Humans have drastically altered the shape of the planet, with the population growth comes an inevitable need for more resources. From drilling for fossil fuels, drilling for oil, deforestation and countless other acts we have left a mark on the planet that may be hard to erase. The textbook states, “the immediate relationship between the total number of humans on Earth and the availability of scarce resources is intuitive more people means fewer resources.” (Dale, 2015)Utilizing fossil fuels under the guise that they would be available forever has led to an outpour of carbon dioxide leaked into the air. Drilling for oil and cutting down forest removes the earth ability to clean process chemicals and remove them from the air.

As it seems the current state of the planet will require multiple efforts to combat the poor air quality. However, reducing carbon emissions is one of them, this can happen by regulating traffic patterns more closely to lessen the time people are on the road. Ensuring that all cars, trucks, planes, and trains are operating under federal guidelines for their carbon output can make a difference. Any opportunity to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels will significantly improve the overall quality of air and health of the planet. 

One of the many ways an international environmental agreement would help improve air quality is by creating rules and guidelines for wealthy and developing countries to follow — rules and guidelines that can be maintained across the board. An example of this would be the Paris Climate Agreement; this gave many countries a chance to voice there opinions and thoughts on climate change and come up with ways to reduce our impact on the planet.

References

Dale, L. (2015). Environmental Policies (second ed.). Bridgepoint Education LLC,.