Environmental Problems
Recently, our environment is being destroyed seriously. Pollution is a big problem for human. The sky is not blue, the atmosphere is not fresh, the water in the river is not clean, and forests are disappearing. What are the reasons for the phenomenon?
At present, there are ten biggest environmental problems in the world. First of all, global warming is a big problem. With the development of economy, more and more greenhouse gases are being discharged into the air. CO2 makes up about 70% of the greenhouse gases, which is considered to be one of the greatest causes of global warming. It has harmful effects, causing the rising of sea level and coast being flooded. Global warming may has an influence on the world’s precipitation and the change of the atmospheric circulation. What’s worse, the weather becomes abnormal, drought and flood disasters happen frequently. The world’s ecological system may be changed and destructed.
Ozone depletion is the second problem. The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's UV radiation. It contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3), although it is still very small with regard to ordinary oxygen, and is less than ten parts per million, the average ozone concentration in Earth's atmosphere being only about 0.6 parts per million. Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related phenomena observed since the late 1970s: a steady decline of about 4% per decade in the total volume of ozone in Earth's stratosphere (the ozone layer), and a much larger springtime decrease in
stratospheric ozone over Earth's Polar Regions. The latter phenomenon is referred to as the ozone hole.
Environmental problems are as big as not for individual country or individual people to address. In other word, we have reached the stage that environmental problems be solved for international view. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
In recent years, many nations have become more aware of the environmental issues each nation faces, such as air and water pollution. The question is, are the environmental issues a national problem or an international problem? It is my belief that the environmental issues have grown to the point of becoming an international problem needing international cooperation to resolve.
Because of the differences in environmental policies, resources and technology, international cooperation could provide quicker results and have a greater impact on bringing resolution to environmental problems for nations of differing environmental policies and of lesser resources and technology. By pooling international resources and technology to address the environmental problems, the disadvantaged nations are provided the assistance needed. Otherwise their environmental conditions deteriorate ultimately affecting the resources and environment of the world as a whole.
One of the difficulties to an international resolution to environmental issues is the difference in individual nations view and policies toward environmental
protection. In order for international cooperation to occur and succeed, the nations of the world must submit themselves to international standards and supervision by an international commission elected by the participating nations of the world. All members must agree to abide by the standards established.
The environmental issues facing each country are not unrelated to the well being of the rest of the world. The impact is long term and international in scope. Without international cooperation and agreement to address such environmental issues as glacial melting at the South Pole, depletion of the ozone layer, water pollution, air pollution, etc., the environmental conditions of the world will deteriorate to the detriment of every nation, not just those that ignore or lack the resources and technology to resolve their individual environmental problems.
As part of the same planet, it is the responsibility of each individual and nation to protect the global environment. Only international cooperation will provide the timely solutions and the effectiveness needed to stop the deteriorating global environment.
