POINT
Global climate change, formally related to as ‘global warming’, is the largest threat facing the long term survival of the human species. The Earth’s temperature with rapid global warming over the past 30 years is now passing through the peak level of Holocene which is a period of relatively stable climate that has existed for more than 10, 000 years. Further warming of more than one degree Celsius will make the Earth warmer than it has been in a million years. Business-as-usual-scenarios with fossil fuel emissions continuing to increase at 2 percent per year, as in the last decade, will yield additional warming of two or three degrees this century. This implies practically a different planet. The Earth’s climate is nearing a tipping point beyond which it will be impossible to avoid climate change with far ranging undesirable consequences. Some people hold out hope that new government policy, new technology and greater individual action will reverse the pattern of rising annual greenhouse gas emissions, but the true fact is that by the time humanity recognizes the true cost of climate change, it will be too late to mitigate the consequences.
You all must have heard the proverb ‘Hope for the best but prepare for the worst’. Taking today’s situation in account, we have waited too much to hope for the best, what we must do is prepared for the worst.
Aarushi Khurana – 8B
COUNTER POINT
Most of the scientists do not believe that human activities threaten to disrupt the Earth’s climate. Most of the business and scenarios have released quite amount of gases which led to an increase in temperature but the Earth’s climate has not passed to such a high point beyond which it is impossible to avoid climate change with far ranging consequences. About 40% of annual fossil fuel emission continues to be soaked up and if we decrease CO2 emission and improve Reforestation and Agriculture, we could probably control global warming. In long run, decreasing the amount of CO2 will require developing renewable energies produced by power plants. Hence it is not too late for global climate change. Now, I would like to rest my case by saying that the smallest thing makes the biggest difference and it is never too late to try. I don’t think it is right to give up and it is not too late to mend our ways.
Shreya Goenka – 8B
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