religion

Jane Q. Student

Professor Cortney Basham

October 9th, 2018

Final Paper

Climate Change: The Cause of Earth’s Premature End

It is almost impossible to turn on the news or watch a political debate without hearing a

claim about climate change. Whether it be a story about the melting Artic or the latest natural

disaster, climate change has become responsible for essentially every event related to the

environment. Climate change can be described as the overall change in climate patterns due to

the emission of chemicals in the atmosphere. These chemicals, mostly due to the use of fossil

fuels, are slowly depleting the Earth’s ozone layer, causing the surface of Earth to become

increasingly hotter. While this phenomenon has quickly become an unavoidable topic, the facts

and reasoning behind climate change have seemed to go unnoticed. Looking at this phenomenon

from an interdisciplinary approach is essential to fully understanding this complex topic, and

why so many believe that climate change will ultimately be the cause of Earth’s premature end.

Within this paper, the disciplines of chemistry, sociology, and meteorology will be used

to analyze climate change and how it has progressed into such a major problem. Today’s society

has different views on climate change and its importance, with recent debates over whether it is

present. It is important to look at how society has influenced humans to believe what they do

about their contribution to climate change. It is also necessary to examine how views on this

phenomenon have evolved over time. The compounds that are contributing to climate change can

be evaluated through the discipline of chemistry. The depletion of the ozone layer is responsible

for the change in climate patterns. Viewing each compound and its sources will allow for a better

understanding on the true sources of Earth’s temperature increase. The study of the atmosphere

and weather, called meteorology, is important to consider when pondering the effect climate

change has on our planet. The Earth’s weather patterns and long streaks of unintended warmth

are a prime example of how meteorology is affected everyday by the actions of humanity. While

several disciplines factor into this phenomenon, the three mentioned will give the most insight

when fully grasping this topic.

Looking at this phenomenon from a chemistry discipline is vital to fully recognize the

concept of climate change. Chemical compounds, from both natural and human activities, are

released into the atmosphere, slowly depleting the Earth’s ozone layer. After carbon dioxide,

methane (CH4) is found most frequently in our atmosphere. Montzka, Dlugokencky, and Butler

state that two-thirds of all human-derived CH4 emissions are the result of agriculture and fossil

fuel exploration. It is also discussed that wetlands are the major contributor to natural emissions

of methane (43). Small amounts of methane can be found in numerous sources and, while it may

seem insignificant, the presence of this compound can be detrimental to the atmosphere.

“…methane is a powerful heat-trapper. Although it is far less abundant than carbon dioxide and

stays in the air for only a decade of so, molecule for molecule its warming effect (calculated over

100 years) is 25 times higher” (“The Methane Mystery”, 72). Nitrous oxide (N2O) is another

non-CO2 greenhouse gas that is emitted due to frequent human activities. “Humans have

augmented nitrogen cycling though the use of inorganic fertilizer, cultivation of nitrogen-fixing

crops, and deposition of NOx from combustion of fossil fuels” (Montzka, Dlugokencky, Butler,

45). It has been discovered that the use of fossil fuels is a major component when looking at

recent climate change. Since fossil fuels emit methane, nitrogen oxide, and various other

pollutants, it can be extremely harmful to our environment. Humans make use of coal, natural

gas, and oil for much of their daily activities, including the use of gasoline and electricity.

Because of this, chemicals are released into the atmosphere relentlessly. After looking at these

chemical compounds, it is easier to understand how humans contribute to climate change without

the realization of the harm it is causing. It is important to decipher the sources of this

phenomenon, fully grasping the vast number of activities responsible for the ongoing heating of

Earth’s atmosphere.

In more recent years, climate change has become a popular political topic. Both

Democratic and Republican parties have strong views on the sources of this phenomenon, and if

climate change is even a real threat. Society has a strong influence on how climate change is

viewed and looking at this topic from a sociology perspective is necessary to fully recognize its

complexity. While weather has always been a popular topic of discussion, Ferguson points out

that “Now weather is regularly connected with climate, its changes anxiously studied and

quarreled about” (33). Today’s society has led many to believe that there is no hope in reversing

the effects of climate change. However, news media and the government give constant reminders

of the damage that humanity has caused, and how these activities are regularly occurring.

Climate change has also been connected to ethics, pressuring people by arguing that it is morally

wrong to knowingly deplete our atmosphere and refuse to take the steps necessary to prevent it.

This is leaving the population feeling guilty for harming the atmosphere by simply living daily

life. Mckinnon argues that humans are confused on how to handle this situation. She also

questions if “whether the ‘greening’ of lifestyles, social and political institutions, cultures, the

global economy, and the architecture of global governance necessary to address climate change

would in fact greatly improve peoples’ lives… rather than imposing severe sacrifices on them”

(33). The influence of today’s society and media can be directly connected to climate change’s

recent gain in popularity, as humans are being pressured into believing that they will be held

responsible Earth’s destruction. Discussing society and its role in climate change allows for a

better understanding on the underlying source of this phenomenon and how it has gained such a

vast following. It is also helpful when looking at how climate change has evolved into a topic of

debate among different groups of people.

