Environmental Issues

The invention of motor vehicles can be considered as one the most important inventions in the world. Cars have changed the world in different aspects and more important in economic development. Socially, cars have had the automobile effects as people became more consumed in traveling culture. America has been considered as a nation on the move as people keep on moving from one place to another in search of brighter economic fortunes. This could not have been possible if there were no cars. Therefore, apart from creating social concept of auto mobility that came with development of the automotive industry, cars have been valuable for economic growth, and hence they are part and parcel of our life. However, they have come with negative effects on the social, environmental, and economic life of people. Cars have been responsible for global warming, rising oil prices, accidents due to compromised safety and others. Since they are a part and parcel of our life, cars should therefore be more efficient.

Cars Should Be More Efficient
Cars are important part of our life. They help us to move from one place to another. They assist in moving goods from one place to another and hence are vital for economic growth and development (Cornelis and Hilton, 2002).  Without cars, the worlds economy would crumble as transport is at the heart of economic growth. Like many things in life, cars have positive and negative impact and most of the time people have tended to look at the positive impacts neglecting the negative ones.  It is important to address the negative impacts in order to make cars more efficient.

One of the negative effects of cars has been their impact on the environment. Cars have been shown to increase emission of green house gases which prompt global warming with adverse effects on world climate (Povey, 2006). Cars use fossil fuels which, when combusted, release green house gases like carbons, nitrates, and others. In order to reduce the negative impact of cars on the environment, it is important to develop cars which use alternate rather than fossil fuel.  There are developments on the way to develop fuel cell and electric cars which do not use fossil fuel and therefore reduce adverse effects on the environment.

The development of auto industry came along in line with development of the oil industry. Historical accounts show how the automotive industry collaborated with oil industry to kill efforts to develop cars which did not use fossil fuel. More recently, it has been killing electric vehicles that have been confirmed running and friendly to the environment. Reliance on fossil fuel and connection between oil and automotive industry has had negative effects on the world economy (Tom, 2007). Oil producing cartels have been raising oil prices absurdly since they know cars cannot run without fuel. If there is development of cars which does not rely on fossil fuel, perhaps it would be possible to control the world oil prices.  This would also have positive impact on the environment as it would reduce the reliance on fossil fuel.

Another catastrophic effect of cars has been safety failure. Millions of lives have been lost through car accidents. Important people in the world like Princes Diana and others have lost lives in road accidents. Although safety was one of the most important aspects that were considered in the earlier phase of development of cars, it has been greatly compromised owing to different factors (Povey, 2006).  In terms of safety, cars are perhaps considered inferior compared to other modes of transport like airplanes, trains, ships, and others.  Although there has been recent development like inclusion of air bags in cars, this has not reduced road carnages and loss of life.  There is more that has to be done on improvement of safety aspect of cars. The industry has to develop more efficient safety measures to ensure that people feel safe while traveling in cars.

Although there has been development of cheaper cars in the recent past, cost of cars remains a hindrance factor for most people to own them. There are many people in the world, especially in the developing countries who cannot afford cars due to higher cost.  At the same time, the cost of development of fuel efficient cars is another factor that continues to inhibit development of environmental friendly cars. The cost factor has an impact on environmental issues since most people are likely to choose cheaper cars which may not be environmental friendly (Povey, 2006).

The development of cars was an important step in the world as it enabled people to travel from one place to another. It also had a positive impact on the economy as it enabled transportation of goods and services from one place to another. However, cars have a number of negative effects. They have been shown to increase emission of green house gases that have led to global warming effect. Cars have also led to an increase in oil prices which hurts the worlds economy, especially in poor countries. Due to failure of safety measures, cars have led to loss of millions of lives through road accidents.  The high cost of cars is another negative effect of them as not many people can afford cars and especially fuel efficient cars which are currently being sold at exorbitant prices.

According to evidence from literature - backed researches from various academic quarters, it is estimated that 1.1 billion people do not have access to drinking water that is safe for human health. Approximately, 2.6 billion people do not have adequate sanitation. Additional statistics indicate that 1.8 persons die annually due to diarrhoeal diseases which include about 90 percent of children aged below 5 years. That the situation has now become unbearable is a fact. In an attempt to combat this crisis, the United Nations came up with the so called Millennium Development Goals. In particular, the said goals were formulated with the primary objective of reducing poverty as well as provide for a platform for sustainable development. With specific reference to target 7, goal 10 seeks to halve by 2015, the percentage of individuals that do not have access to safe drinking water as well as basic sanitation.

With the reference year being 1990, this implies that approximately 260, 000 people on daily basis ought to have access to water sources that have been improved. Furthermore, approximately 370, 000 persons are projected to have gained access to significantly improved sanitation (WHO 2004, Figures and Facts). Of importance to note is the apparent fact that low and middle-income countries across the globe are still grappling with the challenge of having access to both safe drinking water and basic sanitation. The need to have this challenge addressed as soon as possible can not be overemphasised in this regard. Hence, this learning journal shall seek to present an exhaustive view of the aforementioned challenge with specific reference to the developing countries.

