As we continue to experience the effects of climate change all over the world people begin to understand the necessity to implement change in our ways of life in order to sustain ourselves. The New York State Department of Conservation has stated that “The state’s average temperatures are projected to rise by as much as another 3°F by 2080 with the greatest warming occurring in the northern parts of the state.” Although some may assume that this might not result in a big change the effects of a shift like this will be significant for both people as well as wildlife. As the New York State Department of Conservation has stated “As New York’s temperatures increase, these species will extend their range north, impacting the industries and economies that depend on them such as fishing, hunting, and tourism.” This means that not only will the impacts from rising temperatures affect our environment it will also influence industries and economies around the globe.

The issues that result from the effects of climate change can be seen all the way on the the other side of the country as well. The Los Angeles Time stated in regards to the fourth edition of “The Indicators of Climate Change in California” that “Rising temperatures were among the report’s starkest findings, with annual average air temperatures in California increasing by about 2.5 degrees since 1895 and warming at a faster rate beginning in the 1980s. Eight of the 10 warmest years on record occurred between 2012 and 2022, and temperatures at night have increased by almost three times more than daytime temperatures.” It is clear from these reports that the issue of climate change has become something that has affected everyone’s lives but now it’s important that we look at that future and what can be done to prevent these conditions from worsening.

Offshore wind power has shown to be a part of the solution to this issue and a switch to this sustainable clean energy production is crucial for our future. American Clean Power stated that “Developers plan to bring over 11,000 MW of offshore wind online by 2026 by developing 13 offshore wind projects.” They also concluded that “Reaching 30 GW of U.S. offshore wind by 2030 will create 83,000 new American offshore wind jobs.” This means that the switch to wind power would be able to help replace jobs lost by those who are working at natural gas or coal power plants. Offshore power plants also seem to be a better solution compared to onshore for a few important reasons. The American Geosciences Institute stated that “Offshore wind speeds tend to be faster than on land. Small increases in wind speed yield large increases in energy production: a turbine in a 15-mph wind can generate twice as much energy as a turbine in a 12-mph wind.” making the switch to offshore wind energy would definitely be a good start in reducing the effects of climate change we see.

We have also seen how wind power compared to that of solar although both are solutions it is important to recognize which is more effective. It was reported by Harrison Solar that “Wind turbines on average harness 60% of the energy that passes through them, compared with the 18% – 22% efficiency of solar panels.” This is a significant difference and shows us that there is much more benefit in investing resources in wind energy than in solar energy. The production and installation of these large offshore wind turbines is also an important factor to account for due to the urgency of the issue. The European Wind Energy Association stated that “a 10 MW wind farm can easily be built in two months. A larger 50 MW wind farm can be built in six months.” Its important that these turbines are able to be built and installed at a fast rate in order to help reduce the impacts of climate change as quickly as possible. Other alternatives can take much more time and that is something we are running out of.

Although it is clear that this issue will take time it is important to recognize that there is not one solution to the problem but more importantly several solutions that can be implemented. This includes wind power offshore as well as onshore and also solar power energy production as well. The more projects such as these are implemented the sooner we will see the results which will have impacts on people way of life across the country.