the second half of the twentieth century, the economic impact of humanity on the surrounding nature has reached such destructive proportions that it has practically lost the ability to heal itself.
global environmental issues and sustainable development - the challenges of stopping the harmful effects of humanity on the environment.
In the middle of the last century, ecology was an internal affair of a particular country, because the effects of pollution from industrial activities appears only in areas with extremely high concentrations of hazardous industries.In the eighties, environmental problems have acquired a regional level, since emissions began to reach neighboring countries, coming together with precipitation, wind.
In the nineties, the arena went global environmental problems of humanity.They manifest in such negative trends as the global ecosystem destruction, loss of resources ability to repair itself, the expansion of zones of ecological disaster.But the most serious threat of our time, climate change becomes.The average annual temperature is increasing, respectively, increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events: floods, droughts, tornadoes, sudden frosts and thaws.In addition, warming may lead to rising sea levels, flooding large areas, exacerbate water scarcity.All this causes the nature of humanity and serious damage.
climate change associated with increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, that is, strengthening the "greenhouse effect."Harmful gases into the atmosphere from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and so on.But there is another view that is not the entire cause of global environmental problems, and the age-old rhythms of solar activity and climate cycles.
consequences of pollution
main effects of pollution lies in the fact that irreparable harm to the health of animals and humans, too contaminated areas become unsuitable for human habitation and normal economic activity.The main environmental problems of our time, if not solved, may eventually lead to the fact that the biosphere completely lose the ability to cleanse itself and collapse.
State policy
aggravation of global environmental problems has led to a change in government policy in many countries for the protection of nature.The government began to establish environmental regulations, to spend more on environmental measures.
In the eighties, the international community has recognized that global environmental problems can not be solved within the individual states.It was the concept of sustainable development, according to which need to be developed to meet the needs of not only the present but also future generations.The result was a contradiction: how to ensure sustainable development and at the same time reduce the negative impact on the environment.In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted, which determines the maximum amount of emissions of harmful greenhouse gases.The main objective of the Protocol - emission reduction of 5.2% compared to 1990 levels.
Today, many developed countries have been able to significantly reduce the level of pollution or at least stabilize it.It should be noted that reducing emissions will cost the developed countries are very expensive, and the benefits will be evident only in the long term.However, global environmental problems need to be addressed, but the costs will have to incur now to then it was too late.
