What is the most important world politics issue?

Climate change is the most important issue in world politics today, yet miraculously it does not receive nearly as much consideration as it should. There are some who argue that climate change is an environmental dilemma, a problem that requires the attention of the scientific community, or impassioned tree huggers. There are even some who claim that it is not an issue at all. I believe that it is not simply an environmental quandary or a political talking point, but an issue that requires the attention of citizens throughout the globe: politicians, scientists, and every one in between. 

It is essential for people to understand the ecological repercussions of climate change, because only then will they realize that our changing physical world inevitably stimulates extensive political conflict. In the most obvious case, as humanity's direct actions threaten our natural resources, international conflict will escalate as we exploit trade opportunities or vie for scarce materials. In addition, a likely result of drastically changing climates is an equally dramatic shift in weather patterns. As the world has recently learned, natural disasters such as earthquakes, flooding, and hurricanes have become more threatening. Yet what is natural about the worst earthquake in Haiti in more than 200 years? What is natural about this summer's torrential downpours in China and resultant fatal mudslides? Or a hurricane capable of imprinting a palpable scar on an entire nation?

Nothing is natural about these occurrences because we have had a collective hand in their creation. Of course, our generation is not the only one composing "we." Over the expanse of thousands of years, human beings have contributed to our current predicament. What the present generation must realize is that it has the ability to affect change, unlike those that came before it. More importantly, today's citizens throughout the world can not only choose to respect their environment, but the people inhabiting it, or else risk significant political consequences. It is a discomforting thought that you and I are active sponsors of immense environmental change; it is a terrifying thought that we condone its negative effects on other countries' land, resources, culture, and people. For example, when the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti in January, the world exploded as countries, especially the US, clamored over donations and aid. Celebrities and major media networks advertised phone lines and benefit concerts and in-depth coverage, all to provoke an altruistic response that Americans were more than willing to provide. When Pakistan received intense flooding in the northwest beginning in late July, reportedly affecting 14 million people, the international response was sluggish. We did not see Anderson Cooper flying overseas to interview orphaned children or aid in the removal of debris. The UN has asked for $459 million in aid, yet we have not yet seen supportive telethons or beneficial events. Climate change will inevitably affect every inhabitant of this planet by physically altering the environment and therefore former ways of life. However, it should also force nations to consider how they view the different corners of the world, and how our political affiliations, beliefs, rivalries, and wars influence our readiness to help our global neighbors; for when the time comes and we must confront the sizably smaller amount of land and resources available to us all, every country will only be able to afford allies in this entirely international struggle.