Extra Learning
In order to broaden my perspective with regard to the challenge of sustainable water and sanitation amongst developing countries, I decided to focus on water supply and sanitation from the World Water Council from their official website. In particular, my main area of emphasis was to have a holistic overview of the developing countries being able to access safe drinking water as well as sanitation in tandem with MDG 7, target 10. According to the World Water Council, one of the benefits of having all the regions of the world to access safe drinking water and sanitation is that it shall ensure for the respect of fundamental human values. Increasing access to safe drinking water and sanitation across the globe is an ethical and moral imperative that is deeply rooted in both religious and cultural traditions of each and every community or society. Equity, Dignity, solidarity and compassion are the four important values which are shared in all parts of the world. Against this backdrop, extending safe water supply as well as sanitation to the low and middle-income countries of the world shall greatly contribute towards the upholding of these values in every household. In recognition of this need, the United Nations in the year 2002 through General Comment 15 proclaimed that the each individual had the right to water.

This right is very explicit affirming that it is indeed indispensable aspect of ensuring human dignity in addition to being a pre-requisite for the upholding of the human rights as well. The other benefit carried with ensuring that developing nations have sustainable water and sanitation according to the council is captured in terms of improving the overall health within the community. Access to safe drinking water together with basic sanitation is very crucial towards ensuring that human health is preserved. Its role with respect to the health of children can not be over emphasised. It has been noted by the council and other literature that water-related illnesses are account for most of diseases as well as deaths amongst poor households within these developing nations. On a positive rejoinder, the World Health Organisation states that it is approximated that 1.6 million children die every year due to drinking unsafe water, lack of hygiene and poor sanitation. In order to achieve Millennium Development target 10 of Goal 7, WHO estimates that it shall have to prevent the deaths of about 470,000 annual.

Generation of economic benefits is the other merit of ensuring that every part of the globe has access to safe water and basic sanitation. As it has been reported by the World Water Council, WHO through one of its analysis revealed that realising MDG 7 shall bring to the fore significant economic gains. This analysis found out that investing 1 would translate to an economic return or yield ranging from 3 to 34 based on the region. This literature also states that households that have access to improved safe water and basic sanitation tend to suffer less mortality and morbidity that would be caused by water-related illnesses. The said benefit would actually include a 10 percent reduction in diarrheal episodes on the average across the globe. Health-related costs that would be avoided is estimated to reach 7.3 per annum with the global value of the working days among the adults that would be gained due to less diseases would increase to approximately 750 billion. The other benefit of being able to achieve the above stated target would be in terms of significant time savings by persons and household as well.

Better services due to the relocation of a borehole or a well to a site that is close to the respective user communities, installation of piped water supply within houses and construction of latrines close enough to homesteads would imply that individuals shall have to spend less time to access them contrary to the present-day scenario in the developing nations. The other component of economic benefits of achieving this target would be through enabling women and girls to have productive and better educational opportunities owing to the fact that they would be having both sanitation facilities and water close to their homes. Unlike is the case as of today, locating such facilities would ensure that there that there privacy is safeguarded in addition to enabling them to save time that they would otherwise have wasted fetching water from far flung areas. As of today, this is a very common occurrence in several African and Asian developing nations.

Provision of safe and adequate water can also be used towards the setting up or expansion of small and medium sized enterprises. By so doing, this shall increase the average household disposable income. Nationally, this would provide the much needed impetus to the increase of demand for agricultural products as well as tourism and thereby helping to foster national economic growth amongst these developing nations. In the overall, the above started benefits would culminate into significant improvement of life across all the ages. Hence, beginning from the age of 0 to about 4, child mortality would be significantly reduced. At the same time, between the age of 5 and 14 years, more children, especially girls would be given a perfect opportunity to attend school in the event that they have access to safe water as well as basic sanitation facilities nearby. In this way, children would be able to escape from the vicious cycle of family poverty that is very rampant in many developing countries. While at the age between 15 and 59 years, improved water and basic facilities for sanitation would result to the achievement of productivity gains within the developing countries. Persons aged above 60 years would be able to live relatively longer. That meeting the above target is an enormous challenge is a well known fact according to the World Water Council. That notwithstanding, there is somewhat a sense of recognition that it is extremely important for this target to be realised irrespective of the challenges. Change in attitudes and behaviours with respect to hygiene can not afford to be overlooked.

