Sunday, January 26, 2020

Main Barriers Sustainable Development Developing Countries Initiatives Overcome Economics Essay

Main Barriers Sustainable Development Developing Countries Initiatives Overcome Economics Essay Any country whose standard of living is at a low level is referred to as a developing country. Development level varies from country to country thus cannot be generalized in meaning. Using numerical categorization, Countries with low and middle income have been categorized as developing by the World Bank. Dividing economies with the 2008 Gross National Income per capita (GNI), developing countries were identified by GNI per capital below $11 905. Countries having progressive economies but which have not attained a particular standard to be referred to as developed country are categorized as Newly Industrialized Country (NIC). Such countries are said to have rapid growth in their economy but have still not reached the standard of the First World, these are highly developed countries (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developed_country) Almost all countries of the third world can be categorized as developing, they including all African countries excluding South Africa, all countries in the Middle East excluding Turkey, all Asian countries excluding China, Japan, Singapore, Russia, Taiwan India, Myanmar and South Korea, some countries in Eastern Europe, Southern American countries excluding Brazil and the Caribbean excluding Jamaica and Cuba. File:World Bank income groups.svg Fig1: Countries based on World Bank income groupings for 2006 (calculated by GNI per capita, Atlas method).   Ã‚   High income   Ã‚   Upper-middle income   Ã‚   Lower-middle income   Ã‚   Low income Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developing_country Sustainable Development Sustainable development as defined in 1987 in a report by Brundtland is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. (Hecht, 1999) Sustainable development as an aspiration is global; as an ongoing process, it is local. A growing number of scientists and technologists share in the aspiration and experiment with the local (Mabogunje and Kates, 2004). For sustainable development to be achieved, especially in developing countries, some stages have to be undergone; it is also necessary for essential building blocks to be implemented. The economic, social and environmental factors have to be considered in a transparent and open manner. In many developing countries, the fundamental building blocks, such as a free-market economy, transparency of government operations, public access to information, public involvement in decision making, and enforcement of environmental laws, are weak or absent. Although some developing countries are strengthening domestic policies and regulations and creating economic policy incentives for attracting environmentally sound investment, progress is slow and uneven. (Hecht,1999). Barriers Developing countries have less sustainable livelihoods today than they had 25 years ago. The issue of sustainable development involves making sure that the ongoing development does not affect future generation. Some of the following issues contribute to the low sustainability level in developing countries: Extreme Poverty Poverty is the most prominent barrier to development in developing countries. Almost all population found in these countries live in rural settlements and depend on agriculture as their main source of income. Poverty and the environment have a strong connection especially in countries with economies that depend on natural resources. For people in these countries to meet their needs, they engage in local activities such as tree cutting for fuel wood, wild life hunting (leading to extinction), extensive and excessive farming system and so on. These activities are carried out to meet the needs of today but the repercussions await the future generations. Deforestation Intense farming and deforestation in South America has left some areas with only 5% of natural vegetation. If this trend continues, there might be little or nothing left to pass to the future generations. Africa had about 650 million hectares of woodlands and forests but between 1990 and year 2000, about 53 million hectares of forest was lost (Africare speech, 2008). In respect to the global forest loss, this was about 56% in that period. Deforestation has a resultant effect on protection of soils, the land is more exposed to adverse conditions like erosion and evaporation, also quality of water is affected by deforestation. All these will invariably tell on the production and economy of countries involved. Urban Development Urban areas in developing countries are expected to be more populated majorly because of migration. However this comes with a great environmental challenge. A good number of urban dwellers either inhabit slum areas or carve a slum-niche for themselves simply because they do not have legal rights to own their properties. Slum conditions lack good, portable water, electricity and other basic amenities of life. The issue of waste disposal in slum areas is usually carelessly handled, this poses as a threat to health and safety of slum dwellers. It is not a surprise to use plastic bags as mobile toilets in some large slums like Kibera, Nairobis largest slum. Also, because of the nature of these areas, there is increase in miscreants among juveniles. This has a direct negative effect on young adults who are supposed to be leaders of tomorrow. This is where the effect of the environment on the social life of individuals comes in to play. Some shanty areas in Nigeria have in recent times produced the highest number of notorious young adults. Urbanization in developing countries results in very large population inhabiting very small area, polluted water and air, poor public transport