Team 2
Cody, Josh, Melinda, Norma
Part I
Our course has concentrated on the central theme “Contemporary Social and Political
Issues.” Based upon either your readings or discussions, outline one major issue affecting
the “state of the world” as of the offering of this course.
The issue we have chosen to discuss is preventing climate change; more specifically, reducing
CO2 emissions worldwide in order to do this. Climate change is becoming more noticeable worldwide.
To avoid irreversible damage to the planet, we need to start looking at reducing CO2 emissions on global,
national, and individual levels. Most people probably agree that something needs to be done, but it is
hard for people to get motivated to do anything without proper planning and incentive from their
government. The problem is that governments cannot agree on the appropriate course of action, so they
are doing little or nothing to solve the problem.
State various positions taken on the issue listed above.
It is hard for countries to agree on a course of action for a couple of reasons. The high cost of
reducing emissions would be devastating on developing countries that are already poor. Also, the
industrialized countries that could afford those high prices have caused the most damage to the planet in
their quest to become industrialized. Several suggestions have been made, but nothing has been agreed
upon yet. Germany and India have suggested allowing those developing countries emission levels to rise
until they reach the per capita emission levels of industrialized nations. These industrialized nations
would presumably be decreasing their emission levels rapidly. Once their emission levels were equal,
they would continue to reduce their per capita emissions together. Brazil also made a suggestion, but it
made no headway on the international stage. They suggested making a countries responsibility to resolve
the problem proportional to their historical contribution to the problem. Since industrialized countries are
responsible for most of the buildup of greenhouse gases, they suggested that they should be responsible
for fixing the problem. The final, and most popular, position is the Greenhouse Development Rights.
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Team 2
Cody, Josh, Melinda, Norma
This is a plan to reduce emissions that was developed jointly by a U.S. group, EcoEquity, and the
Stockholm Environment Institute. This plan would take in to account a countries historical contribution
as well as their ability to deal with the problem without sacrificing necessities. This plan would be based
on a country’s cumulative per capita GHG emissions from a specific date; 1990 has been suggested.
Also, it would not count people or families below a “development threshold” of $7500 per person. This
would help shield the poor from the potentially high costs of reducing emissions. This plan is gaining
attention as we get closer to the climate conference in 2009.
What local, state, national or international organization might help address this issue?
How?
Some ideas propose that the countries that have produced the most greenhouse gases should be
more financially responsible to remove those greenhouse gases from the environment. Industrialized
nations such as the United States, China, and Japan are opposed to this idea because that would mean they
would be most responsible financially. Other ideas presented by the New Global Fund for Adaptation
would require countries to contribute .3 to one percent of their gross domestic product for reducing
emissions.
Also, in order to reduce greenhouse gases to a level that would permit no more than two degrees
Celsius warming globally, the world as a whole would have to drastically reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by 2050. Many government proposals would allow this but many would be needed to be
enacted in conjunction with each other. Some of these programs are as follows; China and the group of
77, Comprehensive World Climate Change Fund, Switzerland’s adaptation fund, the Africa Group,
Norway’s climate convention and Brazil’s new clean development fund. All of these are ideal schemes
but would only be able to achieve the challenges of “going green” by working together.
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Team 2
Cody, Josh, Melinda, Norma
What are some of the rights and responsibilities you feel the average citizen has relative to
this issue?
Global warming is the result of human activity; we are the ones who are to blame for
climate change, the melting ice sheets, and the rising sea levels. If we don’t do anything about the climate
change our future is very clear. This world is no longer going to exist, unless we and our future
generations reduce the carbon dioxide emissions. Citizens have to use other ways of doing things they
normally do or do little things, like carpooling or just planting a tree. By carpooling they help save gas
and not contaminate the air, and by planting a tree, we help change CO2 into oxygen. Little changes can
help slow down Global Warming.
State clearly your team position on the issue outlined above and how this issue personally
effects your life.
