Global warming and its social ecological influences on human behavior

Environmental are vital to the survival of the human beings, animals, and plants in relation to the planet earth. One of the essential environmental issues across the globe drawing critical debate is the aspect of global warming. This relates to the rapid increase in the levels of temperatures thus realizations of the droughts and famine because of climate change. One of the major causes of global warming is human activity. The concept of industrialization is an essential part of the development in the context of the 21st century. It is essential to note that industrialization is one of the major contributors of the increase in the level of carbon or greenhouse gases. This contributes massive towards the essence of global warming or climate change thus the need for the adoption and implementation of accurate and extensive measures towards the limitation of the level of greenhouse gases emissions into the atmosphere. In the execution of this research, the focus will be on the examination of the social perspective of global warming. This is through focusing on five critical ecological influences of global warming: intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy.

Intrapersonal/individual factors

This focuses on the examination of the individual characteristics influencing behaviour. In this analysis, it is essential to focus on attitudes, personality traits, and knowledge. Individuals have their roles in the essence of global warming. This is through activities such emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere thus affecting the level of temperatures. It is ideal for the individuals to adopt and implement valuable information or knowledge of the concept of global warming (Hernandez-Deckers et al., 2012). This is because of the need to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere under the influence of individual activities in relation to power and transport purposes. Global warming affect individuals through negative impacts on the development and production levels within the society hence the need to avoid or limit is deterioration across the globe.

Climatic changes or global warming has negative effects within the form of drought or floods thus affecting agricultural activities of individuals. Some of the essential factors towards minimization of the rate of emissions of the greenhouse gases into the atmosphere include awareness of the individuals on the safe components of energy and transport, transformation of attitude, and perspective in relation to global warming. This is essential in the minimization of the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere or transformation of the behaviour of the individuals within the society. This is essential and effective towards ensuring the development of a healthy planet for the survival of the future generations (Fowler 2012).

Interpersonal factors

This section of the five levels of influence in relation to ecological perspective focuses on the examination of the interpersonal processes or groups such as families, peers, and friends with reference to the essence of social identity and role definition. Global warming is a communal problem because of its influence on the economic, political, and social aspect of the communities across the globe. This is an indication that individuals, groups, and peers contribute to the essence of global warming and its effects on the humanity, plants, and animals. This makes it essential to consider groups, peers, and friends towards minimization of the level of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Battersby 2012).

Peers and friends have great impact in relation to the decisions by their friends on the actions with reference to factors affecting global warming. Human activities such as deforestation and burning of coal for the purposes of power and transportation relates to critical influence from peer pressure or group influence. This makes it vital to focus on the implementation of campaigns aiming to capture the influence of the peers towards the minimization of the levels of carbon dioxide across the globe. This is because of the massive role of the levels of the carbon dioxide in the development of the concept of global warming.

Institutional factors

This section of the five influences of ecological perspective focuses on the examination of the rules, regulations, policies, and informal structures, which may constrain or promote recommended behaviours. Global warming is an environmental issue affecting forms of lives in the planet earth thus the need for the adoption and implementation policies, rules, and regulations towards minimization of the negative implications of the climate change. It is believed that human activities are the main cause of global warming thus the need to adopt and implement accurate mechanisms towards minimization and regulation of the human activities. One of the essential regulations in the minimization of the human activities is the concept of the Kyoto Protocol. This focuses on enhancing the role of the institutions in minimizing the influence of human activities towards the increase of the levels of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The main objective of this regulation is to stabilize the level of concentration of the greenhouse gases with the aim of reducing it to minimize essence of global warming. This is because of the notion that greenhouse gases increase average global temperature thus increasing the course of global warming at a faster rate in comparison to the previous examination by scientists. Kyoto focuses on the need to reduce the emissions in relevant nations across the globe. The regulation or protocol targets four critical gases in the form of carbon dioxide, methane, sulphur hexafluoride, and nitrous oxide. In addition, there is also the implementation of regulations towards minimization of hydro-fluorocarbons and per-fluorocarbons with negative implications on the climate of the globe.

Public Policy factors

Various scientific investigations offer critical warning on the influence of the human activities in relation to the increase in the atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases thus eventual essence of global warming. These activities by scientists have led to the development of numerous policies in relation to the environmental issues of global warming. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was developed in 1994 as response to the climate change thus focusing on the essence of global warming and its reduction measures. The policy enjoys a ratification of about 191 countries across the globe. The aim of the policy in relation to its adoption and implementation in the context of Berlin was integrate strict measures on the commitments for the purposes of industrialization. This proposal was essential in the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol with reference to the listing of the industrialized nations in 1997 (Kumazawa 2012).

In the ratification of the protocol, state governments faced obstacles because of considerable concerns about the economic influences in relation to the limitation of the greenhouse gases in the context of the economies dependent on burning fossil fuels for the purposes of power and transport. There was also a differentiation in lack of commitment to the protocol by developing nations. This is because of the essence of being the outside party in the contribution towards the climate change. This is evident through rapid increase in the economic group in the context of nations such as India and China not listed as the industrialized nations in the Kyoto Protocol. The United States passed the Byrd-Hagel Resolution in 1997. The main aspect of this resolution by the senate of the United States was to limit its adherence to the protocols in relation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of 1992 and negotiations in Kyoto in December 1997.

This is because of the omission of the developing nations in the commitment towards the protocols. The condition by the United States' senate was for the inclusion of the developing nations within the similar timeframe to the industrialized nations with reference to limitation of the emission of the greenhouse gases because of the essence of global warming and its influences. The senate also sought the examination of the effects of the protocols on the economy of the United States. This is through demanding of detailed explanations on the relevant legislations, financial costs, and economic implications of the protocol on the economy of the United States (Kumazawa 2012).

In 2005, there was massive and significant support of the Kyoto protocol as a public policy towards minimization of the emission of the greenhouse gases on the atmosphere thus affecting climatic conditions with reference to effects of global warming. This is through considerable support from the European Community and Russia. This was vital following the adoption of the major economic players formerly known as the developing nations (non-Annex 1) into the protocol. In critical examination, it is evident that the carbon emissions in the context of China are closely exceeding those of the United States because of the rapid essence of industrialization. This addressed the fears expressed in the aspect of the Byrd-Hagel resolution by the senate of the United States (Yoshida 2011).

Conclusion

Global warming is one of the threats affecting the development and growth of the human beings, plants, and animals. This critical environmental issue requires adoption and implementation of the accurate and quality measures towards minimization. From a sociological perspective, global warming affects social structures and order through negative influence on the political, economic, and social aspects of the society. It is therefore ideal for the various components and institutions within the society to focus on the minimization of the levels of the greenhouse gases essential for the increase in the level of global temperatures.