Global problems

Introduction

Global issues are so important that they may literally determine the future of the human species.

Political, social, environmental, economic, health, and security concerns are all impacted by global issues and are in themselves, global issues.

The very concept of issues that are global in scale is new.

The term "global issues" has only recently entered our vocabulary.

Global issues have, or hold the potential for, far-reaching impacts on people and the planet. Global issues are trans-national, or trans-boundary, and are beyond the capability of any one nation to resolve.

Global issues are persistent, or long-acting. Their onset may take years, decades, or even generations to be felt, and may require similar time frames to be resolved.

Global issues are interconnected. A change in one – whether for better or worse –exerts pressure for similar change in the others.

Global issues are not just events; rather they are the driving forces, or underlying causes, behind events.

Global issues are most often seen as problems.

But it is also possible to see them as opportunities, because they can compel us to change.

Rich / Poor Gap

There is a great disparity between rich and poor today.

This exists both within and between nations.

According to the United Nations, developed nations have 20 percent of the world’s population, but account for over 80 percent of the global Gross National Product (GNP).

The assets of the richest 200 people in the world are greater than the combined income of the poorest 2.5 billion people in the world.

The causes of this inequity are many and varied.

One is the asymmetrical course of globalization, which is increasing the incomes of a relative few, while locking out many.

Another is the persistence of colonial-era trade patterns in which developing regions supply resources but do not produce value-added goods that generate higher incomes.

Another is gender discrimination. Of the 1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty today, more than two-thirds are girls and women.

Another is inadequate governance and lack of transparent, effective state and social institutions that attract investment to help break the cycle of poverty.

The impacts of the rich – poor gap are severe for the poor.

Some 30,000 children die each day of preventable diseases.

Some two billion people receive less than adequate nutrition, often because they cannot afford sufficient or suitable food.

More than one billion people lack access to safe water and more than 2.4 billion lack access to sanitation.

The impacts of the rich – poor gap are also severe for the environment.

Poverty often forces people to over-exploit resources and damage the environment. As the environment is degraded, economic conditions often worsen, creating a vicious cycle.

Higher incomes often support excessive consumption and waste that damage the environment.

Solutions to the rich – poor gap include empowering communities – with an emphasis on women and minorities – to control local resources and make sustainable decisions.

Another solution is to build capacity through education, health care, and access to credit and communication.

Supporting the development of responsive and accountable governance, and conditions supportive of democracy – literacy, social health, and a free press can also help.

Promoting equitable trade - with an emphasis on helping developing countries improve standards of living through sustainable development – and relieving the debt burden of the world’s least developed nations.