Draft

Title

Morgan McIntosh

University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College

1 February 2018

Throughout the duration of this course, I plan to research climate change. Being such a controversial topic, climate change, otherwise known as "global warming", sparks a great deal of curiosity and interest in myself and others. In the last year, we have all heard one politician or another argue about, discuss, or discredit the concept of climate change. We see endless amounts of environmental preservation campaigns and programs. But how much is really known about climate change?

During my research I plan to explore the causes of climate change: How has climate change increased in recent decades and why? What human actions have aided in the decrease of environmental health? And what can be done to rectify this growing issue? I would then like to look into the effects of climate change: How has the Earth been negatively impacted? How does this disrupt the animal kingdom and by extension, the food chain? Does that correlate with the increase of endangered species? Are their any effects in the overall health of humans? And if so, what medical conditions can be caused or are worsened because of an unhealthy environment? I also intend on analyzing how this topic is handled within the government and public media. How do elected officials feel about climate change? Should it be dealt with on a national level? Are those in political offices planning about taking steps to improve the situation? And how is the topic of climate change perceived by the public?

Mccright, A. M., & Dunlap, R. E. (2011). The Politicization of Climate Change and Polarization in the American Public's Views of Global Warming, 2001–2010. The Sociological Quarterly,52(2), 155-194. doi:10.1111/j.1533-8525.2011.01198.x

In this article based on the research done by McCright and Dunlap, the two explore the politicization and polarization of climate changes among the American people. According to information gathered in 10 separate Gallup Polls, “... liberals and Democrats are more likely to report beliefs consistent with the scientific consensus and express personal concern about global warming than are conservatives and Republicans.” (Dunlap, McCright, p. 1, 2011). The article explains the differences regarding the varying political standpoints and the policies and actions being taken by members of the US government.

Memmott, J., Craze, P. G., Waser, N. M., & Price, M. V. (2007). Global warming and the disruption of plant?pollinator interactions. Ecology Letters, 10(8), 710-717. doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01061.x

This journal outlines the research of Memmet, Craze, Waser and Price. The group researched the effects of climate change on the survival of plants and other organisms as the environment worsens. They specifically focus on the plant-pollinator relationship. Their studies indicates that climate change, “reduced the floral resources available to 17-50% of all pollinator species, causing as much as half of the ancestral activity period of the animals to fall at times when no food plants were available,” and that “The predicted result of these disruptions is the extinction of pollinators, plants and their crucial interactions,”. Shifting climate has negative effects on the environment which impairs the relationship between plants and pollinators, further harming the remainder of the ecosystem.

Pielke, R. A., Landsea, C. W., Mayfield, M., & Pasch, R. (2005). Hurricanes and global warming. Nature, 438(7071). doi:10.1038/nature04477

The authors look into the correlation between global warming and the increasing number of natural disasters occuring around the world. As stated in the article, “Because the global earth system is highly complicated, until a relationship between actual storm intensity and tropical climate change is clearly demonstrated and accepted by the broader community, it would be premature to conclude with certainty that such a link exists or is significant,” (Pielke, Landsea, Mayfield, Laver, Pasch, p. 2, 2005). Though there is no direct relationship between climate change and hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. there is still prominent effects on weather causes by the changing climate and atmosphere.

Shaftel, H., & Callerly, S. (Eds.). (2014, June 02). Global Climate Change. Retrieved January 29, 2018, from https://climate.nasa.gov/

In this website, featuring several articles by NASA’s Earth Science Communications Team, evidence of climate change as well as the causes and effects of the phenomena are discussed. The causes of climate change are generalized, "The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is extremely likely (greater than 95 percent probability) to be the result of human activity..." (NASA, 2018). The article argues that climate change is in large part a man-made issue. The references many links between human activity and the development of the “greenhouse effect”. The “greenhouse effect” is believed to be the largest contributor to the increase in climate change and severity of global warming and its harmful effects.

Watts, N., Adger, W. N., Aggnolucci, P., Byass, P., Wenjia, C., Chaytor, S., . . . Collins, M. (2015). Health and Climate Change: Policy Responses to Protect Public Health (Vol. 386). Elsevier Ltd. Retrieved January 29, 2018, from http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)60854-6/fulltext

This article written on the 2015 Commision of Health and Climate Change outlines the health issues caused by climate change and the “policy responses” (Watts, p. 1, 2015), needed to sustain healthy populations throughout the world. According to the article, global warming “... threatens population health through adverse changes in air pollution, the spread of disease vectors, food insecurity and undernutrition, displacement and mental ill health.” (Watts, p.1, 2015). Handling climate change “could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century,” (Watts, p.1, 2015). Addressing the health risks that accompany global warming could improve the overall health of the world, while also improving an issue that is growing worse and worse.