In recognition of this challenge, the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation came up with ten key actions that are considered to be essential in meeting the MDGs. First, stakeholders and governments are required to prioritise the crisis of sanitation. Secondly, countries are called upon to put in place institutions and policies geared towards improving water supply and sanitation facilities. Third, donor agencies and governments must pursue investment and reforms simultaneously. Fourth, efforts that are geared towards target 10 of MDG 7 ought to focus on delivery of sustainable services. Fifth, donor agencies and governments should ensure that local authorities and communities are empowered in the management of water supply and delivery of sanitation services. Sixth, utilities and governments are challenged to ensure that those persons who can pay for such services actually pay to ensure for the maintenance or expansion. Seventh, in line with poverty reduction strategy, countries ought to formulate water resources development and management plans that are coherent and also support the realisation of MDGs. Eighth, governments private sector and civil society must operate in partnership to support water and basic sanitation services and technologies at every level. Ninth, financial, technological and institutional innovation ought to be promoted within the strategic areas. Lastly, UN system and its member states must ensure that they provide an effective and strong framework for the realisation of target 10 of MDG 7.


Extra Learning Log
Date Area of Learning undertaken Reason 15122009Millennium Development Goals in Context
Implementation framework of MDGs across the globe.
To have a deeper insight of MDGs with respect to the Developing nations19122009Overview of sanitation and water in developing African nations
Benefits of Achieving Safe water and Sanitation To broaden my perspective of sustainable water and sanitation in the context of  developing nations
Description and Critical analysis of my Studies

Going through the various aspects of this module has in no doubt provided me with valuable knowledge on the issue of sustainable water and sanitation challenges within the developing countries. From my learning of water treatment, I came to appreciate the importance as well as the various methods of ensuring for the same. Most notably I was able to learn that it indeed involves engineering, science, art and business. Furthermore, the said treatment is required after and prior to its application and may include biological, mechanical, chemical and physical methods. By so doing, this ensures that the water is converted into environmentally acceptable and safe water. According to Tillman, (1996), water treatment encompasses the removal of bacteria, solids and inorganic or organic substances and thereby making it safe for use at household and industrial levels.

That water treatment is an issue that can not be ignored by anyone is a fact. Diseases and even deaths are the likely causes of accessing unsafe water due to lack of water treatment. Treatment of water can not at the same time be divorced from sewerage treatment. To this end, I have been able to learn that sewerage can actually be discharged into the ecological system once it has gone through aerated digestion as well as percolating filtration. However, in some instances additional treatment processes are normally required in order to make it as environmentally safe as possible. In the context of access to safe water and basic sanitation within developing nations, I learnt that both urban and rural households are faced with this challenge. At rural level, it is apparent that access to safe water and basic sanitation facilities is a mirage in many developing nations an aspect that has increased their predisposition to water-related illnesses. High poverty index on the other hand has not made things any better. The same is also the case in many urban slums amongst these developing nations. To add to that, this challenge has further been compounded by the fact that that majority of developing urban towns are currently faced with the problem of unsustainable development due the ever expanding urban population. Against this backdrop, even the so called economically secure households have had to contend with high cost of water. The water is also not sufficient to meet the needs of all the city dwellers or residents. The situation is even worse in the refugee camps in some of the developing nations such as Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. However, a cross section of donor agencies in collaboration with both and local community or social work based organisations have in most cases tended to deal with this challenge by coming up with contingency measures. More often than not, this involves the provision of emergency sanitation in these camps.

However, unlike the industrialised nations, developing countries are faced with the challenge of lack of sound governance. This can be attributed to the existence of appropriate political frameworks in a majority of these nations and thus relegating the issue of access to clean water and basic sanitation to tertiary despite its obvious importance. Lack of accountability in some of the developing nations has also thwarted efforts by donor agencies to partner with the respective local governments towards addressing this problem. Through lecturer 4 water resources I learnt that water is renewable and sufficient to meet all the human needs at various levels. However, this is not the case in developing countries due to the apparent lack of structures and frameworks that are geared towards achieving sustainability of water and access to the same alongside provision of standarddecent sanitation facilities to their populace. Apart from the issue of lack of access to safe water as well as basic sanitation, I learnt that almost all developing nations are further faced with the challenge of poor domestic waste disposal. This is a common in urban and rural areas in addition to the refugee camps and thereby increasing their vulnerability to sanitation based illnesses as argued by Mara, (1996).  Furthermore, this module has also improved my scope about the types of sanitation in middle and low-income nations.

The interrelationship between access to safe water and basic sanitation facilities with health policies is the other aspect that I was able to learn. In particular, I have appreciated that the latter is very important since it creates the framework for the realisation of the former. Faced with the challenge of lack of sound governance, most developing nations despite having such policies have been unable to implement these policies in the long run (Rushbrook and Pugh, 1999). That it is imperative for the developed nations to come and assist such nations can not be over emphasised. Hence, I acknowledge that the fact that water is renewable and available in different forms or sources  implies that it can be made available to each and every citizen of any country subject to implementation of appropriate structures and frameworks to make it sustainable. That notwithstanding, it is note worthy that the ever growing population across the globe and rapid industrial development has continued to put a strain on the global water resources. I was also able to learn the various types of water supply systems amongst developing nations. From my personal opinion, such systems should be designed and implemented based on the unique needs of each nation in order to make them effective.

