Why The Worst is Not Behind Us


Jadyn Cleary
Mr. Roddy
Global Politics in Histroical Context
9 December 2018
Why The Worst is Not Behind Us
 According to the article “The Worst Year to Be a Human Has Been Revealed by Researchers”, humans have endured the worst time to be alive already. The article cites the volcanic eruption that occurred in A.D. 536 which lowered the temperature and caused crop failure, along with the bubonic plague which struck the eastern Roman Empire in A.D. 542 as the worst time period to be alive. While this certainly was a horrible time to be alive in Europe, I do not agree that there will never be a worse time than this. This is due to a number of reasons, one of them being climate change.
Due to the increase in the production of fossil fuels and carbon emissions, climate change has become a great threat, not only to the earth’s ecosystem but also to humanity. The projected impact that climate change will have on the world in the coming years if not stopped is very drastic. These impacts include flooding of coastal areas, droughts causing famine, and the destruction of habitats. All of these things can not only lessen the quality of life for everybody on earth but also end all life on earth as we know it. This certainly would be much worse than the major events of the mid-A.D. 500s.
While the extinction of humans on earth due to climate change seems far away, other threats that it poses are already affecting the world in a big enough way that many countries are destabilizing. Currently, American national security is being threatened by climate change because of the disasters that it is causing in other parts of the world. For example, if a small country is in a climate change-induced drought, it could lead to crop failure causing famine. This would most likely cause general unrest in the country leading to uprisings and its destabilization. Often times, the U.S.A. finds itself having to try to control these kinds of issues for one reason or another. However, the U.S.A. is not the only country that has to deal with destabilizing countries. Many other countries are affected as well. Therefore, it is probable that the worst is in fact not behind us.
Works Cited:
“Climate Change Threatens National Security Says Pentagon.” UNFCCC, UNFCCC, 14 Oct. 2014, unfccc.int/news/climate-change-threatens-national-security-says-pentagon.
Guy, Jack. “The Worst Year to Be a Human Has Been Revealed by Researchers.” KPRC, KPRC, 21 Nov. 2018, www.click2houston.com/health/the-worst-year-to-be-human-was-536-ad-say-researchers.

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