Paper #4 Maribeth Suganuma

Climate Change: Boom or Doom

Ever since I was a kid, I have been interested in traveling to Antarctica. I wanted to be a scientist who did research in Antarctica, but you need really high qualifications, it’s way too cold, and there’s very little opportunity to see your family while you are working there. Recently, I found vacation opportunities in Antarctica. For example, National Geographic offers expeditions to everyday people to travel alongside scientists to learn more about Antarctica. 

In New York City’s Union Square, there is a Climate Countdown Clock that predicts the day that the effects of climate change and global warming will become irreversible. This clock was created by a team of activists who were asked by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish child climate activist. Greta became famous over social media, from her emotional speech in the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019. 

Since moving to the New York City area in 2021, I have watched this clock slowly creep downwards. Below is the Climate Clock dated June 22, 2024 by Pix 11 news. This means someone who begins a 4 year college in August 2025 will graduate with a Bachelor’s degree around the same time the clock strikes zero.



Climate change defined by the United Nations is the “long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns…since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.” Global warming refers to the recent trends of rising temperatures of Earth’s surface and oceans. 

There is much debate regarding the urgency to address climate change. A PewResearch statistic from 2023 reveals about 46% of Americans believe global warming is caused by human activity, while 14% are not sure, 14% believe there is no solid evidence, and 26% believe it is due to natural patterns. A statistic from NASA in 2024 stated around 97% of climate scientists believe “humans are causing global warming and climate change.” Another article from NASA in 2024 named “Scientific Consensus”, revealed a graph showing rapid rising temperatures of Earth from different organizations’ models.

 


The overwhelming amount of evidence might persuade most scientists and about half of the American population that addressing our climate crisis should be a priority at the least, but not for the most important person in the United States. 

The United State’s current president, Donald J. Trump, actions toward reversing the global warming trends have been taken. In January, President Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement. According to Kalina Gibson from the American Progress, this agreement “represented a historic act of global solidarity and a framework for collective accountability in addressing the climate crisis.” (The Trump Administration’s Retreat From Global Climate Leadership).  

Recently, an article from the Wall Street Journal by Jason L. Riley states, $35 billion from the United States government is granted towards research in universities. Overhead costs refer to the indirect costs that many universities use from government funding to pay for “salaries, materials and supplies, services, travel…buildings, electricity, support staff, etc.” President Trump has decided to “cap” overhead costs to 15% which should “save taxpayers more than $4 billion annually” (Trump Plans to Shake Up Higher Education).  

Last week, my Stevens Institute of Technology Seminar in Science Writing class spoke to Professor Orton, a research associate professor in the Department of Civil, Engineering and Ocean Engineering. Professor Orton researches sea level rise, urban flood adaptation, urban and coastal atmospheric science, modeling of these systems, and more. His research has shown the effects of climate change in the New York metropolitan area. Now, Professor Orton fears that he may lose his job with the recent budget cuts, meaning less research towards the effects of climate change. 

If the current trajectory of climate change continues, I am not sure how long I have until I can see Antarctica. I am worried about the long term effects and what the world will look like when I have children. Will my children be able to enjoy fresh air, the sounds of birds chirping in the morning, or even the feeling of rain? Professor Orton is not hopeful for the reversal of the effects of climate change, why should I be? 


References: 

National Geographic Expeditions. "Antarctica Cruise." National Geographic, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/destinations/polar/ocean/antarctica-cruise/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

PIX11 News. "Countdown Clock in NYC’s Union Square Ticks Below 5 Years: What It Means." PIX11, 28 Sept. 2020, https://pix11.com/news/local-news/countdown-clock-in-nycs-union-square-ticks-below-5-years-what-it-means/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

United Nations. "What Is Climate Change?" United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

Funk, Cary, and Alec Tyson. "Why Some Americans Do Not See Urgency on Climate Change." Pew Research Center, 9 Aug. 2023, https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/08/09/why-some-americans-do-not-see-urgency-on-climate-change/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

NASA. "Do Scientists Agree on Climate Change?" NASA Science, https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/faq/do-scientists-agree-on-climate-change/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

NASA. "Scientific Consensus." NASA Science, https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/scientific-consensus/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

American Progress. "The Trump Administration’s Retreat from Global Climate Leadership." Center for American Progress, 22 Oct. 2019, https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-trump-administrations-retreat-from-global-climate-leadership/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

The Wall Street Journal. "Trump Plans to Shake Up Higher Education." The Wall Street Journal, 4 Mar. 2025, https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-plans-to-shake-up-higher-education-indirect-funds-good-start-reform-bd4688d8. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.



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