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There is no doubt that global warming, an increase in Earth's external temperatures, is one of the most severe problems facing the world today. Global warming is disrupting climates world-wide, and is leading to a depletion of natural resources that will soon become exhausted. Global leaders need to come together to combat this problem. Key issues that need to be considered when developing policies around global warming include global awareness of the problem, finding alternatives to current energy sources, and figuring out how to fund the implementation of these policies. **You didn't mention leaders in your thesis; I don't know if you really have to, but you should probably consider it since it's in the prompt.** ﻿(they kind of did mention "global leaders" right before, would be repetitive if they did so again)

Leaders need to consider public awareness of global warming. A greater emphasis needs to be placed on educating citizens worldwide on the gravity of the issue at hand. If people are incognizant of the situation, what makes leaders think anyone will bother trying to solve it? Currently, nations around the world use up resources at alarming rates while simultaneously emitting massive amounts of pollution into the air. The United States makes up only 4.6% of the world population, and yet uses 25% of the world's energy. Many people in the world are unfortunately completely unaware of just how much of an effect simple, every day actions truly have. In the 20th century, the global surface temperature rose 1 degree Fahrenheit, more than has been seen in the last thousand years (A). This rise in global temperatures has a domino effect--the arctic ice cap is melting so quickly that scientists predict it could disappear entirely by 2030. ** Great use of facts here ** Not only would this deprive the world of one of the few remaining freshwater sources, but it would lead to a massive rise in sea level, putting coastal cities in great danger. The global environment is changing so rapidly that "the slow evolutionary process of species can't keep up" (F). These are only a few of the horrendous consequences of global warming. People need to be aware that these problems are very real, and that they affect every single inhabitant of this planet. It is up to global leaders to figure out policies to combat these problems, because it is never too late. Whether it be through schools, the media… everyone needs to be educated on what is happening to the Earth. Teaching the denizens of the world about what is happening on Earth so that they can join the fight to protect the environment is one of the key things global leaders need to consider.

Global leaders also need to make use of alternative energy sources and encourage research for finding new energy sources. The combustion of fossil fuels "accounts for nearly 3/4 of CO2 emissions" (A). Fossil fuels emit gasses like carbon dioxide into the air, which contributes to the rise in global temperatures. As technology continues to develop worldwide, it tends to become larger and more energy dependent (oil tankers are a prime example)--the exact opposite of the trend that should be seen. Many countries worldwide have already discovered and implemented effective alternative energy sources. For example, as is mentioned in the environmental documentary //Home//, countries like Denmark are taking advantage of wind power and are using it in place of sources that are far more detrimental to the environment. In Iceland, there are plants powered entirely by just the earth's heat. A plethora of alternatives like these exist, and they are both environmentally and economically effective. 2.5 million jobs are created annually by the use of wind energy alone (Home). Such fuel-saving technologies are "also getting more compelling as oil and gas prices reach record levels" (C). In times of such economic troubles, use of renewable energy proves to be beneficial to both the producers and consumers of that energy. Finding and implementing these alternative energy sources will benefit the Earth and its creatures in endless ways. Aside from making sure to implement policies such as these, however, global leaders also need to encourage research in hope of discovering new ways to use alternative energy sources. Entire communities already exist in places like Germany that are entirely solar powered. The amount of sunlight energy that hits the Earth in just one hour is equivalent to the energy used world-wide in an entire year (Home). The sun's energy is practically inexhaustible, unlike traditional energy sources. If scientists could figure out how to use virtually limitless energy sources like the sun to their full advantage, the earth would be far better off. Global leaders must recognize and encourage the use of alternative energy sources to combat global warming.

Perhaps the most significant issue global leaders must consider when making policies affecting global warming is figuring out where the financing for the implementation of new policies should come from--after all, money does not grow on trees (though if it did, there would surely be some people who would choose to chop down those trees anyhow). Some people argue that "only when we get sufficiently rich can we afford the luxury of caring about the environment" (D). This is entirely not the case. Take, for instance, nations like Costa Rica. Costa Rica does not even have an Army--it devotes its resources almost entirely to education and preservation of the environment. The world "spends 12 times more on military expenditures than on aid to developing countries " that could be used to develop and implement new energy sources (Home). Countries that are currently in the process of developing should do so correctly--that is, rather than becoming a threat to the environment by causing a "massive explosion in production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases", they should be, from the start, nations that preserve and care for the Earth, with an environmentally friendly infrastructure (E). There will, however, always be massive corporations like, say, BP, that refuse to back down and continue to hastily damage the environment. Global leaders should consider taxing these companies heavily to gather money for the environmentally friendly projects that are, granted, quite expensive. These companies are, after all, to blame for many of the problems seen today. In addition, world organizations like the United Nations and its UNEP (UN Environmental Programme) can gather money from sources like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as individual nations. These are, after all, investments in the futures of each and every one of us. No future nation will ever be able to avoid living with the problems caused by global warming. While finding the money to help the environment may seem a difficult task at first, there is an abundance of sources world-wide that leaders should consider before giving up.

Clearly, global warming is an immense problem today--there is no denying that fact. While most people openly acknowledge its existence, what they often do not acknowledge is how to fix it, or at least greatly minimize its effects. First of all, the people of the world must be educated on the detrimental effects of global warming, otherwise no change will ever occur. Leaders also need to emphasize the importance of finding and implementing alternative energy sources--that is what will help the most, and should therefore be top priority. Funding of reforms will be a problem, but funding of any sort always is. There are many ways in which global leaders can come up with sources of funding. Whether it be taxing the companies that day after day make the problem worse, receiving aid from world organizations, or funding nation by nation--something must be done. Global warming needs to be combatted and it needs to be combatted now--the entire world is at risk.