In this regard, the need for nations to put in place efficient and effective rain water harvesting can not be over looked. From this module, I was exposed to the various rain water harvesting techniques that can be used especially by developing nations to improve on their water supply at both national and household level. The global water resource base can also significantly be improved through re-use of water by ensuring that they properly treated before being released into the ecological system. Most of the natural water resources within these developing nations are also faced with the risk of agricultural-based pollution. My study of this module has enabled me to be aware of the fact that agriculture is the primary resource of economic livelihood support for households within these countries. In this respect, it is apparent that agricultural chemicals are greatly contributing to the pollution of such water resources. This has further been complicated by the absence of specialised equipment for use by the substance farmers who form the bulk of farmers within developing nations. This is further complicated due to the usual practice by such farmers to carry out intensified mixed farming near natural water sources and thereby depleting such reservoirs even further.

Going through the topic of flood and storm drainage has helped to expand my know-how regarding the impact of some of the natural disasters. From the topic, I learnt that majority of developing nations, other than having the challenge of lack of access to safe water and basic sanitation, are also ill-equipped to deal with storms and flooding. In most cases, they turn out to aggravate this problem. The present-day 21st Century effects and impacts of climate change have also increased their exposure to such risks. With respect to the issue of collection and disposal of wastes, I learnt that most of the developing countries do not have in place a comprehensive system and thereby compounding the problem of sanitation. Unless such issues are addressed, it would be impossible to achieve the MDG 7 target 10. Studying this module has not only provided valuable information with respect to sustainable water and sanitation in developing nations but rather expanded by professional expertise in this regard. In particular, I have been able to appreciate the existence of this challenge within developing countries. With this in mind, I am hold the view that the issue of  achieving sustainable water and sanitation amongst these countries should be approached holistically and through teamwork by the worlds developed nations.

Addressing this challenge from this perspective carries with it the merit of enabling such vulnerable nations to be able to overcome this challenge ultimately. This would also improve bi-lateral relations across the globe and thereby fostering cohesion and economic development. However, this can not be achieved unless developing nations recognise and appreciate the essence of accountable governance unlike is the case currently.

Quality is the continuing practice of building and supporting relationships by reviewing, expecting, and fulfilling stated and implied needs. It is otherwise defined as the clients perception of the value of your product or service.In simple terms, a product or process that is reliable, and that performs its intended function is a quality product. These definitions make it clear that quality is a perception that exists or is created in the customers mind. Quality is therefore of paramount importance to get and retain customers and to benchmark the standards of quality against the best in the industry. Quality is both important to internal and external customers of any organization and so is the case for Commercial Bank of Qatar. As mentioned above quality is a perception hence we need to understand our external customers and their priorities. Factors such as level of service ways of communicating and the importance we show towards our external customers develops a level of trust and establishes a standard of quality. A standard for quality to our external customer could be the facts that how close are our products and our services to their expected products and services. In the same way quality towards internal customers establishes long term commitment, employee retention and level of quality that our employees provide to the external customers. One of the major factors for maintaining high quality for internal customer is how well your human resource department understands your employees. The work environment, your organizational policies, work place ethics, pay scales and benefits to your employees sets the tone of quality for the internal customers. 

Total Quality Management
Total Quality Management (TQM) is an idea that incorporates all organizational functions such as, finance, engineering, production, customer service, marketing, design etcetera to center on meeting organizational objectives and customer needs. TQM sanctions the Total organization, from the tactical manager to the CEO, with the duty of ensuring certain Quality in their respective products and services, and management of their processes through the suitable process improvement controls. TQM aims to go beyond Meeting customer requirements and their usual understanding of it serves the needs with respect to products, processes or services that are instrumental to the organization. TQM should operate throughout the whole organization.

The difference between design quality and process quality standards
Design quality refers to the effectiveness of the design of product in fulfilling the actual need that can be transformed into a finished good in a production process. Design quality standards are therefore based on technical and business requirements of the product itself. Process quality standards are based on a different approach not related to product technicalities. Process quality standards result from a designed policy that makes certain all resources will be able to produce defect free work3. These processes encompass all the systems in the organization and are closely interlinked with Total Quality Management discussed earlier.

