Author: po3944a

• The debate or controversy that I am writing about is that environmental destruction as a result of human interference is quite common and can have permanent effects on the coral reefs around the world. The impact that humans have on these ecosystems affects not only the reefs themselves but the organisms that depend on them as well. 
• The Debate in this Topic is on whether or not humans have been the main cause of coral reef deterioration in recent years. The rise in carbon dioxide levels, as well as overfishing and harmful fishing methods, have killed many coral reefs, which in turn has reduced the biodiversity of many bodies of water. These are all due to human interference. 

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/06/coral-reef-bleaching-global-warming-unesco-sites/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/06/blast-fishing-dynamite-fishing-tanzania/

What’s Killing Coral Reefs? And How Can We Stop It?

• In this debate, I think/believe/argue that human interference has been the primary cause of coral reef deterioration and loss of biodiversity of many bodies of water around the world. 

• My position is important because it helps us understand/know that as humans, we are the main cause of reefs and many fish populations dying and this has impacted many organisms worldwide.  

About two years ago, while scrolling on Instagram, I came across an image of a skinny polar bear. At first, I thought that the image was either fake or photoshopped, but once I looked it up and found out that it was real, I became speechless. I had never seen an animal that looked that fragile and weak before. Once I found out that the image was real, I did some research and found the photographer and the website that it had originally been published in, National Geographic. The article stated that the image was intended on raising awareness for climate change by showing the detrimental effects that it has had on animals around the world, including polar bears. This was one of the first times that I can remember when I realized the severity of climate change because prior to this, my knowledge of this issue had simply been from articles or from my parents. 

After seeing how one image reached over millions of people around the world, this made me understand how vital photography can be in raising awareness of the grim climate situation to people who cannot see the destruction for themselves. Photography is a very effective way to raise awareness on the severity of climate change because images are not only a universal language that can be understood by people from all parts of the world, but also because their transparency provides the audience with a piece of evidence that cannot be disputed or claimed as false since it was taken from a real-life event. Climate change photography has definitely had a significant impact on how I view the Anthropocene and our current climate situation because it has allowed me to form personal connections with the animals that have been affected. As a result of this personal connection, I have become more aware of the damages that climate change has on these innocent creatures than I was before. 

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/12/starving-polar-bear-video-climate-change-spd/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/08/explore-through-the-lens-starving-polar-bear-photo/