Argumentative Essay
Zeena Morar 12J

Climate change is currently being felt around the world and unless the developed world makes substantial changes to its selfish ways, we are all doomed to face the fires of hell on earth. One third of the earth’s land is currently threatened as what we do to the air, land and water affects the balance of ecosystems and ultimately the world.
The developed world uses wood for mining, building, furniture and paper. Saw and paper mills that are used to create these products, pollute the air and water. When large areas of trees are cut down, the earth loses an important source of oxygen. Forests act as carbon sinks that absorb the carbon dioxide that builds up in the atmosphere. Deforestation also affects the microclimate of an area as evaporative cooling is lost. The loss of canopy leads to a decrease in rainfall in the area. This can effect crop production which is essential due to the growing population of the world.
Over population often puts pressure on a country to produce more. This leads to poor farming practices, overgrazing and monoculture. The constant land degradation and low rainfall causes desertification in arid and semi-arid areas. The desertification results in unproductive farmland which increases the pressure to produce food even more. Desertification and climate change in drier areas causes severe water shortages and even droughts. Western culture has created an increase in urbanisation, population and industrialisation,