Publication Date
5-1-2023
Keywords
climate change, United States, greenhouse gases, fossil fuels
Volume
2023
Abstract
While every country both contributes to and feels the effects of climate change, the United States' heavy influence and high rates of contribution make this problem even more acute domestically. Climate change is primarily driven by human emission of greenhouse gases through the burning of fossil fuels and from mass-scale agriculture. Because climate change can be a polarizing issue, passing legislation to slow the harmful contributing factors has proven difficult. The effects of climate change have worsened in the past few decades, with increased instances of wildfires and extreme shifts in weather patterns. These negative consequences disproportionately affect vulnerable people groups including ethnic minorities and people with lower levels of income. In order to avoid the detrimental aftereffects of climate change like mental health challenges, floods, and food insecurity, solutions have emerged including shifting the US power dependence to electrical sources rather than fossil fuels; this shift towards electrification has been successful in other countries. This shift of dependence ultimately starts with policy change.
Recommended Citation
Thompson, Nathan
(2023)
"Impacts of Climate Change in the United States,"
Ballard Brief: Vol. 2023:
Iss.
2, Article 3.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/ballardbrief/vol2023/iss2/3