Global warming is a life threatening, long term issue. We have to help at least to slow down the
process. We, and other countries, have to use renewable resources instead of using fossil fuels. Also, we
need to reduce the amount of CO₂ in the air to reduce the damage to the ozone layer. This is a global
problem; therefore we need to work together, globally, to fix the problem. We have to start making efforts
to find a solution and help prevent further damage.
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Team 2
Cody, Josh, Melinda, Norma
Part II
Globalization
When they talk about globalization they refer to economic globalization which is the integration
of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment, capital
flows, migration and the spread of technology. Globalization makes us interdependent and we have to
count on each other to achieve goals or other purposes. The first age of globalization occurred with
technologies like the telegraph and the telephone that changed communications forever. In the 1920’s,
radio was as popular as the internet is today. Globalizations has its effects but if you’re a country that
decides to remain closed off from other countries then there can be a huge difference in profits if the
product is exported and imported into other countries. For example India’s ambassador car is made by
Hindustan Motors which started making cars the same year as Japan’s Toyota. 50 years later, Toyota
makes 5 million cars a year. Hindustan sells 18,000 Ambassadors and still to the same design. No
economic idea has shaped the era of globalization more profoundly than a belief in free, open markets.
List and discuss five benefits of globalization
There are many benefits of globalization such as trade and the spread of technology. Another
example would be the steady cash flow in the developing countries that gradually decreases the currency
difference. There is also more access to products from different countries because of the worldwide
markets. It benefits both the companies and the consumers. Due to the increase in demands, the global
market has increased the production sector and that has given companies and manufacturers plenty of
options. Global competition and cheap imports forces companies to lower prices and therefore inflation is
less likely to occur. Communications among the countries are on the rise and the exchange of cultures is
occurring everywhere. Socially we have become more open and tolerant to other individuals that are not
of the same as us. We also share financial interests, corporations and governments are trying to sort out
the ecological problems for each other. Governments of other countries show concern about each other
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Team 2
Cody, Josh, Melinda, Norma
and help with financial needs. Politics are combining and making decisions that are actually beneficial for
people all over the world.
Another benefit of globalization is that you get to know what is going on around the world, and
by watching the news, you’re able to see things that you normally wouldn’t know about. Also an open
economy gives opportunity to innovation with insights worldwide. Productivity grows more quickly when
countries produce goods and services in which they have a comparative advantage. The living standards
can go up more rapid. Export jobs often pay more than other jobs. Free capital flows give the U.S.
admissions to foreign investment and keeps interest rates low. Technological advancements have
continued to excel due to globalization and even developing countries get access to the latest technology.
List and discuss five negative aspects of globalization
One negative aspect of globalization is the rise of communicable diseases and the social
degeneration in countries. Another negative aspect is that the Europeans are losing their jobs because the
jobs have been moved to Asian countries. The cost of labor in Asian countries is very low compared to
other countries. Poorer countries are being exploited by the richer countries where the work force is taken
advantage of and low wages are applied. The rich continue to get richer and the poor are becoming
poorer. Millions of people have lost their jobs due to imports and production shifts overseas. Most find
new jobs but they pay less. Thousands of others fear losing their jobs especially at those companies that
are operating under competitive pressure. Workers face pay-cut demands from their employers that often
threaten to export the jobs. US employees can lost their comparative advantage when companies build
advanced factories in low wage countries and make them as productive as those at home. Human
trafficking has increased due to globalization and has also led to the exploitation of labor. Prisoners and
child workers are used in slave shops, where the safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods.
Terrorists have access to more complex weapons enabling them to inflict greater damage. Also, they
could use the internet for communicating among themselves.
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Team 2
Cody, Josh, Melinda, Norma
References
1. State of the World: Into a Warming World, The Worldwatch Institute
2. “Commanding Heights”
3. http://www.buzzle.com
4. http://www.businessweek.com
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