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Desiree Nixon

Ms. Self

Grammar and Composition I

10 October 2018

The Climate Change Debate: Is Nature the Cause, Or Are We?

In 1936, Winston Churchill gave a speech in the House of Commons that said, “The era

of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients of delays, is coming to

its close. In its place, we are entering a period of consequences.” Although he was talking about

the storm of totalitarian dictatorship many associate that quote with the climate change debate in

today’s society. Of 100 scientists, 97 would agree that the climate is changing, this is according

to multiple reliable sources that were peer-reviewed (National Aeronautics Space

Administration). However, the cause is still widely debated among scientists and among

civilians. This scientific issue has quickly become a political issue sparking up debates, hatred,

and false information. Everything trickles down to the question of are humans the cause of

climate change, or is this a natural process? Some think assert climate change is a natural

process, while others proclaim that climate change is a result of human influence.

Former Vice President, Albert Gore, is an outspoken climate change activist. Throughout

his time serving the nation, he made climate change one of his top priorities. After his time in

office, he made a presentation called An Inconvenient Truth. He brought this presentation to

different parts of the world explaining his perspective on the cause of climate change. His

presentation became a novel which analyses the human influence of climate change. His

presentation is centered around the most prevalent of the “greenhouse gases”, CO2. This gas has

been exponentially heightened due to human involvement. There is a non-thick atmosphere

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which the contents are easily manipulated (Gore 25). Gore’s point here is that humans have

influenced the environment with manufacturing and energy generation through the use of fossil

fuels. Whenever these fuels are burnt greenhouse gasses are released. Those greenhouse gasses

influence climate change. In contrast, on the other side of the political spectrum, our current

C president, Donald J. Trump, does not think humans are the main cause of climate change. Donald

his perspective on the issue. He goes on to explain climate change is only an issue because

America is investing mass amounts of money to create alternative energy sources whenever we

have enough. Donald Trump flat-out does not consider climate change to be man-made (Trump

62). Trump and Gore differ in their arguments related to the political side of climate change. Al
C Gore looks at the issue in more of a scientific manner. Whenever Trump analyses the issue in a

more economic perspective.

Gore does not stop his arguments without further explanation he then goes on to describe

how exactly the greenhouse gasses influence the climate. The atmosphere and oceans are getting

significantly warmer due to the process that is known as the greenhouse effect. Every day the

atmosphere goes through a procedure in which heat is either stored or released. The vapors

referred to as “greenhouse gasses” caused by homo sapiens are being trapped expanding the

C layer of the atmosphere keeping more heat in. (Gore 27). To dissert, many other authors and

scientists believe that the greenhouse gasses in the environment are not from humans. They are

instead for natural phenomena such as volcanos. Sulfur is another greenhouse gas that can cause

the atmosphere to trap in more heat. Whenever a volcano erupts, it releases sulfur. The sulfur

then is released into the atmosphere in a process known as volcanic outgassing (Moran 356).

Neither of these sources claim that climate change is not real; both think that climate change is
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influenced by chemicals. However, Gore assigns blame to humans. Moran contradicts this
C statement by bringing up the natural process that influences climate change.

An argument that some scientists believe causes global warming besides humans is

Milankovitch cycles, interestingly enough, those who have a passionate belief that humans cause

global warming will use Milankovitch cycles to support their claims. The author of Climate

Studies, Joseph Moran explains the side the issue directly related to science. Milankovitch

cycles do not change overnight there is little difference over thousands of years. However,

whenever there is a difference climate is changed. The climate is changed from the process that

is Milankovitch cycles. This is a process influenced by the gravity of other special bodies. It

involves the earth’s “tilt” with the “eccentricity” of the sun (Moran 352). Many people think that

the earth’s tilt is responsible for the warming and through its different possible angles the earth

could be warmer or colder. Whenever the earth is at a higher tilt toward the sun, it would be

warmer. If the earth’s tilt is pointed farther away from the sun it would be cooler. Moran also

analyzes an essay from one who believes human involvement is the main cause of global

warming. At this moment, the planet should be in an ice age due to the Milankovitch cycle. This

argues that the earth is tilted away from the sun right now. Yet, humans are experiencing the

warmest temperatures ever recorded whenever there should be the most freezing temperature

recorded (Moran 64). Although both of these points are from the same novel, they provide an

outlook on both sides of the issue. Many scientists will argue Milankovitch cycles are the only
C
reason for global warming; it is the cause now. However, those who believe this climate change

is a sole anthropogenic warming will agree, but point out that if that is true earth should be

experiencing a cooling.
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The final climate change debate is an expansion of volcanic outgassing. Moran further

analyzes this process of volcanic outgassing later in the novel. He uses incredibly specific

examples to further his point. Verosub, a scientist, explained that a volcano that is highly

concentrated with sulfur dioxide, such as, Huaynaputina, would lead to global climate change.

The sheer volume of SO2 was enough to cause some real change in the environment (Moran

346). This process is exactly like the greenhouse effect that Gore mentioned. But, this is due to a

natural cause that humans cannot control, that being volcanos erupting. Gore and other climate

change activists argue against this point proving that there are not enough volcanoes erupting to

support the number of greenhouse gasses current in the atmosphere. Specifically, Al Gore

discusses this in his misconception section in the later part of his novel. Humans have become

more impactful than anything that earth does to its self. There are unexplainable changes that do

not relate to nature that people are the creators of. The vulnerability of earth should be a warning

sign to step back (Gore 309). Both points of view have their arguments based on the

composition of the atmosphere. But, Gore’s points the responsibility of global warming to
C
humans. On the opposing side, Moran looks at a specific example in which volcanic eruptions

could have caused the warming.

Regardless of if global warming is caused by humans or nature, it has many negative

impacts on the environment. Some effects of this phenomenon are that the storms are changing,

the viruses are getting more powerful, and glaciers are melting. One may question are humans

the cause or is nature? But, for sure effect is that the glaciers melting have a feedback

association. As the glaciers melt there is less albedo present. Albedo is the rate of reflection on a

surface, white has a higher albedo. With less albedo to reflect the light back more is absorbed

expediting the heating process. As the heat is trapped more warming continues. That increases
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the amount of glacier melting creating an endless cycle (Moran 360). This all keeps the process

going. So even if the question comes to are humans the cause of climate change, or is this a

natural process 97% of scientists agree it’s happening and is an issue that needs further

investigation.
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Works Cited

Gore, Albert. An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming

and What We Can Do About It. Rodale, 2008.

Moran, Joseph. Climate Studies: Introduction to Climate Science. American Meteorological

Society, 2010.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “Scientific Consensus: Earth's Climate Is

Warming.” Edited by Holly Shaftel, NASA, NASA, 18 Sept. 2018,

climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/. Accessed on Oct. 18, 2018.

Trump, Donald. Crippled America. Simon and Schuster, 2015.