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Argumentative Essay on Global Warming

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Published: Mar 5, 2024

Words: 879 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

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agree and disagree essay about global warming

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Global Warming: Argumentative Essay

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Introduction to the inquiry on global warming, understanding the mechanism of global warming, the impact of global warming on societies, global initiatives to combat global warming, conclusion: a personal reflection on global warming.

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  • Choose the right light. -- People are now looking around their houses to see what kind of light bulbs they have, and if it is a less sustainable kind, they switch to the spiral-shaped ones, which help reduce energy, but still shine almost as brightly as a normal light bulb.
  • Grow your own. -- People are starting to take seeds from any fruit, vegetable, or berry. By cleaning them properly, some of the seeds can be able to reproduce again, growing more of the same foo,d which means not as much factory and land power is being wasted.
  • Travel larger. -- Many people around the world have either sold their car or never bought one in the first place so that they could take more public transport to waste less finite resources that are used to build a car.
  • Make your own. -- After having noticed how many chemicals there are in many of our daily life things, people have started making their own of most supplies. For example Soap, detergent, fabric bags, notebooks, etc.
  • Make a composter -- This may be hard for most people living in a big city, but if you live on the or have a big backyard, all you need to make a compost bin is a big or medium size container, add grass cuttings, fallen leaves, and other damp things. Having a compost bin helps a lot because instead of using chemicals to feed your plants, you can just add some of your compost to give them a boost.
  • Say no to bottled water -- Bottled water is not tested for dirt and filth to the same high standards as tap water. Also, a plastic bottle can take over a thousand years to decay and becomes a murder to millions of marine animals.
  • Reuse, reduce, repair, recycle. -- It is very good if you do the three R’s, but what is the point of them if you are just going to recycle something broken? People have started taking action and repairing the things that can be repaired, meaning that the goal is to reduce the level of waste.

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Argumentative Essay Writing

Argumentative Essay About Global Warming

Cathy A.

Crafting a Powerful Argumentative Essay about Global Warming: A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on: Mar 2, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

argumentative essay about global warming

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Are you looking to make a statement on the subject of Global Warming? An argumentative essay is one of the best ways to do this.

Writing an effective argumentative essay takes great skill and practice. With proper research and organization, crafting your own argument about global warming can be quite rewarding.

In this blog, we'll discuss how to write an effective argumentative essay that dives deep into the issue of global warming. So if you're ready to get started on writing your stellar essay on global warming, read on!

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Argumentative Essay About Global Warming - Explained 

An argumentative essay is a type of writing in which the author presents an opinion on a certain topic or issue.

In this case, you'll be writing about global warming and its effects on the planet. 

Your goal in this essay will be to present your own argument as to why global warming is happening. You need to explain what solutions can be implemented to combat it, and why people should take action. 

How to Make an Outline For an Argumentative Essay on Global Warming 

Outlining is an important part of writing any essay, and for an essay about global warming, it can be especially helpful.

 To get started on your outline, include four main sections:

  • Introduction
  • Thesis statement
  • Body paragraphs
  • Conclusion. 

Check out this amazing blog on argumentative essay outline to craft perfect outlines.

Argumentative Essay On The Global Warming Mind Map

Argumentative essays on global warming are complicated and vast, which is why it is important to create a mind map. 

A mind map can help you organize the various arguments and pieces of evidence that will be included in your essay. 

Here are some steps to get started: 

1. Brainstorm ideas related to the topic.  2. Create a basic outline.  3. Create a mind map.  4. Revise and edit your mind map. 

Argumentative Essay on the Global Warming Introduction 

An introduction should provide an overview of the issue. 

It should include a statement indicating your position on the topic, such as that global warming is real and must be addressed. 

Provide evidence to support this stance, such as facts about climate change or personal stories from people impacted by it. 

The introduction should also set up the structure of the essay, such as a thesis statement and any subsections that will be discussed. 

Argumentative Essay on the Global Warming Introduction

How To Write an Argumentative Essay on the Global Warming Thesis Statement 

Your thesis statement should clearly state your position on the issue of global warming. 

It can be as simple as 

"Global warming is real and must be addressed" 

or more complex, such as 

"Global warming is caused primarily by human activity and can only be solved through immediate action from governments and individuals alike."

Your thesis statement should provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay. It should be a thought-provoking statement that will engage the reader. 

Argumentative Essay on the Global Warming Body Paragraphs 

The body of your argumentative essay should provide evidence to support your thesis statement. 

This can include facts, statistics , expert opinions, or personal anecdotes. 

Each body paragraph should focus on one point and contain an introductory sentence, supporting evidence, and a concluding sentence.

 Make sure to use transition words to move from one point to the next.

Check out this video to learn how to write perfect body paragraphs!

Conclusion for an Argumentative Essay on the Global Warming 

Your conclusion should wrap up your argument and provide a clear call to action. 

Sum up your main points, restate your thesis statement, and leave the reader with something to think about. 

For example, you could conclude by urging readers to take action. 

By presenting a clear argument, you can make your readers feel empowered to join the fight against global warming.

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Examples Of Argumentative Essays About Global Warming 

CollegeEssay.org has put together a collection of argumentative essays about global warming. 

These essays provide an overview of the topic, as well as examples of arguments made by experts and everyday citizens. 

Reading these pieces can help you to get a better understanding of the issue, as well as gain insight into how to craft your own argumentative essay. 

The essays can be read online or downloaded as PDFs, so you can consult them at any time. 

Check out the CollegeEssay.org Collection of Argumentative Essays on Global Warming for more. 

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Check our extensive blog on argumentative essay examples to ace your next essay!

Argumentative Essay Topics About Global Warming 

Here is a list of interesting and engaging argumentative essay topics about global warming: 

  • Is global warming real? 
  • What are the causes of global warming? 
  • What are the effects of global warming on humans and the environment? 
  • How can we reduce our carbon footprint in order to combat climate change? 
  • What would be an effective international agreement to address global warming? 
  • How can individuals and communities take action to combat global warming? 
  • What are the economic impacts of global warming? 
  • How is global warming impacting different countries and regions around the world? 
  • What role does technology play in reducing emissions and combating climate change? 
  • Is there a potential for renewable energy sources to help mitigate global warming? 
  • What steps should governments take to address global warming? 
  • How can we create a more sustainable future for all? 

Check our comprehensive blog on argumentative essay topics to get more topic ideas!

Now that you know how to write an argumentative essay about global warming, it’s time to put your skills to the test. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What causes global warming.

Global warming is caused by a variety of factors, including the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and changes in land use. 

All of these activities release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, trapping heat and raising global temperatures.

How can individuals help combat global warming?

Individuals can take action to help combat global warming by reducing their carbon footprint. 

Simple steps such as recycling, using public transportation, and conserving energy can all have a positive impact on the environment.

In addition, individuals can educate themselves about global warming and take part in initiatives that raise awareness of climate change.

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Understanding and Addressing Global Warming essay

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Isn't there a lot of disagreement among climate scientists about global warming?

No. By a large majority, climate scientists agree that average global temperature today is warmer than in pre-industrial times and that human activity is the most significant factor. 

Cartoon showing people lined up for different buses bearing signs that indicate most scientists are baording the bus called "human-caused change"

Today, there is no real disagreement among climate experts that humans are the primary cause of recent global warming. NOAA Climate.gov cartoon by Emily Greenhalgh. 

Consensus of experts

The United States' foremost scientific agencies and organizations have recognized global warming as a human-caused problem that should be addressed. The U.S. Global Change Research Program has published a series of scientific reports documenting the causes and impacts of global climate change. NOAA , NASA , the National Science Foundation , the National Research Council , and the Environmental Protection Agency have all published reports and fact sheets stating that Earth is warming mainly due to the increase in human-produced heat-trapping gases.

On their climate home page , the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicines says, "Scientists have known for some time, from multiple lines of evidence, that humans are changing Earth’s climate, primarily through greenhouse gas emissions," and that "Climate change is increasingly affecting people’s lives." 

Photo of a scientist hanging from a rope into a snowpit that shows soot layers

Soot from fires and air pollution contributes to global warming, and its impacts may be especially strong in the Arctic, where it darkens the snow and ice—as shown in this photo—and accelerates melting. Despite some uncertainty about just how much influence soot and other aerosol particles have played in climate change in the past century, there's little debate among climate scientists that the primary driver of recent global warming is carbon dioxide emissions. Photo from NOAA Ocean Today .

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) issued this position statement : "Scientific evidence indicates that the leading cause of climate change in the most recent half century is the anthropogenic increase in the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), chlorofluorocarbons, methane, tropospheric ozone, and nitrous oxide." (Adopted April 15, 2019)

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) issued this position statement : "Human activities are changing Earth's climate, causing increasingly disruptive societal and ecological impacts. Such impacts are creating hardships and suffering now, and they will continue to do so into the future—in ways expected as well as potentially unforeseen. To limit these impacts, the world's nations have agreed to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial levels. To achieve this goal, global society must promptly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions." (Reaffirmed in November 2019)

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) What We Know site states: "Based on the evidence, about 97 percent of climate scientists agree that human-caused climate change is happening."

Consensus of evidence

These scientific organizations have not issued statements in a void; they echo the findings of individual papers published in refereed scientific journals. The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) maintains a database of over 8,500 peer-reviewed science journals, and multiple studies of this database show evidence of overwhelming agreement among climate scientists. In 2004, science historian Naomi Oreskes published the results of her examination of the ISI database in the journal Science . She reviewed 928 abstracts published between 1993 and 2003 related to human activities warming the Earth's surface, and stated, "Remarkably, none of the papers disagreed with the consensus position."

This finding hasn't changed with time. In 2016, a review paper summarized the results of several independent studies on peer-reviewed research related to climate. The authors found results consistent with a 97-percent consensus that human activity is causing climate change. A 2021 paper found a greater than 99-percent consensus.

Probably the most definitive assessments of global climate science come from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Founded by the United Nations in 1988, the IPCC releases periodic reports, and each major release includes three volumes: one on the science, one on impacts, and one on mitigation. Each volume is authored by a separate team of experts, who reviews, evaluates, and summarizes relevant research published since the prior report. Each IPCC report undergoes several iterations of expert and government review. The 2021 IPCC report, for instance, received and responded to more than 78,000 expert and government review comments.

IPCC AR6 covers

Every five years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change convenes hundreds of international scientists and government representatives to review and assess peer-reviewed research on climate science. In each cycle, the panel publishes three key reports: one on the basic science , one on impacts , and one on mitigation .

The IPCC does not involve just a few scientists, or even just dozens of scientists. An IPCC press release explains: "Thousands of people from all over the world contribute to the work of the IPCC. For the assessment reports, IPCC scientists volunteer their time to assess the thousands of scientific papers published each year to provide a comprehensive summary of what is known about the drivers of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and how adaptation and mitigation can reduce those risks."

