Running head: WHY INVESTING IN GLOBAL RENEWABLE ENERGY MAKES
ECONOMIC SENSE 1
Why Investing in Global Renewable Energy Makes Economic Sense
GEN 499 General Education Capstone
Introduction
The topic of climate change is a complicated one. The majority of scientists and
researchers agree that we have a global problem that could have existential implications.
However, not all world leaders agree that humans have a significant impact on the climate, how
, WHY INVESTING IN GLOBAL RENEWABLE ENERGY MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE
2
to fix the problem (for those that agree that there is one), or whether it’s even possible for us to
reverse climate change. However, there is one thing that just about all leaders are keenly
interested in, the world economy as well as their own. Therefore, making an argument for
investments in climate change related infrastructure overhaul initiatives requires a different
strategy and additional research. To convince all world leaders to act in unison, we must be able
to clearly identify the economic benefits of investing in carbon-neutral energy sources such as
nuclear, solar, and/or wind, innovate carbon extraction solutions from the atmosphere, and prove
that the failure to do so on a global scale will have economic consequences that far outweigh the
initial infrastructure investments carbon-neutral energy will require. However, it's also important
to identify that specific ethical dilemmas such as what to do with existing oil companies and the
lower barrier to entry coal burning and fossil fuels provides to developing countries versus
investing in renewable energy. Additionally, there are growing movements against the
individual liberties of global citizens such as those who consume animal products. Ultimately, a
complicated problem might have a simple solution, which is to focus on the economy.
Background of Climate Change
Climate change is not a new phenomenon. In fact, Earth’s climate has fluctuated in
cycles for hundreds of thousands of years (see graph below). Therefore, variations in the Earth’s
climate are to be expected. However, as indicated in the graph, we’ve seen a sharp increase in
atmospheric carbon dioxide since 1950. Unlike other societal issues, climate change is a global
problem which impacts every country, which is a reason why it’s difficult to align the globe on
an overarching strategy. Climate change debates are primarily centered around two key points.
The first is whether or not humans have a noticeable and significant impact on the Earth’s
climate. For those that do believe humans have a significant impact, the second debate is what to
ECONOMIC SENSE 1
Why Investing in Global Renewable Energy Makes Economic Sense
GEN 499 General Education Capstone
Introduction
The topic of climate change is a complicated one. The majority of scientists and
researchers agree that we have a global problem that could have existential implications.
However, not all world leaders agree that humans have a significant impact on the climate, how
, WHY INVESTING IN GLOBAL RENEWABLE ENERGY MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE
2
to fix the problem (for those that agree that there is one), or whether it’s even possible for us to
reverse climate change. However, there is one thing that just about all leaders are keenly
interested in, the world economy as well as their own. Therefore, making an argument for
investments in climate change related infrastructure overhaul initiatives requires a different
strategy and additional research. To convince all world leaders to act in unison, we must be able
to clearly identify the economic benefits of investing in carbon-neutral energy sources such as
nuclear, solar, and/or wind, innovate carbon extraction solutions from the atmosphere, and prove
that the failure to do so on a global scale will have economic consequences that far outweigh the
initial infrastructure investments carbon-neutral energy will require. However, it's also important
to identify that specific ethical dilemmas such as what to do with existing oil companies and the
lower barrier to entry coal burning and fossil fuels provides to developing countries versus
investing in renewable energy. Additionally, there are growing movements against the
individual liberties of global citizens such as those who consume animal products. Ultimately, a
complicated problem might have a simple solution, which is to focus on the economy.
Background of Climate Change
Climate change is not a new phenomenon. In fact, Earth’s climate has fluctuated in
cycles for hundreds of thousands of years (see graph below). Therefore, variations in the Earth’s
climate are to be expected. However, as indicated in the graph, we’ve seen a sharp increase in
atmospheric carbon dioxide since 1950. Unlike other societal issues, climate change is a global
problem which impacts every country, which is a reason why it’s difficult to align the globe on
an overarching strategy. Climate change debates are primarily centered around two key points.
The first is whether or not humans have a noticeable and significant impact on the Earth’s
climate. For those that do believe humans have a significant impact, the second debate is what to
