benefits of freedom of speech

8/10/2019 Benefits of Freedom of Speech

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Benefits of Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech prohibits the government from arbitrarily or unnecessarily interfering withones personal opinion, or speech for that matter. As stated in the constitution, every citizenhas the opportunity to censure the federal government to support their ostracized, bizarre ideas,

which may be offensive to those around you.

1. Shared responsibility

For starters, freedom of speech gives a person a certain level of responsibility, enhanced trust,frankness, and better sense of liability. n addition, free speech acts a tool in nurturing socialevolution. !evertheless, in order to ensure that we all en"oy freedom of speech, the governmentmust put measures into place to stop groups that promote offensive views, such as racism,fascism, se#ism and terrorism.

2. Enhances self-esteem

Another reason why the government should encourage freedom of speech is to help peopledevelop poise to e#press their views without fear of being condemned or punished. $y doing so,people can challenge the rules and laws and fight for what they believe is right. %uch inspiredfolks are usually front&runners in economic development.

3. New ideas foster development

'he benefits of freedom of speech are somewhat obvious, for instance, sharing of ideas canenhance productivity at the workplace, not to mention that it fosters social relationship. Althoughthe benefits of freedom of speech are evident, some groups may abuse this privilege by

promoting racist views, as well as fascism.

4. Encora!es social evoltion

(hile it is not prudent to restrict freedom of speech, the government should set up laws to ensureall individuals have the chance to e#press their views without any discrimination, especiallywhen the laws are enforced by the federal government. Also, it protects your rights of e#pressionand information in cases of war like circumstances.

Freedom of speech has its limitations when a group of individuals promote biased ideas, likese#ism, fascism, terrorism, and racism.

1) information on how to make/obtain weapons (homemade bombs for example)

readily available

2) inciting people to violent action is possible (hate speech versus a certain

race/religion)

3) privacy is compromised, sometimes unknowingly (do a search for

facebook personal information for an excellent case in point)

!) propaganda/misinformation is easy to spread via the "nternet
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#) people are not held accountable for what they say (people are anonymous

when on the "nternet, though this is also one of the main pluses about the

"nternet)

Environment "odel Essay

) *+onuest without conscience.- 'o what e#tent would you agree with this assessment of ourrelationship to the environment/umans are the 0masters1 of the 2arth today. +learly, it is not due to our physical prowess thatgave us such a title. t is our intellect, innovation and creativity that have allowed the human raceto rise in power against all the other animal species that are more physically advanced comparedto us. t is through innovation that has allowed us to win the conuest against the animal species,bending them over to our will and sub"ecting these animals to whatever we please. %incecavemen conuered the animal species, humans have become bolder. 2ven in today-s modern

world, conuests are made, in the form of the uncountable inventions appearing daily, to improvethe uality of life. /owever, the negative effects of the numerous *battles- we have held tobecome more technologically advanced over the centuries is showing in the home we reside in,3other 2arth. 'hese *battles-, regrettably, are still fought daily, and we show almost no effort tostop. n my opinion, feel that *+onuest without conscience- is an accurate description of thehumans- relationship to the environment. !umerous acts by humans clearly "ustify my view.First, there is the act of pollution. 3any of the daily tasks that we do in our everyday life involvepolluting the environment. 'hese tasks take up a ma"ority of our lives and are often done withouta second thought to spare for the environment. +hina, a country that has up to 4.5 billion peopleis one of the largest contributors to pollution. t is not only due to the large number of peopleliving in the country that causes the pollution to be high. 6ne of the main reasons that have

singled +hina out is due to their burning of coal to generate electrical power for the masses. 'heusage of coal is highly polluting and the main reason on why +hina uses it is due to the costeffectiveness of coal. 'he more e#pensive but cleaner alternative of fossil fuels, however, isadopted in many countries around the world. 'he usage of coal to generate electrical power forso many people is significant to the global emission levels of carbon mono#ide gas. 'his selfishact of rating cost effectiveness over the harm caused to the environment shows how the humansare involved with the notion of a conuest for advancement without conscience. 3other 2arth isthen made to inhale so much more of these to#ic gases at the e#pense of coal being cheaper thanfossil fuels. 7ollution is the result our never&ending need for cheaper energy to power our never&ending consumption of resources.%econd, deforestation too, leads to air pollution. 8eforestation is deemed as necessary for many

countries as it is the only way for more land to be developed for industrial purposes and forhousing. As a result, large areas of woodland are cleared on a regular basis to ensure that there ismore space for development to occur. n many countries, there is a more eco&friendly approachin uprooting the trees such that another tree is planted in another region. /owever, in the case ofndonesia, the deforestation techniue is to burn the forest by large areas such that large areas ofland can be cleared at once. 'he usage of this slash&and&burn techniue to clear the land, morenotably by poor farmers, causes mass pollution for the country of ndonesia. 'he haze generatedby the fire is then blown by the wind over to %outh 2ast Asian countries, causing an
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inconvenience to the locals living there and affecting the air uality in these countries. %uch actsby the ndonesians further support the claim on how conuests by the humans are made withoutconscience. 'he ndonesians, in the conuest to clear more land, not only contributes to thepollution, but also seriously inconveniencing the locals in the %outheast Asian countries. /ence,their selfish methods of clearing land for development illustrates the little conscience they have

in the conuest for land for development purposes.2ven in the world of medicine, the statement is relevant. n medicine, new drugs are formulateddaily in order to battle against the many sicknesses and illnesses that cause harm to humans./owever, due to the reluctance of humans in trying out the drug for fear of adverse side effects,the scientists turn to animals. n laboratories that deal with medicine, rats are bred, for the solepurpose of testing the drug on them. 'hese rats are first in"ected with the virus, then with thedrug and kept under observation. t is only when the rat is close to death that is it put to sleep.'hese animals form part of our environment, and yet are sub"ected to pain and misery due to ourconuest against diseases. 9ittle thought is spared for how the animal may be feeling during theprocess of being in"ected with the virus. /ence, in the conuest against illness and diseases, thehumans are too, without conscience and do not mind doing the species that share the planet with

us, harm./owever, as our daily activities contribute increasingly to harming the environment, we too,have been trying to make up for our wrong doings and lessening the impact of our rashconuests. First, countries are working together on a global scale to scale down the effects oftheir global emissions on a regular basis. n :;;), a summit was held at +openhagen and it wasattended by almost every country in the world to discuss issues regarding global emissions andwhat can be done by each and every country to scale down their carbon emissions. At thesummit, many countries, notably +hina, had each made an effort to reduce the impact of ourconuests on the environment. %uch acts by the leaders of the countries of the world thendemonstrates that although pollution is not going to stop any time soon, the negative effects ofpollution to the environment have been recognised and something is being done about it. 2ven inthe upcoming world e#po that is going to be held in %hanghai this year, e#hibits of the countriesare to have a *green- theme to them, raising awareness on the need to cut down pollution. /ence,there is a conscience present for the environmental damage caused and things are being doneabout it.Also, other than global efforts, even automobile companies are starting to play their part inshowing their regret in harming the 2arth. 3ore environmentally friendly cars are emerging asautomobile companies try to cut down global emissions due to their cars. 'hese new cars, manyof them hybrid cars, can run on the conventional fuel for convenience sake and too, can run onthe bio&diesel that is uoted to be environmentally&friendly. %uch acts by the giants in theautomobile industry will demonstrate how the harm caused to the environment is noted and thatthe owners of the automobile industry recognise that part of the fault is theirs and something isbeing done about it. 'here is then a conscience present in these car&makers such that they arewilling to do something for the harm they have caused in their conuest.All in all, great amount of harm is being dealt to the environment in our conuest for a moreadvanced and easier life. /owever, this harm is being compensated for by a fewenvironmentally&mind individuals that actively care for the environment. 'hese are the people,sadly to say, the minority that possess a conscience for the various conuests made.

#o what e$tent shold rich nations bear responsibility for solvin! environmental problems%


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&eneric'

&eneric (command)'

$2#tent uestion ? reuires student to acknowledge that responsibility is shared

#opical'

$rich, developed nations$implied ? developing nations$solving$cutting back & reducing consumption and production$active measures ? reforestation, alternative energy,$mitigation@adaptation ? coping with conseuences

*hat environmental problems%

$Apart from global warming, these problems include deforestation,$loss of biodiversity, air, water, and land pollution.

+ow to measre e$tent of responsibility%

$=4> /ow much of the damage were their doing$=:> /ow able are they to solve the problems$=5> /ow much is at stake for them

+riteria +AB%2

Cich nations 8eveloping nations ndustries =3!+s, '!+s>

+ause /istorically, rich nations areprimary contributors to globalwarming due to past industrialactivity.

7er capita consumptionpatterns are highest in thedeveloped world.

