R: Let the North Pole Melt

Climate change carries with it sectarian implications and political baggage that is difficult to overcome. It is taken as a fact in many circles and vehemently denied in others. Climate change is a point of contention not only with regard to the politicization of science but also because it is a presupposition of many governmental policies and laws. When treating climate change in a political context, we must ask to what extent humans have a responsibility to preserve Earth as it was before significant industrialization and to what extent it is admissible to shape Earth to human needs. Ought we take action to counteract the effects of industrialization? Ought humans steward natural resources in a way that alters the environmental landscape for our betterment?

Moreover, we must balance the good of preserving resources with the good of improving human quality of life. Is it justifiable to restrict the use of fossil fuels when such use would provide a healthier and more productive life for billions of people in developing countries? Or does overuse of natural resources only harm the regions in which these resources are harvested and used?