Global Warming and Government Response

This assignment analyzes the issue of global warming, exploring its adverse effects on the environment and human life. It highlights the role of governments, particularly the Australian government, in implementing initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and promote renewable energy sources. The essay also discusses arguments against government intervention in the energy market and emphasizes the importance of collaboration between government and private sectors to address global warming effectively.

Running head: GLOBAL WARMING
Global Warming
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Introduction
One of the major environmental issues but the world is concerned about Global
Warming. Global warming is seen as a major threat to mankind. Global warming occurs in
carbon dioxide along with other air pollutants, which are collectively known as greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere being absorb sunlight as well as solar radiation, thus preventing the
heat of the earth to be released into space (Trenberth et al. 2014). These pollutants form a
layer in the atmosphere. They prevent the heat to be released and increasing the temperature
in the earth. Various countries in the world have taken essential measures to curb the effects
of global warming. However, in order to reduce the effects of global warming, government of
every country has a major role to play. This assignment highlights the causes of Global
Warming and the role of government and the businesses has, in reducing the effects of global
warming. Interventions by the government of various countries have been highlighted in this
assignment along with the deficiency in the role of the government.
Adverse effects of global warming
One of the major and immediate effects of global warming is the increase in the overall
temperature in the earth. The melting of the snow is also another major effect of global
warming. Other long term effects include melting of the glaciers, havoc climate change,
droughts and floods (Environment.gov.au 2017). Increase in the sea level is also an effect of
global warming. Global warming also has an adverse effect on the agriculture. Long-term
effects of global warming include degradation of the quality of life, pollution in the air that
people breathe in, natural calamities (Dai 2013).
Role of the Australian government
Australian government is active in reducing the causes of global warming in Australia. One
of the major initiatives taken by the Australian government to curb down the effect of global
warming in Australia, is the aggressive reduction in the use of coal as a primary resource of

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energy production. This will result in the reduction of the carbon emission
(Environment.gov.au, 2017). Moreover, along with the reduction in the carbon emission,
alternative renewable forms of energy are also been used in Australia such that causes of
Global Warming could be reduced (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2014). The
various renewable sources of energy which could be used as an alternative to the
conventional sources of energy include the use of wind energy tidal energy as well as solar
energy (Tranter 2013). Another major initiative that has been taken up by the Australian
government in order to cut down the effects of global warming is the implementation of a
national renewable electricity standard (RES) (Environment.gov.au, 2017). The government
has made it mandatory that the production of the renewable energy should meet the target of
95000 giga watt by the year 2010 and that 20% of the total energy consumed in Australia
should be replaced by the renewable sources by 2020 (Environment.gov.au, 2017). This is
major and effective initiative and ensures that the use of renewable energy will decrease the
carbon emission to a remarkable limit.
Another initiative that is taken up by the government of Australia is the emissions
reduction fund (Environment.gov.au, 2017). Under this initiative, incentives are provided to
the business organizations for the reduction in the emission of carbon in Australia
(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2014). The funds are made up of three major
components. These are crediting, purchasing and safeguarding of the emission reduction
(Environment.gov.au, 2017). A framework is provided by the Emissions Reduction Funds.
This framework assists in creation of carbon credits for a wide variety of the emission
reduction projects, along with the enhancement of the energy efficiency (Tranter 2013). Fuel
switching, capturing of methane from the landfills and storage of carbon in the soils and
forests are also some of the initiatives, under the Emissions Reduction Fund
(Environment.gov.au, 2017). The Australian government has allocated $2.55 billion to

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purchase carbon credits, through the process of reverse auction. This fund has contracted 189
million tonnes of emissions through the process of 5 auctions (Environment.gov.au, 2017).
This initiative is an effective one in the reduction of the carbon emissions, thus reducing the
effects of global warming.
Arguments against the intervention of the government
One of the major issues that are faced in the urge of the reduction of the global
warming is the government intervention in the energy market. Various private sectors and
companies have been producing the renewable resources of energy. However, the
intervention of the government and its regulation of the production and sale of the renewable
energies have led to the decrease in the production and use of the renewable sources of
energy, in place of the conventional sources of energy (Environment.gov.au, 2017). Thus,
though the government has a major role to play in the reduction of the carbon emissions and
eliminating the causes of global warming, yet it is important that the private sector be given
the independence to produce renewable sources of energy and be used in the domestic or
industrial purposes, according to the amount of the production. Another important response
includes the reduction in the industrial use of conventional forms of energy, such that the
negative environmental effects could be reduced.
Conclusion
Global warming is a major issue faced by all the countries in the world. The problem
has to be curbed down, if not completely mitigated. In order to ensure that the intensity of
global warming is reduced, the causes of global warming have to be eliminated. Since the
major cause of global warming is the emission of carbon, hence the government, along with
the private sector has to work together in order to ensure that the causes of global warming is
mitigated, or curbed down in intensity. The initiatives taken by the government is effective
and commendable. However, along with the government, the private sector also has to ensure

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the reduction of the emission of carbon, such that the issues of global warming could be
reduced significantly. The responses of the government as well as the businesses are effective
and help in the minimisation of the environmental effects caused by global warming.

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References
Dai, A., 2013. Increasing drought under global warming in observations and models. Nature
Climate Change, 3(1), pp.52-58.
Environment.gov.au. (2017). Climate change Home Page | Department of the Environment
and Energy, Australian Government. [online] Available at:
http://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change [Accessed 30 Aug. 2017].
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2014. Climate Change 2014–Impacts,
Adaptation and Vulnerability: Regional Aspects. Cambridge University Press.
Tranter, B., 2013. The great divide: Political candidate and voter polarisation over global
warming in Australia. Australian Journal of Politics & History, 59(3), pp.397-413.
Trenberth, K.E., Dai, A., Van Der Schrier, G., Jones, P.D., Barichivich, J., Briffa, K.R. and
Sheffield, J., 2014. Global warming and changes in drought. Nature Climate Change, 4(1),
pp.17-22.