Research On United States' Climate Change Problem In The Context Of Global Warming

The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) points out in its 3rd evaluation report that global average temperature has increased 0.6±0.2 C since 1860, and that global climate is still heading towards global warming in next 50-100 years.While people generate huge amount of wealth by utilizing fossil energy like coal, oil, and natural gas, an enormous amount of greenhouse gas like CO2 has been emitted, leading to the global warming. With the intensification of global warming, people gradually realize the great impact of global warming on natural ecosystems and the sustainable development of human society, and begin to take the―Mitigation‖policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the "Adaptation‖policy to avoid the adverse effects of climate change.Global warming, to some extent, can be viewed as a problem from the overuse of the global public goods of the atmosphere as a pollution discharge channel by humans, whose destruction results in climate instability. Driven by different interests, countries tend to take a free-ride when dealing with global warming and global climate cooperation. However, global warming is intensifying day by day. The inaction of any single country will directly affect the effectiveness of emission reductions in other countries, and delay the coordination of the whole world's action to slow global warming. Global warming problem, a typical but unique global environmental problem, goes far beyond national borders, with a profound impact on the survival and development of humans, and has become major challenge facing all countries. Practically, only concerted efforts by all countries can effectively slow the global warming, protecting the sustainable development of human beings and the earth.As other countries and regions in the world, the United States experiences significant climate change in recent 100 years, whose most obvious trend is climate warming. Climate warming problem has been creating tremendous and far-reaching impact on the social and economic development of the United States. However, the climate warming in the U.S. is just a concrete manifestation of global warming. The real cause of global warming is the developed countries'excessive emission of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere from burning fossil energy in the history.―United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change‖clearly states: "Historical and current greenhouse gas emissions originate mostly from developed countries." Since World War II, the United States has been the world's largest energy consumer and greenhouse gas emitter. The United States bears the largest and undeniable historical responsibility to global warming.The thesis consists of six chapters in addition to the conclusion part.Chapter one introduce the research background and its significance, followed by the introduction of related research. The last part of this chapter is the basic points and outline of the thesis.Chapter two introduces related concepts and theories about global warming. First it comes to the definition of climate, climate change, greenhouse effect and global warming. Secondly it demonstrates the related theories, which include public goods, externality, Pigou effect and the Coase theorem. The last part of this chapter introduces the basic knowledge of global warming, such as the reason and its effects.Chapter three introduces the whole picture of United States'climate change problem. First it analyzes the basic national conditions related to the U.S. climate change. The analysis is mainly on the vulnerability of ecological environment system and of human society system in response to global warming, paving the way for the discussion of specific policies. Secondly it comes to the specific situation of U.S. climate change, such as the temperature change, precipitation change and extreme weather events. Finally it shows the impact of climate warming on various sectors and departments in the United States.Chapter four investigates the all round picture of United States'CO2 emission, including historical greenhouse gas emission, per capita emission, emission by energy sources, emission of different sectors, emission by different end-users, and emission per unit of GDP in the U.S. Secondly it examines the socio-economic background of the U.S. greenhouse gas emission in recent years.Chapter five discusses the U.S. strategy in combating global warming, which including domestic―energy saving and emission reduction policy‖and overseas global warming cooperation policy. Analysis starting from two different perspectives: a time line analysis of U.S. global warming policies, and a geographical analysis of climate policies by the federal government, interstate alliances, states, and cities. But overall, the U.S. government's climate policy takes―no harm to national economic interests‖as the main point. The last part of this chapter provides some prediction on future U.S. global warming policies.Chapter six is some useful advices for China. First it introduces the situation of global warming problem in China, provides some prediction on future trends, and gives the whole picture of China's global warming combating policies. Secondly it demonstrates the climate change cooperation between China and U.S. Based on the realistic background and necessity analysis, it concludes the difficulties and problems in current cooperation, and then provides some prediction on future cooperation. The last part of this chapter gives out some useful advices for China.Final part concludes the whole thesis. In the long run, China will inevitably have to directly face the absolute emission reduction obligations, better understanding of the U.S. policy responses to global warming and their practice, a reasonable prediction of the U.S. future climate policy, all these are helpful in developing a thoughtful climate change response strategies that are suitable to China's current condition.Further, with the correct comprehension of the current status and future direction of U.S. policy responses to global warming, we should pay attention to current U.S. efforts in new economy and renewable energy. We should capture the development opportunities inherent in them to promote the development of our country. In addition, we need to caution against possible future carbon tariff, and the multi-track of the international climate negotiation mechanism that might be put forward by the U.S. We should accelerate the development and utilization of domestic high-tech researches, improve the climate and energy legislation, and establish the carbon market mechanisms to strengthen our ability to combat possible future barriers to technology transfer and to international trades.