Rogerian Argument On Climate Change

Imagine a barren wasteland, incapable of supporting the growth of any form of life and overpopulated with more people than it could sustain: this is the future of the earth. But, this is not just another scene from a sci-fi film of a population that has expedited their vital resources, but the reality for the “over 7 billion people” who populate the home we call earth (Hardaway 4). A considerable amount of blame is placed on global warming which is an “increase in the temperature of the lower atmosphere“; however, global warming has not garnered enough acceptance from some political officials and skeptics due to the term’s ambiguity (“global warming”). Global warming is often confused with climate change and although these terms sound alike …show more content…
The correct use of the term, especially by an influential figure aids in the acceptance of climate change’s presence. Research in the article "The Scientific Consensus On Climate Change As A Gateway Belief: Experimental Evidence" notes that “at least 97% of climate scientists have concluded that human-caused climate change is happening” (van der Linden et al. 1). The scientific evidence supporting climate change is paramount, yet numerous people--conservative Republicans--continue to believe that the severity of the situation does not exist. Climate change has gained controversy within the political sphere due its negative portrayal of fossil fuels an energy source which Americans have relied on for decades. This financially and politically motivated reliance has left little to no room for alternative energy sources: ethanol, geothermal, solar, and …show more content…
The information released on climate change is often in complex scientific language, and is difficult to understand which correlates to why “only one in ten Americans (12%) correctly estimate scientific agreement at 90% or higher” (van der Linden et al. 1). These statistics indicate a grand disconnect as to how many Americans know of the severity of climate change. A considerable amount of denial is attributed to the lack of education on the issue and acceptance of false information. Skeptics consequently facilitate the idea that anthropogenic sources are not the root cause of climate change. The consequence of false information is a continuous cycle of confusion and denial. Many of these facilitators of incorrect information have ties with the oil industry which cements the idea that America’s reliance on fossil fuels is of a political nature. Only an environmentally conscious and educated society will lead the path towards a sustainable