By: Aditi Subramanyam Global warming and climate change are environmental issues first presented centuries ago. Yet, up until present day, people still debate on whether or not these issues deserve recognition. A matter this prevalent is inevitably influenced by political ideas. Our political system is primarily divided within two major political parties, known as the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Studies show that members of the Democratic Party are more likely to view climate change as an immediate threat, while members of the Republican Party generally believe climate change to be exaggerated. However, many people claim these opinions simply because they have been passed down through many generations. Furthermore, as each group converses with its own members, group polarization comes into play, making it hard for the political parties to acknowledge each others’ view. This divide contributes to the long-standing disagreement preventing society from taking action as a whole. Our world today faces climate disasters almost every day. For example, the drought in Europe, rampant wildfires across the United States west coast, intensive flooding and tornadoes in the Midwest, as well as the ever-increasing carbon dioxide emissions. Despite the clear evidence, climate change still relies on politics to advance and take action. Furthermore, climate deniers refuse to acknowledge the evidence right in front of their eyes in hopes of saving their wallet or keeping their political party in power. Though these may be valid concerns, they are ultimately useless if the world is in jeopardy. However, these problems may cause a significant impediment for underdeveloped countries such as Africa, India, and China. These countries do not have enough funds to shift to eco-friendly fuel alternatives, especially due to the political battles that they are already fighting. Hence, requiring international assistance to transfer to renewable resources. In addition, these underdeveloped countries are bearing the adverse effects caused by the developed countries. Political involvement has the power to greatly impact climate change, for the better or worse. The need for global political consensus to alleviate further destruction of the planet is the need of the hour. After all, climate change impacts and aggravates poverty and requires the dedication of resources meant for development to mitigate the negative risk and impact. Sources: -https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-challenging-politics-of-climate-change/ -https://climate.miami.edu/politics-of-climate-change/ -https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/europes-drought-could-signal-the-death-of-river-cruising/ar-AA10DPwa -https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/tornadoes/202206 -https://earthandhuman.org/reasons-people-deny-climate-change/ -https://www.climate.gov/ -https://www.npr.org/2021/11/11/1054809644/climate-change-cop26-loss-and-damage
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