+urrently, some of thedeveloping nations whoare the largercontributors to globalwarming.

n the future, it is thecurrent rapidlydeveloping nations thatwill be the primarycontributors to global

warming.

&&(hile it may appear that someof the developing nations aregreater contributors to carbonemissions today, much of suchemissions are from industrialactivity from companies ownedby rich nations.

&&7hysical location is thus not asimportant as nationalownership.

Ability t is the rich nations whopossess most of thetechnological know&how andfinancial means to deal withenvironmental catastrophe andto research possible alternativeenergy solutions.

t is the developingnations who hold thekey to solvingenvironmental problemsbecause they make upmost of the world-spopulation and control


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t is also the rich nations whoare able to most help thedeveloping nations when itcomes to coping with the

conseuences of globalwarming.

most of the world-sresources.

'his means that theyhave the potential ability

to help addressenvironmental issues.

%elf&interest

Cich nations are not sparedfrom the ill&effects of globalwarming. 3oreover, they havesignificant interests in businessdevelopment in the developingworld.

8eveloping nations havean obvious stake inresolving environmentalissues because theysuffer the brunt ofglobal warming.

*hile developed nations shold bear more responsibility, developin! nations shold also

play their part in solvin! the environmental problems.

Assuming rich nations have =4> caused environmental problems, =:> the ability and =5> are self&interest, they should bear more responsibility to solve the environmental problems.

Although they have a moral obligation, it would be unfair for them to bear full responsibility.

'his is because developing nations are increasingly =4> causing environmental problems, =:>gaining the ability and =5> are self&interested to make amends.

Bltimately for the environmental problems to be solved, this would reuire the commitment andcooperation of both nations.

Det, developing nations are increasingly =4> causing environmental problems, =:> gaining theability and =5> are self&interested to make amends.

#he oncept of ossibility

s it possible to protect the environment when many countries reuire increasing amounts ofenergy to progress

&eneric'

possible =realistic, difficult, long term probability, short term probability> ? reuires discussion ofimpediments =acknowledging condition and trade&off increasing amounts of energyconsumption have an impact on the environment, human will and determination, humaningenuity, international cooperation>

#opical'


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protect the environment =conservation, mitigating conseuences of global warming,reforestation, alternative energy, etc>, countries that reuire increasing amounts of energy toprogress =undeveloped, developing, developed>

/ssmptions

'he increasing amount of energy that is reuired to progress has a damaging effect on theenvironment.

n order to protect the environment, countries need to cut back on the amount of energy use.

/pproaches

t is possible

=4> the obstacles are manageable

=:> the solutions can be maintained and enforced

t is not possible as

=4> the obstacles are overwhelming

=:> rendering the solutions insignificant

t is possible but e#tremely difficult

=4> acknowledge there are solutions

=:> but the obstacles are overwhelming

=5> rendering the solutions ineffective

*hy is it possible bt e$tremely difficlt%

ossible 0bstacle

'he use of alternative energy sources has already been proven to beeconomically viable. =i.e., increasing energy use need not be harmful tothe environment>

8ependency of manycountries on fossilfuels that are highlypolluting to fueleconomic growth

As the conseuences of global warming become more severe,governments around the world will be under pressure to work togetherand seek solutions to protect the environment while at the same timeensure progress for their people. Furthermore, there appears to be a lot

9ack of will

9ack of cooperation


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of 0e#cess capacity1, i.e., there may not be a need for drastic cuts orchanges in lifestyles ? what is needed are merely more efficient waysof energy production and use. =!eed not cut back on energyconsumption>

$ased on current trends in science and technology, 3an is likely toinvent more ingenuous ways of protecting the environment while at thesame time en"oying economic progress.

3an appears to havereached the limits ofhis intellectualabilities.

7rotecting the environment can also be economically viable asevidenced by eco&tourism and "obs in the alternative energy market.

3an-s Ereed

t is increasingly possible to protect the environment because of the use of alternative energyresources, the increased pressure from governments to work together to seek solutions, the moreingenuous ways of protecting the environment and the economically viable pursuits.

/owever, the overwhelming obstacles such as the heavy reliance on fossil fuels, lack of will andcooperation, 3an-s Ereed and the appearance that 3an has reached his intellectual limits ..........

Not ossible 0bstacle

3any governments are unwilling to adopt alternative sources ofenergy due to the high costs associated and the hassle that comeswith changing e#isting infrastructures.

7eople-s fears that such modern forms of technology may have ill

effects.

8ependency of manycountries on fossil fuelsthat are highly polluting tofuel economic growth

8ependency of manycountries on e#ploitingnatural resources to fuelcertain industries

3an is inherently selfish and greedy. +ountries are likely tocooperate when there appears to be little incentive for them to takethe first step.

9ack of cooperation, lackof will

3an appears to have reached the limits of his intellectual abilities.'here is little alternative left e#cept to cut back on energy use.

/uman ingenuity

2co&tourism is not as *environmentally friendly- as it seems and

money channeled into such pro"ects could have been better usedelsewhere. obs in alternative energy markets are unstable,uncertain and not as lucrative

+hanging lifestyles

AN IMPORTANT NOTE

How to use The Flipside:


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The Flipside offers you two views on a given issue. In many cases, the views are polar opposites.

In some cases, the second view is merely an alternative perspective. These contradictory views

are presented in full to facilitate discussion and to offer a more objective take on issues. Thegraduating GP student should be well aware that no view can ever be balanced in an essay with

the polar opposite. The result is a thoroughly contradictory essay.

Instead, the student should adopt one point of view (the stand), while alan!in" his

views # a!$nowled"in" so%e&pa'tial t'uth in the alte'native view

The student %a# also !hoose to alan!e # sa#in" that the'e a'e e!eptions to his stand

whi!h appl# unde' !e'tain !onditions

The student %a# also !hoose to p'esent the alte'native offe'ed he'e in o'de' to

suse*uentl# 'eut it

To illustrate we have crafted sample paragraphs in ection !.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1% onceptsse' Cesponding to Elobal (arming

estion' /ow responsible is 3ankind in protecting the environment/nswer' 3ankind is responsible in protecting the environment to a large e#tent. Eranted,there have been efforts on the part of individuals, non&governmental organisations,governments and international organisations towards protecting the environment. /owever,these efforts to change the environmental situation have been cosmetic at best. 'hisshortcoming is a result of some who remain adamant and apathetic to take up the

responsibility of protecting the environment. As long as people recognise their roles and areresponsible in protecting the environment, those efforts would remain concerted andmaintained in the long run.

/r!ments /lternative views

'here are governments who recognise theimpact of traditional sources of energy and areturning to cleaner and greener alternatives suchas nuclear energy. n :;;G, taly announcedthat within five years it planned to resumebuilding nuclear energy plants out of a growingconcern over the warming effects of carbonemissions from fossil fuels.

8espite adopting an alternative source ofenergy, i.e. nuclear energy, some governmentsare undermining other solutions to climatechange by diverting urgently needed resourcesaway from the true renewable and energy&efficient solutions that governments who areserious about climate change need to invest in.

$ig businesses are also more receptive to thecall to look after the environment. ncreasingly,there are companies who e#ercise corporatesocial responsibility =+%C> as they arereinvesting in their workforce, communitiesand the environment. 6ne such company is

%ome companies stray away from theirresponsibilities to the environment as theyfalsely believe that developing sustainablywould reduce their profits.


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%tarbucks who is committed to supportingprogrammes that facilitate farmers- access tocarbon markets, allowing them to generateadditional income while helping to preventdeforestation.

2stablished outside of political parties,=nongovernmental organisations> !E6svoluntarily are responsible for advocatingpublic-s concerns and pressurisinggovernments to do a better "ob. +onservationnternational has worked with the +ambodiangovernment to create a one&million acreprotected area and sponsored scientificresearch of coral reefs off ndonesia.

As dedicated as !E6s are in protecting theenvironment, a small minority are more radicalin their approach. Adherents of radicalenvironmentalism and ecological anarchismare involved in direct action campaigns toprotect the environment. %ome campaigns haveemployed controversial tactics includingsabotage, blockades and arson.

2% onceptsse' Cesponding to Elobal (arming

estion'8o the rich and privileged hold a greater responsibility to tackle environmentalproblems/nswer' According to 3aslow-s /ierarchy of !eeds, protecting the environment would be aconcern of the rich and privileged because of their emphasis on the uality of life. Eiven thisconcern and their ability to afford the skills, technology and costs of protecting theenvironment, the rich and privileged are often placed with greater responsibility to protect theenvironment. Apart from the aforementioned reasons, their influential position in the worldrenders them even more responsible. 'herefore, with their economic advantage and politicalclout, the rich and privileged do hold a greater responsibility to tackle the environmental

problems./r!ments /lternative views

t is the affluent and developed nations that areoften to blame for the problems plaguing theenvironment. t is the way the rich lives, and inparticular the e#cesses of the very rich, that isdoing most of the real damage. 'he(orldwatch nstitute in its annual report, tateof the "orld #$$%, addressed the devastatingtoll on the 2arthHs water supplies, natural

resources, and ecosystems e#acted by aplethora of disposable cameras, plastic garbagebags, and other cheaply made goods with builtin product&obsolescence, and cheaply mademanufactured goods that lead to a IthrowawayI mentality.

