Argument Analysis of an Inconvenient Truth

Argument Analysis of An Inconvenient Truth

Perspective

We should start from now to alleviate the worsening climate crisis—global warming.

Argument 1

Global warming is undoubtedly a truth.

Evidence

Ÿ Before-and-after pictures show the retreating glaciers in many corners of the world, including Boulder Glacier in Montana, Upsala Glacier in Argentina, Huascaran Glacier in Peru, etc.

Ÿ Ecosystem is gradually destroyed because of climate change, which results in phenomena like the rising sea level and temperature of atmosphere.

Ÿ Due to the melting permafrost, China firs in Alaska are lopsided and buildings in Siberia are collapsing.

Argument 2

Global Warming is largely caused by human activities.

Evidence

Ÿ Temperature record shows that ten hottest years ever recorded are among the past fourteen years.

Ÿ Release the curve that shows the drastically rising temperature and increasing amount of CO2 these years.

Ÿ According to Professor Roger Revelle, the amount of CO2 has been increasing for more than half a century.

Counter-argument 2

Is global warming largely caused by human activities?

There are some theories pointing out global warming results not only from human activities but from other natural phenomena. Al Gore ignored those possible reasons and emphasized human activities only. Evidence

Ÿ Sun variation theory: this theory says that the global warming is caused by the change of sun activities, and we can see that the sun is still growing and becoming stronger. The effect by the sun is also important. Hence, we can't ignore the influence of sun.

Ÿ Little ice age theory: Around 1850, the climate began getting warmer and the Little Ice Age ended. Some global warming critics believe that Earth's climate is still recovering from the Little Ice Age and that human activity is not the decisive factor in present temperature trends.

Argument 3

Some catastrophes are seemingly caused by natural forces but actually they aren't, because they only happened after global warming became more and more serious.

Evidence

Ÿ Species are being endangered a thousand times more quickly than natural extinction rate.

Ÿ There was the first case that the polar bears were drowned because they couldn't find the ice cap to rest on.

Ÿ The amount of global rainfall is twenty percent more than it was a hundred years ago.

Ÿ Hurricane Catarina striking Brazil in 2004 was the first hurricane that ever landed on the coast of South Atlantic.

Counter-argument 3

Gore insists that some catastrophes were seemingly caused by natural forces but actually they weren't, because they only happened after global warming became more and more serious.

Is it real? Al Gore said his argument was based on the IPCC report. However, there are some points Al Gore can't explain clearly.

Evidence

Ÿ No one can prove the relationship between those serious catastrophes (such as hurricane) and global warning. One professor of MIT used computer to simulate the formation of Katrina, but he can't find the relationship between Katrina and sea temperature. And the historical statistics of strength of hurricanes can't explain Al Gore's theory either.

Conclusion

The Americans should and can do something to solve the problem of global warming. They do have the obligation since America is the main country to blame because the amount of CO2 emitted by America is more than that emitted by all the other countries, including Asia, South America, Australia, and so on. Also, Gore definitely believes the Americans are capable of doing something as long as they don't feel desperate without making efforts. Judging from the obstacles the Americans have successfully overcome, Gore is extremely confident that they Americans can solve this problem if they can be united and determined to do their bits.