International organizations
There is a number of international organizations that influence the development of the whole world. The UN is one of such organizations. The UN officially came into existence on October, 24, 1945. The UN primary purpose is to maintain world peace and promote international cooperation. Besides, the UN provides a forum for countries to promote their views and settle conflicts without violence, to solve world problems, such as poverty, disease and environmental protection. The UN membership is open to any country willing to further the UN mission and abide by its rules.
Another international organization that plays a significant role on the world stage is the EU. This political entity was born as the European Economic Community (or Common Market) through the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Later on it evolved first into the European Community and finally to the European Union through the Maastricht Treaty of 1991, or the ‘Treaty on European Union’ as it is formally known. For many the EU is primarily about the single market and the opportunities and benefits this presents to businesses, students, pensioners and holidaymakers. The EU has the power to conduct a common commercial policy and to conclude different kinds of agreements with individual countries, or at a multilateral level. It has special responsibility for economic assistance, development of cooperation and humanitarian aid. The Treaty on European Union, which came into force in 1993, fixed as a Union objective “the implementation of a common foreign and security policy including the eventual framing of a common defense policy”.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) started in 1948 as a result of negotiations between Western Europe, Canada and the USA. The main objective of this organization is the collective defense of its members and promoting their common values. The highest authority within NATO is the North Atlantic Council, composed of permanent delegates from all members, headed by a secretary general.
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was founded in 1946. This UN agency was established to encourage collaboration among nations in the areas of education, science, culture and communication. More than 180 nations belong to UNESCO.
Protection of the environment
Nowadays society is facing a number of environmental problems, such as the depletion of the ozone layer, greenhouse warming, pollution of air, water and land. The depletion of the ozone layer is very dangerous as it increases UV radiation affecting all living organisms. However , this problem could be solved if people stopped using ozone-depleting chemicals. To solve the problem of greenhouse warming people must reduce energy use. We could do this by turning off lights, turning down heaters and air conditioners, building more energy efficient buildings, shutting doors, and driving with a light foot.
Cleaning up air pollution is one of the main problems at present. Exhaust fumes from the engines of automobiles contain a number of polluting substances, which is damaging to people’s health. Some big cities (f.i. Tokyo, Milan, Ankara, Mexico City, Buenos Aires etc.) have such a serious air-pollution problem that oxygen is supplied to policemen who direct traffic at busy intersections. One of the climatic effects of air pollution is acid rain. It is damaging to water, forest, and soil. It is blamed for the disappearance of fish from many lakes and rivers.
People are also concerned about massive releases of radioactive materials from nuclear weapons and accidents at nuclear power plants. As a result of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 much of northern and eastern Europe experienced heavy nuclear fallout.
What should be done to protect nature! – First of all people should change their attitude to it: they can plant trees and create parks for endangered animals, they can recycle their wastes. They should keep air and water clean by establishing strict pollution control. To reduce pollution from automobile engines they should develop pollution-free engines. Moreover, people should exercise absolute pollution control in various contamination industries.