An argumentative essay examining who is most responsible for addressing climate change — individuals, corporations, or governments — with reference to IPCC data, corporate action, and international policy.
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-07-23
Climate change is arguably the most urgent challenge facing humanity today. Rising temperatures, melting ice caps, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss are no longer distant warnings — they are present realities. Yet despite overwhelming scientific consensus, meaningful global action remains slow and uneven. The central question is not whether climate change is real, but who is responsible for addressing it: individuals, corporations, or governments? This essay argues that while all three groups share responsibility, systemic change driven by governments and corporations is ultimately more powerful than individual action alone.
The Scale of the Problem
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly warned that global temperatures must not rise more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to avoid the most catastrophic consequences. According to the IPCC's 2023 report, current policies put us on track for approximately 2.5–3°C of warming by the end of this century — a scenario that would displace hundreds of millions of people, devastate agriculture, and cause mass extinction of species.
The scale of these numbers illustrates why individual choices — while important — are insufficient on their own. No amount of recycling or reusable bags can offset the emissions of a single coal-fired power plant that burns for decades. Systemic problems require systemic solutions.
Individual Responsibility
It would be wrong to dismiss individual responsibility entirely. Personal choices — eating less meat, flying less, buying second-hand, using public transport — do reduce carbon footprints. Moreover, individual behaviour shapes culture. When large numbers of people change their habits, they create market signals, inspire others, and put pressure on businesses and politicians to respond. …