Carbon Emissions Essay Sample

The year is currently 2021. Carbon dioxide emissions are at an all-time high and show no signs of being reduced. Fossil fuels and other carbon-based resources are used much more than the resources that do not contribute to the growing levels of carbon dioxide. Global temperatures have increased slightly, but the effects of the change have already become known. Some of the population is now fearful of the Earth’s future, but many of those in power believe that what they are facing is just a natural occurrence since Earth theorized to have fluctuations in its temperature after many years have passed, some are agreement that they should do their best to prevent the worst-case scenario, and the rest simply do not care. There is a lot of uncertainty to the fate of humans after the effects of global warming change the condition of the Earth. Of course, it is known through the name that global warming is causing the Earth to gradually become warmer, but what exactly does that detail? Are there any of major events that will occur from this increase in heat? Will there be a chance for humans to revert these changes after centuries have passed? 

The year is now 2050. Some of those who pledged to mitigate emissions to prevent global climate change did not commit with what was stated three decades in the past. There is currently no return for humans to lower the temperatures soon enough for global warming to be mitigated in the coming generations. The world’s temperature has increased by two degrees Celsius. The icecaps have melted in the Arctic and sea levels have begun to rise, becoming more evident when viewing the coastal regions and islands that have lost some of their land to the waters. Storms have become fiercer due to the heat over the oceans. Thunderstorms and tropical cyclones occur more often through the year, and they have become much stronger in comparison to how they were earlier in the century. Despite these signs are shown, those in power still believe that nothing should be done to lower carbon dioxide emissions, but even if they were to start now, nothing can be done for what is sure to come.

It is now the year 2100. Temperatures have now increased by three degrees Celsius. The oceans have risen by three feet from the melting ice sheets of Antarctica and the ice from Greenland and the Arctic, flooding many low elevated regions across the world. Almost 700 million people are displaced due to the heightened waters, and more must leave the islands that their ancestors once called home. Populations have steadily increased, but there is not enough land to support these growing numbers. Deserts have grown from the increased heat, and more forests are catching fire. Agriculture is taking more damage from the dying crops and there is a greater food shortage for the growing populations. Water is becoming much more difficult to access in the developing countries due to their water’s evaporation. There are thousands of heat related deaths throughout the world, as many people are not able to access their needs, fell victim to the changing lands, or perished from the heat. The world governments have met together to speak about completely ceasing carbon emission, but it has been far too late to stop now. Even if they were to somehow all cease emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, things will not be able to return to how they were before during the twenty-first century. It is far too late for anyone to do anything. They must deal with the mistakes of those in power centuries in the past, but they shouldn’t have had to. The only way for humans to survive now is to move themselves to another planet. Luckily, scientists have been planning this for many years and have been terraforming Mars in secret. Unbeknownst to the general population, plans are being made that will secure humanity’s future without most of them. 

Fifty years have passed, and things seem to have reached their worst. Global temperatures have increased by 6 degrees Celsius, and all the ice around the planet is already melted into the oceans. Many places around the world have become uninhabitable due to them being underwater, the weather is plagued with storms, and the populations have halted. There is not enough land to support what they currently have. Many are living in crowded cities; others are homeless fighting for what little resources are left. Scientists have finally finished their plans for leaving Earth and are ready to move to Mars. Only those who are part of the higher class, important figures like presidents or prime ministers and their families, and hand selected people that have been cleared to be able to survive the journey and Mars’ conditions. Humanity has found itself an out, but at the expense of much of its population. 

The year is now 2300, and most of the population is fending for themselves. There is no power, every storm brings death to those who witness it. Society has broken itself down into the simplest form of people fighting and searching for food by any means possible. There is only 500 million people left on the planet. The rest of the population is dead or on Mars. It’ll be about one thousand years before the Earth’s atmosphere is returned to how it was during 2021.

What was told before may be fictional, but they are some of the better what-if scenarios that could occur. There’s a lot of uncertainty when it comes to how the Earth will be in the future, but there are theories that can be made. While the carbon emissions are in an incline, the Earth’s condition will continue to decline until humanity, and eventually life on land, will cease. Humans can learn to adapt, but their adapting is only their ability to withstand the harsh conditions on Earth until they inevitably die.