Transcript Current Events Powerpoint

Current Events
Environmental Problems
• ”…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
Amazon Rainforest
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)
Air Pollution
Pollution
• Industrial manufacturing, farming, and
power production are polluting the air and
water supplies
• Garbage, especially plastic is
accumulating in large masses in the
oceans
• Overfishing is rapidly changing the marine
habitat & causing species extinction
Water Pollution
Overfishing
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)
Oil Spills
Global Economic
Interdependence
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.
Global Economic Collapse
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.
Interconnected computer & financial
networks
Hackers & cybercrime
Overpopulation
• 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.
Brazil
• Deforestation; Brazil
Sahara
• Desertification; Sahara Desert
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.