Security Politics and the Environment - Assignment Example

Security Politics and the Environment Table of Contents Part 3 Part2 6 Part 3 9 Bibliography 12 Part Q - How far can climate change and other kinds of environment change be controlled by political intervention? Answer - Political interference are primarily noted in each & every government. But in case of the environmental changes, it should not be done. Government always interfere in each & every matter nonetheless it is the environment. As we know that without having any warming action of the atmospheric blanket, the surface of earth will be approx 35 degrees cooler and will not be capable to support any life on earth. Certain gases like carbon – di - oxide, methane, water vapour, etc eject out and effect the environment and the people. Environmental factors include the weather and the climate change. Conversion in temperature can affect many industries which include farming, tourism and insurance. While prime climatic changes occur because of global warming and with more environmental knowledge, this exterior factor is becoming an important issue for organisations to consider. The increasing desire to safeguard the environment is affecting many industries like the tourism industry and the public is moving towards eco friendly products and the system affects the demand patterns and creates business opportunities. Although, Kyoto protocol by the EU, was introduced to decrease the emission of gases like CO2 & to protect the environment but to increase the economical productivity, political interference are inculcated that affects environmental changes. Q - To what extent has human activity contributed to climate change? Answer - Deforestation, burning of petroleum products & natural gas and different agricultural & industrial practices are changing the structure of the atmosphere and contributes to climatic changes. These human activities lead to addiction of atmospheric absorption of greenhouse gases, which includes carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons and ozone present in the stratosphere. Carbon dioxide is also created when fossil fuels are burnt to generate energy used for transportation, manufacturing, heating, cooling, electricity generation, and other applications. The utilisation of fossil fuels accounts for 80% to 85% emits carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Utilization of land changes, e.g., clearing land for logging and agriculture, also emits carbon dioxide. Vegetation has carbon that are released as carbon dioxide, when the vegetation falloffs or get burnt. Most of the total carbon dioxide emitted from deforestation occurs in tropical regions. Utilization of land changes are responsible for 15 to 20% of growth of current carbon dioxide emissions. Methane is the second most significant factor of the greenhouse gases from human activities. It is produced through cultivation of rice, cattle and sheep rearing, and etc. Methane comes out through during coal mining and oil drilling, and etc. Human activities had increased the amount of methane in the atmosphere by approx 145% or above. Nitrous oxide is created through different agricultural & industrial form. Human activities had increased the amount of NO2 in the atmosphere by approx 15% or above. Ozone is produced naturally and by the actions in the atmosphere that involves gases which results from human activities and includes nitrogen oxide from vehicles and power plants. These are the major factors that the human activity contributes to the climatic changes. Majority of the factors are contributed by the human activity for changing the climatic conditions, which should be altered by them so as to safeguard the environment. Q - Why is it important to know how much climate changes occur naturally rather than as a result of human activity? Answer - The green house gases like CO2, water vapour, methane and etc are occurred naturally in the atmosphere. Natural forcing varies because of solar changes, volcanic eruptions & wave tides like Tsunami. Solar output has increased in this industrial era, causing a positive radioactive forcing. Natural changes as such cannot be prevented by the human activity. In case of human activity, climatic changes occurs like utilization of land, deforestation and decay of vegetation due to which 15-20% carbon - di - oxide growth takes place in the atmosphere. On the other, methane is emitted through rice cultivation, cattle & sheep ranching etc. About 145% or above increase of methane takes place in the atmosphere. Earlier CFC gases were utilized in refrigerators, ACs, etc but now to prevent it, substitute gas is used in such goods. Hence, we can say to reduce the emissions of the gases, the human will equip eco friendly products so as to prevent it & also generate natural renewable resources like wind energy, solar energy, etc as fast as possible. Part2 Q - Is population distribution as a result of migration one of the main challenges to the world today? Answer - Migration is one of the definitive international issues of the 21st century. About 192 millions of people living outside of their home country, which is about 3% of the worlds total population. It means that “one of every 35 persons in the world is a migrant”. The current annual growth rate is about 2.9 %. High demand of labour in the developed countries and unavailability of labour employment in underdeveloped countries has set international labour migration. The large international labour market has offered the chance to the employers to hire migrant workers for utilising their cost minimization strategies. In developed countries, the growth of annual rate is less than 0.3 % whereas the population increased by almost six times globally. Fast population growth with economic complexities pushes people to move out of their habitat, and reducing and ageing population pressurises countries to accept migrants, due to this many countries like population growth decreases and others are adapting ageing process to increase the population growth. The migrants from a specific region impact the political decisions in host countries to provide economic help to their home country. They also effect the economical relations between the host and the home countries and require more productive integration processes. Many immigrants from their home country to the host country create hostilities as the number of unemployment increases & the economic crisis also produced. Therefore, political issues are also produced due to the increase of migration from the other nations and the population growth increases in some developed nations & decreases in under developed regions. Q - Are the writings of Thomas Malthus still relevant to the debate on