2. We will be working together to solve
all the problems on earth at the
moment. Here we will see the main
problems. Good luck. Remember you
are looking at it from your countries
point of view, not your own.
3. Pollution - of the air, the water, the soil.
Human beings compete with other living things for resources and space. As the world’s
population continues to increase, and standards of living improve, there is serious
danger of a permanent change to the global environment.
Human activities have led to the pollution of the environment, and a reduction in the
amount of land available for other animals and plants, which makes it difficult for some
species to survive. There is a need to achieve a level of development that also
sustains the environment for future generations.
• China: since we are an LEDC (less economically developed country) we want to develop as
quickly as we can and as cheaply as we can. Just like other countries like the UK did. Why
should they tell us to pollute less while developing if they developed with a high polluting
result.
• Africa: we need to reduce all polluting. We have not contributed very much but we still get the
greatest impacts on us.
• UK: although we developed in a polluting way, we saw the error of our ways and so now we
want to reduce all polluting and save the world from the greenhouse gasses. However we still
do not wish to drop all our polluting things, just cut back as we still want to use our cars.
4. Population growth outstripping
resources worldwide
• China: we have already put many restrictions on our population e.g. 1 child
policy. Which has caused many problems within our country so we do not
wish to reduce our population much more.
• Africa: we cannot afford to reduce our population as most people need their
number of children to look after them in the future and to take over the
family business. Plus we lose many people through disease or natural
hazards.
• UK: our population has only grown because many people have immigrated
from other countries like Poland. Also the infant mortality rate (children living
past the first year) has increased so we may not have as many children but
still our population is increasing.
5. The overwhelming power of
multinational corporations over
governments
• China: we want to have these multinational corporations like coca cola as it
means they will pay a lot of money and will give our workers jobs.
• Africa: we do not want them as we think they will take away our culture. Also
if we become too dependent on them then we will not be able to earn our
own money if they decide to move. Also the conditions in the factories are
really bad, like sweat shops
• UK: we want these the multinational corporations as they mean we can have
cheap things however we do not want their factories built in our countries
and we want to reduce problems with them.
8. ‘If all insects on earth disappeared
within 50 years all life on earth would
end. If all human beings disappeared
from the earth within 50 years all
forms of life would flourish.’
Biologist Jonas Salk
• Why do you think that is?
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/
