Acknowledging Climate Change's Worst-Case Scenario

Nell Greenfieldboyce’s article, “What Would Happen If We Burned Up All Of Earth’s Fossil Fuels?” is a non-biased piece in which the dangers of global warming -- and the likelihood of it-- are discussed. The article states that if all of Earth’s fossil fuels were burned,  Antarctica would melt. The sea level would rise 160-200 feet, and the most of the world’s major cities would be underwater. However, some scientists feel burning the entire supply of fossil fuels is unlikely, and therefore worrying about this disastrous outcome is unnecessary. Although it may not be directly applicable in the future, the knowledge that our current sources of energy could lead to our demise is important to communicate. By telling-- and scaring-- people about the worst case scenario, the demand for clean energy would rise. The world would become a more healthy place. More efficient energy sources would be discovered, and we would eliminate the threat of apocalyptic flooding. Predictions such as the dramatic rise in sea level motivate people to realize the harm that their current actions is causing and make a change.