Governments and climate experts across the globe nominate scientists for IPCC authorship, and the IPCC works to find a mix of authors, from developed and developing countries, among men and women, and among authors who are experienced with the IPCC and new to the process. Published in 2021, the Sixth Assessment Report was assembled by 751 experts from more than 60 countries (31 coordinating authors, 167 lead authors, 36 review editors, and 517 contributing authors). Collectively, the authors cited more than 14,000 scientific papers. In other words, the IPCC reports themselves are a comprehensive, consensus statement on the state climate science.

In the headline statements from the Sixth Assessment report's Summary for Policymakers, the IPCC concluded:

It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred. The scale of recent changes across the climate system as a whole – and the present state of many aspects of the climate system – are unprecedented over many centuries to many thousands of years. Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe. Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, their attribution to human influence, has strengthened since [our last report].

Cook, J., D. Nuccitelli, S.A. Green, M. Richardson, B. Winkler, R. Painting, R. Way, P. Jacobs, and A. Skuce (2013). Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature. Environmental Research Letters , 8, 024024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/2/024024 .

Cook, J., Oreskes, N., Doran, P.T., Anderegg, W.R.L., Verheggen, B., Mailbach, E.W., Carlton, J.S., Lewandowsky, S., Skuce, A.G., Green, S.A., Nuccitelli, D., Jacobs, P., Richardson, M., Winkler, B., Painting, R., Rice, K. (2016). Consensus on consensus: A synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming. Environmental Research Letters , 11, 048002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/4/048002 .

Doran, P., and M.K. Zimmerman (2009): Examining the Scientific Consensus on Climate Change. Eos , 90(3), 22–23.

IPCC. (2013). Factsheet: How does the IPCC select its authors? Accessed January 3, 2020.

IPCC. (2014). Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Geneva Switzerland. Accessed January 22, 2020.

IPCC. (2021). Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 3−32, doi:10.1017/9781009157896.001.

IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. (2021). https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/

Lynas, M., Houlton, B.Z., Perry, S. (2021). Greater than 99% consensus on human caused climate change in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. Environmental Research Letters , 16, 114005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2966 .

Oreskes, N. (2004). The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change. Science , 306, 1686. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1103618 .

Oreskes, N. (2018). The scientific consensus on climate change: How do we know we're not wrong? Climate Modelling , pp. 31–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65058-6_2 .

Sherwood, S. (2011, May 10). Trust us, we're climate scientists: The case for the IPCC . The Conversation .

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Putting the 'con' in consensus; Not only is there no 97 per cent consensus among climate scientists, many misunderstand core issues

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In the lead-up to the Paris climate summit, massive activist pressure is on all governments, especially Canada’s, to fall in line with the global warming agenda and accept emission targets that could seriously harm our economy. One of the most powerful rhetorical weapons being deployed is the claim that 97 per cent of the world’s scientists agree what the problem is and what we have to do about it. In the face of such near-unanimity, it would be understandable if Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Canadian government were simply to capitulate and throw Canada’s economy under the climate change bandwagon. But it would be a tragedy because the 97 per cent claim is a fabrication.

Like so much else in the climate change debate, one needs to check the numbers. First of all, on what exactly are 97 per cent of experts supposed to agree? In 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama sent out a tweet claiming 97 per cent of climate experts believe global warming is “real, man-made and dangerous.” As it turns out, the survey he was referring to didn’t ask that question, so he was basically making it up. At a recent debate in New Orleans, I heard climate activist Bill McKibben claim there was a consensus that greenhouse gases are “a grave danger.” But when challenged for the source of his claim, he promptly withdrew it.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change asserts the conclusion that most (more than 50 per cent) of the post-1950 global warming is due to human activity, chiefly greenhouse gas emissions and land use change. But it does not survey its own contributors, let alone anyone else, so we do not know how many experts agree with it. And the statement, even if true, does not imply that we face a crisis requiring massive restructuring of the worldwide economy. In fact, it is consistent with the view that the benefits of fossil fuel use greatly outweigh the climate-related costs.

One commonly cited survey asked if carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and human activities contribute to climate change. But these are trivial statements that even many IPCC skeptics agree with. And again, both statements are consistent with the view that climate change is harmless. So there are no policy implications of such surveys, regardless of the level of agreement.

The most highly cited paper supposedly found 97 per cent of published scientific studies support man-made global warming. But in addition to poor survey methodology, that tabulation is often misrepresented. Most papers (66 per cent) actually took no position. Of the remaining 34 per cent, 33 per cent supported at least a weak human contribution to global warming. So divide 33 by 34 and you get 97 per cent, but this is unremarkable since the 33 per cent includes many papers that critique key elements of the IPCC position.

Two recent surveys shed more light on what atmospheric scientists actually think. Bear in mind that on a topic as complex as climate change, a survey is hardly a reliable guide to scientific truth, but if you want to know how many people agree with your view, a survey is the only way to find out.

In 2012 the American Meteorological Society (AMS) surveyed its 7,000 members, receiving 1,862 responses. Of those, only 52% said they think global warming over the 20th century has happened and is mostly man-made (the IPCC position). The remaining 48% either think it happened but natural causes explain at least half of it, or it didn’t happen, or they don’t know. Furthermore, 53% agree that there is conflict among AMS members on the question.

So no sign of a 97% consensus. Not only do about half reject the IPCC conclusion, more than half acknowledge that their profession is split on the issue.

The Netherlands Environmental Agency recently published a survey of international climate experts. 6550 questionnaires were sent out, and 1868 responses were received, a similar sample and response rate to the AMS survey. In this case the questions referred only to the post-1950 period. 66% agreed with the IPCC that global warming has happened and humans are mostly responsible. The rest either don’t know or think human influence was not dominant. So again, no 97% consensus behind the IPCC.

But the Dutch survey is even more interesting because of the questions it raises about the level of knowledge of the respondents. Although all were described as “climate experts,” a large fraction only work in connected fields such as policy analysis, health and engineering, and may not follow the primary physical science literature.

Regarding the recent slowdown in warming, here is what the IPCC said: “The observed global mean surface temperature (GMST) has shown a much smaller increasing linear trend over the past 15 years than over the past 30 to 60 years.” Yet 46 per cent of the Dutch survey respondents - nearly half - believe the warming trend has stayed the same or increased. And only 25 per cent agreed that global warming has been less than projected over the past 15 to 20 years, even though the IPCC reported that 111 out of 114 model projections overestimated warming since 1998.

Three quarters of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement “Climate is chaotic and cannot be predicted.” Here is what the IPCC said in its 2003 report: “In climate research and modelling, we should recognize that we are dealing with a coupled non-linear chaotic system, and therefore that the long-term prediction of future climate states is not possible.”

Looking into further detail there are other interesting ways in which the socalled experts are unaware of unresolved discrepancies between models and observations regarding issues like warming in the tropical troposphere and overall climate sensitivity.

What can we take away from all this? First, lots of people get called “climate experts” and contribute to the appearance of consensus, without necessarily being knowledgeable about core issues. A consensus among the misinformed is not worth much.

Second, it is obvious that the “97%” mantra is untrue. The underlying issues are so complex it is ludicrous to expect unanimity. The near 50/50 split among AMS members on the role of greenhouse gases is a much more accurate picture of the situation. The phoney claim of 97% consensus is mere political rhetoric aimed at stifling debate and intimidating people into silence.

The Canadian government has the unenviable task of defending the interest of the energy producers and consumers of a cold, thinly-populated country, in the face of furious, deafening global warming alarmism. Some of the worst of it is now emanating from the highest places. Barack Obama’s website (barackobama.com) says “97% of climate scientists agree that climate change is real and man-made … Find the deniers near you - and call them out today.” How nice. But what we really need to call out is the use of false propaganda and demagogy to derail factual debate and careful consideration of all facets of the most complex scientific and policy issue of our time.

agree and disagree essay about global warming

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Scientists Agree: Global Warming is Happening and Humans are the Primary Cause

Published Aug 3, 2017 Updated Jan 9, 2018

The evidence is overwhelming. Record-breaking temperatures, humidity, and sea level rise, along with many other indicators, show that the Earth is warming fast, and that all the heat-trapping emissions we release into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels is changing our climate.

A printing calculator screen spells out POOR and receipt reads policies and disclosures

The Climate Accountability Scorecard

The time to act is now. But action isn't easy: many powerful industry interests have hindered climate solutions and spread dangerous myths about climate change.

One of the preferred tactics these groups use to sow confusion is to promote studies that either ignore or misrepresent the evidence of thousands of articles published in well-established and well-respected scientific journals, which show that global warming is happening and that it is caused by humans.

No matter how much contrarians try to cloak reality, the evidence is not going away.

Widespread scientific consensus

Scientists worldwide agree that global warming is happening, and that human activity causes it.

The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report ( AR5 ), written by a panel of hundreds of climate experts and scientists from member countries of the World Meteorological Organization the United Nations Environmental Programme , plus a team of external reviewers, states unambiguously:

Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of green-house gases are the highest in history. […] Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5)

Building on two previous studies, a landmark 2013 peer-reviewed study evaluated 10,306 scientists to confirm that over 97 percent climate scientists agree, and over 97 percent of scientific articles find that global warming is real and largely caused by humans.

A 2016 peer-reviewed paper examined existing studies on consensus in climate research, and concluded that the 97 percent estimate is robust.

This level of consensus is equivalent to the level of agreement among scientists that smoking causes cancer – a statement that very few people, if any, contest today.

The US public also increasingly agrees that global warming is happening. A 2016 poll from Yale found that 70 percent of US residents believe global warming is happening, while record low numbers of people (12 percent) say the opposite.

A Gallup poll from 2017 showed that the number of people who worry “a great deal” about global warming has increased from 37 percent in 2016 to 45 percent in 2017.  The acceptance of human-caused emissions as the cause of warming is not keeping pace with those that believe it is happening, but it is at 53 percent.

There is no shortage of published research on the consensus of climate scientists and climate science when it comes to human-caused global warming. In addition to the references above, you can read about how the discussion on consensus developed over time in these studies .

Many different scientific societies in the United States and numerous national academies of science from around the world have also issued statements that verify the scientific claims about human-caused warming (see below).

Consensus and scientific uncertainty

Climate skeptics and deniers often misrepresent and aggrandize “ scientific uncertainty ” to undermine climate science consensus. When it comes to scientific consensus on global warming, it is important to clarify what type of uncertainty exists, and what type does not: there is strong certainty on the types of impacts that global warming is causing (or would be likely to cause under a given scenario for emissions), but less certainty on the exact timing and intensity of these impacts.  

