The science is settled
Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that human activity is driving a climate crisis all across the Earth.
We know it’s happening, and we know why: carbon pollution from fossil fuels is warming our planet and throwing natural systems out of balance.
You don’t have to look far to see the results. Hotter temperatures, stronger storms, rising seas, and so much more, threatening the health of our families and the future we pass on to generations to come.
What can we do? Shift from dirty fossil fuels to affordable clean energy sources like wind and solar.
The good news is clear majorities of Americans and people around the world are ready to leave fossil fuels behind and create a sustainable future together. The tools and technology to do it are here today.
The choice is ours. We can solve this crisis. We can power our lives and economies without destroying our planet. But we have to act now.
This is what we know
Carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas is changing our climate and warming our planet.
It’s simple: the more carbon pollution in the air, the more the sun’s energy gets trapped as heat. Which means things keep getting hotter. In fact, the world has already gotten nearly 1°C warmer since 1880.
Warmer temperatures have real consequences for all of us—not just for polar bears. Sea levels around the world have risen nearly 20cm (7.8 inches) since 1901, swallowing entire islands and creeping closer to populated areas of great coastal cities like New York, Melbourne, and Dakar.
Plus, extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, and droughts are becoming more frequent and intense. Witness the devastation in 2017 as Hurricane Harvey tore through the Caribbean and southern US, destroying homes and leaving millions without power for weeks and even months.
The denial machine
Meanwhile, Big Polluters like oil and coal companies aren’t going down without a fight. After all, they’re making billions from dirty energy while the rest of us pay to clean up their mess. That’s why they’ve spent decades running well-funded campaigns to mislead and deceive the public about what’s really happening to the planet.
These polluters — and the special-interest groups they support — are even following the exact same playbook as the tobacco industry used to confuse the public about smoking and cancer.
But scientists aren’t confused about carbon pollution and climate change. And we shouldn’t be either. If Big Polluters are spreading lies and blocking our path to a clean-energy future, then it’s up to us to call them out and get them out of the way.
After all, our future is at stake – and we can’t leave it in the hands of a few powerful corporations.
Why are climate change deniers using the same twisted strategies as Big Tobacco to instill doubt? Maybe it’s because in both cases, the facts are not in their favor.
Your paper should include the following:
1. What is climate crisis?
2. Is climate crisis a hoax as the current administration states?
3. What are the consequences of “doing nothing” in dealing with climate crisis?
4. What does the future hold for all of us?
5. Is using natural gas and biofuels a bridge to clean renewable energy or does it contribute to increasing the climate crisis?
Assignment Requirements:
Paper Requirements
a. Minimum of 4 pages typed (12 point, single spaced) – the more informative information the better the grade)
b. Bibliography must be included (not counted as part of the 4 minimum pages requirement)
c. Citations in any format you wish.
d. Other sources can be cited than from the required reading assignment (recommended)
