Climate Change

The Presentation

On Thursday Jessilyn and Laura did their presentation on the issue of climate change. They specifically address the issues of the Arctic meltdown, and how it will affect the politics, economics and society. They also address the external issues related to Arctic meltdown, including such things as the warming ocean, the pine beetle, and the severe alteration of the arctic biome ecosystem. The film- An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore was a good summary of the changes that may occur, and the reasons for global warming, however the film was generally an American perceptive on the issue, and promoted North American changes and causes. I think it is important to remember that global warming is not a local issue it is a global issue, and needs to be examined broadly rather than narrowly. Different people and places will be affected differently by global warming; the changes and repercussions will not be the same across time and space.

Inequality and Climate Change

I think the two notions go hand and hand, and if we don't at them as interconnected when developing solutions negative impacts and limited progress will arise. The chapter in the text suggests that inequality cannot be separated from issues of climate change. Climate change is address at the local level, the national level and the global level, but rarely at the level of inequality. The suggestions for change are as said and good, but not all countries and people have the ability to abide by these changes. Technology is increasingly a part of the changes made to promote environmental sustainability. But technology is costly, and not available to all people. Resources and the environment in the global south are intricately related to their subsidence and livelihood. The cutting of lumber, consumption of water, and cultivation of land play an integral role in their livelihood. But with increasing down flows of pollution, privatization and regulations they are unable to meet their survival needs. It is important to recognize that the regulations imposed by climate change need to be different in terms of time and space, each local community will have to implement their own regulations, as not all have the equal ability to abide by global regulations.