Republican and Democratic Views on Climate Change Essay Example

📌Category: Climate Change, Environment, Government
📌Words: 1171
📌Pages: 5
📌Published: 12 June 2022

One of the most pressing issues in the current day is climate change caused by global warming. According to National Geographic, the Earth’s temperature is increasing at nearly twice the rate it was 50 years ago (National Geographic).The leading contributor to climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.   Cars, factories, and the production of electricity are among the many pathways by which these gases can be emitted. Greenhouse gases can trap and amplify the heat from the sun, causing the earth’s temperature to rise. Chlorofluorocarbons, gases like carbon and hydrogen, can burn a hole in the ozone layer, a part of the earth’s atmosphere that protects us from the sun, which allows harmful UV rays to bleed through and heat the earth. These rays can cause cancer due to the increase of radiation. The effects of this phenomenon can be seen all over the world. The melting ice caps at the poles, the forest fires in Australia and California, the increase of hurricanes at the equator, and the mass flooding all around the world are all results of the release of these destructive gases  (NOAA). These are just some of the many disastrous outcomes of global warming and the ignorance of the human population. In the event that society would want to try to fix this crisis, Princeton University concluded that even if every nation on the planet immediately stopped emitting greenhouse gases, the carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere would continue to warm the earth for centuries (Princeton University). 

Climate change is a controversial topic, therefore it is inevitable that the political parties in America will have differing opinions. Even within the parties, there are varying opinions. Some members of the Republican party deny that there is any human involvement in the warming of the earth, while others argue that there is no climate change at all. However, due to Theodore Roosevelt’s efforts, the Republican party has become more conservation-minded, as during his tenure in office he made large strides in progressive tasks for the time, such as nature conservation. Roosevelt was very determined to establish national parks and forests around the country to preserve the environment. The protection of the environment is presented as a very important goal for the Republican party. Recent presidents have also issued plans to protect our planet and environment. For example, in 2004, Parkersburg Republican President George W. Bush proposed a program called Clear Skies to try to reduce power plant emissions (Republican Views). While some of the candidates have tried to help with the issue, some either deny the severity or just blatantly deny the existence of it. Republican and Former President, Donald Trump, has not formally announced his stance on climate change but often posts his opinion on Twitter, which mainly consists of him denying the existence of climate change. Jim Gilmore, a former governor of Virginia and an avid Republican, said “I would like it to be shown that it’s man-made, and if it is, then at that point I think that we have to address how we deal with it,” showing that he does not immediately believe that humans contributed to climate change, but if he is shown that they have, he is willing to help fix it (Republican Views). Lastly, Republican Senator Ted Cruz has also denied the existence of climate change. He and several other Republicans signed The No Climate Tax pledge in 2015 (Tax Policy Center). Although there are a few different views on climate change that float throughout the Republican Party, a majority of them consist of either the denial of human interference or the denial of climate change outright. 

The views of the Democratic Party differ as they demonstrate much more concern about the climate than Republicans. While the Republican party differs in opinion, the Democratic party seems to agree that climate change is a danger to our livelihood. Democrats not only believe in climate change but also believe that the U.S. and other nations should proactively work to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (Republican Views). Since 2008, the Democratic party has voiced its concerns on the threat of climate change. a drastic ice age following a long period of high temperatures . The party claimed that without changes, the world could see rising sea levels that will flood the coastal regions around the world and warmer temperatures, which will reduce crop yields, increasing famine, disease, and poverty (Republican Views). The Democratic party has taken action to substantiate their words by instating multiple plans to reduce the effects of climate change. Under the Obama administration, The Department of Transportation and The Environmental Protection Agency has issued new-fuel economy standards (Republican Views). President Obama also heavily encouraged the switch to the usage of solar power. Since 2009, the usage of solar panels for electricity has increased by twenty times. Obama also entered into an agreement with China in 2014 to help reduce carbon pollution for the next 14 years. In 2013 Obama said, “I refuse to condemn your generation and future generations to a planet that's beyond fixing,” (Republican Views).  He has voiced numerous times how essential it is for this generation to change our ways of living so that our children may live in a clean and healthy world. Hillary Clinton, another Democrat, is also a proponent of the effects of climate change and the need to stop it. She once stated, “The science of climate change is unforgiving, no matter what the deniers may say, sea levels are rising, ice caps are melting, storms, droughts, and wildfires are wreaking havoc,” (Republican Views). Despite her obvious doubt and negativity, she went on to explain that there is still a chance to turn this trend around and save the planet. The views of the Democratic Party differ greatly from the Republican party. There is a general opinion that climate change is real and that it is affecting our planet; however, there is also still a chance to change its path and stop global warming before it’s too late.

In conclusion, comparing and contrasting the two parties and their opinions, there are many similarities and differences to be found in their stances on the issue. To begin with, both parties have taken initiative to try and decrease the emissions of greenhouse gases. There are also some people in both parties that believe climate change is real and that it needs to be remedied.. While there are some similarities between the parties, there are many more differences. For instance, the majority of the members of the Republican party either do not believe in climate change or don’t believe it is as severe as people say. This is contrary to the Democratic party's belief that climate change is a very prominent issue. Another disagreement between the parties is the cause of climate change. The Republican party believes that it is caused by natural changes in the environment while the Democrats believe that it is caused by the human population. The two parties also disagree on whether or not the recent increase in hurricanes and floods is directly connected to climate change or if they are unrelated, with the Democratic party believing they are connected and the Republican party believing the opposite. Climate change is a very controversial topic and no matter on which side of the spectrum you reside, we, as occupants of this planet, need to realize that something significant needs to change to allow the planet to recover from the damage that has been done, and to slow down further deterioration.

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