Exam Preparation - "Climate change lawsuits"

Since 1950, global warming has become one of the most debated issues. Climate changes, natural disasters and continuing increasing of temperatures have captured the attention of public opinion. Today, the international community is more aware than ever that something has to be done. In 2015, a large number of countries signed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However, also on a local basis a step forward has to be done. An example of this interest is the increasing number of lawsuits against climate change. On 4th November 2017, The Economist Europe published the article “New green advocates” which refers to this phenomenon. /

Last month, in Oslo, started a lawsuit where several pressure groups claimed that the Norway’s government has breached the constitutional right to environmental preservation giving licences to look for oil in the Arctic. This case is only an example of the trend. Actually, the number of cases about negative externalities caused by carbon emissions are significantly increasing. Another point in favour of this greatly awareness is given by the encouraging number of laws for environmental protection: according to The Economist’s report, in 2012, 177 countries had eco-friendly regulations and nearly 90 guaranteed the right to an healthy environment in their constitutions. Therefore, the UNFCCC, even if it is not binding, has shown the considerable interest about the global warming. However, because of its nature, local actions are at the moment undoubtedly more effective.
Some claims are considered lacked in standing, as the case of an American citizen who accused 34 carbon providers for had been worsened the effect of natural phenomena, as the Hurricane Katrina. However, other courts are changing their way accepting arguments based on probabilities of environmental catastrophes. Energy firms, like fuel providers and oil plants, are accused of knowing the hazards of their operations since years, without taking effective provisions. /

In conclusion, as reported in The Economist’s article, things are rapidly changing. Thanks to the ever growing understanding of damaging effects of the human behavior on clime, actions are rasing on a global scale. A significant example is the opinion poll that has took place in Norway about oil extractions: According to it, the majority of Norwegians prefers to not extract some oil due to reducing emissions.

This short essay is based on an article of The Economist (4/11/17). It seems gramatically correct.Of course, the style might be changed in many different ways.