6ther developing nations are fast becoming thema"or contributors to environmental problems.

ncreasingly, developing countries are catchingup rapidly to the detriment of the environment,health, and happiness. For years, the streets of+hinaHs ma"or cities were characterized by avirtual sea of people on bicycles, and :J years

ago there were barely any private cars in+hina. $y :;;;, J million cars moved peopleand goodsK the number is e#pected to reach :Lmillion by the end of ne#t year.

Cich nations have the financial resources and 7oor countries also have an important


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the political clout in their own countries and inthe international arena.

responsibility towards the world.

3any environmental problems respect nonational bordersK environmental problems inone country can easily cross physical borders

and affect not only the country of origin.

3% onceptsse' 2nvironment and 2conomy

estion'(ill economic development always be carried out at the e#pense of theenvironment/nswer' %ince the 4)G;s, there has been a growing body of evidence to suggest thatindustrialisation is having an effect on the climate of the planet. 'ill today, industrialisationwith its countless new machines and technologies continue to e#acerbate the e#ploitation ofthe environment. f this were to go on, economic development would always eclipseprotection of the environment. /owever the picture is not as bleak as it seems. ncreasingly

today there is a growing awareness and effort on the part of governments to developsustainably. As long as governments are moving away from traditional methods ofdevelopment and are developing sustainably, economic development would not always becarried out at the e#pense of the environment.


8eveloped countries are unwilling to slowdown economic growth for the environment.Cich countries led by Cussia, Australia and the2B have been accused of trying to cheat theirway out of reducing their greenhouse gasemissions by creating IdishonestI forestryaccounting loopholes.

/owever, while economic development hasbrought about environmental degradation, itneed not always be at the detriment of theenvironment. 3any business corporations havesucceeded and yet have committed to theenvironmental cause.

8eveloped and in particular developingcountries are still dependent on pollutingenergy sources like fossil fuels for itseconomic growth.

Although ecotourism is intended for smallgroups, even a modest increase in population,however temporary, puts e#tra pressure on thelocal environment and necessitates the

development of additional infrastructure andamenities. 'he construction of water treatmentplants, sanitation facilities, and lodges comewith the e#ploitation of non&renewable energysources and the utilization of already limitedlocal resources. 'he conversion of natural landto such tourist infrastructure is implicated indeforestation and habitat deterioration of

2co&tourism channels resources away fromother pro"ects that could contribute moresustainable and realistic solutions to pressingenvironmental problems. 7acuare 2co 9odge,

located near 'urrialba, in the heart of +ostaCicaHs rainforest claims that they haveattempted to stick to the highest standards ofsustainable construction. !o trees were cutduring the building of the property and thelocal ndian community was involved duringthe construction. 'he staff has also been drawnfrom the local community. 2lectricity is not


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butterflies in 3e#ico and suirrel monkeys in+osta Cica.

used and all fuel reuirements are fulfilledusing solar panels and a water&run generator.

%ome countries adopt a wrong attitude,believing that the earth is resilient ? it hasalways and will always be able to cope withour callous actions. 'herefore, there is nourgency and effort to change and developsustainably.

(ith the awareness that environmentalproblems are global problems, more countriesand international organizations like B!27would see the need help people in developingcountries to find alternative work withouthaving to rely on traditional activities thatendanger the earth.

4.onceptsse' 'he Fallacy of Elobal (arming

estion's the threat of global warming e#aggerated/nswer'n his new book, 'he %tate of Fear, 3ichael +richton argues that the threat of

global warming has been e#aggerated by environmentalists. (hile there are many whouestion how unrealistically magnified global warming has been, the effects of climatechange may be increasingly palpable but measures and solutions are in place to control thisphenomenon.


'he threat posed by global warming is likely tobe e#aggerated as the rise in the worldtemperature and supposed rise in sea levels isnot uniform worldwide.

'he threat posed by global warming is indeedtrue as the rise in the world temperature isfound to have direct correlation with the rise insea levels, and this may "eopardise the safety ofsome places in the world.

'he possible risks brought about by the surge inthe 2arth-s temperature are difficult to beverified, even with the use of supposedlyadvanced methods.

'he possible impact caused by the increase inthe world temperature is likely to be true asscientists and climatologists use rather reliableand advanced methods to prove theirhypothesis@stand.

'he dangers which are supposedly broughtabout by the rise in world temperature are notnew, as reflected in the history of mankindK theyare "ust natural phenomenon that happenespecially when mankind did not take sufficient

precautionary measures.

'he potential dangers brought about by the risein temperature across the globe are not at alle#aggerated as they are very real. 8irectmanifestations of a widespread and long&termtrend toward warmer global temperatures have

already surfaced, especially in the past J years.

'he supposed harbingers of the negativeconseuences may also be brought about byother changes in our climate, not "ust globalwarming.

'he threat posed by the rise in the 2arth-stemperature is not e#aggerated as we do haveuite a number of events that serve asharbingers of the likely impact of continuedwarming.


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'he threat may have been e#aggerated becausenot all governments across the world are takingit very seriouslyK if some of them can afford topay lip&service to this threat in their uest formore economic development and

unprecedented or sustained industrialisation, thesituation may not be all that worrying.

'he threat presented by the rise in globaltemperature is definitely not overestimated as itis on the agenda of many importantinternational and regional meetings throughoutthe world, at the governmental and

organisational level.

#% onceptsse' 2nergy +risisM!uclear vs Cenewable %ources

estion's nuclear power the best way to meet the ever&increasing energy needs of 3other2arthAnswer: &uclear accidents in 'hernobyl and hree ile "sland have notswayed some countries from relying on nuclear energy to meet theirenergy needs% *espite the incidence of nuclear accidents, this gradualdependance on nuclear energy is dues to it being a more environmentallyfriendly alternative to the traditional sources such as coal and fossil fuel%+owever, given the risks involved with nuclear energy, it does not makefor the best way to meet the increasing energy needs of ankind% partfrom nuclear energy, there are other e-ually or more environmentallyfriendly alternatives that are able to meet this increasing energy needs%


+ompared to fossil fuels, nuclear energy isclean. Bnlike coal, natural gas, and petroleum, itdoes not release carbon dio#ide into theatmosphere in the process of generating

electricity. At a time when there is growingconcern about the link between carbon dio#ideand other greenhouses gases on the one handand the warming of our planet on the other, thisadvantage of nuclear power has begun to loomlarger.

!uclear energy is economical only under avery restricted analysis & by the time you havefactored in the costs of construction,insurance, waste disposal and

decommissioning, you need huge subsidies.

!uclear waste can be safely stored away. 'hebest long&term solution for the disposal of theBNHs nuclear waste should be to bury it deep inthe ground, 'he +ommittee on Cadioactive

(aste 3anagement =+oC(3>, an advisorygroup has said. 'he final disposal facility, orfacilities, would be located several hundredmetres underground. 'he waste would beencased in tough materials and would use thesurrounding rock as a barrier to preventradioactive leakage into the environment.

'here is no secure, risk&free way to storenuclear waste. 'he +hernobyl disaster was anuclear accident of catastrophic proportionsthat occurred on :O April 4)GO, at the

+hernobyl !uclear 7ower 7lant in Bkraine. tis considered the worst nuclear power plantaccident in history and is the only level Pevent on the nternational !uclear 2vent%cale.


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!uclear accidents are a result of human error,which can be avoided.

!uclear power e#pansion increases the risk ofan accident.

nternational organisations are preventingcountries from obtaining nuclear weapons.

2#panding nuclear power internationallywould hugely increase the risks fromterrorism and nuclear weapons proliferation.

(hile nuclear power reactors are e#pensive tobuild, they are relatively cheap to operate.

!uclear energy is an e#pensive diversion fromthe task of developing and deployingrenewable energy and energy efficiencyreuired for a low carbon future.

Sample para!raphs'

estion' 0(e have not been good guardians of the 2arth.1 /ow far do you agree with thisstatement

&'()'here are governments who recognise the impact of traditional sources of energy and areturning to cleaner and greener alternatives such as nuclear energy. n :;;G, taly announced thatwithin five years it planned to resume building nuclear energy plants out of a growing concernover the warming effects of carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Naysayers s!!est&note that the'( is clearly signposted as the '( and not your view) that some governments are underminingother solutions to climate change by diverting urgently needed resources away from the truerenewable and energy&efficient solutions that governments who are serious about climate changeneed to invest in.