Flooded picnic table with houses in background in Seabrook, NH

When Rising Seas Hit Home

For instance, on the issue of sea level rise, we know with certainty that it will happen – it is already happening – and projections under different scenarios give us a range of possible rise.  We don’t know an exact value, however, for future sea level rise, because in large part it is dependent on the rate of future emissions, which is unknown.  

If emissions continue in a “business as usual” fashion, the sea level rise will be closer to the higher range of projections. But if we significantly reduce emissions, the rise will be closer to the lower levels of projections.

The same is true for how much warming will actually happen, or how much land-based ice and glaciers will melt. All these things are already happening, but future rates are not known because they, too, depend on the rate of future emissions. What scientists can calculate quite confidently is a narrow range of outcomes within a given scenario—meaning the likely highest and lowest values  if we continue on a certain path of emissions. This information is critical to making smart collective choices and for planning for the future.

Uncertainties are not a reason to delay action on climate change. Quite the contrary: those uncertainties are really a consequence of our collective choices, and a risk we must prepare for.

You can think about it like car insurance: everyone hopes they won’t be in a car accident but have accident insurance anyway, even though the likelihood is very low.

Climate adaptation and climate risk reduction are “insurance” against the effects of climate change, which in contrast are NOT low-probability events, but highly likely and predicted with high levels of certainty under specific conditions.  Being prepared for these scenarios is simply smart planning. Nobody wants to be caught unaware and unprepared.

Two kids on a sidewalk

Killer Heat in the United States

Consensus worldwide.

Many scientific societies and academies have released statements and studies that highlight the overwhelming consensus on climate change science.

American Association for the Advancement of Science: AAAS Reaffirms the Reality of Human-Caused Climate Change “Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research concludes that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver. This conclusion is based on multiple independent lines of evidence and the vast body of peer-reviewed science.” (June 2016)

American Chemical Society : Statement on Global Climate Change “The Earth’s climate is changing in response to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and particulate matter in the atmosphere, largely as the result of human activities. … Unmitigated climate change will lead to increases in extreme weather events and will cause significant sea level rise, causing property damage and population displacement. It also will continue to degrade ecosystems and natural resources, affecting food and water availability and human health, further burdening economies and societies. Continued uncontrolled GHG emissions will accelerate and compound the effects and risks of climate change well into the future.” (2016)

American Geophysical Union : Human-induced Climate Change Requires Urgent Action.

"Extensive, independent observations confirm the reality of global warming. These observations show large-scale increases in air and sea temperatures, sea level, and atmospheric water vapor; they document decreases in the extent of mountain glaciers, snow cover, permafrost, and Arctic sea ice. These changes are broadly consistent with long-understood physics and predictions of how the climate system is expected to respond to human-caused increases in greenhouse gases. The changes are inconsistent with explanations of climate change that rely on known natural influences.”(December 2003, revised and reaffirmed December 2007, February 2012, August 2013)

American Meteorological Society: Climate Change: An Information Statement of the American Meteorological Society "It is clear from extensive scientific evidence that the dominant cause of the rapid change in climate of the past half century is human-induced increases in the amount of atmospheric greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), chlorofluorocarbons, methane, and nitrous oxide.” (August 2012)

American Physical Society : Statement on Earth’s Changing Climate

"While natural sources of climate variability are significant, multiple lines of evidence indicate that human influences have had an increasingly dominant effect on global climate warming observed since the mid-twentieth century. Although the magnitudes of future effects are uncertain, human influences on the climate are growing." (November 2015)

Geological Society of America : Position Statement on Climate Change "Scientific advances have greatly reduced previous uncertainties about recent global warming. Ground-station measurements have shown a warming trend of ~0.85 °C since 1880, a trend consistent with (1) retreat of northern hemisphere snow and Arctic sea ice; (2) greater heat storage in the ocean; (3) retreat of most mountain glaciers; (4) an ongoing rise in global sea level; and (5) proxy reconstructions of temperature change over past centuries from archives that include ice cores, tree rings, lake sediments, boreholes, cave deposits, and corals." (October 2006; revised April 2010, March 2013, April 2015).

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Synthesis Report Summary for Policymakers

“Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of green-house gases are the highest in history. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems. “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, and sea level has risen.” (2014)

International academies joint statement: Global response to climate change

“The world’s climate is changing, and the impacts are already being observed. Changing agricultural conditions, ocean warming and acidification, rising sea levels, and increased frequency and intensity of many extreme weather events are impacting infrastructure, environmental assets and human health.” (2018, African Academy of Sciences and the national academies of science of the United Kingdom, Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Canada, India, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, New Zealand, Cyprus, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Scotland, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia, Malaysia, Cameroon). 

US Global Change Research Program:  Highlights of the Findings of the U.S. Global Change Research Program Climate Science Special Report

“Based on extensive evidence, … it is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence.

“In addition to warming, many other aspects of global climate are changing, primarily in response to human activities. Thousands of studies conducted by researchers around the world have documented changes in surface, atmospheric, and oceanic temperatures; melting glaciers; diminishing snow cover; shrinking sea ice; rising sea levels; ocean acidification; and increasing atmospheric water vapor.” (November 2017)

U.S. National Academy of Sciences : Understanding and Responding to Climate Change "The scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to begin taking steps to prepare for climate change and to slow it." (2008)

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The climate is changing, but not just because of humans. Here's why that matters.

Image: Jenna Fountain carries a bucket down Regency Drive to try to recover items from their flooded home

The climate is changing — the thing is, it isn’t just due to humans.

Natural forces beyond human control are also gradually affecting our climate. These geophysical forces are vital to understanding global warming. Man is indeed responsible for a large portion — possibly even a majority — of global warming. But also in play are complex gravitational interactions, including changes in the Earth’s orbit, axial tilt and torque.

This fact needs to be included in the public debate. Because these gravitational shifts, occurring over millennia, can influence climate patterns and ultimately lead to noticeable variations in seasons. Interestingly, research suggests climate change can alter the tilt of the Earth, but an unrelated change in tilt can also further change the climate. It is a balance-counterbalance relationship.

Changes in the Earth’s path around the Sun, or eccentricity, involve shifts in the orbit around the Sun from a roughly circular journey to more of an elliptical one . When the Earth gradually adopts a more elliptical orbit, there are more pronounced temperatures during the summer and winter months. This alteration is exacerbated when the Earth’s axial tilt is inclined to a sharper degree than usual. As this happens, it causes the North and South Poles to be positioned more directly toward the Sun.

Haven’t you noticed the recent rise in irregular weather patterns? This is not just a man-made problem. Gradual slight variations in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun can strongly influence temperature extremes. This is important because the conversation around climate change has become so politicized, we've totally lost sight of the science — and with it, any room for bipartisanship.

Damaged houses line a hillside in Old Tutu following Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Sept. 11.

Tropical storms, for example, have been forming later in what we know as hurricane season. Based on my own analysis, over the past three decades, the majority of Category 3 or stronger storms to hit the United States appear from late August to early October. Earlier in the 20th century, storms usually occurred in June, July and early August.

It doesn’t stop there. Changes in seasons can also affect other types of storms, including severe winter snowstorms and tornadoes. Recall the Storm of the Century in 1993 on the heels of Hurricane Andrew the year prior. Or what about the recent string of snowstorms (with names like Snowpocalypse, Snowmageddon and Snowzilla) dovetailing with warm-weather superstorms. Climate extremes are evident, and not just with hurricanes.

The variations in the Earth’s orbit are known as the Milankovitch cycles — after the Serbian geophysicist Milutin Milanković, who hypothesized this phenomenon in the 1920s. He discovered that variations in the Earth’s path around the Sun, axial tilt and torque could together affect our climate.

Even a slight change or orientation in the precession of the Earth’s rotating body can cause a wobbling effect shifting torque in different areas since the planet is not a perfect sphere to some people’s surprise.

Now would seem a particularly apt time to act. The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was an intense, record-setting period . With several landfall hurricanes — Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria — barreling their way through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, devastating parts of the Leeward Islands and United States.

Still, even President Donald J. Trump has implied the whole of idea climate change may just be a hoax . Most Republicans seem to agree that it is not a serious problem.

Meanwhile, while some Democrats have tried to use the frequency and intensity of storms in the hopes of highlighting the climate change conversation, even this effort has seemed muted.

To make effective policy, it is important for politicians and activists alike to set aside their ideological differences.

There is now a real opportunity for new legislation, sound environmental legislation. But will we squander this unprecedented opportunity, punting the ball yet again? You can bet on it. Given the realities of everyday life, the extent of social beliefs, political attitudes and economic perspectives vary on a wide range of policy issues.

To make sound and effective policy, it is important for politicians and activists alike to set aside their ideological differences and return to the basics of science, in this case, the mechanics of science. After all, shouldn’t we be relying more heavily upon geoscientists and weather forecasters to provide evidence-based data and predictive modeling?

Risks to disasters are increasing. Population growth along coastlines worldwide, in addition to technological and infrastructural development, will inherently result in a concomitant increase in places prone to disasters. Modern society relies upon government for effective response to and recovery from such events.

Change is occurring and will continue to do so. As the population continues to explode and resources are consumed on a massive scale, trying to stop both is unrealistic. It is more than just being unrealistic, it is simply wasting critical time. I know, science isn’t sexy. The obsession on why storms are occurring in lieu of discussing the how is leading us down a dangerous path. A deadly path.

The heightened culture of disaster only feeds our attention on political banter and ideological semantics with no room for informed decision-making.

We get it, Mother Nature always wins. So, are we now faced with the sobering lesson that little can be done, and we should just throw in the towel? No, of course not. Though climate change is inevitable, we also need to have a healthy appreciation of the fact that climate shifts aren’t just limited to rapidly changing weather patterns.

Turning the corner into unexplored territory is always difficult. By having a broader sense of communal resiliency — social, political and economic standing — we can manage this unavoidable pendulum of climate extremes. With the recent sweeping of storms draining response efforts and budgetary resources, now is the time to set aside the theatrical shenanigans and engage in realpolitik.

Tonya T. Neaves is the director for the Centers on the Public Service at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, where she also is a faculty member in its master of public administration program and coordinator for the Emergency Management and Homeland Security certificate.

Tonya T. Neaves is the director for the Centers on the Public Service at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, where she also is a faculty member in its master of public administration program and coordinator for the Emergency Management and Homeland Security certificate. 

agree and disagree essay about global warming

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Essay on Global Warming

dulingo

  • Updated on  
  • Apr 27, 2024

agree and disagree essay about global warming

Being able to write an essay is an integral part of mastering any language. Essays form an integral part of many academic and scholastic exams like the SAT, and UPSC amongst many others. It is a crucial evaluative part of English proficiency tests as well like IELTS, TOEFL, etc. Major essays are meant to emphasize public issues of concern that can have significant consequences on the world. To understand the concept of Global Warming and its causes and effects, we must first examine the many factors that influence the planet’s temperature and what this implies for the world’s future. Here’s an unbiased look at the essay on Global Warming and other essential related topics.

