Analysis of the Impact of Climate Change in the USA

The United States of America has great negative impact of climate variations, which is caused by the emission of harmful wastes or gases into the atmosphere. It is, therefore, necessary for the Government of America to control the use of such substances which can have negative effect on the prevailing climate of the country (Pielke and Landsea 631). The state has an obligation to control these uncertainties such as alteration of the pattern of rainfall, rise in the sea level and the cost, which is associated with the adaptation to these strange climates. The rise in the level of the sea greatly affects the economy of the United States by paralyzing the agricultural activities, destruction of coastal infrastructures and reduction in the economic level of the state if not properly controlled (Trimble and Neidrauer 333). The increase in the volume of ocean water will affect the large population found in counties located around the ocean, who are forced to migrate to dry lands. It also causes threats such as storm surge: the water table comes to the surface leading to the coastal flooding and erosion, which affect the economic stability of the state.

The increase in the level of water by 1.4 meters only over and above the sea makes more than 480,000 of the coastal population at risk of migration to dry lands. If the incident is not controlled, the impact will increase adversely and, as a result, there would be overpopulation in the dry lands which forces the economic status of the migrants is reduce (Ruth, Coelho and Karetnikov 432). The real income will as well decrease since most of the economic activities of people will be affected by their unusual migration. The above situation causes the destruction of many infrastructures located along the coastline. This will also make the country to lose the investor confidence and thus there would be low investment facilities along the coast because they fear their investments would be destroyed by the coastal floods. Decreased investment would result into low living standards, reduced income due to the increased lack of employment in the country.

The rise in the sea level likewise increases the rate at which coastal erosion is taking place. The impact of the erosion is great: it destroys the coastal features attracting tourists into the country. If the process is not controlled effectively, the country would not get foreign exchange from the tourist industry and hence the economic level of the state will be reduced. The part of the population who depends on the income from tourism will be unemployed when the government does not control factors which cause it (“Climate Change – Health and Environmental Effects: US Regions” 44). The result of unemployment will affect the economic level of both the individual and the state since the government will lose its revenue and the citizen lose the employment income (“Climate Change – Science: State of Knowledge”564). Therefore, there would be economic meltdown of the state and its citizens.

The higher level in ocean waters will destroy the ocean infrastructures such as transportation instruments, the facilities used to mitigate disaster and sea resorts which people of the coast greatly depend on as a source of cultural and social advantage. This will reduce the number of economic activities that persons around the sea depend on. The cost of transportation will be high because of the ocean tides (Stanton and Ackerman 133). The increase in the transportation cost raises the budget line of individuals living around the sea at a constant income rate. The economic level will be reduced by the increase in the expenditure at a low income of people. This will grow the rate of crime and lawlessness since the majority of persons will struggle to earn for a living through illegal means. This is experienced when the government does not take an initiative to control the effect of climate change on the ocean infrastructure (“Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis” 23).

The increase in the water level of the sea also affects the agricultural output of the country since most agricultural lands are flooded, therefore, cannot support agriculture (Nordhouse 89). The impacts of these makes the United States of America lose huge tones of agricultural produce, which is a part of its main economic activities. If it is not controlled, the country would not have enough food capacity to feed the whole nation. The loss of food security affects the economic stability of the country if the government does not take actions which can reduce it (National Wildlife Foundation 66). Low food supply would result into an aggregate increase in the commodity prices causing inflation if not properly handled by the state. The aforementioned state of affairs will make the country over rely on importation rather than exportation. This benefits the other states which import the food commodities into the country leading to imbalance of trade that has a negative effect to the country.

The state also is expected to incur additional cost to improve the status of the country after the negative impact of climate change has taken place (“16 Years of Scientific Assessment in Support of the Climate Convention” 44). This takes place if the controlled measures are not implemented by the governmental department concerned for it. The additional cost spent on this would increase the government expenditure to cover unnecessary items, which could be controlled freely (McCollum 90). Its impact will even expose the country to involve in public borrowing thereby increasing public debt raising the national obligation to meet.

Conclusion

The Government of the United States must come up with essential policies, which can control the use of organic substances that have great influence on the climate. (“Saving Florida’s Vanishing Shores” 78). The citizens are also to be educated on the environmental impact of those substances when they are allowed to escape into the atmosphere (Harrington and Walton 23). This will make the country to stabilize its economy since the negative effect of the climate change will be reduced hence reduced government expenditure on unnecessary items, which can be avoided easily (“Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis” 65). If it is not controlled, the country will suffer great inflation, lack of foreign exchange, reduction of agricultural produce and increase in the public debt. However, early precautions can make the country gain its economic stability and sustainability.

Works Cited

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