Social and Environmental Challenges

Objectives Explain the causes and effects of global poverty, disasters, and disease. Analyze whether the basic human rights of people around the world are being upheld. Discuss the environmental challenges that have resulted from industrial development.

Terms and People tsunami – very large, damaging wave caused by an earthquake or very strong wind epidemic – a disease that spreads rapidly famine – when large numbers of people in a region or country face death by starvation refugee – a person who is forced to move because of poverty, war, natural disaster, or persecution

Terms and People (continued) acid rain – a form of pollution in which toxic chemicals in the air fall to Earth as rain, snow, or hail deforestation – destruction of forest land erosion – the wearing away of land global warming – the rise of the Earth’s surface temperature over time

How do poverty, disease, and environmental challenges affect people around the world today? Globalization has brought poverty, disease, environmental threats, and human rights abuses to the attention of the world. As people work to solve these problems, they have learned that many of them need to be addressed on a global level.

Though some progress has been made in reducing global poverty, the gap between rich and poor nations is growing. Developing nations have so much debt that they have no money to improve life for their people. Political disorders, war, and bad planning also block efforts to reduce poverty. Rapid population growth has strained resources and made it harder to provide basic services.

GDP is one way to measure a nation’s wealth.

They encourage poor nations to limit their population growth, and ask rich nations to forgive the debts of poor nations. Organizations such as the World Bank believe that ending poverty is key to global peace. Three billion people in the world live on less than $2 per day. One billion cannot read or write. Hunger is an issue for 790 million.

One critical issue in developing countries is access to safe water. 9

Natural disasters strike all over the world and cause destruction, death, and disease. A tsunami swept over the islands and coasts of the Indian Ocean in 2004, killing 160,000. In 2010, an earthquake devastated Haiti, one of the world’s poorest nations. Over 300,000 people were killed and a million made homeless. In addition to the immediate suffering, natural disasters can wreck local economies. However, globalization has meant that news and aid travel more quickly.

Migration and travel have contributed to the rapid spread of disease. An epidemic of HIV/AIDS began in the 1980s. Treating and preventing AIDS has become a global priority.

Food is often not distributed to those who need it most. Both natural disasters and war have caused widespread famine. Civil wars in Sudan and Ethiopia in the 1970s and 1980s led to famines that required the efforts of international aid groups. Hunger is a major threat for millions of people around the globe.

Globalization has led to greater movement of people around the globe. Some of those who migrate are refugees forced to move due to war, disaster, or persecution. Millions of migrants go to Europe, North America, and Asia each year. While some people in developed countries welcome the newcomers, others fear that immigrants will take away jobs.

UN members approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 UN members approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Nations signing the Helsinki Accords in 1975 guaranteed basic rights as well. However, human rights abuses still occur every day. Globalization has brought attention to these abuses. The world community pressed countries to end abuses through economic means. Human rights groups monitor and report on human rights violations.

A global women’s movement has worked for decades to secure equality and rights for women. According to a report to the UN, women perform two thirds of all working hours but receive only one tenth of the world’s income. The UN and other groups monitor the human rights of women. They also condemn violence against women.

Children suffer abuses around the world, and many work instead of attending school. Ensuring a child’s right to life, liberty, and education has been difficult in the face of war, poverty, and AIDS. Developed nations and human rights groups are working to end child labor and abuse. A nine-year-old worker in a brick factory in India

Land has been forcibly taken from indigenous people in the name of development. Though the UN has worked to protect the rights of indigenous people, few have been able to maintain a traditional way of life. Many Indians have died of diseases. Mayan villagers were targeted by the government in Guatemala’s civil war.

Economic development has raised concerns about damage to the environment. Gases from factories produced acid rain. Pollution from nuclear plant disasters sparked debate on how to safely use this technology. Oil spills polluted waterways. Expanding human settlement endangered many species of animals. Deforestation led to soil erosion.

Many scientists believe global warming results from human activity, but some policymakers contend it is caused by natural swings in the Earth’s climate. Global warming has led to debate about how to protect the environment without hindering economic development. A treaty called the Kyoto Protocol went into effect in 2005 with the purpose of lowering the emissions of greenhouse gases. The United States did not sign, due to economic concerns.