent on commercial electric supply. That is,the
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production of electricity is directly proportional to the emission of CO2 gases to the atmosphere.
Also, the carbon dioxide released from the gasoline accounts for approximately 33%. Every day,
the population is growing at an enormous rate and there is a substantial demand and use of fossil
fuels for the supply chain management(Scheuer, 2013).
Another toxic gas which releases to the atmosphere resulting in the global warming is the
Methane Gas which emits from the animals, Arctic sea beds, as well as rice paddies from the
agricultural field. This gas is released when the Organic products are atomized to create the
bacteria for theanaerobic decomposition. This process also takes place in the digestive systems of
various animals specially, herbivorous animals.The another origin of Methane is a compound
which contains high quantities of Methane known as Methane Clathrate, which looks like
structure of ice. When the Methane emits from the Arctic sea, it increases the global warming
significantly. The chlorofluorocarbons and the nitrous oxides also capture the rays of the
sunlight, consequently, increase the rate of global warming or the change in the climate, in the
atmosphere(UNFCC, 2007). The human activity like deforestation for the use of wood, farmland,
etc.also holds high account of global warming. The human activities like producing the paper
and wood products resulting in the cutting of the trees at a substantial rate, which leads to the
deforestation. As the trees play a vital role in controlling the global warming by capturing the
carbon, the cutting of the works alternatively for now by increasing the amount of carbon in the
atmosphere. Due to the growth in the population in the 20th century, there is a demand of the
food products. Thus, there is a need for chemical fertilizers to increase the quantity of the crops
grown in the agricultural fields. The chemical fertilizer uses nitrogen for increasing the amount
of the fertility of the crop. As the nitrogen oxides release ahigh amount of heat in the atmosphere
which is approximately 300 times more than the release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,
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thereby harming the atmosphere as well as the health of the human beings. Due to the release of
Nitrogen in the atmosphere, it creates dead zones in the ocean(E&Y, 2009). Sulfate Aerosols
and the black carbon are the other gases emitted to the atmosphere. The global warming from the
sulfate aerosols occurs naturally, due to the volcanic eruptions. These are the airborne particles
which reflect the sun rays back to the space and these sulfate aerosol particles resulted in net
cooling effect in the atmosphere. This also lets the ultraviolet rays to enter into the earth.A
Chemical known as black carbon is generated from the human activities like Pollution from the
industries, emission of pollution from the automobiles, Biomass fuels, burning of fuels,or coals,
etc.The atomic particles in the black carbon absorb the sunlight resulting in the heat in the
atmosphere, thereby increasing the global warming or the change in the climate.
The main adverse effect of the Global Warming is the rise in the sea levels due to the melting of
ice in the Antarctica and Greenland regions, especially for the east coast of the US, as predicted
by the scientists. This rise in the sea level would make the people migrated to the other countries
or making them look for the new living place, thereby displacing approximately billions of
people(Naik, 2010).
Response to climate change of Government: There is a requirement of quick actions and plans
so as to put a stop on climate change or minimize the serious result or impacts of global
warming. As the global warming is clearly the kind of complex and long-term problem that an
individual or small business man could not be able to address so the government should play a
vital role in addressing all the global warming changes and motivating the people to start making
decisions from their home to take this to the international level. The Government should make
the proper actionon how to prevent the results of global warming throughout the world. Also, as
the climate change has already been strongly impacting the country, each individual must show
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willingness or become the volunteer to take into consideration the serial problems that the Global
Warming will because of the global warming or climate change(Team, 2017). The government
should take the proper steps whether is it is in local or State Government, they should follow
instructions and provide the organizations with different ways to manage or deal with the global
warming. Also, the government should produce or generate the actions which may play an
important role to create a social environment that will help the business or individuals totake
their responsibilities on their own to reduce the global warming.
Response to climate change by business: The business should follow the actions or the
approaches, taking into consideration the government plans and regulations and take the
necessary steps on how to reduce the emissions of strong chemical gases on the environment.
The business should follow the regulations of government and understand on how to reduce the
emissions of carbon released into the atmosphere. The business must bring the new technologies
or methodologies on how to use the resources in a way that they can keep running industries
without emitting the harmful gases to the atmosphere thereby, helping the government in
improving the environmental conditions of the world. The business can also make the
communities help by providing them sufficient funds so that they can adapt to the Global
Warming. The government should also make the business free to make them understand on
which approach they shouldfollow and when to follow without any interference of the rules and
regulation from the government, so that the business may continue looking for the opportunities
visa profitability in terms of their wealth and success(Durrant, 2014).
