An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore

                          An Inconvenient Truth                                                        - Al Gore In troduction:             ...

                         An Inconvenient Truth

                                                     - Al Gore

Introduction:

             An Inconvenient Truth is a documentary that talks about global warming as championed by Al Gore, the former vice president of the United States. In the film, Al Gore explains the effects of climate change caused by global warming and the reason why leaders across the world need to address climate change as an emergency issue.

    Gore states that the leaders are not ready to listen to the truth regarding the grave effects of global warming because it is not convenient for them to hear, and therefore they choose to ignore the truth.

In the documentary, frequent hurricanes like Katrina that took place in the Pacific Ocean and the melting of polar ice caps are some of the serious effects posed by global warming. Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to assess the effects of global warming and climate change as presented in the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. 

Global Warming Crisis:

         Global warming is the average increase in the temperatures of the earth’s atmosphere. From the late 19th century, there has been a continuous increase in the temperatures of the earth. Scientists attribute the rise in the temperatures to the emissions of greenhouse gases, which emanate from human activities.

 Hence, combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation result in emission of carbon dioxide, which is one of the greenhouse gases that affect the ozone layer. Scientists believe that if leaders and states do nothing to avert the crisis of climate change, people should expect drought, famine, increased sea levels, heat waves, and desertification.

 However, many states have put in place various policies to reduce and minimize the effects of global warming on climate. The proposed policies include geo-engineering, reduction of greenhouse gases, and increased public awareness of environmental conservation.

 Deforestation and poor methods of farming are also major causes of global warming and climate change. Since plants and animals use and exchange gases such oxygen and carbon dioxide, deforestation and poor farming methods results in biodiversity imbalance.

 According to scientists, climate changes linked to global warming have adverse effects on the health of human beings. For example, the heat waves that took place in 2006 in North America caused the death of many people. Furthermore, if leaders do nothing urgently to stop global warming, glacier parks and polar bears risk disappearing.

 Gore highlights example such as melting of ice in the northern polar and hurricanes such as Katrina in the pacific and Atlantic oceans as effects of global warming (8). It is, therefore, vital for the leaders of the world especially from developed countries to come together and devise strategies that will help reduce the effects of global warming and climate change.

 Many countries that are near large water bodies like oceans and seas have already seen the effects of global warming. Countries like the Maldives are already looking for areas to relocate because of the rise in water levels. Moreover, many deadly storms, hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones caused by the rise in sea levels are increasing.

 Thus, diseases like malaria has shifted to new areas because mosquitoes migrate by following the changes in climate patterns. Moreover, mountain glaciers are gradually reducing, and if nothing happens quickly, many mountains and ice lands will become extinct.

Prevention Measures:

•           According to Al Gore, global warming and climate change is a crisis that leaders across the world should take quick and urgent measures to curb it. Many solutions can be useful in the reduction of the effects occasioned by global warming and climate change. 
•            The use of herbicides, insecticides, pesticides and other harmful farm chemicals should be discouraged. Farmers must be encouraged to use of organic fertilizers and other ways that are environmentally friendly in controlling pests. Another important strategy that is core in reducing the effects of global warming is forestation, reforestation, and reduction of deforestation.
•          Governments must ensure that there are effective measures, which help in the management and control of forested areas. According to Bertelsmeier, climate changes and global warming are highly dependent on the diverse social and economic human activities that cause emissions of greenhouse gases.

Conclusion:

           The documentary by Al Gore is very instrumental in increasing the level of awareness held by the world concerning global warming and climate change. The documentary brings to the fore the causes, effects, consequences, and possible solutions to the crisis.

 During his tenure as the vice president, Al Gore fought for the implementation of the Kyoto protocol, which is an agreement designed to minimize the emissions of greenhouse gases in industrialized nations. He also campaigned for the implementation of carbon taxes that regulate the carbon in fuel by imposing some amount of tax on the content of carbon in the fuel.

 Thus, industries and business entities should minimize the use of fuels that have high levels of carbon, while farmers should use alternative ways of controlling pests and weeds to reduce emission of chlorofluorocarbons.