高校の部 3位
杉本　絢香（渋谷教育学園渋谷高等学校）

The Human Butterfly Effect

 Science has proven to us, that the natural world is so interdependent, that a butterfly flapping its wings in a rainforest can cause a violent storm on the other side of the planet. This phenomenon is called the "Butterfly Effect." Today, I believe that the human world has its own "Human Butterfly Effect," where every small action that we take can create a large impact in the future, for better or for worse. It shows us that the problems we face right now are a result of everything we have done in the past. And everything that we do from here onwards will matter for the future generations to come. This applies to many environmental problems, but today I would like to focus on the one that threatens our very existence: climate change.
 Yes, climate change is something that has been discussed very often, and there have already been steps taken to stop it, the Paris Agreement being a good example. However, what we must ask ourselves now is: is this enough? When you look at islands such as Tuvalu that are already at risk of sinking under the rising sea levels, I think we can all agree: no, it's not enough. So then, what is the problem? I believe the main issue is that we all focus too much on ourselves, and fail to work together as a global community. I would like to look at this through the example of the divide between developed and developing nations.
 Historically, developed nations such as the United States and Japan were mainly to blame for the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. However, nations that are currently in the process of developing, such as China, India, Indonesia, and many others, have also recently become main contributors of climate change. The problem here is that, unlike developed nations, these countries cannot afford to cut down on carbon emissions. For them, emitting greenhouse gases is necessary for their countries to grow economically.
 On the other hand, for economically advanced countries such as Japan, being able to freely emit greenhouse gases is simply a lifestyle. It isn't exactly necessary, but we claim we need it to keep making products that we will all splurge our money on, and keep our ACs running all day. There are different circumstances for each country, and yet, we developed nations are simply more interested in our own profit rather than the dilemma that currently developing nations face.
 Last summer, I visited Vietnam, and was shocked at the sheer number of motorcycles that rode down the streets. When I researched into this, I was shocked to learn that this "motorcycle problem" is a large factor in the carbon emission in Vietnam. However, the reason why so many people have motorcycles, is because the country does not have an established public transportation system, and have been struggling to make one due to lack of financing.
 This example included, many developing nations struggle to maintain the balance between trying to be more environmentally friendly, while trying to grow as a nation with limited finances.
 So from now on, instead of wasting time caught up in our own problems, why not start breaking down the walls that divide us, and start helping one another? We have the responsibility, as a developed nation, to make room in the atmosphere for developing nations to grow. For example, on a large scale, we can create a team of scientists from all over the world, to develop renewable, green technology that can be shared internationally. This could help developing nations to expand their economy while being environmentally friendly. On an individual level, even the smallest action of recycling, or riding the bicycle instead of the car could create a large impact if put together.
 In the current political climate where many of the global leaders prioritize building walls and shutting out those in need of help for our own benefit, we must realize that it is only when we all come together that we can truly take a step forward in changing the course of our future. The Human Butterfly Effect shows us that what we do now, matters. It will matter, 50 years, 1000 years into the future. It is up to us, right now, to make the choice to work together and create a better world for generations to come.