From Guest Blogger Jesse Galt: Is Climate Change Being Taken Seriously?

According to a study from Duke University, half of Americans firmly believe in climate change. Another 34% believe that climate change is very likely.

However, just because most of the American population acknowledges the existence of climate change doesn’t mean they’re planning to do anything about it.

Another study carried out by Gallup found that only 30% of Americans have significant concerns about this issue.

This statistic brings up an interesting question. Should more of the people who acknowledge climate change care about it, or is this minority percentage just overreacting?

3 Reasons to Care About Climate Change

In just six months during 2012, Hurricane Sandy flooded New York City, the Midwest experienced its worst drought of the last five decades, and wildfires burned up nearly ten million acres. But extreme weather events are actually just one of three key reasons that caring about climate change isn’t an overreaction.

Increased periods of sustained heat can cause a wide range of health problems. They can also make it easier for certain diseases to spread.

Another cause for concern is the loss of natural ecosystems.

A study published in Nature found that out of over one thousand animals and plants, nearly half could be extinct in less than five decades.

It’s Not Too Late

Over half of the people who took part in the Duke study said that they believe humans and their activities are the primary driver behind climate change. Although it can be troubling to acknowledge just how much of a toll we’ve taken on the Earth, the good news is it’s not too late to change for the better.

While it’s important for people to take personal responsibility about climate change, the type of action that would have the biggest impact needs to be carried out on a larger scale. Although experts in this field may have their own opinion about which action should be the top priority, oceanographers and climate researchers do agree on many of the initiatives and plans they believe should be put into action.

The first is to phase out coal by creating regulations and providing incentives to transition to cleaner power sources.

Next, experts believe U.S. officials should make an investment in nuclear power with federal stimulus money. Although nuclear power is most likely only a short-term solution, it can still play an important role in transitioning away from the most damaging sources of power.

In terms of specific government action, many experts support ending the Keystone pipeline and protecting the oceans by executive order. The latter may be the only way to save many marine species.

Finally, experimenting with capturing carbon and increasing the amount of government research into new energy sources could lead to huge discoveries that have a lasting positive impact.

At the end of the day, climate change is a complicated issue.

Although it’s encouraging to see how many people now acknowledge this problem exists, more public action will be necessary in order to convey the urgent need to take major steps in order to protect the Earth’s future.

About the Author: Jesse Galt is a freelancer who writes about a wide range of topics, including ways to build a great business reputation and how small businesses can harness the power of automation.