among other things. These environmental conditions lead to low standard of living in these areas. In South America, urban population is found in settlements called squatter, Brazil having favelas while Venezuela has barrios. Caracas is known to have over 50% population living in squatters. These squatters are usually made from scrap and cardboard materials in areas that are prone to flooding or steep areas. After a while, the construction is upgraded with better materials but the settlements remain in an irregular network with small paths and streets, there is usually no plan for waste management, drainage or water supply. The Asian continent among others is not left out in urbanization issues. Bangladesh, a country in Asia has had an increase in urban poverty in recent times. In Dhaka city alone, from 1974 to 2005 slum population has jumped from 250,000 to 2,840,000 during the span of little over 3 decades (Haider, 2008). During these decades, the number of slums also increased from 500 to 4,300. While slum population has increased by more than 11 times the number of slums has increased 8.6 times during this period. The causes for the increase of slum population are certainly complex. However, the major aspect is again related to the lack of well paying jobs in urban areas. There are also cases of downward mobility in urban areas of urban dwellers themselves. Although Bangladesh has been able to reduce urban poverty to some extent, there are pockets of chronic poverty in slums that seem very hard to overcome. (Haider,2008). http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol18no2/2809067_slum.jpg Nairobi, Kenya: Sixty per cent of the citys people live in slum areas. Source: http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol18no2/182environ.htm Impact of Industrial Waste The process of obtaining non-renewable materials from natural resources has an adverse effect on the environment. A good example is Nigeria, a developing country in West Africa. The Niger Delta environment has been polluted by oil spills and flares from gas for over half a century. A target was set forth to put a stop to flaring of gas but this seems to be unachievable with the trend of events. Mine sites which are no longer in use in some parts of Africa contribute to the nuisance that the environment is becoming. In general, mineral and oil exploration contribute to water pollution (which also causes death of organisms in water), contaminated soil, e.tc. Developing countries will continue to have great challenge in attaining sustainable development if the current approach to extraction of resources is not addressed. Effect of Climate Change on Environment Africa as a continent has so many developing countries. Studies from the IPCC (Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change) show that this continent is more prone to the impact of climate change than any other part of the world. Some of the effects of climate change include less rainfall in areas already experiencing dryness like the southern and eastern parts, and increased drought in north central Africa. It is also predicted that by 2025 (Africare speech,2008), western African countries will experience scarcity of water, such countries like Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Mauritania, Nigeria e.t.c. While other issues are more pressing and getting better attention from African leaders (such issues as malaria, HIV AIDS, poverty, starvation e.t.c), to sustain the future generation, Africa has to be fully at alert and address the issue of climate change peculiar to its environment. In other areas, climate change may cause flooding in contrast to its effect in these countries. In South America for instance, climate change has an effect on their environment which in essence has a multiplier effect on planning for growth. La Plata River basin which is the fifth largest river in the world generates about 50% of South Americas Gross National Product (GNP) and five countries share boundaries with this river- Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The effect of climate change in this river basin has affected the economy and as a result its population. Flow in this region has been 30% greater since 1970 than in previous time. This is in contrast to the average rainfall before 1970 and below average rainfall afterwards in sub-Saharan Africa (Africare speech, 2008). Corruption Corruption is a major barrier to sustainable development in every country that it exists. It steals from todays children the resources they will need to survive tomorrow. There is a direct link between underdevelopment and corruption. The former encourages the latter. A good scenario is the public service low income in developing countries, this stimulates trivial corruption. The level of education and enlightenment in these countries also put people in ignorance of their statutory rights, thereby giving room for corrupt individuals. Initiatives to Overcome Barriers The discussion about initiatives to overcome barriers to sustainable development in developing countries will not be justified without mentioning the millennium development goals (MDGs). The MDGs were initiated in September 2000 during the United Nations Summit. These goals are eight in number and they break down into quantifiable targets that are 21 in number, they are also measured by 60 indicators. They include the following: Extreme poverty and hunger eradication Universal primary education for all Encourage women empowerment and gender equality Reduce death rate of children Improve maternal health Fight against diseases especially malaria and HIV/AIDS Implement sustainable development Develop a global partnership for development These goals were created having developing countries in mind as the issues addressed are mostly concerned with them. However, the indicators