Quality Systems at Commercial Bank of Qatar (My Organization)
Created in 1975, The Commercial Bank of Qatar is the first wholly owned private commercial bank in Qatar. It has been profitable in every year since its establishment. Such a feat is only possible if there are stringent quality maintenance systems in place. Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ) attempts to implement the philosophy of TQM. In this regard, every procedure is standardized to as much depth as possible. Standard Operating Procedures are constantly reviewed and improved by dedicated staff. Banking industry is in a state of rapid change and therefore reliance on standards brings forth the need to efficiently and effectively revise those standards to make them flexible to adapt to whatever directions macroeconomic conditions and competitive environment takes. One example of cost of quality identified at the Commercial Bank of Qatar or any other organization is the reworking of a balance sheet of a customer. Here cost of quality means the cost of not creating a balance sheet appropriately. This includes an unsatisfied customer which leads to a bad repo of the bank and the cost of reworking the balance sheet all over again. This single mistake can prove very costly as it can lead to several external customers shifting to some other bank. The two major quality standards set for the organization are the automated checking of a balance sheet for errors after it is completed by an employee. The second quality standard set in the bank is of an efficient procedure of processing a loan. This is enabled through a decision support system which provides the manager approving the loan on spot information required for granting a loan to the customer. This information includes data like the credit rating of the customer, the current account balance of the customer and etc. As mentioned in the two examples discussed above how the bank maintains its quality standards, Decision Support System and a Customer Relationship Management System is implemented in the organization. Both of these provide efficiency in operations of the bank which establishes a high quality standard through efficient and error less service. A central data base is connected to all the systems in the bank which stores data of all the operations from a single transaction to a loan approved every single operation is recorded through the Decision Support System and Customer Relationship Management System. All the regular operations that are conducted through out the month are recorded and stored in the central data base which is designed to match them to the standard procedures of the Bank and notify of any error spontaneously in real time. This helps the Bank in realizing any error on the spot which not only saves time but also makes sure the customer gets the correct result of their query.

Practical steps to improve Quality
My role at CBQ is to manage the retail branch, driving branch sales targets, ensuring high quality of customer service by monitoring the efficiency and accuracy of internal processes, owning the sales process, and developing branch staff capabilities, while providing quality in service efficiently that comply with Islamic Sharia requirements, where risks are well controlled. Management of manpower in an efficient manner is also my responsibility.

As a branch manager, I believe that CBQ can improve the efficiency of decision making quality by empowering the branch managers. This can be achieved by letting them offer flexibility of products and services tailored to each customers needs. Branch managers develop a relationship with the clients and therefore quality of service can be improved by greater participation of managers in products development.

Secondly, quality of service can be improved by focusing more on Key Performance Indicators (KPI). KPIs inform about which areas need more resource investment and attention. Increase in deposits may not necessarily translate into increase in customer satisfaction and thus profitability. KPIs reveal the blockades in resource mobilization. A focus by the strategic management in this area will ultimately translate in improved quality

Thesis statement the developing nations should not be allowed to purchase the right of producing excess green house gases from the developing nations.
Introduction

The impact of industrialization on the two major global environmental phenomena that is climate change and global warming. 

Debate emanating from increased emission of green house gases by the developed nations. The debate is mainly focused on whether the developed nations should be allowed to purchase emission rights from the developing nations so that they can be allowed to produce more of the green house gases.

Arguments against buying of carbon rights
Opposing arguments in the debate of allowing the developed nations to purchase the rights of purchasing the rights of producing the green house gases from the nations that produce less of these gases.

These arguments are mainly based on the premise of increased emission of green house gases should the developed nations be allowed to compensate the developing nations.

Arguments for buying of carbon rights

These are arguments supporting the purchasing of the green house gases emission rights by the developed nations from the developing ones.

These arguments mainly derive their strength from the enhanced capacity of the developing nations to deal with the impacts of global warming and climate change using the funds obtained from the compensation.

a) This work concludes by appreciating the strengths and weaknesses of either side of the debate but concludes that the developed nations should not be allowed to purchase the rights of emitting green house gases from the poor developing nations. 

Introduction
Increased industrialization has resulted to massive production of green houses gases, which have greatly contributed to one of the greatest phenomena that have been witnessed in worlds history. Climate change and global warming phenomena have both resulted from increased introduction of green house gases into the atmosphere mainly by the developed world. This has resulted into a heated debate of whether or not the countries producing excess green house gases should compensate those that are producing less of these gases. In this debate there are some who are arguing that it is not in order for these nations to compensate the less developed nations that are producing less green house gases .They argue that much efforts should not be aimed at compensating these nations but to actually reduce the amount of green house gases they are producing. On the other hand, there are those people who feel that maximum limits of green house gases should be established and therefore no country should be allowed to produce beyond this particular limit. However, if a country wishes to surpass the limit then it should look for a country that is under producing green house gases so that it can purchase the right to produce these gases on behalf of the country. Bearing in mind the menace that has been brought about by global warming and climate change, as well as the potential effects in future, the world policy makers should work towards reducing the total amount of green house gases that is produced and thus a limit should be set and no country should be allowed to purchase the right of another country (Flatt, 2009).

