China and u.s. promise to combat climate change
Author: Lisa Fredman and ClimateWire
Source: Scientific American
Date: September, 24th, 2014
Source: Scientific American
Date: September, 24th, 2014
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Summary
During the U.N. Climate Change Summit, many people pledged to take action to combat the issue. U.S. and China claim that, as the two major economies and polluters, it is their responsibility to fix this issue. Although these types of meetings rarely result in change, many believe that something will be done this time. This is most likely due to the fact that this summit has gained the attention of hundreds (celebrities, activists, business leaders, etc.). One of the most significant aspects of this summit is that it was made clear that every nation must do something. There were many pledges and proposals for cutting carbon emissions and methane emissions, promoting business cooperation, and decreasing forest losses. Nations are planning to contribute billion to these goals; it is definitely a step in the right direction. Lastly, the big nations were called on to participate in a new global financial aid for climate change actions. France, South Korea, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Mexico, and Germany all stated that they would contribute. U.S. ad China will do there fair share as well. Whether these nations actually do something about climate change is to be determined in the coming months.
Reflection
I chose this article because I believe events, such as these, are very important. It gives world leaders a chance to meet up and discuss the major global issues. This climate change summit is very interesting because not only has it caught the attention of political figures, but celebrities and the general public have participated in their own way. I remember watching The Inconvenient Truth in middle school and wondering when the world would wake up and realize how significant climate change really is. I'm glad to see that there is a change happening.
The next steps have actually been highlighted by the world leaders themselves. There were many pledges and promises made at the climate change summit. However, there is no certainty that they will own up to their responsibilities. This is disappointing to think about since most of the promises, like reducing carbon emissions and saving trees, would have a huge impact on the global warming crisis. I'm really looking forward to seeing what will become of these pledges among nations. |