for these goals show that they have not been effectively implemented locally and globally, they also show that the time frame given to them will not be realistic. Over the years, developing countries have recognized the importance of environmental management and sustainability and there have been initiatives peculiar to each country and situation to enhance this. Some of those initiatives include establishing Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). NGOs have gained reputation especially internationally as they are consulted on matters of planning and implementation of policies made at national and international levels. Examples of such include Global Volunteer Network, Cross-Cultural Solutions, Conserve Africa, Africa Guide, Action for Agricultural Renewal in Maharashtra (AFARM), Conservation Council for South Australia to mention a few. NGOs offer a clearer perspective and a wealth of experience in relevant areas such as human right defense, environmental protection, grassroots development, poverty alleviation, e.t.c. To thrive in their activities, these organizations should work alongside the government by participating in development, planning policies and decision making at the various levels of administration. However, since they are voluntary, availability of funds for NGOs might pose a slight challenge and they sometimes have to depend on funds from large hearted individuals. Other initiatives include creating anticorruption agencies. Since corruption impedes development at all levels of government, countries have created such agencies to check corrupt practices, examples include Office of Anti-Corruption Commission Bhutan (Asia), Independent Authority Against Corruption- Mongolia ( Asia), Anti- Corruption Commission- Bangladesh (Asia), Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission -Kenya (Africa), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Nigeria (Africa), War Against Indiscipline and Corruption- Nigeria (Africa), Kick Against Indiscipline- Nigeria (Africa), e.t.c These are just a few as there have been numerous organizations at different levels of government that function in this regard. However, as many as these appear to be, the issue of corrupt practices still rear their head. When caught in the act and asked, culprits sometimes blame the economy and government but those are just the ones who are brought to book, top citizens who have connections in high places are usually seen as above the law. This falls back to having good leadership in developing countries as well as citizens having the right attitude, without these, corruption will still find its way in these countries and the efforts of these organizations will not be justified. For every country, the children are the future leaders; good education for them is a very important factor for development. Some efforts have been made by countries and their governments to develop the minds of youngsters educationally, there have been schemes to sponsor students abroad to acquire various skills and knowledge so as to implement and integrate these skills once back home. Recently, the Federal Government of Nigeria awarded 1,087 undergraduate and postgraduate Nigerian students scholarship to study locally. There have also been organizations (PTF-Petroleum Trust Fund) that sponsor student abroad for studies from Nigeria. Other scholarship boards in other countries include Integrated Community Development Fund (ICDF) in Bolivia, Banque Libano Francaise in Lebanon and a host of others in other countries. This initiative has a very slow but steady growth in various developing countries. Other countries simply affiliate themselves with foreign government and bodies to get n ecessary support. Conclusion Since each developing country has its own government and ruling council, initiatives for achieving sustainable development in these countries differ, this is also because apart from the challenges listed above, some countries have challenges that are peculiar in nature to their environment, society and economy. In this regard, these countries tend to lean towards initiatives which particularly address their peculiar problems. Coming up with initiatives is one thing, implementing those initiative is another. In my belief, the latter is more important than the former. To achieve sustainable development, developing countries must make conscious efforts to implement the existing initiatives while looking to create new ones. Lastly, achieving sustainable development in developing countries takes a gradual (not magical) process; levels of achievements can only be measured with indicators periodically. It is up to every individual to contribute in little ways to achieve a nation and global sustainable environment for the future generation.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Ethical Actions Worksheet Essay

†¢ Was there anything in either the University of Phoenix Student Code of Conduct or the Student Code of Academic Integrity that surprised you? If so, what was it? Why were you surprised? If not, why not? After reading the University of Phoenix Student Code of Conduct, like expected, I did not find any of the information contained within to be surprising. Like in any professional and sometimes even public settings, I expected nothing less from the University of Phoenix’ own Code of Conduct. The University of Phoenix Code of Conduct reflects that of many of the abovementioned settings in order to ensure an environment where when followed; the rules help ensure a positive learning and work environment where each and every individual can focus only on the tasks at hand, leaving behind any personal issues derived from unprofessionalism. †¢ What did you learn about the behaviors considered important for an ethical learner or student in the University of Phoenix learning