Arguments against buying of carbon rights
Up to date, there is virtually no single part of the world that has not suffered due to the effects of climate change and global warming. It does not matter the amount of money nations around the world are going to spend in order to deal with the effects of these two global phenomena, the world will continue suffering as long as the production of green house gases is not regulated. Establishing a limit for the production of green house gases, is basically the only way that can result into positive results in the fight against climate change and global warming. If the developed countries are allowed to purchase the rights of producing these gases from the poor developing nations then more of these gases will still be introduced into the atmosphere and hence the fight against the effects of these two phenomena will be far from being over (Mcelroy, 2001).

If the poor developing nations will be compensated by the wealthy developed nations and thus allow them to produce the amount of carbon which they themselves failed to produce, then they will in essence be subjecting them selves to the detrimental effects resulting from climate change. This means that despite the fact that they will have contributed to a very small extent to these global phenomena, they will suffer most from them. It is quite evident that the poor developing nations that produce less green house gases will suffer most from the effects of both climate change and global warming since they lack the capacity of addressing the challenges resulting from these phenomena. Furthermore, the limited funds in form of compensation from the developed nations are not sufficient to fully address the challenges posed by these major phenomena. Therefore, as long as the developing nations are concerned, it is much more cost effective for them not to be compensated by these nations and hence allow them to produce more of these gases than to allow these nations to produce more of the green house gases and then suffer the effects of climate change and global warming (Torres, 2008).

The effects of both climate change and global warming are enormous and take place in the long term. It is also not easy to determine the actual financial loss or any other forms of losses that result from these two phenomena. This therefore implies that the countries compensating others so that they can be granted the right of producing more of the green house gases will in most cases under compensate them. There is therefore no need for the countries that are producing less of these gases to be compensated since the compensation will be highly undervalued. They will therefore incur much loss as a result of the compensation compared to the one they are likely to suffer in absence of massive production of green house gases. The worlds policy makers should hence be more focused on reducing the overall production and introduction of the green house gases into the atmosphere. Such a move will greatly spare the entire globe from the great negative impacts that will result due to continued emission of these gases (Latham, 2009).

Climate change and global warming have resulted to very extreme weather conditions such as excessive rainfall resulting into floods, tropical cyclones, heat waves, droughts and eddy currents. Some of the weather conditions have resulted into the destruction of property as well as loss of lives and livestock. Infrastructure which is crucial to the development of any nation around the world has also been greatly destroyed by some of these extreme weather conditions especially excess rainfall and other forms of precipitation. By the world policy makers allowing countries to produce excess amounts of green house gases and later compensate those that produced less, will basically imply that these devastating effects will continue occurring every now and then. As a result, economic development around the world will be greatly hampered since a lot of resources will be employed towards curbing the effects of climate change and global warming as opposed to the employment of such resources to areas they can foster economic development (Glickman et al, 2003).

It has been predicted by climate scientists from allover the world that in future some parts of the world might experience conflicts emanating from climate change and global warming. Due to the phenomenon of global warming, the water that previously has existed in the solid state will melt and find its way into the oceans. This will result into a rise in the sea level, thus displacing millions of people living around the global oceans. The displaced population which will be condemned into refugee status by the rising water levels will be forced to move upland into already inhabited regions thus creating some conflicts. In order to avoid such conflicts in future, the world policy makers should ensure that less green house gases is produced by both the developing nations as well as the developed ones. However, if the countries that are highly industrialized are allowed to produce excess green house gases then such conflicts will be inevitable (Mcelroy, 2001). 

It is in no doubt that the current generation owes moral obligation to the future generations and hence it should not carry out its activities in unsustainable manner. The current generation should thus emit less of these gases that are bringing about a lot of havoc in the world and which are in fact expected to bring about even more devastating effects in the future. By allowing the current generation to produce excess green house gases and thus jeopardize the fate of future generations is morally unethical. The nations that are therefore producing excess gases should hence not be allowed to surpass their limit of green house gases production so that the future generations can get the chance of living in an environment that is less polluted and also suffer less from the effects of climate change and global warming (Flatt, 2009). 

Arguments for buying of carbon rights
If the nations that are producing excess green house gases are given a chance of compensating those countries that are producing less of these gases, then these nations will have additional resources for combating the effects of the two devastating phenomena. Funds obtained as compensation can be used directly in addressing the major problems resulting from both climate change and global warming. Due to global warming and climate change, a lot of destruction usually takes place at times and therefore these funds can be of great assistance to the nations with less capacity in dealing comprehensively with the effects emanating from these two great challenges. This therefore means that these nations will be at a better position of preventing massive loss of property and lives that are usually brought about by these two phenomena. There is therefore need to allow these nations to be compensated by the ones that are producing more of the green house gases (Torres, 2008). 

