Description
We have studied a diverse group of environmental issues during our course. Many of these issues can be directly linked to a variety of environmental challenges/problems. In addition, many of these issues affect various direct/indirect environmental values that are important to all people. The process to create policies that effectively and efficiently address these environmental issues is complex and difficult. In your Final Paper, you will be tasked to discuss, analyze, and evaluate one of the following environmental issues and then recommend a policy to address the issue. Select an environmental issue that interests you from the list below:
- Loss of biodiversity
- Energy
- Solid and hazardous waste
- Public land use
- Climate change
- International environmental policy
Please note that air quality and water issues are not topics for the Final Paper because you wrote a short paper during Week Two, which focuses on one of those two policy areas.
For this assignment, you will complete the following sections:
- Introduction (Links to an external site.): Introduce the thesis (Links to an external site.)and provide a brief overview of the main points.
- Explain why and how three environmental challenges/problems are associated with this issue.
- Explain why and how direct and/or indirect environmental values are impacted by this issue.
- Recommend a policy that will effectively and efficiently address the three environmental challenges/problems associated with your issue.
- Evaluate the social, political, economic, and environmental pros/cons of implementing your policy.
- Conclusion (Links to an external site.): Conclude your paper with a brief review your main points and overall argument/thesis.
Important: Parts 2 to 5 need be written as body paragraphs, with all of the parts necessary for a complete body paragraph (Links to an external site.).
The paper must be 10 to 12 pages in length (excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.). You must use at least four credible sources
(at least two of which must be found in the Ashford University Library) other than the textbook to support your claims. Cite your sources in-text (Links to an external site.) and on the reference page (Links to an external site.). For additional information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar, in your online course.
Writing the Final Paper
The Final Paper:
- Must be 10 to 12 double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference pages), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
- Must include a title page with the following:
- Title of paper
- Student’s name
- Course name and number
- Instructor’s name
- Date submitted
- Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
- Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
- Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
- Must use at least six scholarly resources, including a minimum of four from the Ashford University Library.
- Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
- Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Running head: CLIMATE CHANGE
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Policy Challenges Presented by Environmental Problems: Climate Change
Name
Institutional Affiliation
CLIMATE CHANGE
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Policy Challenges Presented by Environmental Problems: Climate Change
Introduction
100 years ago, concerns were raised regarding the increased burning of fossil fuels which
increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and in turn lead to climate change.
Increased industrialization and consumerism by mankind have led to environmental
deterioration. During the end of the 20th century, governments have started heeding to the
concerns and environmental activists have made attempts to ascertain ways that human actions
that influence the earth’s climate. In 2013, scientists produced evidence that showed that
atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide had exceeded the standard levels in human history.
Emissions of greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide have risen in the past. There is
enough evidence to show that climate change is human induced. The phenomenon has immense
impacts on human life, animals and the effects are affecting the basic ecosystems. Some of the
effects like melting glaciers, extreme weather conditions, global warming and extinction of
specie. Climate change has significantly transformed earth. Action needs to be taken to mitigate
the phenomenon. Since climate change has been associated with carbon dioxide, one of the most
significant policy changes is the adoption of renewable and alternative energy solutions to
replace fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. The impact will be positive with increased creation
of jobs, stable, reliable and resilient energy and improved human health. Climate change is a
pervasive phenomenon with negative impact on human and animal life that can be mitigated by
adoption of renewable and alternative energy.
CLIMATE CHANGE
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Environmental Challenges/Problems
Climate Change and Wildlife
Climate change has been cited as the greatest cause of species extinctions in the 21st century.
Evidence shows that an average 1.5 degrees Celsius has the capacity to put between 20% and
30% of species at risk. In case the temperatures of the planet rise for over 3 degrees Celsius,
most ecosystems will exist in hardship (Change, 2014). Many of the species in the world that are
currently threatened by climate change live in areas that have severely been hit by climate
change. Climate change is taking place at an expedited rate such that most species do not have
time to adapt. Some of the species include tigers, snow leopards, African elephants, polar bears
and orang-utans (Change, 2014). The number of tigers residing in the wild has declined owing to
poaching and loss of habitat. Climate change has been connected with increasing sea levels that
further risk fires in tigers’ habitats. The temperatures in the Himalayas have risen three times
above average. This area is the prime habitat of the snow leopard and continued warming is
threatening the range of these animals as tree lines move higher in the mountains. The effect is
that the species will be fragmented and isolated (Change, 2014). The Asian-rhinos are onehorned species that lives in floodplain grasslands in India and Nepal. Their reliance on annual
monsoon for timely and sufficient rain helps provide vegetation for food. Changing climate
disrupts seasonal patterns and results in regular flooding and drought. The Arctic temperatures
are rising almost twice as the rest of the planet, melting ice in the process. Sea ice melts earlier
and forms later and females do not get to land in autumn and sea in spring. The result is that
polar bears are staying for longer without food, minimizing their body weight and physical wellbeing and hence making it harder to live through the summer (Change, 2014). These animals are
CLIMATE CHANGE
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being affected negatively by climate change owing to changes in temperatures, vegetation and
their physical well-being in their natural habitat.
Climate Change and Water
Climate change ha...
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