Description
Texas is one of the largest state in the U.S., and has been significantly affected by climate change (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-tx.pdf (Links to an external site.)). However, the state has not developed a statewide adapation plan or rigorous climate policies to reduce carbon emission. An overview of Texas energy profile can be found here: https://www.georgetownclimate.org/clean-energy/clean-energy-and-climate-data.html?state=TX (Links to an external site.)Suppose you are a climate scientist working at the University of Texas at Austin. Write a memo to Texas’s governor Gregory Wayne Abbott to present a persuasive argument that Texas needs to develop climate policies to reduce its carbon footprint. In your memo, (1)you should first establish the argument that climate change is a real threat with serious consequences, and (2) point out the impact of human activities on climate change and problems in Texas’s energy practice; you may consider data from radiative forcing and data of Texas’s energy profile. (3) propose at least two climate policy ideas for Texas. You might consider development of renewable energy, building standards regulations, energy production regulations, education, etc., which can be combined with funding, tax incentives and other policy means. Use ONE paragraph to discuss each proposed idea. Note: Please first try to understand the rhetorical context by analyzing the purpose of the memo, the audience, and the writer (yourself as a climate scientist). Since the audience is a governor, your suggestions should focus on policy instead of individual behavior (for example, you can advise the governor to push for educational programs about the carbon footprint of differnt foods, instead of advising your audience to choose to eat certain kinds of food). Format: Memorandum, 12-point font, single space, blank line between paragraphs. 1.5-2 pages. Instruction: You need to finish an outline and a memo. The outline needs to reflect the structure of the memo and cover all questions in the prompt, indicating the substance of your answers to the questions. You need to submit completed draft of the outline and the memo in PDF files or Word documents. Do NOT submit Google docs or Pages.References:Cordero, E. (2021, February 17). Global warming and climate change, what’s an engineer to do? GreenTalk Speaker Series. Lecture presented at San José State University, San José, CA.Other background reading:If you cite any other sources (including the pieces embeded in the prompt), please include APA citations of these souces in the references.