&*ain view and rebuttal) !evertheless, we should note that the world is in a state of flu# as

increasingly, not only are the policy makers reflecting greater awareness and concern for theenvironment but so are the 3!+s &'( is countered). 'oday, big businesses are also morereceptive to the call to look after the environment. ncreasingly, there are companies whoe#ercise corporate social responsibility =+%C> as they are reinvesting in their workforce,communities and the environment. 6ne such company is %tarbucks who is committed tosupporting programmes that facilitate farmers- access to carbon markets, allowing them togenerate additional income while helping to prevent deforestation.

0r

&*ain view and rebuttal)!evertheless, we should note that the world is in a state of flu# as

increasingly, the policy makers are reflecting greater awareness and concern for the environmentby relying on renewable and energy&efficient solutions &'( is countered). 'oday, governmentsare pushing for the passage of a renewable energy law to regulate and ensure the development ofalternative sources of energy. %ingapore-s green building movement is an e#ample of how acombination of legislation and government incentive helped to spur the green building industry.n %cotland, QJGJ,;;; from the 2uropean %ocial Fund is providing training courses that are to bedelivered through %kills 8evelopment %cotland, which will enable employers, with fewer than


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:J; staff to boost the skills of employees in low&carbon technologies. 'hese developmentsreflect that we are increasingly being protective of the environment.

&lossary

+ iofuel Type of renewable resource that is produced from biomass, a recentlyliving element such as animals, plantlife or wood. ne of the biggestpotential forms of biofuel is biodiesel, which lessens cars- dependence on

gasoline.

# -a'on

footp'int

The tangible impact someone-s activities will have on the environment,

measured in units of carbon dioide produced.

/ -a'on offset ne way to compensate for a carbon footprint, essentially by investingmoney in a project that will benefit the environment and cancel out the

emission of carbon dioide from a certain activity.

% -a'pool Form of transportation by which two or more people travel to the samedestination together to reduce the emissions of travelling.

! -li%ate

!han"e

Term for a significant change from one climatic condition to another, such

as temperature of the 0arth over time. In some cases, it has been usedsynonymously with global warming.

1 -onse'vation The wise use of natural resources &nutrients, minerals, water, plants,

animals, etc). Planned or non2action to preserve living and non2living

resources.

3 Envi'on%enta

l P'ote!tionA"en!#

4ommonly referred to as the 0P', a government agency founded in +53$

that protects human health and the environment through programs forconsumers and businesses.

6 .#oto

P'oto!ol

'n international agreement between +/6 &and growing) developed

countries to work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause

climate change. It was originally passes in +553 in 7yoto, 8apan and is

set to epire in #$+#. The 9nited tates has signed but not ratified theagreement, meaning it is non2binding in the 9.

5 -openha"enA!!o'd

"t is a document that delegates at the 1#th session of the'onference of .arties ('. 1#) to the 0nited &ations ramework'onvention on 'limate agreed to take note of at the nalplenary on 1 *ecember 2445% he ccord is not legally bindingand does not commit countries to agree to a binding successorto the 6yoto .rotocol, whose present round ends in 2412%

+

$

/ustainale

develop%ent

"t is development that meets the needs of the present withoutcompromising the ability of future generations to meet their ownneeds% "t contains within it two key concepts7

the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs ofthe world8s poor, to which overriding priority should be


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given9 andthe idea of limitationsimposed by the state of technology

and social organi:ation on the environment8s ability tomeet present and future needs%;

+

+

iodive'sit# he variety of life on


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This question could be dealt with as containing a single- or multi-part absoluteproposition. Students could challenge doomed and nothing. A balanced approach isneeded.

Note that Earth world!societ"# and $an limits students to en%ironmental problems

caused b" mans actions. Social problems and natural disasters are not rele%ant.

See below.

&hile $an re'ers to man(ind as a whole) students ought to pinpoint the parties crucialto alle%iating en%ironmental problems in general and speci'icall"*

The indi%idual

Societ"

+o%ernments

Supranational organisations

N+,s operating at national and international le%els


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/redit is gi%en to essa"s that e%aluate the e''ecti%eness o' the measures in tac(lingeach en%ironmental problem and the obstacles that obstruct their implementation.

/redit should be gi%en to essa"s that present specific and varied examples. 0owe%er)e1amples do not substitute 'or reasoning.

Problem Measures Effective?

2e'orestation)habitat lossdue tode%elopment

3 impact onbiodi%ersit"

4egulations to control illegal

logging

4egulations could be in place)

but en'orcement ishampered b" corruption ordi''icult" in monitoring suchacti%ities e.g. 5ndonesia#

6ollution 7Air!8and!&ater

6enalties 'or industries

discharging to1ic

'umes!water9ehicles chec(ed to ma(e

sure emissions meetacceptable standards

5ntroduction o' cleaner 'uels

Some people pre'er or can

onl" a''ord cheaper 'uel

which howe%er is lessen%ironment 'riendl"

+o%ernments unwilling to

en'orce stricter controls dueto pressure 'rom industr"lobb" groups e.g. :SA notrati'"ing ;"oto 6rotocol#

2epletion o'resources.e.g. 'ossil'uels#

Switch to renewable

resources!alternati%esources o' energ". e.g.*h"dropower) wind energ")

solar energ"#

Not cost-e''ecti%e in some

cases or 'easible in otherse.g. opportunit" costs o'building Three +orges 2am

in /hina#+lobalwarming 3 itsrelatedproblems e.g.erratic climate-B=# * 4e'er to standard descriptors.

5. Environmental degradation is inevitable. To !hat e"tent is this true?

#e$!ord%

5ne%itable* impossible to a%oid or to pre%ent 'rom happening

General &emar's%

This is N,T a +eograph" essa". &e will N,T be impressed b" the mere

regurgitation o' what "ou still remember o' "our , or A le%els e1am preparations. This is N,T a 6roblem-Solution essa") i.e. &hats wrong with the en%ironment

and how can we sol%e itF.

This 5S a /ause-E''ect essa") i.e. &hat are the causes o' en%ironmentaldegradation e''ect#) and are these causes so 'undamental that the" cannot beremo%ed ine%itable#F

(iscussion of the )remise%

8eading causes o' pollution 7 industrialisation) population growth E1plain how these cause the earths pollution

Need to show that if industrialisation / population growth is inevitable, thenpollution is inevitable) i.e. assuming that there are no technologicalad%ances which would reduce pollution

*alance%

&h" pollution ma" not be ine%itable) e.g. technological ad%ances) rising

awareness o' people about pollution) international agreements to reduce

emissionsNeed to gi%e concrete e1amples o' where and when pollution has been ine%itable.9ague descriptions o' Americas air pollution or de'orestation o' the 'orests willnot do.

Good Essa$s


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@.Showed a good awareness o' the (e" words. A discussion o' the notion o' ine%itableis mandator". The 'ocus cannot solel" rest on a discussion o' the %ariousen%ironmental problems.

.Answers that were well structured and organised and consistentl" reiterated the (e"words o' the question. Each paragraph clearl" de'ined around a single problem that

shows how it ma(es en%ironmental degradation ine%itable.B.Answers that had a good range o' well elaborated e1amples that were not %ague i.e.some!most countries or more!less de%eloped nations#.

G.Able to argue competentl" that the notion o' en%ironmental degradation is actuall"largel" ine%itable because the direction most nations are ta(ing and the nature o'human practices.

Problematic Essa$s@. Essa"s that merel" 'ocused on listing en%ironmental problems and going into great

depths o' e1plaining the processes o' en%ironmental degradation..No discussion or re'lection o' the notion ine%itable.

B.Essa"s that lac(ed concrete e1amples. :se o' generalised or h"pothetical e1ampleswas generall" seen as not ha%ing a good grasp o' the topic.G. 5nstances in essa"s that discussed wh" en%ironmental degradation ma" not be

ine%itable were also problematic. Hou should not be highlighting proposals!measures that indicate how en%ironmental degradation /AN E slowed down ormade less ine%itable :T rather &0AT 0AS A/T:A88H EEN 2,NE to addressthe problem.

.Tone o' the essa"* There were man" instances o' tal(ing scripts that highlights aninabilit" to handle writing in a 'ormal academic register. This is important as it alsore'lects on "our command and sophistication o' language. 4emember* 2o N,T tal(to the mar(er-readerI

>.

,ccasional instances o' blatant contradictions. Hour stand is toppled b" the rest o'"our essa" which argues the opposite.?.6lanning is essential* E%idence o' abrupt endings.C. 6aragraph de%elopment must be clear. Each paragraph o'ten deals with di''erent

things thus con'using mar(ers and the point that "ou aiming to get across. :sing aclear topic sentence would be quintessential in this respect but was howe%er) mostlac(ing.

We have not been good guardians of the Earth. Do you agree?