One of the major ways through which the effects of global warming and climate change can be addressed by the developing nations that are producing less green house gases is by creating more carbon sink. Carbon dioxide is the main green house gas that is introduced into the atmosphere. Its proportion in the atmosphere can however be reduced by creating a carbon sink. This can be done by planting as many trees as possible together with other green plants that utilize the carbon dioxide gas in the process of photosynthesis. However, the exercise of creating a carbon sink in a country requires a lot of political will from the government since a lot of resources are required. Most of the developing nations that produce less of these gases lack the funds required to create an adequate carbon sink in their nations. Therefore, if the developed nations are given the opportunity of compensating these nations, then they can use such funds in creating a carbon sink that can be very essential in mitigating the impacts of both climate change and global warming. This is so because there are no physical boundaries for the green house gases and thus they can be produced in one region and sunk in another (Flatt, 2009). 

It is widely argued by various scientists that the effects of global warming and climate change can only be dealt best through adaptation to the resulting changes. This requires that governments allover the world implement policies that will enable their populations to adapt in fast to these changes. It is however not easy for governments in the developing world to facilitate their populations in the process of adaptation since it requires huge amounts of funds. It would therefore be very appropriate for the worlds policy makers to allow the wealthy more developed nations to compensate the poor developing nations for the excess green house gases they have produced that ought to have been produced by the developing nations. In turn, the developing nations can use such funds in assisting their populations to adapt to the changes resulting from climate change and global warming (Mcelroy, 2001). 

From the above discussion it is quite clear that both climate change and global warming are responsible for bringing about a lot of devastating effects across the world. A solution therefore needs to be looked for urgently so that the world can be spared from these impacts that have brought about massive losses of property and lives. The best way of dealing with climate change and global warming is by reducing the gases that are produced globally. This cannot be achieved through compensating the developing nations that are producing less of these gases and therefore any such move will not be of much help in dealing with the problem at hand. Instead of compelling the developed nations to compensate the less developed ones, policies should be made and implemented that are aimed at ensuring that these nations cut down on their emissions of green house gases. Such a move will greatly help in saving the entire world from the devastating effects of the two phenomena the world will also be compelled to look for new energy sources apart from the fossil fuels which will ensure that developments are carried out in a sustainable manner.

    There has always been life on Earth ever since man could remember. Species come and go. Dinosaurs have gone extinct, giving birth to evolved life forms. Because of the changes in the environment, it cannot be helped that animals like dinosaurs are now gone, especially because during their existence, man was not there to figure out ways to save them from extinction. The question now is this should we do more to save endangered species The answer is yes. Every life form on this planet has a value, be it ecological, aesthetic, commercial, agricultural or medicinal. Species exist because they help humans in one way or another. We should do more to save endangered species because the next generations to come will benefit from their value.   

As the saying goes, no man is an island. No one can live in a hollow area where nothing but himself exists. Living in a vacuum is not possible. In this world, plants and animals coexist with each other. It is because of this coexistence how every organism thrives. The biosphere is a network governed by the balance of nature. Various ecosystems can be found in the biosphere, which houses different interrelationships between animals, plants, and their surroundings. Everything is connected to everything else. The biosphere is composed of different connections formed between organisms. There is a chain. There is a complex. Once a species is taken away from the chain, it can cause the death or extinction of 30 other species. The government has already addressed this problem. In the Endangered Species Act of 1973, it was officially recognized that plants and animals are slowly going extinct. It is because of these types of policies why we are urged to take action and prevent the extinction of endangered species (United States Congress Office of Technology Assessment 10).

    According to this Act, these endangered species are very significant in the peoples lives. They have scientific, medical, recreational, aesthetic, educational, ecological and historical value.  They help breathe life into the tourism industry. Also, they contribute revenue and improve the economic condition of a country. In this Act, the government was able to effectively explain the points of ecologists and conservationists on why we should do more to save these endangered species (United States Congress Office of Technology Assessment 10).

    The sad part is that we cannot blame natural processes anymore for the disappearance of certain creatures. Biologists can tell that pollution, environmental degradation and extinction of species can all be attributed to the activities of humans. We are doing so much to harm our environment. Conservation efforts are there. People participate in making sure that extinction of endangered species is prevented. The problem, however, is that there are still millions of people who do not care about this. Mankind still exploits the environment.

People cut trees, use dynamite for fishing, burn forests and disturb marine life. They fill the air with smoke, dump garbage into the waters, and litter on the streets. Because of these human activities, it is then imperative that we should do more to save endangered species.
Why Save Endangered Species

Medical Benefits
We should first take a look at the medical benefits endangered species offer to humans. Endangered species, be they plants or animals, contribute to various important medications. We can go to a drugstore and buy any prescribed drug and we will find out, upon seeing what the drug is made of, that it contains natural compounds which can be found only in specific species.