Climate change has influenced numerous aspects of Earth. These include melting ice

caps, raised sea levels, and deteriorating coral reefs. However, extreme weather changes are

possibly the most noticeable and highly impacted effect of climate change. Using the

meteorology discipline to look at how weather patterns have transformed in recent years is

important, and can be used to develop a better view on the actual effects of this phenomenon on

planet Earth. “Unlike more distant impacts of global warming such as the slowly rising sea

level, the effects of local weather extremes tend to be instantly tangible and vividly remembered”

(Schiermeier, 145). One of scientists’ greatest questions regarding the weather, according to

Ornes is “…whether climate change is altering the risk and frequency of these types of events”

(8233). Until recently, there was little to no evidence that climate change was the culprit behind

these extreme weather changes. Ornes discusses an approach to this question by running a

computer stimulation to predict the change in weather if greenhouse gases had not been

introduced into the atmosphere. Using this approach, researchers have been able to discover that,

in 2004, human-induced changes have doubled the risk of extreme weather changes such as a

severe heat wave (8234). Since this data was retrieved over 10 years ago, it is possible that this

statistic has increased with even more greenhouse gases affecting our atmosphere. Scientific

evidence, similar to the one discussed, are used by most believers as their reasoning for

following this phenomenon. Because of this, it is important to review weather patterns and how

climate change has possibly affected it. Since the weather impacts everyone on Earth in some

way, discussing climate change from a meteorology perspective is necessary to understanding

why people are convinced that climate change will be the reason behind the Earth’s end.

Information gathered from each discipline can be connected to help understand the

overall concept of climate change. In order to comprehend the weather and how it has changed

dramatically in recent years, one must understand the chemistry behind the phenomenon and

how our atmosphere is being harmed and, in turn, causing the extreme changes in weather

patterns. Human activity is the main source of fossil fuels emission, causing gases including

carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide to gradually deplete the ozone layer. Looking at

society and how it has impacted the effects of climate change can be connected to the recent

increase in gases released into the atmosphere, due to advanced activities related to today’s

world. Each discipline can give useful information on this phenomenon from one perspective.

However, when brought together, new insight is gained that would not have been possible

without the combination of these diverse topics of study. This further provides evidence to

support the claim that this phenomenon could not be completely discussed without the use of

interdisciplinary study.

This phenomenon can be connected to Erik Swyngedouw’s reading, Apocalypse

Forever? This piece discusses the relationship between climate change and the debate in political

theory. Swyngedouw writes on the millennial fear based on evidence, signaling a danger that

“threatens to undermine the very coordinates of our everyday lives and routines, and may shake

up the foundations of all we took and take for granted” (218). He then attempts to connect this

phenomenon with politics, further analyzing how society has influenced the view on climate

change. Examples of populism are examined to further understand politics’ role in this

phenomenon. Swyngedouw points out that climate change is portrayed as universal, using

generalized terms rather than recognizing geographical and social differences between people

affected. It is also recognized that mainly the elites, or more important groups of people in

society, are called to act (221-223). This phenomenon can also be linked to Kyle’s The Last Days

are Here Again, where global warming is labeled, “The Quiet Apocalypse”. Kyle describes how

deforestation and the depletion of the ozone are popular doomsday theories. He also discusses

the fact that “there is a disagreement as to whether the environmental damage can be reversed”

(176). This also plays into society’s views on climate change and the debate that it has caused

between people with conflicting beliefs.

Insights gained from research on this phenomenon can be applied to larger social and

cultural issues in several ways. Drawing from the disciplines discussed, proper education is

critical when exploring solutions to these issues. Without examining the compounds responsible

for climate change and the sources of each compound, it would be impossible to understand how

to effectively prevent this issue from progressing further. In the same way, larger social and

cultural issues must be looked at and researched to fully grasp the source and develop a solution.

It is also important to examine society and its influence on the issue. When looking at climate

change through a sociology perspective, it is clear that the media, government, and society as a

whole, have a huge impact on the phenomenon. Technology is at the center of today’s society

and news about these issues, including climate change, can be accessed at any time by anyone. It

is important to take that into perspective and realize that everyone is being influenced differently

based on the information they are receiving through the internet. In order to find an appropriate

solution to larger issues, understanding the population and how they react to certain problems

based on their generation, cultural and social background is necessary.

Climate change has become a phenomenon that has changed the way humans view Earth

and their responsibility to keep the environment healthy. While the debate on this topic is still

ongoing, the research discussed in this paper suggest hard evidence that climate change is

affecting planet Earth. Combining information gathered from each discipline allowed for a better

understanding of this topic and its complexity. It is clear that this topic requires interdisciplinary

studies and can still be examined in much further detail. How will climate change develop in the

future? Is our world on the verge of destruction due to climate change? Will extreme efforts to

reverse the effects of climate change ever be developed? These questions will only be answered

in time and with more extensive research. For now, it is a fast-growing phenomenon that will

only become more popular as the effects of humanity’s carless acts continue damaging the place

humans call home.

Works Cited

Kyle, Richard G. The Last Days Are Here Again: a History of the End Times. Baker Books,

1998.

Swyngedouw, Erik. “Apocalypse Forever?” Theory, Culture & Society, vol. 27, no. 2-3, 2010,

pp. 213–232., doi:10.1177/0263276409358728.

Ferguson, Frances, -. "Climate Change and Us." Diacritics 41.3 (2013): 32-38. Web.

Mckinnon, Catriona. "Climate Change: Against Despair." Ethics & the Environment 19.1

(2014): 31-48. Web.

S. A. Montzka, E. J. Dlugokencky, and J. H. Butler. "Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases and Climate

Change." Nature 476.7358 (2011): 43-50. Web.

"The Methane Mystery; Climate Change." The Economist 427.9089 (2018): 72. Web.

Quirin Schiermeier. "Climate and Weather: Extreme Measures." Nature 477.7363 (2011): 148-9.

Web.

Ornes, Stephen. "Core Concept: How Does Climate Change Influence Extreme Weather? Impact

Attribution Research Seeks Answers." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of

the United States of America 115.33 (2018): 8232-8235. Web.