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Global warming seems to be the last issue on the minds of the American college student. But a recent report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found two things: one is that global warming is real, and two is that our generation is likely to see big changes in the world in the next century.
They estimate a 90 percent probability that humans are the cause of the climate change, and it is doubtful it is occurring due to known natural causes.
University of Massachusetts Resource Economics Professor Barry Field said that college students have a good reason to learn all they can about global warming.
"[College students] are young, growing up and will be alive in 50-70 years," Field said. "If we are feeling the effects now, imagine them 50 years from now." He mentions the idea that prosperity will be suffering for our neglect. "Not attending to the problem is irresponsible," he said.
The political activism of the college student has decreased dramatically over the past 30 years, Field said. Political involvement among college students was more active in the past because issues like civil rights and the Vietnam draft directly affected their lives. Now that society is causing the problem, people need to start being more active and responsible.
Already the global temperature has increased a degree or two. But the IPCC predicts that if it increases by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, up to 30 percent of the planet's species are at risk of dying out and will be forced to relocate in search of more suitable environments. Out of the top 12 warmest years that have been recorded with scientific instruments, about 92 percent of them have occurred in these past 12 years.
Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth," also mentions potential hazards that global warming and climate change can instigate. It is mentioned that the current running from the African coast and up by Northern Europe will begin to slow and eventually stop. Rising sea levels will cause the currents from the equator to stop and, in turn, will discontinue the warming of the northern oceans. The decrease in temperature in the northern hemisphere could cause a new Ice Age.
The IPCC has also found that sea levels are rising more rapidly in recent years, from 1.8 mm a year in 1961 to 3.1 mm a year in 1993. Although the increase is minute, if it continues to rise, it will cause enormous damage to the life forms on Earth and the coast lines of the continents.
Weather patterns will also begin to shift. Colder days will be less common as warmer days infiltrate the winter months. Northern climates can say goodbye to frequent snowfalls but will find themselves welcoming earlier frosts.
The emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are causing the temperature and sea-level shifts. When these gases are emitted into the Ozone, they trap the infrared rays that are projected from the sun. Usually they would simply bounce back out into space, but the layer of greenhouse gases is preventing the rays from leaving the Earth's atmosphere and is causing the increase in temperature. The recent report by the IPCC explains that the use of fossil fuels is contributing to the higher carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.
The United States alone emits 5.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide and other hazardous gases into the atmosphere every year. That's more than any other country on the planet. Countries like Israel and Argentina emit about 120 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, the equivalent of the state of New Jersey.
So what can be done in the U.S. about global warming? Most experts are calling for a drastic reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, from 50 to 80 percent. Environmentalists were encouraged last week, when the
The Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency could regulate carbon dioxide emissions. This finding ran contrary to a Bush administration argument that the agency could not take action.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), along with U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), introduced the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act. This bill is designed to cut America's carbon emission by 80 percent by 2050.
Barry Field discussed the administrative issues involved in global warming and what needs to be done to reduce carbon emissions.
"In the next administration," said Field," the political energy will be directed toward Cap and Trade."
The federal government and the Bush administration have stalled actions on carbon emissions reduction, according to Field.
"We are going to have to wait for a new president," Field said. "The Bush administration's focus is in other places at the moment and so alternative initiative has to be considered in order to address this issue now.
"Regulations need to be made," he continued. "The production of better cars that have a higher gas mileage along with pollution control equipment and technology are the first steps. There is no reason why cars aren't being produced with better gas mileage."
Fields said he believes that a carbon tax would be an efficient way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
"It's like a gas tax- coal, petroleum, and other fossil fuels would be taxed on their carbon content," he said. "This tax would lead people to do what they can to reduce use of carbon-based fuels and come up with ways to avoid them altogether."
Joining in the Kyoto Protocol would be another good step, Field said. The Kyoto Protocol brought together 160 nations and requires each to address and act upon the emission of greenhouse gases. Each nation must meet its reduction goal between 2008-2012. The United States rejected the opportunity to join the treaty.
Then there is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a combination of the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environmental Programme. The panel reviews published scientific and technological literature to compile an assessment of the climate change the planet is experiencing. It released its fourth survey in February.
American organizations that have been around for decades, like Greenpeace, are actively fighting global warming. Step It Up 2007 is acting on April 14 - National Day of Climate Action - when rallies are anticipated to sweep the nation.
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative brought together nine northeastern states in an attempt to cut climate-changing emissions from electrical power plants. They anticipate a 10 percent reduction by 2019 and expect to cap all power plants by 2009.
So what can one college student do to make a difference?
There are minor adjustments that can be made to a student's everyday life. Information and suggestions will be available to all Daily Collegian readers this week.
Field cautions that the time to act is now.
"There will be more catastrophes and that will motivate more behavior," he said. "Hopefully it won't be too late."
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