Public Policy – Climate Change

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Public Policy – Climate Change

Introduction

At present, climate change is one of the most acute public policy dilemmas that societies worldwide are facing. The increasing effects of it can be observed in escalating sea levels, intensified weather occurrences, and alterations in temperature and precipitation trends. It has been scientifically agreed upon those human actions, such as energy production through fossil fuel burning, are primarily responsible for this environmental threat. Government intervention becomes imperative considering the magnitude and intensity of the problem posed by climate change itself. To resolve this issue effectively, many plans, including but not limited to the description of climatic conditions at large and justification for governmental action on various factors, need consideration, like proposing policies to address these issues. They are followed by predictions regarding potential benefits or risks associated with implementing said proposed plans, forming special programs focusing on efficient execution accompanied by post-analysis critical evaluations. These concepts are necessary from all aspects concerned beforehand. Any further steps are undertaken after careful considerations aiming to combat climate change globally.

Problem Description

The problem of climate change is a significant one that endangers both the environment and society. The principal factor behind this issue lies in burning fossil fuels for energy, which increases greenhouse gas emissions within the Earth’s atmosphere (Latake, Pawar, & Ranveer, 2015). These harmful emissions trap heat, causing temperatures to rise while leading to outcomes such as sea level ascent, more intense heat or droughts, and extreme weather incidents. These all have repercussions on ecosystems and human societies. For instance: cities along coastlines face periodic flooding due to rising water levels, and infrastructure damage threatens communities because they face severe climatic conditions resulting from events like tropical cyclones beyond agriculture being damaged by natural disasters too.

Climate change is an ongoing global problem that requires collaborative efforts from all actors involved to address. A significant contributor is fossil fuel burning for energy purposes, which releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere - contributing to global warming conditions and having environmentally and socially adverse consequences, according to Solaun and Cerda (2019). One of the significant effects of climate change is global temperature rise, leading to various products. Sea levels are rising due to melting glaciers and thermal expansion, substantially threatening coastal cities and their communities. Potentially flooding, infrastructure damage, and population displacement as water levels rise - creating ripple effects that disrupt economies and lead to social unrest.

Warming of the planet has resulted in more frequent and severe extreme weather events like hurricanes, droughts, and floods, leading to considerable economic and social losses for properties, infrastructure, ecosystems, and communities. Some events could even cause human casualties as they cause havoc that disrupts agriculture or related activities that depend on such areas for livelihood. Climate change impacts are felt across society and its many sectors, both negatively and economically. Therefore, finding sustainable solutions to mitigate and adapt to its effects is vital for the environment and society. One such way to do this would be implementing renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency practices, and adopting sustainable practices across various aspects of culture - all leading towards creating a more resilient future for both environments and societies.

Justification for Government Intervention

Due to the vastness and gravity of this issue, government involvement is imperative in finding a solution to climate change. While individual actions that decrease carbon emissions make an impact, they alone cannot fully combat this colossal problem. Governments are crucial in establishing goals to diminish carbon outputs and offering incentives for renewable energy advancements. It also helps regulate industry discharges with their interventional hand by extending towards investing funds into innovative technologies, research, and development endeavors. Furthermore, governments must ensure fair distribution throughout society regarding addressing costs associated with these changes by prioritizing equitable outcomes. Fair distribution would include developing policies secure against low-income communities being unfairly impacted by transitioning toward an economy based on lower emission rates. Furthermore, the government must guarantee equitable distribution of expenses and gains in dealing with climate change. One such instance comprises designing policies that prevent low-income groups from being disproportionally impacted by...