Short Essay on Global Warming and Climate Change?

Since the industrial and scientific revolutions, Earth’s resources have been gradually depleted. Furthermore, the start of the world’s population’s exponential expansion is particularly hard on the environment. Simply put, as the population’s need for consumption grows, so does the use of natural resources , as well as the waste generated by that consumption.

Climate change has been one of the most significant long-term consequences of this. Climate change is more than just the rise or fall of global temperatures; it also affects rain cycles, wind patterns, cyclone frequencies, sea levels, and other factors. It has an impact on all major life groupings on the planet.

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What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the unusually rapid increase in Earth’s average surface temperature over the past century, primarily due to the greenhouse gases released by people burning fossil fuels . The greenhouse gases consist of methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, carbon dioxide, water vapour, and chlorofluorocarbons. The weather prediction has been becoming more complex with every passing year, with seasons more indistinguishable, and the general temperatures hotter.

The number of hurricanes, cyclones, droughts, floods, etc., has risen steadily since the onset of the 21st century. The supervillain behind all these changes is Global Warming. The name is quite self-explanatory; it means the rise in the temperature of the Earth.

Also Read: What is a Natural Disaster?

What are the Causes of Global Warming?

According to recent studies, many scientists believe the following are the primary four causes of global warming:

  • Deforestation 
  • Greenhouse emissions
  • Carbon emissions per capita

Extreme global warming is causing natural disasters , which can be seen all around us. One of the causes of global warming is the extreme release of greenhouse gases that become trapped on the earth’s surface, causing the temperature to rise. Similarly, volcanoes contribute to global warming by spewing excessive CO2 into the atmosphere.

The increase in population is one of the major causes of Global Warming. This increase in population also leads to increased air pollution . Automobiles emit a lot of CO2, which remains in the atmosphere. This increase in population is also causing deforestation, which contributes to global warming.

The earth’s surface emits energy into the atmosphere in the form of heat, keeping the balance with the incoming energy. Global warming depletes the ozone layer, bringing about the end of the world. There is a clear indication that increased global warming will result in the extinction of all life on Earth’s surface.

Also Read: Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation, and Wildlife Resources

Solutions for Global Warming

Of course, industries and multinational conglomerates emit more carbon than the average citizen. Nonetheless, activism and community effort are the only viable ways to slow the worsening effects of global warming. Furthermore, at the state or government level, world leaders must develop concrete plans and step-by-step programmes to ensure that no further harm is done to the environment in general.

Although we are almost too late to slow the rate of global warming, finding the right solution is critical. Everyone, from individuals to governments, must work together to find a solution to Global Warming. Some of the factors to consider are pollution control, population growth, and the use of natural resources.

One very important contribution you can make is to reduce your use of plastic. Plastic is the primary cause of global warming, and recycling it takes years. Another factor to consider is deforestation, which will aid in the control of global warming. More tree planting should be encouraged to green the environment. Certain rules should also govern industrialization. Building industries in green zones that affect plants and species should be prohibited.

Also Read: Essay on Pollution

Effects of Global Warming

Global warming is a real problem that many people want to disprove to gain political advantage. However, as global citizens, we must ensure that only the truth is presented in the media.

This decade has seen a significant impact from global warming. The two most common phenomena observed are glacier retreat and arctic shrinkage. Glaciers are rapidly melting. These are clear manifestations of climate change.

Another significant effect of global warming is the rise in sea level. Flooding is occurring in low-lying areas as a result of sea-level rise. Many countries have experienced extreme weather conditions. Every year, we have unusually heavy rain, extreme heat and cold, wildfires, and other natural disasters.

Similarly, as global warming continues, marine life is being severely impacted. This is causing the extinction of marine species as well as other problems. Furthermore, changes are expected in coral reefs, which will face extinction in the coming years. These effects will intensify in the coming years, effectively halting species expansion. Furthermore, humans will eventually feel the negative effects of Global Warming.

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Sample Essays on Global Warming

Here are some sample essays on Global Warming:

Essay on Global Warming Paragraph in 100 – 150 words

Global Warming is caused by the increase of carbon dioxide levels in the earth’s atmosphere and is a result of human activities that have been causing harm to our environment for the past few centuries now. Global Warming is something that can’t be ignored and steps have to be taken to tackle the situation globally. The average temperature is constantly rising by 1.5 degrees Celsius over the last few years.

The best method to prevent future damage to the earth, cutting down more forests should be banned and Afforestation should be encouraged. Start by planting trees near your homes and offices, participate in events, and teach the importance of planting trees. It is impossible to undo the damage but it is possible to stop further harm.

Also Read: Social Forestry

Essay on Global Warming in 250 Words

Over a long period, it is observed that the temperature of the earth is increasing. This affected wildlife, animals, humans, and every living organism on earth. Glaciers have been melting, and many countries have started water shortages, flooding, and erosion and all this is because of global warming. 

No one can be blamed for global warming except for humans. Human activities such as gases released from power plants, transportation, and deforestation have increased gases such as carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere.                                              The main question is how can we control the current situation and build a better world for future generations. It starts with little steps by every individual. 

Start using cloth bags made from sustainable materials for all shopping purposes, instead of using high-watt lights use energy-efficient bulbs, switch off the electricity, don’t waste water, abolish deforestation and encourage planting more trees. Shift the use of energy from petroleum or other fossil fuels to wind and solar energy. Instead of throwing out the old clothes donate them to someone so that it is recycled. 

Donate old books, don’t waste paper.  Above all, spread awareness about global warming. Every little thing a person does towards saving the earth will contribute in big or small amounts. We must learn that 1% effort is better than no effort. Pledge to take care of Mother Nature and speak up about global warming.

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Essay on Global Warming in 500 Words

Global warming isn’t a prediction, it is happening! A person denying it or unaware of it is in the most simple terms complicit. Do we have another planet to live on? Unfortunately, we have been bestowed with this one planet only that can sustain life yet over the years we have turned a blind eye to the plight it is in. Global warming is not an abstract concept but a global phenomenon occurring ever so slowly even at this moment. Global Warming is a phenomenon that is occurring every minute resulting in a gradual increase in the Earth’s overall climate. Brought about by greenhouse gases that trap the solar radiation in the atmosphere, global warming can change the entire map of the earth, displacing areas, flooding many countries, and destroying multiple lifeforms. Extreme weather is a direct consequence of global warming but it is not an exhaustive consequence. There are virtually limitless effects of global warming which are all harmful to life on earth. The sea level is increasing by 0.12 inches per year worldwide. This is happening because of the melting of polar ice caps because of global warming. This has increased the frequency of floods in many lowland areas and has caused damage to coral reefs. The Arctic is one of the worst-hit areas affected by global warming. Air quality has been adversely affected and the acidity of the seawater has also increased causing severe damage to marine life forms. Severe natural disasters are brought about by global warming which has had dire effects on life and property. As long as mankind produces greenhouse gases, global warming will continue to accelerate. The consequences are felt at a much smaller scale which will increase to become drastic shortly. The power to save the day lies in the hands of humans, the need is to seize the day. Energy consumption should be reduced on an individual basis. Fuel-efficient cars and other electronics should be encouraged to reduce the wastage of energy sources. This will also improve air quality and reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Global warming is an evil that can only be defeated when fought together. It is better late than never. If we all take steps today, we will have a much brighter future tomorrow. Global warming is the bane of our existence and various policies have come up worldwide to fight it but that is not enough. The actual difference is made when we work at an individual level to fight it. Understanding its import now is crucial before it becomes an irrevocable mistake. Exterminating global warming is of utmost importance and each one of us is as responsible for it as the next.  

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Essay on Global Warming UPSC

Always hear about global warming everywhere, but do we know what it is? The evil of the worst form, global warming is a phenomenon that can affect life more fatally. Global warming refers to the increase in the earth’s temperature as a result of various human activities. The planet is gradually getting hotter and threatening the existence of lifeforms on it. Despite being relentlessly studied and researched, global warming for the majority of the population remains an abstract concept of science. It is this concept that over the years has culminated in making global warming a stark reality and not a concept covered in books. Global warming is not caused by one sole reason that can be curbed. Multifarious factors cause global warming most of which are a part of an individual’s daily existence. Burning of fuels for cooking, in vehicles, and for other conventional uses, a large amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, and methane amongst many others is produced which accelerates global warming. Rampant deforestation also results in global warming as lesser green cover results in an increased presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is a greenhouse gas.  Finding a solution to global warming is of immediate importance. Global warming is a phenomenon that has to be fought unitedly. Planting more trees can be the first step that can be taken toward warding off the severe consequences of global warming. Increasing the green cover will result in regulating the carbon cycle. There should be a shift from using nonrenewable energy to renewable energy such as wind or solar energy which causes less pollution and thereby hinder the acceleration of global warming. Reducing energy needs at an individual level and not wasting energy in any form is the most important step to be taken against global warming. The warning bells are tolling to awaken us from the deep slumber of complacency we have slipped into. Humans can fight against nature and it is high time we acknowledged that. With all our scientific progress and technological inventions, fighting off the negative effects of global warming is implausible. We have to remember that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors but borrow it from our future generations and the responsibility lies on our shoulders to bequeath them a healthy planet for life to exist. 

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Climate Change and Global Warming Essay

Global Warming and Climate Change are two sides of the same coin. Both are interrelated with each other and are two issues of major concern worldwide. Greenhouse gases released such as carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants in the earth’s atmosphere cause Global Warming which leads to climate change. Black holes have started to form in the ozone layer that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. 

Human activities have created climate change and global warming. Industrial waste and fumes are the major contributors to global warming. 

Another factor affecting is the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and also one of the reasons for climate change.  Global warming has resulted in shrinking mountain glaciers in Antarctica, Greenland, and the Arctic and causing climate change. Switching from the use of fossil fuels to energy sources like wind and solar. 

When buying any electronic appliance buy the best quality with energy savings stars. Don’t waste water and encourage rainwater harvesting in your community. 

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Tips to Write an Essay

Writing an effective essay needs skills that few people possess and even fewer know how to implement. While writing an essay can be an assiduous task that can be unnerving at times, some key pointers can be inculcated to draft a successful essay. These involve focusing on the structure of the essay, planning it out well, and emphasizing crucial details.

