Understanding Global Warming as a Collective Action Problem

Global warming or climate change is a quintessential collective action problem that needs a careful application of policy coordination and also multi-level governance. The rapid increase in the greenhouse gas across the atmosphere threatens a rise in the sea level, global warming, changed rainfall patterns and many others. Apart from these, the sudden increase in the hurricanes and typhoons cannot be mitigated by one nation acting alone. I follow the views of Buchanan (1979), who says that the emission of greenhouse gas is the responsibility of all nations. Global warming and the climate change issues need the cooperation of state or national monitoring local control and many other supports in order to foster a sustainable environment. Since it is a collective problem, it is difficult to change entirely within a short period of time says Easton (1981). It is difficult to halt the world’s fast-rising CO2 emission because the emission of CO2 has reached up to 40 per cent as found from the article of.  Hence, I believe that there is no chance of stopping global warming, but it can be reduced by collaborative efforts.  

According to the views of Hardin (2015), the acceptance of the primary process of global warming has grown with the passage of time and also increasing in a widespread manner although there are some exceptions in the political community. In the year 2001, the United Nations ‘Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) deduced that only the activities conducted by the human race are the reason behind the concentration of Green House Gas within the atmosphere.  Heywood (1994), is of the opinion that these change and concentration are causing an increase in the global temperature. It has also been projected by the IPCC that Green House Gas emission would in future heighten if the government will not take any necessary action as informed by. The resulting concentration will inevitably lead to higher temperatures and change in the climate that are disruptive of the human lifestyle and harmful to the other creatures on the earth. After going through the global climate reports, I have come to the assumption that although it is a difficult problem, it could have been solved to a greater extent, had the members of the society cooperated with each other in making the earth a better place to live.

Since it is a collective problem, it would be unrealistic to expect that it would be resolved by an individual or single member of the group. According to my views, any big project requires the cooperation and coordination of each member of a particular group. In this case, we are all responsible with the duty to reduce the core issues. Laver (1949), expressing his concern says that it requires the participation of those who have disparate interests. The issues mainly arise from the provision of public goods that includes clear water and air. The global climate is a global public good, that has to be accepted by all the members of the society.

Challenges in Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The issues of climate change are an extraordinarily difficult issue which cannot be quickly resolved.  I support the suggestions of Schelling (2006), that the mitigation of the Green House Gas emission requires contentious trade-offs. Both the developing and developed countries need to ensure the supply of energy in a fair manner which is a combined issue for all the nations.  According to my scrutiny of the problems, it would be inappropriate to believe that the institutional panaceas would result in optimal outcomes. It can be assumed that in the coming next few decades, some technological miracle would happen and push the global community to switch swiftly from the fossil fuels out of fear. However, relying on a miracle which has shown no trees yet, would be unlikely and unfruitful.

In the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it has been researched and evidenced by more than 1,300 scientific experts that the human collaborative activities have warmed the planet up to 95% through the past 50 years. Notably, the industrial operations on which the modern civilisation is based, have significantly raised the levels of carbon dioxide from 280 parts in a million to 400 parts in a million throughout the last 150 years. It has also been informed by the panel that human activities also produce toxic gases such as methane, nitrous oxide along with the Green House Gas suggests Rapoport (1974). On the other hand, it is also true that tyre is few natural disorders too that are causing the earth to raise its temperatures such as the change in the energy output of the Sun or solar irradiance. Suits (2014), says that the human activities are to be blamed the most because according to some studies, since the year 1750, the amount of energy coming from the Sun has either increased in nominal rates or has remained stagnant. Had an overactive sun be the reason behind the increase in temperature, then the warm temperature had been in all layers of the atmosphere, but it has been found that the upper atmosphere is cooler than the lower.  I agree and consider it to be concrete evidence that human cause excessive amount of greenhouse is heating up the lower portion of the atmosphere.

Although in the year 2016, for the first time the world has agreed on a shared vision of establishing a transparent and sustainable development, there are few challenges that restrict the aim to succeed as expected.  It has been found from the reports that 188 countries have realised that the activities of human being are remarkably affecting the well –being of the earth. Hence, they decided to contribute to the mission and made additional commitments. The agreement has been named as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and gave the world a goal for action against climate change and global warming. This seemed to work as a momentum that is important for spurring the reduction in carbon emission rates. This improvement was thought to be changing the face of the economy, social infrastructure, education, health and also a sustainable environment.

Scientific Evidence Behind Human Activities as the Primary Cause of Climate Change

The challenges that might come in the way of the success of this mission are enormous. First of all, the total amount of countries’ temperatures will not be possible to stay below 2-degree rise as committed. The commitment of the business, investors, province and cities would be uncertain to be observed because most of the commitments are interdependent.  The ambitious project also requires innovative ways to get unprecedented collaboration from all the associated entities.  The United Nations along with other global organisations including the World Bank identifies that it needs much more than efforts. The public organisations belonging to different countries agree that the role of governments both at the state and government level are highly required in order to accelerate the collaborative actions puts Shepsle & Bonchek (1997). I put the agenda as a significant issue that lacks public-private partnership alliances so that the resources are mobilised across a few key sectors and geographies. The individual needs and priorities have to be changed to influence the big picture. People have to compromise their own preferences and demand up to some extents. They have to have a clear picture of the upcoming generation which is already at stake if the situation keeps worsening.

Hence, it can be perceived that climate change and global warming is a severe problem and remain to be so because it cannot be resolved quickly. Since it is the result of the collaborative activities of all the people of every nation, whatever be the percentage, the collaborative effort of all of them is required. First of all, there has to be a global push for healthier, cleaner earth to breathe in. As found from the views of Weber (2013), all the nations have to support the fact that renewable energy is the best choice that can replace fossil fuels.  The state and national government along with the organisations have to be aware and agile enough, otherwise, it will not only be difficult, but it will also be impossible.

             The people of the society have to aware of using energy wisely. It will save both energy and money.  Putting a price on the carbon emission can be one of the most effective pillars of any strong climate policies. It will make the polluting activities expensive and slow down the energy –efficient business. In this sphere, the collaboration of the market economists who would help to reduce the emissions supports. The federal government is also equally involved in working with the territories to price the carbon emissions, but it needs the support of responsible citizens. All of these can be easy to recommend, but the real problem arises in the implementation of these strategies to the nations.

Therefore, it is right to the words that Global warming is a collective action problem; it is also a problem that is very difficult to solve. The main reason it is challenging to solve is that it is a collective action problem. 

Reference  

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