Whenever I hear someone tell me that global warming isn't real, I cringe. The consensus within the scientific community points only in one direction. Climate change isn't just a theory; it is a process already in progress that will have serious consequences within all of our lifetimes. And what are we doing about it? Well, pretty close to nothing.
The recently released IPCC reports have drawn attention to just how dire this situation is. These peer-reviewed reports involve thousands of respected scientists and policymakers, and are widely regarded as one of the most credible sources of climate change information.
The IPCC report titled "Climate Change 2007: The Physics Science Basis" predicts sea level rises ranging from about seven to 23 inches, enough to displace millions of people and cause massive infrastructure and economic damage. Extreme weather events such as category five hurricanes and heat waves will occur more frequently. The geographic range for infectious diseases will be expanded, meaning that dengue and malaria will present a threat to areas which weren't at risk before. The already growing extinction rate would increase as plants and animals become unable to adapt to their rapidly changing environments.
And climate change isn't just an environmental problem. Our dependence on the burning of fossil fuels for energy makes us dependent on foreign energy sources, reducing our national security. Climate change also presents an equity issue, since the most dramatic effects of climate change, such as flooding, droughts and increased incidence of disease will be seen in the poorest countries. These countries have typically contributed the least to global carbon emissions, but are experiencing most of the effects of our warming planet.
What does all of this mean? It means that it is imperative that we start reducing our carbon emissions in a big way, right now. Even if we begin our reductions now, we will still see the effects of the tons of carbon dioxide we have pumped into the air already for several decades. The longer we wait to take action, the more difficult the problem will be to deal with.
What can you do about it? Of course, basic steps like driving less, buying local foods and turning off your lights (we all like to Do It In the Dark, right?) will help. But these actions aren't enough. To bring the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations back down to a level low enough to stave off catastrophic human, economic and ecological damage, we are going to have to do much more.
Much of the problem is a government that is unresponsive to the problem of climate change. The Bush administration's "voluntary" carbon reduction program and refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol, combined with severe under-funding of research and development for renewable energy technologies has put the United States way behind the international community.
Here in the United States, we have the resources and the opportunities to change the way we live, but lack the political will. The solution? Citizens like you and I need to put pressure on policymakers to let them know that we want a strong response to climate change.
The massive carbon reductions we will need must come also from increased efficiency measures and a transition to new, clean forms of energy and away from fossil fuels. This cannot be accomplished by individuals acting alone. We need new policies and efforts to change our infrastructure.
This is why communities all over the United States this Saturday are coming together to tell Congress to "Step It Up". This call to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050 sends a strong message to our government that climate change is not a C-list issue anymore; climate change is important and the United States should take responsibility for the emissions we are producing.
Small actions aren't enough. The technology to drastically reduce our emissions is here; the problem is political. As a nation, it is time for us to decide to step it up and take strong action on climate change.
Rallies will be taking place all over the country, including Somerville and downtown Boston. We have organized our own Step It Up event this Saturday, which will be taking place on the Academic Quad from 12:30-3:00 p.m.
If you care about equality, national security, public health, species extinction, or just your beach house, you should be at Step It Up on Saturday to tell Congress that climate change matters.
Melissa Henry is a senior majoring in political science.