Mentioned below are some pointers that can help you write better structure and more thoughtful essays that will get across to your readers:

  • Prepare an outline for the essay to ensure continuity and relevance and no break in the structure of the essay
  • Decide on a thesis statement that will form the basis of your essay. It will be the point of your essay and help readers understand your contention
  • Follow the structure of an introduction, a detailed body followed by a conclusion so that the readers can comprehend the essay in a particular manner without any dissonance.
  • Make your beginning catchy and include solutions in your conclusion to make the essay insightful and lucrative to read
  • Reread before putting it out and add your flair to the essay to make it more personal and thereby unique and intriguing for readers  

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Ans. Both natural and man-made factors contribute to global warming. The natural one also contains methane gas, volcanic eruptions, and greenhouse gases. Deforestation, mining, livestock raising, burning fossil fuels, and other man-made causes are next.

Ans. The government and the general public can work together to stop global warming. Trees must be planted more often, and deforestation must be prohibited. Auto usage needs to be curbed, and recycling needs to be promoted.

Ans. Switching to renewable energy sources , adopting sustainable farming, transportation, and energy methods, and conserving water and other natural resources.

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Having 2+ years of experience in educational content writing, withholding a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Science and a strong interest in writing educational content for students enrolled in domestic and foreign study abroad programmes. I believe in offering a distinct viewpoint to the table, to help students deal with the complexities of both domestic and foreign educational systems. Through engaging storytelling and insightful analysis, I aim to inspire my readers to embark on their educational journeys, whether abroad or at home, and to make the most of every learning opportunity that comes their way.

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This was really a good essay on global warming… There has been used many unic words..and I really liked it!!!Seriously I had been looking for a essay about Global warming just like this…

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Hi, we are glad that we could help you to write essays. We have a beginner’s guide to write essays ( https://leverageedu.com/blog/essay-writing/ ) and we think this might help you.

It is not good , to have global warming in our earth .So we all have to afforestation program on all the world.

thank you so much

Very educative , helpful and it is really going to strength my English knowledge to structure my essay in future

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agree and disagree essay about global warming

Debunking eight common myths about climate change

The world is warming at a  record pace , with unseasonable heat baking nearly every continent on Earth. April, the last month for which statistics are available, marked the 11th consecutive month the planet has set a new temperature high.

Experts say that is a clear sign the Earth’s climate is rapidly changing. But many believe – or at least say they believe – that  climate change  is not real, relying on a series of well-trodden myths to make their point. 

“Most of the world rightly acknowledges that climate change is real,” says Dechen Tsering, Acting Director of the Climate Change Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). “But in many places, misinformation is delaying the action that is so vital to countering what is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity.” 

This month, delegates will be meeting in Bonn, Germany for a key conference on climate change. Ahead of that gathering, here is a closer look at eight common climate-related myths and why they are simply not true. 

Myth #1: Climate change has always happened, so we should not worry about it. 

It is true that the planet’s temperature has long fluctuated, with periods of warming and cooling. But since the last ice age 10,000 years ago, the climate has been relatively stable, which scientists say has been crucial to the development of human civilization. 

That stability is now faltering. The Earth is heating up at its fastest rate in at least 2,000 years and is about 1.2°C hotter than it was in pre-industrial times. The last 10 years have been the warmest on record, with 2023 smashing global temperature records.   

Other key climate-related indicators are also spiking. Ocean temperatures , sea levels and  atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses are rising at record rates while sea ice and glaciers are retreating at alarming speeds. 

Myth #2: Climate change is a natural process. It has nothing to do with people. 

While climate change is a natural process human activity is pushing it into overdrive. A landmark report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which draws on the research of hundreds of leading climate scientists, found that humans are responsible for almost all the global warming over the past 200 years.  

The vast majority of warming has come from the burning of coal, oil and gas. The combustion of these fossil fuels is flooding the atmosphere with greenhouse gases, which act like a blanket around the planet, trapping heat.  

By measuring everything from ice cores to tree rings, scientists have been able to track concentrations of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide levels are at their highest in 2 million years , while two other greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide, are at their highest in 800,000 years .  

A satellite view of a hurricane

Myth #3: A couple of degrees of warming is not that big of a deal. 

Actually, small temperature rises can throw the world’s delicate ecosystems into disarray, with dire implications for humans and other living things. The Paris Agreement on climate change aims to limit average global temperature rise to “well below” 2°C, and preferably to 1.5°C, since pre-industrial times.  

Even that half-a-degree swing could make a massive difference. The IPCC found that at 2°C of warming, more than 2 billion people would regularly be exposed to extreme heat than they would at 1.5°C. The world would also lose twice as many plants and vertebrate species and three times as many insects. In some areas, crop yields would decrease by more than half, threatening food security. 

At 1.5°C of warming, 70 per cent to 90 per cent of corals, the pillars of many undersea ecosystems, would die. At 2°C of warming, some 99 per cent would perish. Their disappearance would likely lead to the loss of other marine species, many of which are a critical source of protein for coastal communities. 

“Every fraction of a degree of warming matters,” says Tsering. 

Myth #4: An increase in cold snaps shows climate change is not real. 

This statement confuses weather and climate, which are two different things. Weather is the day-to-day atmospheric conditions in a location and climate is the long-term weather conditions in a region. So, there could still be a cold snap while the general trend for the planet is warming.  

Some experts also believe climate change could lead to longer and more intense cold in some places due to changes in wind patterns and other atmospheric factors. One much-publicized paper found the rapid warming of the Arctic may have disrupted the swirling mass of cold air above the North Pole in 2021. This unleashed sub-zero temperatures as far south as Texas in the United States, causing billions of dollars in damages. 

A man shoveling snow.

Myth #5: Scientists disagree on the cause of climate change. 

A 2021 study revealed that 99 per cent of peer-reviewed scientific literature found that climate change was human-induced. That was in line with a widely read study from 2013 , which found 97 per cent of peer-reviewed papers that examined the causes of climate change said it was human-caused. 

“The idea that there is no consensus is used by climate deniers to muddy the waters and sow the seeds of doubt,” says Tsering. “But the scientific community agrees: the global warming we are facing is not natural. It is caused by humans.” 

Myth #6: It is too late to avert a climate catastrophe, so we might as well keep burning fossil fuels. 

While the situation is dire, there is still a narrow window for humanity to avoid the worst of climate change.  

UNEP’s latest Emissions Gap Report found that cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 42 per cent by 2030, the world could limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C compared with pre-industrial levels.  

A little math reveals that to reach that target, the world must reduce its annual emissions by 22 billion tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent in less than seven years. That might seem like a lot. But by ramping up financing and focusing on low-carbon development in key transport , agriculture and forestry, the world can get there.  

“There is no question the task ahead of us is massive,” Tsering says. “But we have the solutions we need to reduce emissions today and there is an opportunity to raise ambition in the new round of national climate action plans.”  

A solar plant set in the desert. 

Myth #7: Climate models are unreliable. 

Climate skeptics have long argued that the computer models used to project climate change are unreliable at best and completely inaccurate at worst. 

But the IPCC, the world’s leading scientific authority on climate change, says that over decades of development, these models have consistently provided “a robust and unambiguous picture” of planetary warming.  

Meanwhile, a 2020 study by the University of California showed that global warming models were largely accurate. The study looked at 17 models that were generated between 1970 and 2007 and found 14 of them closely matched observations.  

Myth #8: We do not need to worry about lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Humanity is inventive; we can just adapt to climate change. 

Some countries and communities can adapt to rising temperatures, lower precipitation and the other impacts of climate change. But many cannot.  

An interior of a court room.

The world’s developing countries collectively need between US$215 billion and US$387 billion per year to adapt to climate change, yet only have access to a fraction of that total, found UNEP’s latest Adaptation Gap Report . Even wealthy nations will struggle to afford the cost of adaptation, which in some cases will require radical measures, such as displacing vulnerable communities, relocating vital infrastructure or changing staple foods.  

In many places, people are already facing hard limits on how much they can adapt. Small island developing states , for example, can only do so much to hold back the rising seas that threaten their existence. 

Without significant action to lower greenhouse gas emissions, communities will reach these hard limits faster and begin to suffer irreparable damage from climate change, say experts.   

The Sectoral Solution to the climate crisis  

UNEP is at the forefront of supporting the Paris Agreement goal of keeping global temperature rise well below 2°C, and aiming for 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. To do this, UNEP has developed the Sectoral Solution, a roadmap to reducing emissions across sectors in line with the Paris Agreement commitments and in pursuit of climate stability. The six sectors identified are: energy; industry; agriculture and food; forests and land use; transport; and buildings and cities. 

agree and disagree essay about global warming

Further Resources

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The Science of Climate Change Explained: Facts, Evidence and Proof

Definitive answers to the big questions.

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By Julia Rosen

Ms. Rosen is a journalist with a Ph.D. in geology. Her research involved studying ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica to understand past climate changes.

  • Published April 19, 2021 Updated Nov. 6, 2021

The science of climate change is more solid and widely agreed upon than you might think. But the scope of the topic, as well as rampant disinformation, can make it hard to separate fact from fiction. Here, we’ve done our best to present you with not only the most accurate scientific information, but also an explanation of how we know it.

How do we know climate change is really happening?

  • How much agreement is there among scientists about climate change?
  • Do we really only have 150 years of climate data? How is that enough to tell us about centuries of change?
  • How do we know climate change is caused by humans?
  • Since greenhouse gases occur naturally, how do we know they’re causing Earth’s temperature to rise?
  • Why should we be worried that the planet has warmed 2°F since the 1800s?
  • Is climate change a part of the planet’s natural warming and cooling cycles?
  • How do we know global warming is not because of the sun or volcanoes?
  • How can winters and certain places be getting colder if the planet is warming?
  • Wildfires and bad weather have always happened. How do we know there’s a connection to climate change?
  • How bad are the effects of climate change going to be?
  • What will it cost to do something about climate change, versus doing nothing?

Climate change is often cast as a prediction made by complicated computer models. But the scientific basis for climate change is much broader, and models are actually only one part of it (and, for what it’s worth, they’re surprisingly accurate ).

For more than a century , scientists have understood the basic physics behind why greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide cause warming. These gases make up just a small fraction of the atmosphere but exert outsized control on Earth’s climate by trapping some of the planet’s heat before it escapes into space. This greenhouse effect is important: It’s why a planet so far from the sun has liquid water and life!

However, during the Industrial Revolution, people started burning coal and other fossil fuels to power factories, smelters and steam engines, which added more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Ever since, human activities have been heating the planet.

agree and disagree essay about global warming

Where it was cooler or warmer in 2020 compared with the middle of the 20th century

agree and disagree essay about global warming

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agree and disagree essay about global warming

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The ‘97% climate consensus’ is over. Now it’s well above 99% (and the evidence is even stronger than that)

agree and disagree essay about global warming

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Despite the overwhelming evidence , it’s still common to see politicians , media commentators or social media users cast doubt on the role of humans in driving climate change.

But this denialism is now almost nonexistent among climate scientists, as a study released this month confirms. US researchers examined the peer-reviewed literature and found more than 99% of climate scientists now endorse the evidence for human-induced climate change.

