Ecological level of globalization

Ecology

Ecology – science dealing with relations between live organisms and their environment

Ecology – activity of social and political movements toward the environmental protection

Our right to „green world”

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 25:

„everyone has the right to a

standard of living adequate for their health and

well-being”

Major environmental problems of today Global warming Acid Rain Rain forrest destruction Air pollution Water pollution Overpopulation Hazardous waste Ozone depletion

Globalization vs Environment

ENEMIES? – the problems are caused by the globalized economical actions and activities of corporations

FRIENDS? - only by globalized actions we can fight the environmental problems

Globalization vs Environment

Only by globalized actions we can fight the

environmental problems: Conference on Environment and Development – Rio de Janeiro

1992 Convention on Climate Change – Rio de Janeiro 1992 Conference on Human Settlements – Habitat agenda and Agenda

21 – Istanbul 1992 International Conference on Population and Development – Cairo

1994 Protocol on Climate Change – Kyoto 1997 World Summit on Sustainable Development – Johannesburg 2002

Global efforts – UN efforts

1992 - United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change (192 countries)

Under the Convention, governments: gather and share information on greenhouse gas

emissions, national policies and best practices launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse

gas emissions and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries 

cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change

Global efforts – UN efforts

1997 Kyoto Protocol to the 1992 Convention

The major distinction between the Protocol and Convention is that while the Convention encouraged developed countries to stabilize GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, the Protocol commits them to do so.

The Protocol requires developed countries to reduce their GHG emissions below levels specified for each of them in the Treaty. These targets must be met within a five-year time frame between 2008 and 2012

Global efforts – UN efforts

Kyoto Protocol will affect virtually all major sectors of the economy, it is considered to be the most far-reaching agreement on environment and sustainable development ever adopted.

It must also be politically acceptable. Most of the world’s countries eventually agreed to the Protocol, but some nations chose not to ratify it USA, China, Poland...

Following ratification by Russia, the Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16 February 2005.

2007 UN Climate Change Conference in Bali brought together more than

10,000 participants, including representatives of over 180 countries together with observers from intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations and the media

culminated in the adoption of the Bali roadmap, which charts the course for a new negotiating process to be concluded by 2009 that will ultimately lead to a post-2012 international agreement on climate change (the Bali Action Plan).

Annex to the Bali Action Plan

Sustainable Development – hard to define – easy to critisize development that "meets the needs of the present

generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." (UN Commission on Environment and Development)

socio-ecological process characterized by the fulfillment of human needs while maintaining the quality of the

natural environment indefinitely

Environment vs Globalization

„Green” antiglobalization movements

Blame globalized economy and corporate institutions for all the environmental and human problems

Hold undeniable facts...

Some of the environmental and human arguments

Climate change causes death of 160 000 people every year

Within the next 50 years 1/3 of all the species will extinct The 3 RICHEST PEOPLE in the world own assets that

exceed the combined gross national product of ALL LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES and their 600 million

people. On average, developing countries have one doctor for

every 6,000 people whereas industrialized countries have one for every 350 people.

Important vocabulary

Climate change Global warming Acid Rain Air pollution Sustainable

development Environmental

proctecion Gas emission