the limits of population? Answer - Malthus in “An Essay on the Principles of Population” has defined the terms of debate on human population growth and the earths capacity to provide existence. Many controversies took place on this essay of Malthus on the long term sustainability of humans on earth and population competition. He related the issue with food supplies and arithmetical ratios though many of the critics vehemently opposed him. Contrary to the endorsement, food is not the one substance of "sustenance" for human living, industrialized societies relied on the continue flow of other resources, and the termination of supply of essential goods can be harmful. Secondly, "savings accounts", populations can partially increasing carrying capacity. When the stock runs out, the once-thriving population finds in the miserable state. According to the recent survey, a group of American biologists with respect to the mass abolition of plant and animal species, results from human control of the earth as a threat to humans in the next few years. We are living in a world losing diversity at an abnormal rate. It is observed that this result was present in the 1798 essay by Malthus. Malthus is related with today’s population growth as it is needed to be reduced as because the growth exploits the natural resources which are going to be exhausted one day. Earth’s capacity to sustain the growth will be less in terms of production of food and etc. Malthus views are still related to today’s views. Q - Discuss the idea that population growth is the main cause of the world’s problems today? Answer - The population growth problem was first brought into light by Thomas Malthus. During the Industrial Revolution, in Europe and North America, they were successful in decreasing the death rates because of the various factors, firstly, increase in food production and distribution, secondly, in improving public health i.e. water and sanitation, and thirdly medical technology like vaccines and antibiotics, with high level of education and standards of living in many developing countries. Without proper & advanced technology, medicines cannot survive the common diseases like measles or flu. Over the years, these explorations and innovation throughout the world, as a result reduces the death rates and improves the quality of life. Population growth is the main problem of the world as because there is insufficient supply of foods, employment and etc. People who migrate from other regions or nations to their host country increase the population, due to which the people of the same region remain unemployed and the economy of the country is affected. The developed economies cannot sustain them by giving them proper food, cloth & shelter. Inflation hikes in that region due to increase in population of the region. Countries having highest population like China & India should take effective measures to control the population growth and develop & increase the economy. Part 3 Q - What is the political importance of our cultural heritage? Answer - Each country has its own culture which is different from the other. Culture is preserved since many years as it has importance attached to it. In case of political importance of rich cultural heritage should be preserved and should not be utilised for any political issue. For example, India is a democratic country and also believes in diversity and secularism. Likewise, the case of demolition of Babri Masjid, the religious place for Muslims, became a political matter, where a Hindu- Muslim conflict prevailed. Same in other nations, rich cultural heritage take a new dimension to politics. Until & unless it is harmed, it should not be treated as matter of politics. Country having numerous religious, faces various problems regarding the cultural heritage, in that case political parties should always preserve the respect & dignity of the rich cultural heritage. Q - What are the main current threats to World Heritage Sites? How helpful have international responses been in tackling these threats? Answer - Earthquakes, conflict & war, pollution, poaching, unrestrained urbanization & unchecked tourist development are the main current threats to the world heritage sites. Danger can be referred to specific & imminent threats or when a property faces threats which will have negative effect on world heritage values. Some countries applied for the message of the site to focus international attention to the problem and take expert advice to solve it. E. g. Iranian city of Bam, where about 26000 people lost their lives in the earthquake in the year 2003 and it was inscribed as UNESCO’s world heritage list & also in the list of world heritage in danger in the year 2004. International efforts are utilized to save the devasted city. Similarly, there are alike cases in Asia too. Zabid in Yemen, about 40% of the original houses was replaced by concrete buildings. In the year 2000, Zabid was inscribed on the list of world heritage in danger. UNESCO helps the local authorities to develop urban plan and adopt strategic approach for preserving the world’s heritage sites. International organisations are trying their best to safeguard the interest of the culture & values of the respective countries. Q - Discuss the extent to which safeguarding heritage can be seen as part of the protection of environmental security? Answer - Heritages are decayed due to earthquakes, pollution, poaching, unrestrained urbanization & unchecked tourist development among other factors. Environmental security is considered with the protection & preservation of the heritage sites. Pollution, as we know, is created through human activity like burning of coal or petroleum products, but in case of safe guarding the heritages, measures are taken to prevent the destruction of heritage sites. In case, the world heritage centre tries to protect & preserve the sites. Right from the emergency help to safeguarding while the property is in danger to long term conservation, management planning, technical help, professional training, public and youth education and building awareness. To secure & protect the environment from the hazards, it will also protect the heritage. Each country takes special measures to safeguard the environment so as to safeguard the heritage. Increase in human activity deteriorated the environment’s condition, to prevent that measures should be taken by using eco friendly products which is beneficial for both the environment & the people. Until & unless we safeguard the environment, it will not possible to safeguard the cultural heritage of any nation. Bibliography UNESCO, No Date. World Heritage. Activities. [Online] Available at: http://whc.unesco.org/en/activities [Accessed May 17, 2010]. Read More