That’s even higher than the 97% reported by an influential 2013 study , which has become a widely cited statistic by both climate change deniers and those who accept the evidence.

Why has the needle evidently shifted even more firmly in favour of the evidence-based consensus? Or, to put it another way, what happened to the 3% of researchers who rejected the consensus of human caused climate change? Is this change purely because of the growing weight of evidence published over the past few years?

Unpicking the polls

We must first ask whether the two studies are directly comparable. The answer is yes. The latest study has reexamined the literature published since 2012, and is based on the same methods as the 2013 study , albeit with some important refinements.

Read more: Consensus confirmed: over 90% of climate scientists believe we're causing global warming

Both studies searched the Web of Science database – an independent worldwide repository of scientific paper citations – using the keywords “global climate change” and “global warming”. However, the recent study added “climate change” to the other two keyword searches, because the authors found that most climate-contrarian papers would not have been returned with only the two original terms.

The 2013 study examined 11,944 climate research papers and found almost one-third of them expressed a position on the cause of global warming. Of these 4,014 papers, 97% endorsed the consensus position that humans are the cause, 1% were uncertain, and 2% explicitly rejected it.

A 2015 review examined 38 climate-contrarian papers published over the preceding decade, and identified a range of methodological flaws and sources of bias.

One of the reviewers commented that “every single one of those analyses had an error – in their assumptions, methodology, or analysis – that, when corrected, brought their results into line with the scientific consensus”.

For example, many of the contrarian papers had “ cherrypicked ” results that supported their conclusion, while ignoring important context and other data sources that contradicted it. Some of them simply ignored fundamental physics.

The 2015 reviewers also made the important point that “science is never settled and that both mainstream and contrarian papers must be subjected to sustained scrutiny”. This is the cornerstone of the scientific method , and few if any climate scientists would disagree with this statement.

Separating the human influence from the natural

The recently published Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Synthesis Report , says “it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land”, and warns that the Paris Agreement goals of 1.5°C and 2°C above pre-industrial levels will be exceeded during this century without dramatic emissions reductions.

In reaching this conclusion, it is important to distinguish between changes caused by human activities altering the atmosphere’s chemistry, and climate variability caused by natural factors.

These natural variations include small changes in the Sun’s energy output due to sunspots and solar flares, infrequent volcanic eruptions , and the effects of El Niño weather patterns in the Pacific Ocean.

Graphs of global temperatures

Excluding these natural variations, Earth’s surface temperature was generally stable from about 2,000 to 1,000 years ago. After that, the planet cooled by about 0.3°C over several centuries , before the advent of fossil fuel-based industrialisation in the 1800s.

One study identified 12 major volcanic eruptions from 100 to 1200 CE, compared with 17 eruptions from 1200 to 1900 CE. Hence, heightened volcanic activity over roughly the past 800 years was associated with a general global cooling before the industrial revolution.

Current rates of global warming are unprecedented in more than 2,000 years and temperatures now exceed the warmest (multi-century) period in more than 100,000 years . Global average surface temperature for the decade from 2011-20 was about 1.1°C higher than in 1850-1900. Each of the past four decades has been warmer than any preceding decade since 1850, when reliable weather observations began.

Read more: 99.999% certainty humans are driving global warming: new study

Researchers can separate human and natural factors in the modern global temperature record. This involves a process called hindcasting , in which a climate model is run backwards in time to simulate human and natural factors, and then compared with the observed data to see which combination of factors most accurately recreates the real world.

If human factors are removed from the data set and only volcanic and solar factors are included, then global average surface temperatures since 1950 should have remained similar to those over the preceding 100 years. But of course they haven’t.

The evidence, and the scientific consensus on it, are both clearer than ever.

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Do scientists agree on climate change?

Yes, the vast majority of actively publishing climate scientists – 97 percent – agree that humans are causing global warming and climate change. Most of the leading science organizations around the world have issued public statements expressing this, including international and U.S. science academies, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and a whole host of reputable scientific bodies around the world. A list of these organizations is provided here .

  • Scientific consensus: Earth's climate is warming
  • “The scientific consensus on climate change,” N. Oreskes, Science, Vol. 306 no. 5702, p. 1686, doi: 10.1126/science.1103618 (2004).
  • “Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature,” J. Cook et al. , Environ. Res. Lett., 8 024024, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/2/024024 (2013).

ADDITIONAL CITATIONS

  • " Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming Environ ," J. Cook et al ., Res. Lett. 11 (2016) 048002, pp 1–7, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/11/4/048002 (2016).
  • " Examining the Scientific Consensus on Climate Change ," P. Doran et al., EOS , Vol. 90, Issue 3, Pages 22–23, doi: 10.1029/2009EO030002 (2009).
  • " Expert credibility in climate change ," W. Anderegg et al. , PNAS , Vol. 107 no. 27, 12107–12109, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1003187107 (2010).
  • " Meteorologists' Views About Global Warming: A Survey of American Meteorological Society Professional Members ," N. Stenhouse et al. , Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society , Volume 95 No. 7, pp 1029–1040, doi: 10.1175/ BAMS-D-13-00091.1 (2014).
  • " Scientists’ Views about Attribution of Global Warming ," B. Verheggen et al. , Environ. Sci. Technol. , 48 (16), pp 8963–8971, doi: 10.1021/es501998e (2014).
  • " The climate change consensus extends beyond climate scientists ," J.S. Carlton et al. , Environ. Res. Lett. 10 (2015) 094025, pp 1–12, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/9/094025 (2015).

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April 27, 2024

Climate Leaders Debate Goal for Controlling Global Warming

A new U.N. program highlights the disconnect between climate messaging and the growing possibility of overshooting a key global warming threshold

By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News

Achim Steiner in orange tie in front of the UNDP logo.

Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group Achim Steiner speaks during an exclusive interview in Istanbul, Turkiye on March 21, 2024.

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CLIMATEWIRE | NEW YORK — The United Nations Development Programme launched a new program Tuesday that aims to galvanize countries around stronger climate action — and keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Known as Climate Promise 2025, the plan centers on strengthening the carbon-cutting pledges that countries will update next year under the Paris climate agreement. It’s the latest stage of UNDP’s Climate Promise program , which worked with 128 countries on the 2020 round of pledges — known as nationally determined contributions, or NDCs.

“The next two years stand as one of the best chances we have as a global community to course correct our collective path and ensure warming stays below 1.5 degrees Celsius, staving off the worst effects of climate change,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP administrator, at an event launching the initiative in New York on Tuesday.

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Yet scientists warn that the 1.5-degree target — the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious goal — is already all but out of reach. Global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions aren’t happening fast enough, and many experts say it’s virtually certain that the world will at least temporarily overshoot that threshold.

It’s the latest example of a growing divide between the public messaging from many world leaders and the warnings from scientists that a breach of the 1.5-degree target is already imminent. The disconnect raises questions about how — and whether — world leaders should communicate the growing possibility of an overshoot.

“Sooner or later, policymakers will have to embrace the ‘overshoot story’ if they want to stick to 1.5C,” said Oliver Geden, a climate policy expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, in an email to POLITICO's E&E News.

If world leaders accept the likelihood of an overshoot, they can begin to consider ways to reverse it, Geden added. It’s possible for the world to temporarily exceed the 1.5-degree target and later use technological means to bring global temperatures back down — for instance, by drawing carbon dioxide back out of the atmosphere, in a strategy known as “negative emissions.”

Most potential global cooling strategies are still unproven at large scales, making them an uncertain solution. It’s not clear any of the technologies will ever be feasible at all, Geden said.

But "negative emissions" strategies are among the only methods that could keep the 1.5-degree target alive after an overshoot.

That means policymakers “would need to plan for and to communicate that the world needs to reach net-negative CO2 emissions after reaching net-zero around 2050,” Geden said.

But other experts argue that public messaging around the 1.5-degree target shouldn’t change, even if overshoot becomes unavoidable. The world must still continue to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep as close to the original target as possible.

“You need to do the same things whether you're aiming for 1.5 or for 2 [degrees],” said Laura Pereira, a researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. “It’s just that if you act now and do it rapidly enough, you can do 1.5.”

Some experts also worry that declaring an overshoot inevitable could also potentially hamper the momentum of global climate action plans.

“As soon as you throw your hands up in the air and say, 'Oh, we’re going to overshoot,' you're not going to have those hard discussions about what really needs to change,” Pereira said.

‘Becoming inevitable’

The debate is likely to intensify as the 1.5 degree threshold draws closer.

Global emissions would have to peak by 2025 and then fall a staggering 42 percent by 2030 in order to keep warming below 1.5 degrees, according to the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s top authority on global warming. The world would then need to hit net-zero emissions around 2050.

“Regarding the reachability of the 1.5ºC target, truly transformative action is needed to still be able to achieve the 1.5ºC goal without an at least temporary overshoot,” said Nico Wunderling, a scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, in an email.

Human societies can only emit a limited amount of additional carbon without overshooting the target, Wunderling added, and research suggests the planet is likely to burn through that budget within the next five years if greenhouse gas emissions don’t swiftly and dramatically drop.

So while it’s not impossible, he said, it’s “extremely ambitious” for the world to reach net-zero emissions in time to avoid 1.5 degrees of warming.

The world could still limit warming to 1.5 degrees after a short period of overshooting the target, he said. But the impacts of climate change worsen with every fraction of a degree the planet warms. And some consequences, like sea-level rise or plant and animal extinctions, can’t be easily reversed once they’ve happened, even if global temperatures later fall.

So if the world does blow through 1.5 degrees, scientists say, it’s crucial to limit the overshoot as much as possible.

That’s a growing concern among climate experts. Scientists have quietly warned for years that the world is unlikely to meet the 1.5-degree target . But their message has grown more urgent in the last few years.

Scientists were candid about the impending risks during their presentation of the third and final installment of the IPCC’s most recent major assessment report in April 2022.

“It is almost inevitable that we will at least temporarily overshoot 1.5,” Jim Skea, an energy expert at Imperial College London and co-chair of the IPCC working group that prepared the report, said at a 2022 virtual presentation of the findings.

Another U.N. report in 2022 warned that countries' carbon-cutting pledges were too weak and, as of that moment, there was “no credible pathway” to 1.5 C . And the 2023 emissions gap report , released in November, reiterated that failing to sufficiently reduce emissions over the next six years will make it “impossible to limit warming to 1.5C with no or limited overshoot.”

In December, leading international scientists presented an annual report to the U.N. on the year’s top climate insights. It concluded that overshooting the 1.5-degree target is “becoming inevitable.”

Immediate, radical and transformative action could technically still keep the target alive, the report noted. But the diminishing probability means that world leaders must also work to minimize overshoot as much as possible.

