Analyzing Climate Change Threats: Environment, Technology & Society

This essay explores the complex relationship between environment, technology, and society, focusing on the security threats posed by climate change. It highlights experts' warnings about the non-traditional and large-scale effects of global warming, including humanitarian disasters, mass starvation, and coastal inundation, referencing the IPCC's findings on rising sea levels and coastal challenges. The essay also examines the role of resource wars and ethnic conflicts exacerbated by climate change-induced resource scarcity, as well as the destabilizing impacts of global warming on water supplies and crop productivity. It further discusses how climate change compromises national security, particularly in poorly governed countries, and addresses environmental problems such as pollution and deforestation, emphasizing the need for mitigation strategies like reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving natural forests. The essay concludes by advocating for proper waste disposal, reforestation, and emission reduction to combat the adverse effects of climate change.

Running Head: Environment, Technology and Society 1
Environment, Technology and Society
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

Environment, Technology and Society 2
Environment, Technology and Society
Experts’ Warnings about Climate Change
In recent times, experts' warnings emphasise on non-traditional and large-scale effects of
global warming, such as humanitarian disasters due to typhoon activity and persistent hurricane;
mass starvation emanating increased drought; and inundation of coastal regions among others.
IPCC’s Working Group II Report
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a comprehensive report
in April 2007 about global warming. The panel found out that many people face floods due to
rise in the sea-level. Also, coastal areas face other challenges such as low coastal subsidence and
tropical storms.
Resource Wars and Ethnic Warfare Conflicts
Resource wars occur when two or more groups fight over possessions such as mineral
deposits, timber stands, diamond fields, oil reserves and water supplies (Estrada, 2017). Notably,
ethnic warfare happens when communities engage in violence over water, land or ideological
differences. The conflicts are interrelated to climate change in that the reduction of critical
resources and increasing demand encourages violence.
Destabilizing Impacts of Global Warming
Global warming reduces water in catchment regions. The water supply in areas supplied
by the meltdown of glaciers and snow cover also decreases. People living in these regions will,

Environment, Technology and Society 3
therefore, migrate to other areas. Dryness of the tropical climates also reduces crop productivity,
encouraging movement as people to evade hunger.
National Security and Global Warming
Climate change leads to suffering, injury and death; however, the effects vary depending
on the wealth of nations or societies involved. Poorly governed countries hardly cope with
conflicts arising from relocation options and relief supplies. The inability of governments to
mitigate these effects compromises national security. An example is security concerns in
Somalia over water and land.
Environmental Problems
Today, the world faces a severe environmental crisis which currently, and in future
expose people to tragedies and disasters. Ecological severe problems include pollution,
deforestation and global warming. Kelishadi (2012) explains that pollution threatens water, air
and soil which are essential resources for survival. The pollutants destroy human and plant life
because they “kill” crucial nutrients in the land. Proper disposal of industrial and domestic
wastes reduces pollution.
According to (Longobardi et al., 2016) deforestation is a serious environmental problem.
The concept destroys indigenous forests to allow cattle ranching, among other agricultural
practices. Natural forests act as carbon sinks and biodiversity reserves. The tropical forest cover
in the world reduced over the last ten years from 15 percent to 7 percent (Tol, 2018).
Conservation of natural forests should take place to restore degraded regions by replanting
indigenous tree species.

Environment, Technology and Society 4
Tol (2018) explains that emission of Greenhouse gases cause climate changes such as
global warming. The increase in weather extremes lead to elongated periods of drought; floods
and torrential downpours – this adversely affects crop production. To mitigate the effects,
emission of Greenhouse gases should reduce.
References

Environment, Technology and Society 5
Estrada, F. (2017). Global economic impacts of climate variability and change during the 20th
century. PLOS, 12 (2).
Kelishadi, R. (2012). Environmental Pollution: Health Effects and Operational Implications for
Pollutants Removal. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2.
Longobardi, P. (2016). Deforestation Induced Climate Change: Effects of Spatial Scale. PLOS,
11 (4).
Tol, R. (2018). The Economic Impacts of Climate Change. Review of Environmental Economics
and Policy, 12 (1), 4–25.