community? I learned that in order to ensure a more positive learning environment, it is important for students who are enrolled at the University of Phoenix to always take into consideration whether or not their actions may be found offensive by other students. One must always keep in mind that what may not be found to be offensive by one individual, may offend another individual regardless of the similarities between the two. This is due to the various backgrounds and personal beliefs of students enrolled at the University of Phoenix. For example, one person of a particular racial background may find humor in a racial joke while another person of the same racial background may find the same joke to be offensive. †¢ Why are the Student Code of Conduct and Student Code of Academic Integrity important to you and the University of Phoenix learning community? The University of Phoenix Code of Conduct is important in order to achieve an environment where students can focus only on their main academic goals. The Code of Conduct minimizes distraction brought on to students when they are in an environment where their attention is focused on issues not of an academic nature. The University of Phoenix Student Code of Academic Integrity ensures that all students take advantage of the opportunity to learn new things, which in turn will be rewarding to each individual’s future. Academic Integrity ensures a safe and peaceful learning environment where students can focus on the studying.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

What You Must Know About Reflective Narrative Essay Topics

What You Must Know About Reflective Narrative Essay Topics The War Against Reflective Narrative Essay Topics It is possible to also embed reflective questions on what you'd love to understand about entirely different components of earth. On the opposite hand, there may be a situation at which you might need to compose a sample papers. In some instances, it represents a quarter of your overall grade. In some instances it represents a quarter of your whole grade. At precisely the same time, one-of-a-kind events or experiences are also rather very likely to produce excellent topics. The most usual method is a linear story, but a lot of reflective narratives begin with the consequence of what happened and backtrack to the events that took place to cause the end result. You only have to share an experience. You may want to draw on a couple of specific experiences to assist you with your description. Reflective essay samples will demonstrate that you're able to adopt a fairly inf ormal writing style with a bit of creativity. Normally a reflective essay is limited to 400-600 words, which means you have to put all your thoughts into a limited quantity of symbols. Any professor will reduce your grades in the event the paper has plenty of typos, grammar and lexical mistakes, and lots different imperfections. Writing a narrative essay is all about telling a story using your initial voice. After all, life is only a string of events, and those which you remember most vividly are the ones which is likely to make the best essays. Who knows a number of the ideas might be employed by other students to be successful! From time to time, it's helpful to bear in mind an event which happens regularly like a birthday party. There are many things worth sharing. Lies You've Been Told About Reflective Narrative Essay Topics When you're describing a particular event or appealing to someone's feelings, it is necessary to create your language live and attractive. You al so need to describe what the story shows about your family members, your values, and what exactly you share with one another. Thus, to compose a great essay you need to brainstorm all thoughts concerning your life experiences. It should reveal the principal topic of the essay but not completely since you need to keep it wrapped in some mystery so you catch the interest of the readers. The Key to Successful Reflective Narrative Essay Topics The objective is to have the reader contemplating the paper long when they have finished reading it. Write in such a fashion, that you are going to be interested to read it. If your write your narrative like you are writing an instruction manual for a vacuum, your audience will wind up bored, shed focus and they might eventually quit reading. Somebody becomes essential wisdom and experience there. The 30-Second Trick for Reflective Narrative Essay Topics The very first situation to help write an excellent reflective essay is to earn an ou tline. Be mindful of the size it must be and begin writing the narrative essay outline. Hopefully you are starting to obtain a better grasp on how best to select from the endless varieties of reflective essay topics and perhaps even a better idea of the way to begin writing your essay. To help you make a productive essay outline here are tips that can assist you. Authors of analytic essays should become enough info concerning the material they may be writing about. Narrative essays don't have such arguments. In that case, then you ought to attempt writing narrative essays. Write about the way in which the conflict felt to you and what happened as a consequence of it. The secret is to make your essay actually reflective and the trick to achieving that is to set your own personality within it. Reflective narratives may be assigned in a course, but they could also be written by individuals in a journal, for example. There are other minor issues that writers face, such as, for instance, a lack of confidence. Use short notes and points and you will have the ability to deal with the paper in a way that you could understand, and help you write it as well. Step 6 The next issue is to compose your reflective essay. The Integration Reflection Narrative has to be typed and submitted together with the Time