“Governments, corporations and other actors must now focus on minimizing the magnitude and duration of overshoot, while still acting to avoid it,” the report warns.

Keeping the target alive

U.N. messaging remains focused on staying below 1.5 degrees — period.

“We believe it is worth trying to bring the world together through nationally determined contributions to a scenario where 1.5 C remains at least within the realm of possibility,” said Steiner, UNDP’s administrator, at Tuesday’s Climate Promise launch.

The new initiative aspires to bring the next round of national pledges in line with the IPCC’s requirements for staying under 1.5 degrees. The plan takes a three-pronged approach, aiming to help countries scale up their ambition, accelerate their progress and increase the inclusivity of their climate plans, acknowledging the disproportionate impacts of global warming on Indigenous communities and other vulnerable populations.

“It’s make or break for the 1.5-degree limit,” said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres at Tuesday’s launch event. “Today, humanity spews out over 40 gigatons of carbon dioxide every year. At this rate, the planet will soon be pushed past the 1.5-degree limit. Countries’ ambitious new national climate plans — which are due next year — are essential to avert this calamity.”

When the Paris Agreement was first adopted in 2015, scientists estimated that the world was on track for about 3.5 degrees of global warming, said Cassie Flynn, UNDP’s global director of climate change, at Tuesday’s launch. But the world has made progress since then — the current Paris climate pledges are consistent with warming of around 2.5 degrees.

The next round of national contributions could still bring that trajectory down by another degree, she said.

Technically speaking, the world could cut emissions in line with keeping global warming under 1.5 degrees. But that would require a Herculean overhaul of the global economy in record time, an unprecedented feat in human history.

Many scientists say that scenario is unlikely. But the fact that hitting the target is still technically feasible — at least for a few more years — keeps the idea of avoiding overshoot alive for now.

“The goal of staying under 1.5 degrees is alive until overshoot,” Pereira said. “You can always change things fundamentally.”

Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2024. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

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agree and disagree essay about global warming

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Loreben Tuquero

Did 1,609 scientists sign a declaration saying ‘there is no climate emergency’? Not quite

If your time is short.

Based on the descriptions and listed credentials of the 1,609 signatories, not all were scientists.

Several signatories were in fields including engineering, medicine, law, economics and psychology. Some did not list any background in science. Some were deceased.

There is wide consensus among climate scientists, scientific associations and institutions that climate change is real and primarily caused by humans burning fossil fuels.

"There is no climate emergency," posts proclaimed on X, formerly Twitter, sharing a message allegedly supported by more than a thousand scientists.

Some X users circulated a " world climate declaration " that they claimed proves the climate crisis is a " hoax " and is " based on politics, not on science ." 

"1,609 scientists, including two Nobel laureates, gathered together to sign a declaration, proclaiming that ‘there is no climate emergency,’" a Sept. 15 X post said.

The claim misleads by overlooking a few details.

First, there is wide consensus among climate scientists , scientific associations and institutions that climate change is real and is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. Nearly 200 scientific organizations around the world assert that climate change is caused by human action. Second, the statement about this document being signed by 1,609 scientists glosses over key information about both the document and its signatories. The document was published by Climate Intelligence or Clintel, a group founded by science journalist Marcel Crok and geophysics professor Guus Berkhout, who began his career with oil giant Shell in 1964. 

Clintel’s website says the group aims to "generate knowledge and understanding" of the causes and effects of climate change and climate policy. It makes its stance clear: "The climate view of CLINTEL can be easily summarized as: There is no climate emergency."

A scan of the 1,609 signatures shows that not all were scientists. Several were from other professions; some listed no science background at all.

In September 2022, Agence France-Presse analyzed a previous version of this document published in 2020, which then had 1,200 signatories. Many signatories were scientists of various kinds, including 40 geophysicists and 130 geologists. Only 10 of the signatories described themselves as climatologists or climate scientists, Agence France-Presse found.

About 200 signatories were engineers. Other professionals were mathematicians, medical doctors and agricultural scientists. Six signatories were deceased.

Featured Fact-check

agree and disagree essay about global warming

The updated version with 1,609 signatories , published Aug. 14, marked 12 people as deceased. Among the scientists, specialties included geology, chemistry, physics and agriculture. Those with climate expertise were few.

The list included engineers, doctors, lawyers, mathematicians, architects, entrepreneurs, and economists. Others did not list any occupation at all. Some descriptions read:

"Sceptical (sic) Scientific Contrarian in the Climate Debate"

"Leadership development and coaching"

"Physicist and YouTuber"

"Sculptor, designer and innovator"

The two Nobel laureates who signed the declaration — John F. Clauser (the 2022 winner for physics) and Ivar Giaever (who shared the 1973 prize for physics — have a history of denying the climate crisis .

The declaration — a version of which was published as early as 2019 —  made six claims, including that carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. Others downplay the threat, severity and impact of climate change such as, "warming is far slower than predicted," and "global warming has not increased natural disasters." This list of claims has been assessed as having "very low" credibility by scientists, as reported in a review published by Climate Feedback , a global network of scientists that debunks inaccurate climate change claims. The reviewers said the statement gave cherry-picked information about carbon dioxide and climate change impact and presented them in a "biased and misleading way."

The statement that "1,609 scientists signed a declaration saying ‘there is no climate emergency’" contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression. We rate it Mostly False.

PolitiFact researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

Read About Our Process

The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter

Our Sources

X post , Sept. 15, 2023

X post , Oct. 1, 2023

X post , Aug. 16, 2023

Global Climate Intelligence Group, World Climate Declaration: There is no climate emergency , Aug. 14, 2023

Climate Intelligence, About Us page , accessed Oct. 3, 2023

Centre for Global Socio-Economic Change, Professor Guus Berkhout , accessed Oct. 3, 2023

Agence France-Presse, Climate 'declaration' recirculates debunked claims , Sept. 7, 2022

Climate Feedback, Letter signed by "500 scientists" relies on inaccurate claims about climate science , Sept. 23, 2019

Newsweek, Nobel Prize Winner Who Doesn't Believe Climate Crisis Has Speech Canceled , July 24, 2023

Scientific American, Climate Chatter Dominates Island of Nobels , July 13, 2015

PolitiFact, Copious evidence proves climate change is not a ‘fraud’ , Jan. 31, 2023

Yale Climate Connections, Scientists agree: Climate change is real and caused by people , Feb. 17, 2022

NASA, Scientific Consensus: Earth's Climate Is Warming , accessed Oct. 6, 2023

State of California, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, List of Worldwide Scientific Organizations , accessed Oct. 9, 2023

The Nobel Prize, John Clauser , accessed Oct. 9, 2023

The Nobel Prize in Physics 1973 , accessed Oct. 9, 2023

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by loreben tuquero.

agree and disagree essay about global warming

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  • The Heartland Institute
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Why Scientists Disagree about Global Warming

agree and disagree essay about global warming

From March through June 2017, The Heartland Institute mailed some 300,000 copies of the second edition of this book to K-12 and college science teachers across America. Read the cover letter of that mailing  here .

The heartland institute has defended its decision to send the book to educators against criticism by three liberal congressmen (see  here , and  here ) and the national science teachers association (see  here ). we’ve also responded to a ‘spanish inquisition-style’ letter to education secretary betsy devos sent by radical democratic u.s. sens. sheldon whitehouse, elizabeth warren, brian schatz, and edward markey (see  here )., please read the information at the links above, as well as  other replies to our critics , before judging heartland. also watch some faq videos at the bottom of this page..

 ________________

The book was mailed out with a copy of an 11-minute DVD titled “History of Climate Change in Greenland.” This video, produced by Free To Choose Media (izzit.org) was previously titled “Unstoppable Solar Cycles: Rethinking Global Warming.” You can see the original video and teachers’ materials  at this site .

Watch the video below:

November 30, 2015 – Today, on the first day of the United Nations’ twenty-first conference of the parties ( COP-21 ) taking place in Paris, a new book emphatically rejects claims of a “scientific consensus” on the causes and consequences of climate change. We are distributing hundreds of copies in Paris . You can read it for free online here , or by a copy at the Heartland Store . A collection of reviews is here .

The authors are three prominent climate scientists affiliated with the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change ( NIPCC ). The book is titled Why Scientists Disagree about Global Warming: The NIPCC Report on Consensus .

About the Book

“Probably the most widely repeated claim in the debate over global warming is that ‘97% of scientists agree’ that climate change is man-made and dangerous,” the authors write. “This claim is not only false, but its presence in the debate is an insult to science.”

With these words, the authors begin a detailed analysis of one of the most controversial topics of the day. The authors make a compelling case against claims of a scientific consensus. The purported proof of such a consensus consists of sloppy research by nonscientists, college students, and a highly partisan Australian blogger. Surveys of climate scientists, even those heavily biased in favor of climate alarmism, find extensive disagreement on the underlying science and doubts about its reliability.

The authors point to four reasons why scientists disagree about global warming: a conflict among scientists in different and often competing disciplines; fundamental scientific uncertainties concerning how the global climate responds to the human presence; failure of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to provide objective guidance to the complex science; and bias among researchers.

The authors offer a succinct summary of the real science of climate change based on their previously published comprehensive review of climate science in a volume titled Climate Change Reconsidered II: Physical Science . They recommend policymakers resist pressure from lobby groups to silence scientists who question the authority of IPCC to claim to speak for “climate science.”

About the Authors

CRAIG D. IDSO, Ph.D., a climatologist, is one of the world’s leading experts on the effects of carbon dioxide on plant and animal life and is chairman of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change.

ROBERT M. CARTER, Ph.D., a paleogeologist, is emeritus fellow of the Institute of Public Affairs in Australia and author of Climate Change: The Counter Consensus (London: Stacey International, 2010).

S. FRED SINGER, Ph.D., a physicist, is president of the Science and Environmental Policy Project and founder of the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC).

About NIPCC

The Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change ( NIPCC ) is an international panel of nongovernment scientists and scholars who have come together to present a comprehensive, authoritative, and realistic assessment of the science and economics of global warming. Whereas the reports of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warn of a dangerous human effect on climate, NIPCC concludes the human effect is likely to be small relative to natural variability, and whatever small warming is likely to occur will produce benefits as well as costs.

NIPCC is sponsored by three nonprofit organizations: the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change , the Science and Environmental Policy Project ( SEPP ), and The Heartland Institute .

This volume, like past NIPCC reports, is edited and published by the staff of The Heartland Institute, a national nonprofit research and educational organization newly relocated from Chicago to suburban Arlington Heights, Illinois.

“This book by climate scientists Craig D. Idso, Robert M. Carter, and S. Fred Singer is a tour de force on the scientific debate about global warming. The book is relatively short, just 101 pages divided into seven chapters. Each chapter leads off with a summary of key findings, and each chapter section is supported by many references to the scientific literature. … Many books and papers about global warming contain many, sometimes confusing, graphs. Not this one. Some readers may be happy to know that there are only three graphs in the whole book. The authors get right to the point with their succinct, easy-to-read explanations. … I highly recommend this book for those who want to know the real story of global warming, and I recommend it especially for those who believe the IPCC and government propaganda.”