Focus /ave we been careless with the only home we know as we carry out our

2conomic and leisure activities Are we taking measures to look after our

2arth or are we treating the earth as one giant supermarket that can supply for

6ur endless needs

*e have been !ood !ardians *e have not been !ood !ardians

&'here are various earth summits to discuss &(e have not balanced our need for wealth


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ways to look after the earth ? eg. 'he Nyoto7rotocol that calls for the ban on the use ofsubstances, that harms the environment like+F+, to reduce green house gas emissions.=possible counter point that students may bring

up as evaluation %ome countries are notcooperative if it is against their economicinterest to do so.>

&'here are environmentalists and variousmovements like the Ereen 7eace 3ovementthat act as watchdogs for the preservation of theenvironment. =A counter&point that may beraised many such movements lack credibilityas they have other agenda besides protecting theenvironment & motivated possibly by politics.>

&%cientists are working to repair the damagedone earlier like repairing the ozone layer orworking with energy that is pollution free.

&ndustries are also more receptive to the call tolook after the environment as they e#ploitresources. %ome even pump money back intoresearch to help the environment.

&'here is also global effort to encourage people

to recycle, reuse and to conserve.

with our e#ploitation of the resources. (ehave regarded the resources as if they areinfinite. 'here is no vision to see thatenough is left for future generations ? thereis over&hunting, over fishing, overuse or

e#ploitation of our fossil fuel, water etc.

&(e pollute our land, seas and sky. (edump indiscriminately =waste fromdomestic and industrial@ agriculturalactivities> on our lands and seas, rivers,ponds making them *dead-.

&(e have taken away the habitat of ourfellow creatures that share the earth thuscontributing to their endangered or e#tinct

status.

&(e pollute the sky with emissions fromindustries and vehicles. (e even pollute theair with airwaves from handphones etc.making it unsafe for all creatures.

&(e have caused havoc with the climate likeglobal warming by releasing green housegases and bringing about the Ereen houseeffect and global warming. 2l !ino, long

droughts and winter cold spells to name afew.

&(rong attitude that the earth is resilient ? ithas always and will always be able to copewith our callous actions. 'herefore, there isno urgency and effort to change and help tomanage the earth better.

7ossible conclusion %tudents can touch on the fact that economic gains will always eclipseenvironmental issuesK poorer countries eager to get rich or those with no other alternatives will

continue to cut down trees to sell or for land to build industries or poach rhino horns. 'here ismore awareness but we are still apathetic and our activities are still e#erting tremendous pressureon the environment.

%tudents may choose to take the other stand.1.Do you agree that it is the responsibility of richer nations to tackle global

environmental problems?

KEY TERM T! DE"#$E %


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&lobal environment problemseg global warming; pollution esp the discharge of toxicwaste materials into the air, waterways;

Tackle : resolve, eradicate, alleviate -> implies that the rich nations have the clout political, financial, legal eg international summits in which they could lean on others to

adopt certain policies eg yoto !rotocol, cancellation of debts of world"s poorest

'!#()E T*$D %

YE, it is the responsibility of richer nations because#ich nations have the resources eg financial resources, the political clout$ +illin their

own countries and in the international arena eg at the %&, %' (ummits ) the legalmeansto implement ) enforce policies eg reducing tax for green cars eg

the *( is a large consumer of oil -> !resident +ush could have pushed to raise fuel-

efficiency standards for passenger cars when he signed the latest energy +ill ul

.//012 This could have encouraged or 3forced" the car industry to develop thetechnology to burn cleaner fuels eg biofuels, hydrogen -> this would have gone a

long way towards alleviating current environmental problems2

#ich nations -> main contributors of greenhouse gases ) pollutants eg *( responsible forabout a 4uarter of global emissions ) but has persistently refused to ratify the yoto!rotocol; now the fear is that the !rotocol would not come into force if #ussia refuses to

ratify it too2

$!, rich nations are not the only ones responsible for the global environmental problems;

every country should also help tackle these global environmental problems because5any environmental problems respect no national borders; an environmental problem in

one country can easily cross physical borders and affect not only the country of originbut also its neighbours ) internationally

eg latest 6ndonesian ha7e -> had affected 5alaysia for about 8 month esp 9 badly )!enang eg !(6 was above 8// for some days; fear economic loss eg 8& ha7e cost

5alaysia abt *('-8/ million in lost revenue as a result of closed workplaces, sick daysand medical bills, lost tourism, crop damage and disrupted transport; hence countries

need to co-operate with one another to protect the environment


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reservin! the environment is more important than economic development. 5o yo a!ree%

Ruestion Analysis

'opic the environment

ssue (hether conservation of the environment is more important than economic progress

Ney (ords 07reserving the environment1, 0more important than1 =comparison reuired>, 0economic development1.

+onte#t Bnspecified

7ossible stands4%tudentshave to show how the approach they support is morebeneficial than theother.

Agree 7reserving the environment is more important:8isagree 2conomic development is more important58isagree $oth are eually important ? students have to show that mankind can-t do without either, and valuing

any one over the other will bring eually disadvantageous results

oint 6eason E$ample

reservin! the environment is more important

2nvironment8isregardingenvironmental

preservation affectseconomic growth

/ow much society can sustain economicgrowth actually bears a co&relation toenvironmental preservation and

prudence in the use of resources.2nvironmental degradation can result inhigh costs to economic growth.

+hina & According to +hina-s deputyenvironmental minister, due to air anwater pollution, +hina is losing G&4J

of E87. P;&G;S of cancer cases areenvironmentally&related ? loss ofproductivity of the workforce.

2nvironment 9evelsof pollution are highKresources will beirreplaceable ifdepletion rates are notlowered

f the current levels of pollution are leftunchecked, the planet may not be able tosustain life in a few generations- time.2conomic development and affluencewould be valueless then. 'he loss ofclean air and water and the depletion ofresources such as fuel and food, togetherwith drastic climate changes will make

survival very difficult, if not impossible.

According to !ick $rooks ='yndall+enter for +limate +hange Cesearch2ast Anglia> I$y the end of thiscentury it is likely that greenhousegases will have doubled and theaverage global temperature will have

risen by at least :+... n the worst

case scenario it could completely altethe climate in many regions of theworld. 'his could lead to global foodinsecurity and the widespread collapsof e#isting social systems, causingmass migration and conflict overresources as some parts of the worldbecome much less habitable.1


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7reservation ofhistorical sites 9ossof culture and history

f sites and buildings of historicalsignificance are sacrificed for the sakeof new developments, part of the historyand heritage of the place will be lost,and such loss is irreversible. 'he people

will gradually lose their sense of history,identity and belonging as their city looksmore and more like any other city whichis bent on development andmodernizing.

%ingapore the nation-s first and oldecondominium, $everly 3ai, will bedemolished as the land which it standon is worth much more than thebuilding itself.

8emolishing oldbuildings mayeventually costsociety more thanembarking on a newdevelopment

7reserving old buildings can createmore employment and increase localhousehold income more than thebuilding of new developments. 'heemployment created can be of longerterm benefits as related industries suchas heritage tourism can flourish.

n !orway, historical rehabilitation oold buildings creates 4O.JS more "obnew constructionK every direct "ob inthe cultural heritage sector creates:O.P indirect "obs, compared to theauto industry-s ratio of O.54.

n Tirginia, B%A heritage touristsspend :.J times more and stay longerthan other visitors.

=Info from 0uropean 4ultural:eritage Forum #$$!>

Economic development is more important

2conomicdevelopment is

essential to ensure thesurvival of themillions living inpoverty in developingcountries

'he huge numbers of people livingbelow the poverty line is in itself a

social disaster and action should betaken to enable them to get out ofpoverty as soon as possible. %olutions topoverty such as education, fair trade andsocial stability depends on economicdevelopment.

