by Fiona Cher

Created on: March 05, 2009

In the 2004 apocalyptic science-fiction film, The Day After Tomorrow, there is a scene whereby a scientist at a United Nations global warming conference tries to convince diplomats from several countries that global warming would have a disastrous impact on the world if actions were not taken immediately to deal with the problem. Few believed him, but reality proved the scientist right when his predictions start coming true, albeit earlier than expected. Similarly, as much as we try to deny the problem of global warming, the fact remains that if we do not do anything about it now, there will be little room left for regret in the near future.

We are all humans, and most of us want to protect the same things- our family, our friends, and ourselves. On more than one occasion Man has been helpless in the face of Nature's wrath, rendered powerless to save the ones we love from the destruction of Mother Nature. We are no strangers to the news of global warming- for years, scientists have been warning us about the dire consequences of our Earth heating up- rising sea levels, glacier retreat, the shrinkage of the Artic ice, altered patterns of agriculture, the spread of tropical diseases, changes in seasonal patterns, drastic economic impactsthe list goes on. The media has even jumped on the bandwagon and thrust the words "climate change" into our face, if only in an attempt to try to convince us how real this problem is.

The former Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President of the World Bank, warned us in 2006 that only "1% of global GDP is required to be invested in order to mitigate the effects of climate change, and failure to do so could risk a recession worth up to 20% of global GDP" . In 2008, a report by UNICEF UK showed that global warming is making it increasingly difficult to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals, especially that of reducing child mortality and combating HIV, malaria and other diseases. Global warming exacerbates worldwide temperatures, promoting the surge of the mosquito population, which thrives in warmer climates, and therefore leading to an increase in the incidence of diseases such as dengue fever and malaria, which take numerous lives every year. This is a problem especially evident in sub-Saharan Africa, and if it gets out of hand, the future of the world's poorest children looks set to become even bleaker than it already is.

Even the richer countries are not safe from the deadly effects of global warming. For instance, in August 2003, a record heat wave hit Europe, claiming an estimated 35000 lives. It is clearly evident that Mother Nature does not choose her victims when she unleashes her anger. Who are we kidding, when we deny that global warming is a real and imminent threat?

The US is often regarded by many as one of the world's leading countries. In the light of the current economic crisis, we have witnessed how the actions of the US can have a significant impact across the world. We are all intricately connected to one another, and what we do now will inevitably have an impact on our neighbours, be it big or small. Therefore, it is my opinion that the US should lead by example and set in force tough new environmental regulations to combat global warming.

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