Our society has been striving to improve our wellbeing and make our lives more efficient and easier. This can date all the way back to the 1800s during the Industrial Revolution where the introduction of the steam engine and factories completely changed the course of society from agrarian to industrialized. As a result of Industrialization, the manufacturing industry grew, factories were built and cities became populated as the agricultural sector decreased. This caused a huge demand for fossil fuels including coal and gas. But as we reflect back on our past, we can see the disastrous effects fossil fuels have caused to our planet.

High amounts of carbon dioxide and pollution released in the environment can directly be attributed to the use of fossil fuels. This affects the Earth’s ozone layer and causes our planet to experience warmer temperatures never seen before. The effects of global warming can be seen today in the melting of the ice caps in Greenland to the scorching heat waves in Europe. In fact 2021 was the world’s sixth hottest year on record and we are currently on track to be 1.1-5.4°C warmer in 2100.

But there are solutions. We can still reverse the effects of climate change through new innovative technologies such as renewable energy. These available technologies can allow the U.S to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and will pave the way to become a clean, sustainable and equitable society. However, the fight is not easy and it requires global cooperation if we truly want to reach our goals. But in the end, humanity has always persevered and came out on top no matter what we’ve been faced through. Let climate change be an obstacle that humans will have conquered once again.