The Role of Government and Individuals in Mitigating Climate Change

1. Introduction
In October 2018, the intergovernmental control panel on climate change (IPCC) confirmed
the worst. “...The impacts and costs of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) of global
warming will be far greater than expected” (Leahy, 2018).
So it may be asked, what really are the impacts of global warming? Well, global warming is
the trademark of climate change and as it is evident over the past 2 decades, there have been an
increase in natural events such as storms, ice melting, earthquakes, droughts, coral bleaching,
floods, etcetera, all credits to just 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius) of global warming.
So, what will 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit achieve if something does not happen?
The hard truth however, is that, almost everyone is contributing in one way or another to
the planets doom. Ranging from the little Co2 emitted from little garages to the massive carbon
from huge factories, hence there is no excuse for anyone. As such, what remains is solutions to
be formulated, action taken and funds given to aid in such action while still there is time, though
little.
Just as Victor Cousin once stated, “if ignorance is bliss, then there should be happier
people” but there isn’t such thing as more happier people and the mass ignorance on climate
change has not been much helpful. However, there are many factors that influence climate
change. According to Cimato and Mullan (2010), the government has a responsibility to see that
their citizens are adapting to the effects of climate change. Such may be through adaptation of
suitable policies and social programs.
Kolich (2018) in an article on the kind of human activities that tip carbon levels, argues
that, amongst other activities: electricity consumption, transportation means, building activities,

and deforestation play a huge role in increasing carbon levels. Another study by Carbon offsets
to alleviate poverty (2018) states that, “...Offsetting your unavoidable CO2 emissions is a
practical and immediate way to take ownership of your personal contribution to climate change.”
and proposes alternative methods to popular activities that contribute to carbon increment such
as: using low carbon vehicles, avoiding purchase of high fuel burning jets, reduction of home
energy carbon footprint. Goodall (2017) argues that cutting down on meat consumption is set to
contribute to less methane emission due to the high methane content emitted by cow and sheep
meat.
Purpose of research
Given the above argument, this paper seeks to establish whether there exists a relationship
between climate changes, the role of government in aiding the war against climate change as
well as individual actions in mitigating climate change.

2. Conceptual framework and Literature review
2.1 Conceptual framework
Figure 1: Conceptual framework
2.2 Literature Review
2.2.1 Climate change
Several noticeable features have over the past been explored in an effort to substantiate the
existence of climate change. In 2010, climatologists finally spoke on how bad climate change
had become. Where, according to Thompson (2010), evidence indicates that “...average northern
hemisphere temperatures remained relatively stable until the late 20th century.”
Another feature that indicate existence of climate change is the decreasing rate of the polar
ice where it decreased by 8.6% in the period 1979-2007 but in 2007 almost 24% of the ice
decreased a figure that has tremendously grown as by 2018 according climate activist Leonardo

DiCaprio, due to global warming which is a characteristic of climate change. Despite variability
in ice decrease rates, it is evident that glaciers and the polar ice are melting (Thompson, 2010).
2.2.2 Individual activities
Social capitalism
OECD (2017) defines social capital as “networks together with shared norms, values and
understandings that facilitate co-operation within or among groups.” Therefore, one of the
perspectives with which to analyze the role of individuals in climate change is through social
capitalism. With the ever increasing obsession of amassing wealth, individuals over time have
lost their sense of responsibility towards anything; be it the community or the environment. As
such, the decline of social networks, values and bonds have often led to the laxity of ‘anyone else
should do’, something that have led to complacency of doing anything till it’s too late. A
phenomenon that is equally applicable to climate change actions.
Greenhouse theory
Greenhouse gases which according to Konrad and Thum (2014) are gases that trap
atmospheric heat and are almost solely responsible for the current climate change epidemic.
Interestingly, the increase of greenhouse gases level in the atmosphere is due to increase of
human activities such as fossil burning (Carbon), decaying of organic waste (Methane) and
additionally, the increase of Nitrogen oxide as well as fluorinated gases both of which occur due
to increase in industrial and agricultural activities.
2.2.3 Government
The ultimate purpose of any government is to draft and implement policies for both
national interests as well as participate in drafting and implementation of international policies.
The threat of global climate change which is now imminent has prompted policy creators to