According to the 9; :uman


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There is nothing otimisti! about the future of ourenvironment." Do you agree?#e$!ords*

@. nothing J no wa" at all. optimistic J 'a%ourable outcome

Parameters of discussion*

-Students need to challenge the word nothing and show that there is at leastone optimistic thing about the 'uture o' the en%ironment

- Students need to e1plain the steps being ta(en to impro%e the en%ironment

6ossible stands ! theses*

There should be o)timism about the future because *

4. science and technolog" has enabled us to come up with measures toprotect the en%ironment and wa"s o' alternati%e sources 7 tap on solar)geothermal or h"droelectric sources) new options being de%eloped b"the automobile industr") such as the so-called h"brid cars) whichcombine an internal combustion engine and an electric motor

:. go%ernmental e''orts to protect the en%ironment 7 in /hina) millions o'trees are planted each "ear in a bid to help sa%e the en%ironment

5. people are made aware o' the problems the en%ironment is 'acing andare encouraged to conser%e and rec"cle

L. nature has a wa" o' presenting solutions to human(ind 7 'or instance) asglobal warming melts the ice caps in the Arctic ,cean) se%eral countriesare planning on tapping into the Arctic 'or rich reser%es o' energ"sources

J. ingenuit" o' human(ind to conser%e the en%ironment 7 eg. /it" o' /opsa$ica was terribl" polluted in the @DC=s but the area has success'ull"been cleared o' pollution in recent "ears

O. new a%enues are being e1plored and positi%e initiati%es to protect theen%ironment are ta(ing place 7 'or e1ample) wa"s ha%e been de%elopedto use parts o' trees that once went up in smo(e in beehi%e burners.ar( and sawdust) 'or instance) once considered useless 'or buildingpurposes) are used in new composite wood products

There should be )essimism about the future because *


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@. natural resources are being depleted quic(l" - within the ne1t @== "ears)anal"sts predict that our reser%es o' oil will deplete) rate o'replenishment cannot (eep up with the speed at which the" aredestro"ed - e%er" da") se%eral 'ootball 'ield siKe plots o' rain'orest arechopped down to ma(e paper

. 'requenc" o' earthqua(es) 'loods) t"phoons and hurricanes ha%esigni'icantl" increased since the dawn o' the =th centur" $aorearthqua(es) 'or e1ample) occurred merel" once e%er" centur" be'orethe =th centur". Now earthqua(es that measure more than C on the4ichter scale happen e%er" "ear# problem is not li(el" to be resol%ed inthe 'uture since seismologists and other e1perts are still piti'ull" cluelessto the pre%ention o' such disasters

B. some countries are more concerned with economic progress thanen%ironmental well-being. Lor e1ample) the reason behind the :SAspull-out o' ;"oto 6rotocol was perhaps one moti%ated b" economic gain.

*o you agree that environmental protection is a luxury of therichG$inimum requirements o' the [email protected] )rotection%Show a clear understanding o' the e''orts and

moti%ations to sa'eguard the natural en%ironment air) water and land#) theinterests o' inhabitants and human health

.lu"ur$%Show the negati%e connotation in this word* Something e1pensi%e andinessential but conduci%e to pleasure and com'ort< implies that en%ironmentalprotection is not a priorit" and not necessar"

B.of the rich%/onsider i' onl" the a''luent indi%iduals 7 and nations 7 can concern

themsel%es with ta(ing care o' the en%ironmentonuses

@. There is some truth to this statement 7 using $aslows 0ierarch" o' Needs) wecan reason that en%ironmentalism is a concern o' the rich and more de%elopednations because o' their emphasis on qualit" o' li'e. The poor are moreconcerned with ma(ing ends meet and de%eloping nations pa" more attention toindustrialiKation opportunities.

. /onsideration o' the %iew that it is not a lu1ur" but a necessar" course o' actionb" the rich to lead the wa" in sa'eguarding the interests o' the other people

especiall" 'or those who do not ha%e the resources to better their own li%ingen%ironment#.

B. Such a thought is dangerous because en%ironmental protection must be seen ase%er"ones priorit"* an"one and e%er"one has a part to pla" 7 a concerted e''ortis required to sa%e planet earth.


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G. 5t not the lu1ur" o' the rich* 5t is the a''luent and de%eloped nations that are o'tento blame 'or the problems plaguing the en%ironment. The" there'ore should bearresponsibilit" to 'i1 the problems 7 and also model the wa" 'or the rest who oneda" will oin the league o' e1panding industries# to e1ercise responsibilit" towardsthe en%ironment.

6otential pit'alls8imited understanding o' lu1ur"

2igression into other areas o' lu1ur" o' the rich2escripti%e essa" o' reasons and wa"s to protect the en%ironment) without

consideration o' wh" en%ironmental protection is a lu1ur" o' the rich.6ossible arguments

Agree*

,nl" the rich and rich nations ha%e the resources 'inancial resources and

political clout# to tac(le en%ironmental problems.

The poor and the middle-income groups ha%e di''erent priorities* to ma(e a betterli%ing.

En%ironmental protection is potentiall" costl" as it entails the changing o'mindsets and attitudes. This means a lot o' mone" in%ested in public education.2e%eloping countries will not ha%e the resources to do so.

2isagree*

$an" en%ironmental problems respect no national borders< an en%ironmental

problem in one countr" can easil" cross ph"sical borders and a''ect not onl" thecountr" o' origin. eg 5ndonesian haKe. En%ironmental protection is thus not alu1ur" and de'initel" not onl" the responsibilit" o' the rich.

,ther de%eloping nations are 'ast becoming the maor contributors toen%ironmental problems e.g. /hinas rapid industrialiKation. The" can no longersa" that protecting the en%ironment is a lu1ur" the" can ill a''ord.

4esource-rich but poor countries must also be more proacti%e in pre%enting the

e1ploitation o' their natural resources and insist that $N/s be en%ironmentall"'riendl". These go%ernments must thus ta(e charge.

All o' us are consumers and thus ha%e a moral obligation to ensure that we doour bit and not aggra%ate the en%ironmental problems

The %iewpoint is also a problematic one as it suggests that en%ironmentalprotection is not essential. 5n 'act) all parts o' societ" 7 communities) indi%iduals)business) state and local go%ernments) tribal go%ernments 7 must ha%e access


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to accurate in'ormation su''icient to e''ecti%el" participate in managing humanhealth and en%ironmental ris(s.

Another %iew is that en%ironmental protection is not the lu1ur") but the

responsibilit") o' the rich. E.g. 4ich nations are main contributors o' greenhouse

gases and pollutants

+e are heading for an ecological disaster. ,o! far do $ou agree !ith this vie!?

- ,o! far

T ecological

# disaster

Premise given b$ the /uestion

heading 'or 7 Are we in the process o' destro"ing the earthF /an this disaster bea%oidedF

0uggested a))roach to the /uestion

5n the light o' current situation) ta(ing into account global warming and its e''ectschanges in weather conditions) melting o' ice caps and the brea(ing awa" o' the iceplate in Antarctica etc#) loss o' natural resources e.g. AmaKon 'orest 7 loss o' animaland plant species# as well as the e''orts underta(en b" go%ernments! organiKations!indi%iduals) perhaps we could onl" dela" the disaster but would not be able the a%oid it

totall".

1re !e heading for an ecological disaster? +h$?

2epletion o' natural resources due to e1cessi%e acti%ities underta(en b" humanbeings e.g. e1cessi%e! illegal logging AmaKon rain'orest) 5ndonesia#

o 8ess %egetation 7 thus unable to process the amount o' carbon dio1ide

gas produced as a result o' $ans acti%ities e.g. industrialiKation)manu'acturing#

o 5ncrease in greenhouse gases lead to global warming 7 climatic changes.

The ice plate in the Antarctic has bro(en awa" and is melting 'aster thanwhat scientists ha%e predicted be'ore 7 low-l"ing areas e.g. Shanghai)angladesh# might be submerged in time to come.

Such changes a''ect the ecos"stem 7 loss o' natural habitat 'or animals and

insects thus leading to e1tinction e.g. the $onarch bees and certain species o''rogs#. The 'ood chain is li(el" to be disrupted as a result. The melting o' the icecaps could also lead to the e1tinction o' polar bears in time to come.


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he -uestion re-uires one to analyse the relationship between an and hisenvironment (


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'onsumerism contributes to environmental degradation%

here are other contributors to environmental degradation%

'larication of erms7Extreme: degree of extremity is important (not only consumerism, but

unnecessary consumerism to a very large extent)Consumerism: consumption and buying of goods

Main:primary, contributes the most, cause of the most severe impact Kalso suggests that there are other factors that contribute to it (e%g%tourism, industrial, agriculture, overshing, oil spills, unforeseen humanactions, **, @ foods, genetic pollution, greenhouse gases,alternative fuels, dumping in poor countries as a cheaper alternative

Environmental degradation: destruction and reduction in the -uality ofthe environment

.ossible interpretations / pproachesDes, extreme consumerism is the main cause of environmentaldegradation%

&o, extreme consumerism is not the main cause of environmentaldegradation%

.ossible .oints7Des, extreme consumerism is the maincause of environmental degradation%

&o, extreme consumerism is not themain cause of environmentdegradation%

ny human activity will compromisethe environment%


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of such unforeseen human actions aregenetic pollution, industrial chemicalleaks, oil spills, etc%

"t can be said that excessive

consumerism (i%e% taking from theenvironment more than it can o=er)leads to environmental degradation%+owever, the impact of extremeconsumerism is insignicantcompared to worse cases ofenvironmental degradation such asbad disposal methods of chemicalsand wastes and persistent productionof poisonous products such as **and toxic pesticides by corporations%


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Hcience and technology have led to thecreation of new inventions which are cleanerand more eAcient%


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depletion o' natural resources 7 'ood) water) 'uels

species loss

3es largel$ of mans ma'ing

tremendous pressure on the earth placed b" the demands o' an e1ponentiall"

growing world population and the rapid industrialiKation o' the worlds mostpopulous countr"

mans indiscriminate and irresponsible use o' the en%ironment

4o not full$6 of mans ma'ing

A natural condition

Bglobal warming attributed to %ariations in solar acti%it"

B6re-human climate %ariations suggest that the warming and cooling o' earthstemperatures can ta(e place independent o' mans acti%ities

These are but e1aggerated claims!alarmist %iews

Be.g. The S(eptical En%ironmentalist) 8omborg) ==@ 7 though he was accusedo' scienti'ic dishonest"

Attempt b" man to reduce the impact o' en%ironmental woes certainl" does not

e1onerate man) though the desire to carr" out reparation can be seen as amitigating 'actor#

7. E"amine the claim that environmental conservation is much ado aboutnothing.

$uch ado about nothing - a phrase to describe a situation in which there has been a loto' 'uss and e1citement about something that is tri%ial and not reall" important.

