Global Problems Essay, Research Paper

Global problems affect the modern world. Today?s rapid changes have made countries more interdependent than ever before, shrinking the world into a global village. As the world grows smaller, events in any one area have a greater impact on other parts of the world. National borders do not limit the effects of pollution or environmental destruction. Even poverty in some areas affects other areas because of migration and its impact on the world economy. Three examples of global problems that affect the modern world are famine, pollution, and terrorism.

Only few countries are able to produce more food than their citizens need. For the rest of the world, hunger and malnutrition are common. In developing nations, about 150 million children under the age of five go to bed hungry each night. Climate changes and erosion have worsened the problem in some places like Somalia. Moreover, each advance in producing more food is often met with a corresponding increase in population.

Terrorism can be defined as the use of violence against civilians for political purposes. It draws attention to a group?s grievances and is used to frighten governments into making concessions. Many radical groups use terrorism. The IRA, for example, used terrorism against the British in an attempt to unify Ireland. In the 196o?s and 1970?s the PLO used terrorism against Israel, seeing it as self defense against what they considered ?Israeli terrorism,? the occupation of Palestinian lands. The governments of Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Libya not only helped the Palestinian terrorists, but also used terrorism to silence their own opponents. Terrorist organizations have made use of the following tactics: taking hostages, bombing and political assassinations.

Industrial growth is often accompanied by an increase in the amount of pollutants released into the air. They cause such problems as acid rain and increase the number of people suffering from respiratory illnesses. Another serious threat to our environment is the destruction of the ozone layer, which protects the earth from the harmful effects of the sun?s radiation. Also, increased carbon dioxide emissions and pollutants in the atmosphere appear to be making the earth warmer. Called the greenhouse effect, this worldwide warming trend may have very harmful effects.

Global problems affect the modern world. Today?s rapid changes have made countries more interdependent than ever before, shrinking the world into a global village. As the world grows smaller, events in any one area have a greater impact on other parts of the world. National borders do not limit the effects of pollution or environmental destruction. Even poverty in some areas affects other areas because of migration and its impact on the world economy.