Sheet per due dates set out in the syl labus. Now you have gathered the information that you will need for your reflective essay, now you want to receive all of it in order. The Reflective Narrative Essay Topics Pitfall It's tricky to pick just 1 topic whenever there are so many you could write about. Students may acquire few examples from several internet sources. Things You Should Know About Reflective Narrative Essay Topics Be certain the big points are strong and stick out in each paragraph. Every argument or claim ought to be described in another paragraph. Based on your targets, write the draft to observe the way the things show up on the sample reflective narrative essay. Review it carefully and determine whether there's enough room for you to present a superior argument the way that you wish to. Reflective Narrative Essay Topics Stories about traveling have an outstanding potential. Sample papers have always been an unbelievable method of growing help. Writing style is one of the most essential aspe cts on paper. It is very important to understand what each manner of paper should contain. It isn't surprising that one can have a notion and fail to get the appropriate words to put it down on paper. Knowing what and the way the paper needs to be written is a positive. Every type of paper includes different details. Thus, it's necessary to compose an attractive paper if you want a simple time in school. The heart of the process is the problem of productivity. Some students utilize the very first idea that arrives in their head and work on it, but the outcome isn't profitable. The entire procedure for parking is frustrating. The procedure for reflection in a work environment has various definitions. The Reflective Narrative Essay Topics Game Don't forget to use vibrant details to display your readers the full setup. From my own experience, working eight hours per day, five times each week isn't perfect for practically any person. Occasionally you might want to set a question initially and then the answer. Moreover, writing such papers will allow you to unders tand and sometimes resolve your feelings.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

About Charles Garnier, the Designer of the Paris Opera

Inspired by Roman pageantry, architect Charles Garnier (born November 6, 1825 in Paris, France) wanted his buildings to have drama and spectacle. His design for the magnificent Paris Opà ©ra on the Place de lOpà ©ra in Paris combined the classicism of Renaissance architecture with ornate Beaux Arts ideas. Jean Louis Charles Garnier was born into a working class family. He was expected to become a wheelwright like his father. However Garnier wasnt healthy and his mother didnt want him to work in a forge. So, the boy took mathematics courses at the École Gratuite de Dessin. His mother hoped he would get good, steady work as a surveyor, but Charles Garnier achieved much greater success. In 1842 Garnier began studies with Louis-Hippolyte Lebas at the École Royale des Beaux-Arts de Paris. In 1848 he won the Premier Grand Prix de Rome and was off to Italy to study at the Academy in Rome. Garnier spent five years in Rome, traveling throughout Greece and Turkey, and being inspired by Roman pageantry.   Still in his 20s, Garnier aspired to design buildings that had the drama of a pageant. The highlight Charles Garniers career was his commission to design the Opà ©ra in Paris. Built between  1857 and 1874,   the Paris Opera quickly became Garniers masterpiece. With its magnificent hall and grand staircase, the design combines opulence for its patrons with remarkable acoustics for the performers. The palatial Opera House has become known as Palais Garnier.   Garniers opulent style reflected the fashion that became popular during Napoleon IIIs Second Empire. Garniers other architecture includes the Casino at Monte Carlo in Monaco, another opulent complex for the wealthy elite, and the Italian villas Bischoffsheim and Garnier in Bordighera. Several other buildings in Paris, including the Panorama Marigny theatre and Hotel du Cercle de la Librairie, cannot compare with his grand masterpieces. The architect died in Paris on August 3, 1898. Why is Garnier Important? Many people might say that Garniers importance is his creation of a house for The Phantom of the Opera. Professor Talbot Hamlin suggests otherwise, pointing out that despite the oversumptuous detail of the Opà ©ra in Paris, the architectural style was imitated for decades because there is a magnificent clarity in the general appearance, both outside and in. Hamlin notes that Garnier conceived the Opà ©ra in Paris in three parts—the stage, the auditorium, and the vestibules. Each of these three units was then developed with the greatest richness possible, but always in such a way as to accent its relationship to the other two. It is this logic as the supreme quality that was being taught at École des Beaux-Arts and perfectly executed by Garnier. A buildings logic, the basic relationships in buildings, was founded on common sense, directness, emphasis of the most important elements, and expression of purpose. This insistence on open and logical planning and on the clarity of basic expression was vitally necessary to the solution of new architectural problems, writes Professor Hamlin. Architecture became a matter of disciplined study of plan relationships. Learn More: Charles Garniers Paris Opera: Architectural Empathy and the Renaissance of French Classicism by Christopher Mead, MIT Press, 1991Charles Garniers Opà ©ra: Architecture and Exterior Decor by Gà ©rard Fontaine, 2000Charles Garniers Opera: Architecture and Interior Decor by Gà ©rard Fontaine, 2004Paris Opera House: Scale Architectural Paper Model by Jean-William Hanoteau, 1987 Source: Architecture through the Ages by Talbot Hamlin, Putnam, Revised 1953, pp. 599-600