The statement suggests en%ironmental conser%ation is actuall" a tri%ial matter that hasbeen blown out o' proportion.

Hes) en%ironmental conser%ation is much ado about nothing

@. The medias incessant proli'eration o' negati%e news about the en%ironment tends toe1acerbate the situation and ma(e the issue o' en%ironmental degradation worse than itseems. &e are constantl" bombarded b" such news that we are allocating more timeand mone" on proects and campaigns e.g. Earth 2a") +reen &ee(# than is necessar".

. The actions o' en%ironmental acti%ists ha%e enlarged the issue o' en%ironmentalconser%ation. N+,s ha%e repeatedl" called 'or action to be ta(en and some


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go%ernmental campaigns ha%e become part and parcel o' peoples dail" acti%ities e.g.sa%e water) the B4 campaign#. All this h"pe and attention could actuall" amount tonothing i' the en%ironment is actuall" not in such a bad state as we imagine it to be.

B. There is a strong belie' among people that no matter how much time and e''ort are

put in to conser%e the en%ironment) all o' it is in %ain and 'utile because o' the rate o'consumption o' the natural resources and peoples apathetic attitude towardsen%ironmental conser%ation amongst other reasons.

G. Nature has the tendenc" 'or sel'-correction where depletion o' resources will be madeup in one wa" or another. 5n addition) mans e''orts to adapt to the en%ironment ha%eseen him using alternati%e resources when one is lac(ing or depleted. e.g. alternati%esources 'or energ" besides coal and natural gas#

No) en%ironmental conser%ation is a serious matter altogether

@. E%idence has pointed to the gra%e state o' the en%ironment. 4elease o' moregreenhouse gases and the harsher global climate all point to the ecological disaster thatawaits humanit" i' insu''icient action is ta(en to tac(le the issue o' en%ironmentaldegradation.

. The news re'lecting the current condition o' the en%ironment is not alarmist toincrease ratings 'or the media companies but re'lects the actual dire state o' theen%ironment.

B. The preser%ation o' 'lora and 'auna) the search 'or renewable energ" sources) etc areall pertinent issues that require our time and attention and are not tri%ial matters to be

swept under the carpet. :ltimatel") this issue is about the sur%i%al o' the species thatpopulate Earth.


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high cost of recycling and advanced technology have made recyclingeconomically unfeasible especially for the less developed countries%&evertheless, recycling as compared to other ways to minimi:e the problemof waste is much more environmentally friendlier and is least ob?ectionable%s such, " feel that recycling must be adopted and used in tandem with other

measures such as educational campaigns and laws% hese solutions wouldthen be able to complement as well as supplement the limitations ofrecycling, making the approach to the problem of waste a more e=ectiveone%

Oecycling can be a feasible answer to the problem of waste but it is mainlytargeted at developed countries that possess the necessary advancedtechnology and are able to a=ord the high costs associated with recycling%*espite the advancement in technology, recycling today is still an expensivetool as compared to other measures like land lling and incineration%herefore to less developed nations, recycling is simply economically

unfeasible% ccording to the @enuine .rogress "ndex, a research group thathas spent a decade monitoring the recycling programmes in &ova Hcotia,recycling cost the province 0HU1 million a year more as compared tothrowing the waste into landlls% Himilarly in 'alifornia and &ew Tersey, localpublic utilities authorities have reported that recycling cost the country overhalf a million dollars more in 155#% +ence to the less developed countries,recycling is simply beyond their reach due to the populationFs generally lowaverage income, preventing them from a=ording recycling programmes intheir budgets%


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action voluntarily to cut down on the ballooning pollution caused by the useof plastic bags% hese are ?ust some examples to illustrate the idea that inorder for recycling to be e=ective, consumers have to be educated andinformed on the conse-uences of excessive wastage of resources and howthey can play a role to minimi:e the problem of waste% urthermore, law and

regulations should also be introduced and passed to prevent the problem ofwaste from intensifying% ther complementary measures would be to makeusing reusable bags and the recycling of materials more attractive, such assaving costs on bags or even making recycling bins more accessible% +encewhile " agree that recycling is one e=ective answer to the problem of waste,it has to be used simultaneously with educational campaigns and regulationsas that would complement recycling and mitigate its limitations%

Oecycling is certainly a good solution to the problem of waste% +owever, wemust acknowledge that due to the high costs and advanced technologyneeded for recycling, developed countries are therefore in a better position

to embrace recycling as compared to far less developed countries% lthoughrecycling is suitable for small countries with small land area and is moreenvironmentally friendly, it does not eliminate the underlying cause to theproblem of waste% +ence recycling should be implemented together witheducational campaigns and regulations for it to be most e=ective%

Toi! he environment

uestion


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ago (15S4s), the earth experienced a cooling e=ect due to the introduction ofaerosols into the market% &ow, with refrigerators, chloroLuorocarbonemissions are breaking down the o:one layer% 'onsumers as well asirresponsible manufacturers are denitely to blame for this climate crisis%*espite knowing that aerosols and ''s are degrading the environment,

educated consumers are still fuelling the market for such products%

nother environmental disaster is a result of what the market consumershave created K the extinction and endangerment of animals% Phile poachersand private businesses clamour to meet the demands of consumers, theyhave caused various species of tigers and foxes to be reduced to beingendangered species% Phile polar bears are not yet under that, they mightsoon ?oin them% Pith polar caps melting due to the rise in temperature, therehave been many reports of polar bears and other mammals drowning fromexhaustion when they could not nd land to rest on% "nstead of rising toprotest against green house gas emissions, there are people who actually

believe these are coincidences which should be ignored% Phileenvironmentalists and politicians like l @ore are petitioning to save theplanet, there are many who mock them through forums and the "nternet%

PellBintentioned organi:ations are partially to blame for their incompetenceand ineAciency as well% *espite having regular meetings such as the .


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compromise their production to invest in environmental conservationschemes%

s l @ore mentioned in his movie K In "nconvenient ruth; K if


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technology can allow an economy to function and progress while protectingthe environment at the same time% +owever, despite the eAcacy of suchtechnology, " conceded that alternative energy sources are no panacea fortodayFs tradeBo= between progress and the environment as yet and this iswhy the world still consumes # million barrels of dirtyBburning crude oil

today% his is because alternative energy sources are still, in general, not ascheap as drilling for oil and hence are not widely adopted% +owever, " believethat in the near future, with todayFs pace in the advancement of alternativeenergy technology and in order to circumvent the predicted disaster of oilrunning out by 24#4, alternative energy will become cheaper and widelyused to the point that it drives economic progress while protecting theenvironment at the same time K a very possible eventual outcome%

nother reason why " believe that protecting the environment and economicprogress is possible and become ever less mutually exclusive is the increasein environmental awareness and desire to protect the environment, whether

for altruistic reasons or for selfBinterest% oday, 34 percent of paper andplastic waste in the 0nited Htates of merica (0H), as stated by the 0%H%


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produce green products or to sponsor green movements% 'ompanies such asoyota and +onda have taken advantage of such a change in driversFpreferences by creating smaller, cleaner cars and hydroelectric cards,leading them to Iprogress; and turn prots while protecting the environmentat the same time, unlike ord and @eneral otors, which gasBgu::ling cars

have led them into business losses in the order of billions of 0%H% dollars in244% ppearing green is also a trend for companies which are in the servicesector% Pall Htreet research rm Htandard and .oors has concluded in 244that Igreen; corporate citi:enship adds prots to a companyFs balance sheet%his could explain why highly respected Pall Htreet rms @oldman Hachs andthe Rank of merica have been sponsoring environmental reform pro?ects in'hina, ensuring that they do not provide loans to illegal loggers andpromoting themselves as Igreen banks;% hus, it is seen that capitalism andbusinessesF inherent desire for prots can and is increasingly leading to rmsboth progressing and protecting the environment at the same time% heenvironmentally sustainable growth of businesses could -uite possibly be the

wave of the near future%

" believe that it is possible to protect the environment while striving foreconomic progress, notwithstanding the latter re-uiring increasingly moreenergy to accomplish% his, though, is contingent on the fact that thedevelopment of alternative energy sources and the increase inenvironmental consciousness among people, governments and businessesare sustained at the current pace% o do this, " would suggest that moreweight be placed on the advice given by the 0nited &ations (0&) and the"ntergovernmental .anel on 'limate 'hange (".'') to include the developingnations in nnex " of the 6yoto .rotocol and for more countries to adopt the


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demonstrate how the harm caused to the environment is noted and that the owners of theautomo$ile industry recognise that part of the fault is theirs and something is $eing done a$out it.There is then a conscience present in these car/ma*ers such that they are willing to do something forthe harm they have caused in their conquest.

