(1) Broome maintains that how we deal with climate change in our generation is an ethical issue. Do you agree that our decisions and actions relating to climate change are ethical issues? Give your reasons and support them with clear evidence.
The nation’s discussions of climate change and its impacts have evolved significantly over the past several years. The rising of sea-levels, global warming, deforestation, the imbalanced of eco-system and pollutions are some major examples of environmental problems that the Earth is prone to face if measures to protect the environment are not done. This may in turn, results in massive lost of human’s and animal’s lives. Statistics have shown that “The European heat wave of 2003 is estimated to have killed 35,000 people” and “In 1998 floods in China adversely affected 240 million.” (Broome,2008). Such unbelievable figures are indeed shocking and contributed to a large percentage of the annual death toll. There is now a clearer image that climate change is occurring and that human activities are primarily responsible for such impacts. However, there are other reasons contributing to climate change are ethical issues.
Personal transportation has become a common trend in the world. Nowadays, many people chose to drive to work or school when their destination is just within walking distance. Public transports such as MRT and LRT are considered ‘troublesome’ to many even though they are cheap and less polluting compared to cars. It is undeniable that having a personal transport is much more accessible compared to public transport and the time taken to reach their destination is faster. However, driving cars produce harmful gases that results in air pollution and this thus contribute to the climate change in long term. This is considered an ethical issue as one’s benefits resulting in the harm of another. Therefore, one should try to compensate by helping the other, which is in this case the ‘environment’, by walking on certain days if distance is assessable. One can also compensate in another way by doing voluntary work to compensate others that are affected by the pollution.
National day is a yearly event held in every country. During this day, the people in the country will celebrate the country’s birthday with fireworks, performances, helicopters, airplanes and parachutes. Fireworks cause great amount of pollution to the air; performances which requires many materials to enhance the event, contributes to land pollution when disposed of waste is at a faster rate than it can be cleared. In addition to air pollution, airplanes and helicopters produced large amount of smoke into the air. This brings about drastic change in climate as it is observed that the following day would normally be a rainy day. This ethical issue of sacrificing the damages to the Earth in exchange of a memorable day requires compensation and sustaining of individual’s effort in saving the Earth. The government should build more power plants in the country to improve the clarity of air. More landfill areas can also be built to mitigate land pollution. Individual can help to play apart by not littering and picking up litters found on land.
In office, papers are usually thrown away when printed incorrectly or when reports are of no use. This results in wastage of papers thus killing many trees. One can play a part by promoting the recycling, reducing and reusing campaign, as well as proposing to the government to plant more trees. The ethics in this case is to contribute but not accepting anything in return.
Global warming undeniably is an ethical issue that we must face no matter in the present situation or in the future. Greenhouse gases have already been admitted into continues to warm the climate system. We can only reduce the cause affecting global warming but we cannot totally remove it permanently by any means. Therefore, future climate change is inevitable.
In conclusion, I agree that our decisions and actions relating to climate change are ethical issues through there are undeniable issues as well. I believed that decisions and actions over the next decade will have a significant influence on the magnitude of future climate change and our ability to adapt to its impacts.
The nation’s discussions of climate change and its impacts have evolved significantly over the past several years. The rising of sea-levels, global warming, deforestation, the imbalanced of eco-system and pollutions are some major examples of environmental problems that the Earth is prone to face if measures to protect the environment are not done. This may in turn, results in massive lost of human’s and animal’s lives. Statistics have shown that “The European heat wave of 2003 is estimated to have killed 35,000 people” and “In 1998 floods in China adversely affected 240 million.” (Broome,2008). Such unbelievable figures are indeed shocking and contributed to a large percentage of the annual death toll. There is now a clearer image that climate change is occurring and that human activities are primarily responsible for such impacts. However, there are other reasons contributing to climate change are ethical issues.
Personal transportation has become a common trend in the world. Nowadays, many people chose to drive to work or school when their destination is just within walking distance. Public transports such as MRT and LRT are considered ‘troublesome’ to many even though they are cheap and less polluting compared to cars. It is undeniable that having a personal transport is much more accessible compared to public transport and the time taken to reach their destination is faster. However, driving cars produce harmful gases that results in air pollution and this thus contribute to the climate change in long term. This is considered an ethical issue as one’s benefits resulting in the harm of another. Therefore, one should try to compensate by helping the other, which is in this case the ‘environment’, by walking on certain days if distance is assessable. One can also compensate in another way by doing voluntary work to compensate others that are affected by the pollution.
National day is a yearly event held in every country. During this day, the people in the country will celebrate the country’s birthday with fireworks, performances, helicopters, airplanes and parachutes. Fireworks cause great amount of pollution to the air; performances which requires many materials to enhance the event, contributes to land pollution when disposed of waste is at a faster rate than it can be cleared. In addition to air pollution, airplanes and helicopters produced large amount of smoke into the air. This brings about drastic change in climate as it is observed that the following day would normally be a rainy day. This ethical issue of sacrificing the damages to the Earth in exchange of a memorable day requires compensation and sustaining of individual’s effort in saving the Earth. The government should build more power plants in the country to improve the clarity of air. More landfill areas can also be built to mitigate land pollution. Individual can help to play apart by not littering and picking up litters found on land.
In office, papers are usually thrown away when printed incorrectly or when reports are of no use. This results in wastage of papers thus killing many trees. One can play a part by promoting the recycling, reducing and reusing campaign, as well as proposing to the government to plant more trees. The ethics in this case is to contribute but not accepting anything in return.
Global warming undeniably is an ethical issue that we must face no matter in the present situation or in the future. Greenhouse gases have already been admitted into continues to warm the climate system. We can only reduce the cause affecting global warming but we cannot totally remove it permanently by any means. Therefore, future climate change is inevitable.
In conclusion, I agree that our decisions and actions relating to climate change are ethical issues through there are undeniable issues as well. I believed that decisions and actions over the next decade will have a significant influence on the magnitude of future climate change and our ability to adapt to its impacts.
Reference
Broome,J.(2008,May 19). The Ethics of Climate Change. Scientific American Magazine.
Retrieved August 5,2008, from http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-ethics-of-climate-change&ec=b_at11
Broome,J.(2008,May 19). The Ethics of Climate Change. Scientific American Magazine.
Retrieved August 5,2008, from http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-ethics-of-climate-change&ec=b_at11
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