Introduction
Climate change and outer space exploration are two causes that have been discussed by many scholars and scientists. The question of which of them should be prioritized in terms of investing in it on the national level remains an arguable issue in the United States and other countries. Both of these major goals have important advantages, and it is essential for policy-makers to reach a solution that would most benefit the country and the planet. Efforts aimed at investing in climate change versus in outer space exploration will be compared in this essay, and their consequences will be analyzed to suggest a possible solution for the government.
Investing in Climate Change and Outer Space Exploration
The proponents of financing climate change present a number of arguments about the benefits that such investments can bring. First, it will significantly contribute to the nation’s efforts to cut emissions, with studies estimating the reduction as at least 85% in the next 25 years (Masson and Fritsche). Second, it will help to minimize the costly effects of climate change, including rising sea levels and environmental disasters, such as hurricanes and floods, which are specifically dangerous in coastal regions. Another reason that justifies prioritizing climate change action is the fact that it will create more jobs, as citizens will get additional employment opportunities in spheres such as solar and wind industries. Moreover, this path will make the US more competitive on the international arena, as clean energy economies are widely expected to become the major growth industry in the nearest future. Finally, one of the most important reasons to combat climate change by investing in it is the fact that it will be a serious contribution to improving public health and wellbeing.
However, directing additional funds toward space exploration also presents many advantages for the country, including those that address the issues mentioned in the previous paragraph. For example, developing space technologies and motivating the scientific workforce can create more jobs related to technology and science, leading the country to economic prosperity and higher educational achievements. Financing the US space sector will also stimulate innovation, which has been demonstrated in recent decades, as space exploration has helped to introduce positive changes in many activities and areas of human life (The Planetary Society). These include the development and use of solar panels, systems of water purification, weather forecast systems, improved computing systems, and other innovations (The Planetary Society). In addition, space exploration can be seen as a way to unite the US with other countries since discovering the unknown is a cause that enhances culture and inspires people all over the world.
Despite the advantages of developing space exploration technologies, there are people who believe that it is not sensible to finance this sector when there are many issues the planet faces due to human activities. Therefore, they claim these problems should be made a priority of the national development and investment strategies. In addition to climate change, these include pollution, deforestation, poverty, hunger, unemployment, violence, lack of education, and other issues. These problems are considered by some to be more important than space exploration initiatives, as they are directly linked to life on Earth. Consequently, if they are ignored at the expense of investing in the space sector, not only the country’s population will be endangered, but all forms of life on the planet as well.
Although this argument does raise some rational questions, it can be flawed and therefore needs further consideration. First, contrary to the common perceptions, space exploration is not as expensive as it may seem to be. Studies have shown that, while most people estimated NASA’s budget and other space sector spending to make about a quarter of the US federal budget, it actually represents only 0.5% of it (The Planetary Society). In addition, most investments in space exploration tend to lead to results that are in general equally or more beneficial for the planet’s population. As mentioned above, it creates the need for more skilled professionals, decreasing unemployment and leading the country to stronger economy and education system.
Most importantly, space exploration contributes to the action taken to fight climate change and other environmental issues. For example, the use of satellites to collect data contributes to the development of temperature measurements for the planet’s climate system. Only with the advent of satellites, scientists were able to collect and provide proof that global temperatures are rising, which caused people to take action. Observations made using satellites also help scientists to monitor and detect forest fires, which helps forest managers to instantly direct their resources to the exact locations in danger and combat the fires there.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that investing in climate change and outer space exploration are two causes that should not be mutually exclusive. While both issues are of major importance, space exploration strategies often involve the development of ways to combat climate change. As a result, it can be argued that the US government should invest in both sectors and ensure that the objectives involved complement and reinforce one another.
Works Cited
Masson, Torsten, and Immo Fritsche. “We need climate change mitigation and climate change mitigation needs the ‘We’: a state-of-the-art review of social identity effects motivating climate change action.” Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, vol. 42, 2021, pp. 89-96.
The Planetary Society. “Why Space Exploration is Always Worthwhile.” 2021. Web.