1ll in all" great amount of harm is $eing dealt to the environment in our conquest for a moreadvanced and easier life. However" this harm is $eing compensated for $y a few environmentally/

mind individuals that actively care for the environment. These are the people" sadly to say" theminority that possess a conscience for the various conquests made

% *oes the presence of a foreign power ever help a country with problemsG

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XX

6eywords

.resence7 direct and indirect intervention, colonialism ( political/ economic

presence)

oreign .ower7 ilitary forces, corporations (&'s), international political

organi:ations.roblems7 civil unrest, disasterBhit areas (humanitarian), poverty and ?oblessness,

political and social instability etc%

Yuestion Oe-uirements

BHtudent should try to ?ustify why the intervention of a foreign power may alleviate,

accentuate, or simply be helpless in assisting a country with problems%

BHtudents should specify the di=erent types of foreign intervention7 political, aidB

relief, corporations etc%

BHtudents should specify the problems that a country may have, rather than

generally discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the presence of a foreignpower%

BHtudent should support arguments with specic examples%

Des, the presence of a foreign power does help a country with problems%

1% Hetting up of infrastructure in colonial countries, which helped in the lack of

structure and development in coloni:ed societies (e%g ?udicial system in Hingapore)

2% +elped to unify a country7 backlash to colonialism led to nationalistic movements

in sia (e%g "ndonesia was a very fragmented country before colonialism but it was

unied in their ght for independence from the *utch)

3% .olitical intervention does help to raise awareness for human rights (e%g% "ra-

under Haddem +ussein, fghanistan under the aliban)%!% he presence of foreign corporations bring expertise, infrastructure and ?obs to

the country (benets of global expansion)

#% .resence of foreign powers help in humanitarian issues e%g natural disasters and

famines (eg Hichuan


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&o, the presence of a foreign power does not help a country with problems, and

may even accentuate them%

1% *ivide and rule policy utili:ed by the colonial masters may result further

fragmentation of society and civil wars after coloni:ation, rather than to unify the

country% his problem can be seen in the advent of many civil wars in frica after

colonialism2% he presence of foreign corporations exploit the natural resources of the country

at the expense of the locals, accentuating their poverty in the long run (e%g%

depletion of natural resources without replenishing or conservation, displacement of

locals, low wages and the exploitation of labor)%

3% oreign intervention in anotherFs economy may worsen the economic situation

due to the lack of understanding of the uni-ueness of each economy / socioBcultural

constraints (e%g% failure of ")

!% .olitical problems have to be ultimately dealt with by the country itself, for

intervention of a foreign power may be perceived as an infringement of national

sovereignty, or the e=ects may be shortBlived% (e%g% he resurgence of the aliban

after being overthrown by the 0H in fghanistan in 2441)

@ood Hcripts

Htudents are able to provide historical and current signicant examples% 'andidates

understand that there will be limitations even if real solutions are provided9 the

country in -uestion has to play an important role as well% Htudents consider the

context of the country in -uestion9 severity of the problem and attitude of

governments in the recipient countries determine the success or failure of foreign

intervention% Htudents demonstrate that there are usually ulterior motives to foreign

intervention%

.itfalls

@eneral discussion on the pros and cons of foreign intervention, without linking it to

how it may or may not address the problems that these countries are facing%

rguments and examples are restricted to war or political intervention

2% +ow important are dreamsG


XX

6eywords

"mportance7 signicance, driving force (motivation)

*reams7 literal dreams, goals and aspirations, daydreaming (minor point)


BHtudents should measure the importance of dreams in terms of their actuali:ation%

BHtudent should recognise that dreams can be destructive, as well as their


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limitations

Des, dreams are important

1% *reams provide the focal point or aspiration for politicians and visionary leaders

to achieve goals for society% (e%g% &elson andelaFs dream of abolishing apartheid,

Z6Fs dream of e-uality for all, Rarack bamaFs dream of being the rst blackpresident, *alai ZamaFs dream of having an independent ibet, Oonald OeaganFs

dream of the end of the 'old Par and the fall of the Rerlin Par)

2% *reams provide the motivation for personal achievements and goals (sports

talents like ichael .helps, iger Poods dream and constantly strive to break their

own records and be their personal best)

3% Nisionary businessmen and entrepreneurs achieve great economic success due to

their singleBminded focus on achievement (e%g% livia Zum form +yLux, Him Pong

+oo from 'reative, Rill @ates of icrosoft, 'oco 'hanel of 'hanel% hese people

embody the importance and potency of dreams for they built their business empires

from scratch )

!% *reams are important for they provide a vision for a better world, driving

individuals to e=ect social changes, e%g% businessmen and activists who set up

social enterprises or nonBprot organi:ations to help disenfranchised groups of

people, like the @ates oundation, @rameen Rank and microcredit to assist women

and families, other heresa who dreamt of helping the poorest of the poor and

spent her whole life achieving it)%

#% *aydreams are very often the catalyst for creativity, and they have the valuable

and intangible value of reviving or refreshing the individual%

&o, the importance of dreams is limited

1% hough dreams may be important, they may misre with terrible conse-uences,when they are pursued excessively without consideration for others or ethics (e%g%

+itler, meglomanias, ado=)

2% hough dreams are important, favorable environmental or social factors have to

be in place (e%g% dreams of prosperity cannot be divorced from political stability and

stable infrastructure, dreams of personal achievements are hard to attain for a girl

in a staunchly conservative or patriarchal society)

3% *reams have to be accompanied by action and determination%

!% ailure of fullling dreams or re?ection of dreams can lead to greater

disillusionment

#% *aydreams can become a reason for inertia and indolenceJJ

@ood Hcripts

Htudents are able to discuss the psychological implications of dreams (e%g% reud

and the subconscious in dreams)% hey are able to analyse the motivations or

reasons for the dreams, rather than merely describing them%

.itfalls


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Htudents merely list a catalogue of dreams without explaining the motivations or

reasons behind dreams or measuring its conse-uences or impact%

Bstudent merely harps on personal dreams and aspirations without linking them to

wider social or political signicance%

3% Mhe more science advances, the more religion will decline%F o what extent doyou agreeG


XX

6eywords

MscienceF7 pursuit of knowledge by scientists in various scientic elds

MreligionF7 a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe%

his may involve the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, devotional and

ritual observances and often contain a moral code governing the conduct of human

a=airs

MadvancesF7 develops and improves

MdeclineF7 decreases in its importance


he Yn re-uires an understanding of how scientic advances will a=ect the spread

and inLuence of religion% n ade-uate essay will evaluate how specic advances (in

stated scientic contexts) will cause a reBevaluation of the

roles/importance/signicance of religion to individuals, groups or even societies%

good essay may raise the issue that there is a false dichotomy or the two contexts

need not be mutually exclusive% he assumption that currentBday society will be

more a=ected/inLuenced by scientic advances cannot be challenged% his is asituation that is already happening%

.itfalls

$ Zisting the importance of religion without linking back to address the -n%

$ ailure to draw causeBe=ect link9 looking at the issue from 2 separate contexts%

he more science advances, the more religion will decline%

Oeligion will become less signicant as science advances% "n many cases, Hcience

could progress faster without religion% "n fact, religion could make Hcience 8lame8, by

hindering its movement and hence the progress of society% his is especially so ifreligions (such as the Ooman 'atholicism) advocate a blanket ban on practices that

are deemed to devalue and desecrate life% or example, in "taly, no preventive

diagnosis can be made on the embryos and they cannot be destroyed, even if it is

known that the parents carry genes that could pass a fatal disease to their child% "s

this respecting the sanctity of life thenG

he ability of Hcience to provide us with insights into the physical world has


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empowered us in many ways% Oeligions, on the other hand, are practised based on

faith% Ry its nature, religion thus lacks rationality and arguably wisdom% or

example, religion was used to explain many natural phenomena and the uncertainty

as well as superstitious beliefs struck fear in many% his has led many pr

benefits of freedom of speech

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