Arguments for government intervention: The approach of the planned actions to minimize the
inadequate results of global warming can help the government to become less or never dependent
on the import of the oil or other high emitting carbon gases from a foreign country for the
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sources of energy. This will help in improving the overall conditions of the market, providing
them with high profit margins. This also helps in improving the economic conditions and prevent
them from different disasters and providing them new opportunities in building clean and green
environment. By making the communities enough adaptable to the changes and help in focusing
on stopping the global warming or climate change for further increase in the
environment(Muzamwese, 2016). This will also make the protective measures for different rules
and regulations of the Government and the legislative powers that can affect the profitability and
productivity of the business. To address the challenges of climate change or the Global
Warming, the most important thing the business can do is bring the new innovative ideas which
can help in saving the environment. They should take steps on their own and show the volunteer
to reduce the emission of carbon gases in the atmosphere. The benefit of stepping forward with
volunteer power is that neither the business, nor the government will depend on each other for
the funds or the programs that require economically high funds for preventing the atmosphere
from the global warming and climate change.
Arguments against government intervention: The argument against government intervention
says that the business won't be able to bring the clean environment and reducing the impact of
climate change without any of the regulations of the government. This advice on putting forward
the question on the Businessman that why they help in reducing the Global warming while
ignoring all their prospective in terms of their business goals and financial profit margins.
Providing the people to adapt the climatic changes or global warming is like motivating people
to pollute the environment or making hem emit more harmful gases to the atmosphere resulting
in the greenhouse effect in the environment(Engel, et al., 2015).Thus, this approach requires a
prevention and mitigation strategies so that the global warming doesn't harm more than it is
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emitting the carbon to the atmosphere in thecurrent scenario. Also, it is difficult to the business
point of view to make all the people to reduce the ill effects of the climatic changes. This
approach will also lead to the high cost or increase in the overall prices of the product. This
strategy is considered to be expensive as it includes the diversion of alternative resources for
manufacturing the product and shifting the business to other verticals which may reduce the
growth of the business(Rudd & Truss, 2015).
Conclusion: This report has been written to scrutinize the impact of the global warming on the
environment and what are the major issues which are making the reason for the gradual increase
of the global warming in the atmosphere. The approachsss followed by the government and the
business resulted in some of the pros and cons with the arguments for and against the
interventions of the government strategies have also been addressed in this report to make the
reader understand about the approach and how it impacts in improving the global warming or
climate change. This report primarily focus on the support of the arguments FOR government
invention. The businesses have taken the global warming or change in the climate seriously by
following all the regulations addressed by the government. Large businesses feel that they are
aware enough to analyze the risks related to the global warming. In the Whitehouse, it has been
announced on Aug 2015 the series related to the regulations need to follow the address the issues
of the global warming. Also, businesses has taken active participation in removing the
greenhouse effect or global warming from around the world.
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References
Durrant, N., 2014. The Australian Response to Climate Change: business as usual or legal
innovation?. Environmental Law and Management Journal, 22(3), pp. 105-115.
E&Y, 2009. The business response to climate change: Paths chosen by top economies, Available
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response-climate-change.pdf
Engel, H., Enkvist, P. & Henderson, K., 2015. How companies can adapt to climate change,
Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability-and-resource-
productivity/our-insights/how-companies-can-adapt-to-climate-change
Gillis, J. & Fountain, H., 2016. Global Warming Cited as Wildfires Increase in Fragile Boreal
Forest, Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/11/science/global-warming-cited-as-
wildfires-increase-in-fragile-boreal-forest.html
Muzamwese, T., 2016. Business response to climate change, Available at:
http://unfccc.int/files/na/application/pdf/module_1_7.business_response_to_climate_change_-
_bcsdz.pdf
Naik, A., 2010. Global Warming Problems: An Overview, Available at:
https://www.ibuzzle.com/articles/global-warming-problems.html
Rudd, H. & Truss, H., 2015. Government response to the Committee on Climate Change:
Progress on meeting carbon budgets and preparing for climate change, Available at:
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https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/467818/
DECC_CCC_Summary.pdf
Scheuer, P., 2013. Facing the Challenges of Climate Change, Available at:
https://www.publicagenda.org/files/globalwarming_guide.pdf
Team, L., 2017. Global Warming: News, Facts, Causes & Effects, Available at:
https://www.livescience.com/topics/global-warming
UNFCC, 2007. Climate change: Impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation in developing countries,
Available at: https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/impacts.pdf
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