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”…we discuss Darfur in a convenient military and political shorthand -- an ethnic conflict pitting Arab militias against black rebels and farmers. Look to its roots, though, and you discover a more complex dynamic. Amid the diverse social and political causes, the Darfur conflict began as an ecological crisis, arising at least in part from climate change.” Ban Ki-moon, secretary general of the United Nations
Climate Change • The overall temperature of the planet is rising due to human activities. • Effects: • Melting Ice = rise in sea levels, coastal cities and low countries in danger • Strange weather phenomena • Spread of tropical diseases • Loss of farmland
Deforestation • Loss of Amazon rainforest • Causes: slash & burn agriculture to create farm and grazing land • Effects: • Species extinction • Increase in CO2 • Endangering indigenous civilizations
Desertification • Expanding deserts = less arable land = less food = starvation & more conflict (Darfur)
Pollution • Industrial manufacturing, farming, and power production are polluting the airand water supplies • Garbage, especially plastic is accumulating in large masses in the oceans • Overfishing is rapidly changing the marine habitat & causing species extinction
Dependence on Fossil Fuels • Problems: • Most oil located in unstable places • Price of oil controlled by OPEC • Demand > supply (population growth in Brazil, China, & India) • Environmental damage due to oil spills (Exxon Valdez in Alaska & BP Deepwater drill in Gulf coast)
Free Trade & Economic Cooperation • 1) NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) = no trade barriers between USA, Mexico, & Canada. Result: loss of US jobs & increased illegal immigration from Mexico & South America
2) E.U. The European Union • Goal: increased trade & travel between European countries • Single currency to simplify exchanges • Result: Weakness in the economy of one Euro zone country results in overall E.U. weakness (Spain ¼ unemployment & Greece) • Increased prices in poor (former Soviet) Eastern European countries who convert to Euro.
Economic Collapse • Because all countries in the world are dependent on international trade, an economic disaster in one country can spark a global economic recession. • Because of international trade, people may unknowingly purchase hazardous products.
The population of developing countries is rapidly increasing • Effects: • Demand for food and fuel will increase causing conflict • Increased poverty China is attempting to solve their population problem through the “One Child Policy.”
Nuclear Proliferation • Many countries currently have nuclear weapons • Countries such as Iran and North Korea are trying to create nuclear weapons • Since the collapse of the U.S.S.R. many nuclear weapons are still unaccounted for.
Terrorism • Countries such as India, China, Israel, & The USA have been attacked by Islamic fundamentalist groups recently. • Not all terrorist groups are Islamic extremists. Many are nationalists such as the Tamil Tigers of Southern India
Rouge States • Some nations are unwilling to abide by United Nations rules or international laws • Iran & North Korea have violated international law by supporting terrorist organizations and enriching uranium (for nuclear weapons) • Russia recently ignored international law and annexed the Crimean Peninsula
Civil Wars & Unstable Governments • There are many civil wars currently taking place in sub-Saharan Africa • Syria is in the midst of a 3 year civil war. • Governments across North Africa and the Middle East have been unstable since 2011. • Somalia does not have a working government.
Deforestation; Brazil Brazil
Color code and label the rest of the world’s problems on both the map and notes where the effect is most significant; e.g. Rouge States = N. Korea & Iran
Homework • Of the ten problems identified, which do you think is the most important? Why? What makes it more important than the 9 other problems? Paragraph form. 10 sentences minimum, 1st person OK.