—  Jonathan DuHamel, Arizona Daily Independent

“Craig Idso, Robert Carter and S. Fred Singer tackled climate change alarmism in the book, ‘Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming: The NIPCC Report on Scientific Consensus,’ published by the Heartland Institute. As much as the liberal media, liberal academics and pundits tell Americans that the earth is too warm and human beings are the cause for a spike in weather and temperature changes, there is little-to-no scientific consensus to support these assertions…. [I]t is clear that the climate change agenda turns a blind eye to neutral and impartial studies of the subject.”

— Spencer Irvine, Accuracy in Academia  

“Besides being a synopsis of a much larger work — a chapter in a forthcoming volume titled ‘Climate Change Reconsidered II: Benefits and Costs of Fossil Fuels’ — the book is a rejoinder to the sound-bite science that is so popular today. ‘Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming’ chews up these sound bites, such as: ’97 percent of scientists agree’ with the conclusion that humans are causing catastrophic climate change; or, skeptics of the ‘consensus view’ are paid off by big fossil fuel industries. ‘Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming’ is a virtual handbook of well-documented arguments and cogent perspective that counter nearly every assertion given to ‘prove’ that human beings are responsible for climate disaster.”

— Anthony J. Sadar, Washington Times  

“[A]s COP-21 got under way, the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) released a new book titled ‘Why Scientists Disagree about Global Warming: The NIPCC Report on Consensus’. This important new book lays bare and refutes the claim that there is a ‘scientific consensus’ on the causes and consequences of climate change… [I]t’s a breath of fresh air that this book has been published to coincide with the Kabuki theatre happening right now in Paris at COP-21.

— Marcellus Drilling News

“We are told on a daily basis that ’97 percent’ of climate scientists agree that man-made climate change will doom the world within a generation. But since nothing the scientists predict ever comes true – and they keep pushing the climate doomsday farther out – we’ve wondered if the vast majority of scientists really believe it. This new book from the Heartland Institute debunks the idea of consensus totally. Written by three insider Ph.D.’s, it ‘comprehensively and specifically’ rebuts the surveys and studies used to support claims science is of one mind. It goes on to summarize the evidence proving that there is disagreement – and then it explains why the scientists disagree. This book is useful if you’re tired of explaining to your low-information friends why climate change is a fraud.”

— Lynn Woolley, Logic Minute  

“This report by the Non-intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) shows that there is no consensus about the effects of fossil fuel use and discusses why scientists disagree about global warming. Articles and surveys most commonly cited as showing a ‘scientific consensus’ in favor of the CAGW hypothesis are without exception methodologically flawed and often deliberately misleading. This report features a report by the Friends of Science. Climate scientists disagree because of fundamental uncertainties arise from insufficient observational evidence, disagreements over how to interpret data, and how to set the parameters of models.”

— Friends of Science

“The Heartland Institute released at COP-21 in Paris its newest book on global warming: ‘Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming.’ The authors demolish the most pernicious myth in the global warming debate: that ‘97% of scientists’ believe mankind is the cause of a global warming catastrophe. Scientists Craig Idso, Fred Singer, and Robert Carter critique the sources of this myth and present a summary of the physical science that makes it plain beyond any doubt that there is no global warming crisis.”

— Rich Kozlovich, Paradigms and Demographics  

“Here’s a new essay on this crucial subject by some well-informed people. There has been a lot written about the so-called ‘scientific consensus’ by those who wish to promote the warmist cause, that this new essay is needed to redress the balance and set the record straight. There is no consensus. In fact there is a massive debate over the main issue, which is what effect on climate will an increase in CO2 caused by burning fossil fuels have. That is (quite literally!) the burning question.”

— Climate Science   

“[A] new book is getting a lot of attention, because it emphatically rejects claims of a ‘scientific consensus’ on the causes and consequences of climate change. Titled ‘Why Scientists Disagree about Global Warming,’ it suggests that probably the most widely repeated claim in the global warming debate is that 97 percent of scientists agree that climate change is man-made and dangerous. Doctors, Craig D. Idso, Robert M. Carter, and S. Fred Singer — three prominent climate scientists affiliated with the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change — write: ‘This claim is not only false, but its presence in the debate is an insult to science.'”

— Dwight Ford, Energetic City 

“A recent publication by The Heartland Institute called Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming: The NIPCC Report on Scientific Consensus … edited by Craig D. Idso, Robert M. Carter, and S. Fred Singer, thoroughly documents the flawed methodology utilized by Climate Change scientists. It also puts the lie to President Obama’s ‘Ninety-seven percent of scientists agree: climate change is real, man-made and dangerous.'”

— Bill Lockwood, American Policy Center  

“At ‘A Day of Examining the Data,’ the December 7 counter-conference to COP21, the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) released a report titled ‘Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming.’ … The report refutes most of the UN proclamations. … The NIPCC gives the following sensible policy advice: (1) ‘Policymakers should seek out advice from independent, nongovernment organizations and scientists who are free of financial and political conflicts of interest.’ (2) ‘Individual nations should take charge of setting their own climate policies based upon the hazards that apply to their particular geography, geology, weather, and culture.’ (3) ‘Rather than invest scarce world resources in a quixotic campaign based on politicized and unreliable science, world leaders would do well to turn their attention to the real problems their people and their planet face.’ After drinking the poison Captain Hook had intended for Peter, Tinker Bell survived only because children across the world clapped loudly to show their belief in fairies. The UN believes their hopeless, naïve, and dangerous climate change plans can survive as long as the media and politicians keep clapping. It’s time they stopped and let the climate scare die.”

— Tom Harris, International Climate Science Coalition

“The key thing to be aware of … is that there is no consensus on the matter of what is causing GW (absent for the past 18 years) and if humans have any impact. You will hear that 97% of scientists agree, but this is both inaccurate and misleading. … In a recently published book titled Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming, the technically qualified authors (scientists all) point to four reasons: a conflict among scientists in different disciplines; fundamental scientific uncertainties concerning how the global climate responds to the human presence; failure of the UN’s IPCC to provide objective guidance to the complex science; and bias among researchers.”

— Reed Miller, Industrial Heating

For More Information

For more information about the book, or to interview the authors, contact Jim Lakely, director of communications at The Heartland Institute: [email protected] or 312/377-4000.

___________________

Watch three videos answering some of the most commonly asked questions by science teachers who received the book and DVD.

Why Did Heartland Send the Book to Teachers?

Is the Science in the Book Peer-reviewed? 

What About the “97% Consensus”?

The Heartland Institute is a 33-year-old national nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our Web site or call 312/377-4000.

agree and disagree essay about global warming

Robert M. Carter, Ph.D., a long-time policy advisor to The Heartland Institute and a world renowned authority on climate change, passed away on January 19, 2016. He was 74.

agree and disagree essay about global warming

Dr. Idso is the founder, former president, and currently chairman of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change.

agree and disagree essay about global warming

Dr. S. Fred Singer was among the first and most-prominent scientist in the world speaking out against global warming alarmism.

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agree and disagree essay about global warming

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COMMENTS

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    Most papers (66 per cent) actually took no position. Of the remaining 34 per cent, 33 per cent supported at least a weak human contribution to global warming. So divide 33 by 34 and you get 97 per cent, but this is unremarkable since the 33 per cent includes many papers that critique key elements of the IPCC position.

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    Building on two previous studies, a landmark 2013 peer-reviewed study evaluated 10,306 scientists to confirm that over 97 percent climate scientists agree, and over 97 percent of scientific articles find that global warming is real and largely caused by humans.. A 2016 peer-reviewed paper examined existing studies on consensus in climate research, and concluded that the 97 percent estimate is ...

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  13. PDF The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change: How Do We Know We're Not Wrong?

    mate scientists agree that global warming is real and substan-tially attributable to human activities. These kinds of reports and statements are drafted through a careful process involving many opportunities for comment, criticism, and revision, so it is unlikely that they would diverge greatly from the opinions of the societies' memberships ...

  14. PolitiFact

    In the United States, the U.S. Global Change Research Program coordinates and integrates federal research on climate. Its 2009 report mirrored the IPCC's conclusions: "Observations show that ...

  15. Essay on Global Warming with Samples (150, 250, 500 Words

    Essay on Global Warming Paragraph in 100 - 150 words. Global Warming is caused by the increase of carbon dioxide levels in the earth's atmosphere and is a result of human activities that have been causing harm to our environment for the past few centuries now. Global Warming is something that can't be ignored and steps have to be taken to ...

  16. Debunking eight common myths about climate change

    Ahead of that gathering, here is a closer look at eight common climate-related myths and why they are simply not true. Myth #1: Climate change has always happened, so we should not worry about it. It is true that the planet's temperature has long fluctuated, with periods of warming and cooling. But since the last ice age 10,000 years ago, the ...

  17. Startling Number of Scientific Papers Disputed Human-Caused Global

    The tally for that search: Nearly 14,000 papers that supported human causes behind global warming (chiefly from burning fossil fuels over the past century), and just 24 that rejected human causes ...

  18. The Science of Climate Change Explained: Facts, Evidence and Proof

    Average global temperatures have increased by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.2 degrees Celsius, since 1880, with the greatest changes happening in the late 20th century. Land areas have warmed more ...

  19. The '97% climate consensus' is over. Now it's well above 99% (and the

    The 2013 study examined 11,944 climate research papers and found almost one-third of them expressed a position on the cause of global warming. Of these 4,014 papers, 97% endorsed the consensus ...

  20. Do scientists agree on climate change?

    Yes, the vast majority of actively publishing climate scientists - 97 percent - agree that humans are causing global warming and climate change. Most of the leading science organizations around the world have issued public statements expressing this, including international and U.S. science academies, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and a whole […]

  21. Climate Leaders Debate Goal for Controlling Global Warming

    The debate is likely to intensify as the 1.5 degree threshold draws closer. Global emissions would have to peak by 2025 and then fall a staggering 42 percent by 2030 in order to keep warming below ...

  22. PolitiFact

    Yale Climate Connections, Scientists agree: Climate change is real and caused by people, Feb. 17, 2022 NASA, Scientific Consensus: Earth's Climate Is Warming , accessed Oct. 6, 2023

  23. Why Scientists Disagree about Global Warming

    The book is titled Why Scientists Disagree about Global Warming: The NIPCC Report on Consensus. About the Book. "Probably the most widely repeated claim in the debate over global warming is that '97% of scientists agree' that climate change is man-made and dangerous," the authors write. "This claim is not only false, but its presence ...