Global Warming in the Media

 
As you all know from reading previous blog posts, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a complex but significant report on the state of our climate system in an era of global warming. This lengthy article contains pressing information on the past, present and future of warming activity and suggests that scientist are convinced that human activities are speeding up carbon emissions that, in turn, cause warming around the earth.

 In the wake of this report, two media outlets published reports focusing on climate change. Justin Gillis’ New York Times article"Panel's Warming on Climate Risk: Worst is Yet To Come"  and Ann Curry’s NBC special "Our Year of Extremes: Did Climate Change Just Hit Home?" delve into this situation and try explain complex environmental information in a way that every day people can understand.The reports broke down scientific evidence proving the world around us is changing. 

Richard Perry/The New York Times

                              
Gillis told the story with special care to the politics of climate change. He sets up a conversation between what politicians say, what experts say and how all of this actually effects people who's lives have already been majorly effected by this phenomenon. One of the most impacting points in his story is when he presents figures from the IPCC report which states that developed countries would have to give poorer countries 100 billion dollars a year to help slow down changes occurring because of climate change. He details that the responsibly falls on richer countries because socieities with limited resources have "virtually nothing" to do with climate change. It is large consumer cultures such as America, China and India that chalk up a large amount of carbon emissions due to the burning of fossil fuels found beneath the earth through complex and expensive process that disrupt atmospheric stability. 

Joe Dael/ Getty Images File

Curry's special focused mainly on the people affected by environmental upset. She talked to an Inuit man with heritage stretching back thousands of years in the Arctic.His village, entitled Ilulissat, is pictured on the right lies near the icebergs that broke off from the Jakobshavn Glacier in 2013. Warm weather has been more extreme in the area and the melting snow and ice have disrupted their lives majorly. Curry took us on a hunting trip with the man's family to illustrate how hard it was for them for maneuver through the melting landscape and hunt for scarce amounts of food as a result of animal migration. The man expressed disapproval for having to suffer for the rest of the worlds mistakes. She also presented views from the opposite side of the spectrum-- wildfires and drought. She went to the southwest and interviewed the chief of a group of volunteer firemen known as the Laguna Hotshots. The Hotshots fight wildfires in southern California caused by heat and dry foliage where water is scarce. Curry mainly alternated between scientific experts and profiles of specific people effected by climate change. 

 AP Photo/NSW Rural Fire Service, James Morris

 

 

 

The Australian ecosystem is heavily susceptible to drought similar to those seen in the Southwest. This also puts them at risk to wildfires, such as the one on the right seen crossing the Princes highway near Deans Gap, Australia. The rapidly spreading flames displace homes, effect wildlife and lead to loss of human life. The weather changes the curry mentioned in her special are also directly relevent to Australian citizen considering that most of the live near the coast. This positioning makes thes inhabitants subceptible to flood and extreme weather. Gillin's coverage of developed countries pertains to Australia as well. The country's thriving urban sprawl calls for the city to keep itself in check. The article "Climate Targets: Australia Can't be Caught Napping While others Take Action" explains why Australia should cut back carbon emissions by at least 25% to prevent a global temperature increase which would only mean more water restrictions for the densely populated area of the continent.