How successfully does the writer of "Climate Change: The facts" strike the balance

between raising awareness of the scale of the problem while also ensuring that the
tone doesn't become overly pessimistic.
In 'Climate Change: The facts', it is apparent that the author manages to raise awareness of
the scale of the problem as well as setting a limit to the level of pessimism. In this essay, I
will discuss how balance or successful the piece is by quotations, range of techniques the
author used and its effect.

The author started his piece of writing by the introduction, "Twenty years ago global warming
was a fringe subject...To day global warming has become a political hot potato..." . It can be
seen that this is an example of parallelism. This use of language adds emphasis to the
sentence and leads the readers into composing that the concepts they express are alike. It
compares the awareness of people at two periods of time. This creates a powerful effect in
the latter part of the piece where the author stated that "There is little doubt that humanity is
responsible for the rapid rise in carbon dioxide levels...", It is an allusion which delivers a
message of blame and responsibility to the reader for not taking notice and act on the
problem during the time had. Notice how the author compares the scale of the same
problem at different times by using figures of speech to convey the reader how serious the
problem has become. In addition, collective pronoun is used, 'It seemed absurd that we
could be having an effect on the Earth's climate'. By utilising this, the author is trying to
involve and aware the reader and implying that they and the reader are in the same boat.
Some of the sentences also have sources supporting them, either with or without
substantiation, '...the majority of scientists agree that it is a reality and here to stay ', this
manipulation gives weight and accuracy to the reader in order to create a high extent of
reliability. Furthermore, the ending of the above sentence acts as a note of finality which is
consensus that this is the reality, creating fear to the reader, pressurize them to act. Further
in the first paragraphs of the writing, many scientific registers are used, 'Extra carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere...known as the greenhouse effect...primarily by burning fossil fuels...', this
enhances the credit of the information presented. The recurring noun which involves us all is
again in use, 'Over the past 200 years mankind has increased the proportion of greenhouse
gasses...', Other than relating the reader to the topic, the author also mentioned how long
ago it was when the subject of the issue started developing itself, deteriorating and implying
that we might not be able to mitigate the problem.

Further in the passage, the author suggests the crux by making it much longer. The balance
in the tone to avoid being overly pessimistic is also included, 'Since 1958 scientists at the
Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii have taken continuous measurements of the atmospheric
carbon dioxide. The levels go up and down with the seasons, but overall they demonstrate a
relentless rise.' The sentence which indicates that the levels of Carbon Dioxide is whimsical
is positive and balances the facts, but after that the writer comes back to his position and
declares that there is a 'relentless rise' , hence being more pessimistic. The point is
accentuated by an emotive language which involves the reader in feeling that it can't be
stopped .Lastly, the paragraph stated a source with a substantiation which creates an
impression of being reliable due to it being identifiable, making the statement saying the
level of carbon dioxide is unstable, which is optimistic, much more convincing, thus did the
same thing to 'relentless rise', which is pessimistic. An additional sentence balancing the
passage is "There have been warm periods in the past where carbon dioxide was at levels
similar to those seen today. However, the rate of change that we see today is exceptional:
carbon dioxide levels have never risen so fast. By 20000 they were 17 percent higher than in
1959." This once more balances then contradicts, by talking about the past then contrasts it
with today. Emotive language, the word 'exceptional', is also used. By utilising that, the
reader gets an impression of it being unique and very radical. Also, mathematical figures are
also presented; this is mainly to give more information, as well as for the reader to project on
with it. Another whole paragraph containing mainly statistical information is also present,
'Accompanying this rapid increase in carbon dioxide we see a rise in average global
temperatures. Warming the past 100 years has caused about a 0.8C increase in global
average temperature. Eleven of the 12 years in the period 1995-2006 rank among the top 12
warmest years since 1850'. In a sentence, parallel structure is used; this makes the reader
perceive similar impressions and connection between the two statements. The author once
again makes use of the collective pronoun in order to state that we are all the witness of the
progression of rise yet we ignore it. There is also a scale in the paragraph illustrating vague
suggestions of bad things to come as well as a conclusive proof for the previous sentences.
A sentence which augments the effect of the above sentences is 'There is little doubt that
humanity is responsible for the rapid rise in carbon dioxide level.' The alliteration, 'rapid rise',
stresses the speed and scale of the increase as well as making the reader aware of this
upsurge by the word 'humanity' which includes not only us but the whole mankind, indicating
that the problem may be out of reach to solve. More over, the writer emphasises his point by
putting weight on his writing, 'The rise in temperatures that has accompanied by our fossil
fuel addiction seem too much of a coincidence to be just a chance. Most people now agree
that our...Earth's climate'. An emotive word, 'addiction', is a mocking and indicates that there
is no control over what should be. Also, having the perception of the society as a source
does have a very strong effect on the individuals; the readers. This is because people tend
to agree with what the society does on.

--->Later in the writing the author suggested that nature is supporting us in cleaning the air,
'Whether it(the temperature) will be lower or upper end of this estimate(2.5C-10.4C) is
unclear. Currently, ocean and trees are helping to mop up some of the heat by absorbing
carbon dioxide, but eventually they will reach capacity and be unable to absorb more. At this
point...pushing the temperatures sky high.' This paragraph balances the passage by
showing doubt in the wide possible predicted range of temperatures. It shows a plausible
way out of the problem, implying that if we collaborate and work together, there will be a
lower increase of the temperature. Also, the sentences indicate that this is an auspicious
opportunity to act on the problem because the nature is helping us, and it will be more
painstaking if we start to act when the oceans and trees reach its 'capacity'. So solving the
problem quickly is highly recommended, if not, it would be uncontrollable.

In conclusion, the writer has succeeded in raising awareness without being exaggeratedly
pessimistic. The author used many techniques to deteriorate demonstrate to us that 'Global
warming is real, its effects are real, it is created by man's ingenuity and it will be controlled
by man's ingenuity.' As well as suggesting possible solutions to the problem before stating
the unfavorable effects of climate change in order to encourage actions on the issue.