Recent Issues and Concerns

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What are some examples of ethnic conflicts around the world?

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1) Palestinians vs. Jews in the Middle East.

2) Tibet vs. China.

3) Catholics vs. Protestants in Northern Ireland.

4) Muslims in Pakistan vs. Hindus in India over Kashmir.

5) Serbs, Croatians, and Muslims in the Balkans.

6) Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran.

7) Chechnya vs. Russia.

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What is the ozone layer and why is it important?

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The ozone layer is a small layer of gases in the atmosphere that absorbs the sun’s ultraviolet rays and protects us from skin cancer.

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What are the causes and effects of acid rain?

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Acid rain contains chemicals due to pollution and demonstrates a need for stricter pollution laws worldwide.

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What is deforestation and where is it a major concern?

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Deforestation is the elimination of rainforests, notably in Brazil (Amazon Basin), Costa Rica, and the Congo (Central Africa).

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What is desertification and where is it a concern?

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Desertification is the change from arable land to desert, caused by deforestation and overgrazing, especially concerning in the Sahel region of Africa.

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What happened at Chernobyl in 1986?

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Chernobyl was a nuclear disaster in Ukraine, exposing thousands to radiation and cancer.

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What is the greenhouse effect and its potential impact?

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The greenhouse effect is the trapping of warm air in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and potential flooding of coastal areas.

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What is the Kyoto Protocol?

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The Kyoto Protocol (1997) is an international agreement calling for a decrease in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from 1990 levels.

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What is the Green Revolution?

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The Green Revolution refers to the use of technology to increase food supply, using improved irrigation, machinery, fertilizers, pesticides, and better seeds and livestock.

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What is nuclear proliferation and its concerns?

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Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear technology to countries that do not currently possess it, which can be used for energy or to create nuclear weapons.