Global Warming: A Controversial Issue

Global warming has become a very controversial issue over the past twenty years are so. While there is significant evidence suggesting a temperature increase will impose serious threats to our world, some still believe global warming is due to natural causes and should not be taken seriously. I believe the article from the Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center titled Global Warming Is a Serious Threat is more convincing than the article Global Warming Is Not a Serious Threat for two main reasons.First, the article that warns of the dangers of global warming uses more fear tactics and shocking statistics. For instance, it quotes journalist Ross Gelbspan when he states
"For all but a small, noisy claque of doubters, the global-warming debate
has long been settled. The consensus: It’s happening; the consequences
will be stark; the world better start moving quickly to prevent the loss of
species and land, an increase in severe and dangerous weather, damage to
the food supply and the spread of disease." Not only did this grab my attention but it acted as a call to action for me to get involved and do something about global warming.Secondly, I felt this article did a better job explaining the scientific terms associated with global warming, such as the greenhouse effect, and gave me a better understanding of why the burning of fossil fuels and the deforestation of trees and rain forests impacted the climate to such a high degree. To explain, the greenhouse effect is the earth’s ability to absorb the sun’s energy and reflect some of it back to space so the planet can sustain life. However, the human production of additional gases and removal of carbon absorbing trees is throwing off the atmosphere’s equilibrium and keeping all of that energy in.
The Global Warming Is a Serious Threat article’s ability to evoke an emotional response while providing a vast amount of data was more persuasive than the article Global Warming Is Not a Serious Threat which repeated that the Earth has always gone through warming and cooling phases as its only source of evidence. Therefore, after reading both articles, my opinions of global warming have not changed and all arguments I had on the topic were discussed. I still believe global warming is happening and is induced by humans. In fact, these opinions have only gotten stronger due to the data the article in favor of global warming provided.