Each organism has a reservoir of useful material which we cannot recreate or reproduce. These materials evolve, and when lost, can never be duplicated. Some materials are unique only to a specific species. We should never underestimate the power of every living organism because they contribute to human life. For example, the biggest breakthrough in medicine, which is the invention of penicillin, was made possible because of a fungus. Penicillin came from fungus  penicillin which is treating a lot of many sick people these days (Liebesan, Petersan and the Environmental Law Institute 68).

    The purple foxglove is endangered today. It is an ingredient to digitalis, a medicine for those who are suffering from heart disease. In the United States, more than 3 million people suffer from it. They can die immediately from cardiac arrest if they are not given this medicine (Liebesan, Petersan and the Environmental Law Institute 68).

    Another endangered plant is the Pacific yew, a tree that grows very slowly in the Pacific Northwest. In history, the Pacific yew was considered a tree with no value. In fact, people burned all remaining trees after cutting the forests. Recently, medicine experts have found out that a treatment for breast and ovarian cancer can be extracted from it and is called taxol (Liebesan, Petersan and the Environmental Law Institute 68).

    Therefore, endangered species serve two major purposes for humans. One, endangered species contribute a lot in saving the lives of the people. They are being used as components of the most important medicines that we can take. They help in the healing of our diseases. They treat our pains and alleviate our discomforts.  Second, endangered species contribute to the economy. Without the medicines made from these species, there would be no medicines to be sold. The pharmaceutical industry will fold down. Species contribute to more than 40 billion every year to the industry. Because of this, it is safe to say that these species, endangered or not, are the lifeline of one of the most important industries in the world the pharmaceutical industry that saves the sick (Liebesan, Petersan and the Environmental Law Institute 68).

Agricultural Benefits
Endangered species also help in agriculture. Ninety percent of our food is from plants. We eat corn, wheat, fruits and vegetables. Among all the 80,000 plant species known to man, all of which we can safely eat, we are only using 20 species. Little do people know that there are relatives of these species that grow in the wild which provide ingredients that help us resist diseases (Mangun 98).

     Aside from that, species also give humans a new means of developing new crops which can thrive in lands suffering from drought and unhealthy soil. Because of this, endangered species are contributors to the solution of hunger. If all species of plants are used up, then world hunger may be solved. If we stop the loss and save the endangered species, then hunger problem will be alleviated.

    In fact, in the 1970s, species of corn unique to Mexico was discovered to be an ingredient to prevent fungi growth in leaves. Fifteen percent of the corn crop in the United States died because of pest leaf fungi. The continuous use of this ingredient will then help in more corn crops that feed millions of people worldwide (Mangun 98).

Ecological Benefits
Ecosystems become healthy because of plants and animals. To ensure a healthy environment, air needs to be clean and bodies of water need to be pollution-free. Plants and animals contribute to the purification of humans environment. They also feed humans.

    An implication of the worsening condition of endangered species is that there is a failure in the ecosystem. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, if one plant species is lost, 30 other species are most likely going to suffer extinction, too. These species are not limited to plant species, but animal and insect species as well (Chiras 72).

    An owl in the Pacific Northwest is endangered, which is a clear sign of the declining condition of the ecosystem. It was in 1990 when it was officially announced that the owl in this part the world is endangered. It is a sign that the environment in the Pacific Northwest has low quality and the living conditions was not favorable to the said species. The forests in the Pacific Northwest shelter a hundred other species that rely solely on old growth. Today, because companies could not sustain what they are taking away from the forest, all the other hundred species in danger, too. Unsustainable development is clearly not practiced in the Pacific Northwest (Chiras 72).

The Florida Keys in Florida is home to the richest corals in the world. However, the corals are dying because of water pollution. Because of the death of these corals, various species of fish are losing their home. The tourism industry in Florida is being threatened at this moment because of this. The tourism of Florida depends on their beaches and the activities people can do in the waters. Dying corals and the absences of fish is not attractive to tourists. The tourism industry of Florida is giving the state millions of dollars a year. It is helping the lives of millions of Americans (Chiras 72).
Everyone should also be reminded that endangered species are environmental monitors. They tell us how our environment is doing. Species of falcons and eagles are at the brink of extinction. If these species are gone, then it is a sure sign that we are being warned of the negative effects of a pesticide called DDT which harm the aforementioned species. Air pollutants like sulfur dioxide and excess ozone also damage the health of endangered species. When the eastern white pine was said to be endangered, it was a sign that there was too much air pollution in the area. It is because of these species how we have become aware of the effects of our own doing (Chiras 78).
 
Commercial Benefits
Several species are raised commercially. It means that these wild species contribute directly to economic progress of countries, be it regional or local. In the Pacific Northwest, tourists usually flock the area because of activities like salmon fishing. Tourism is made possible because of the sea and the schools of fish, specifically salmon. Because o this, 60,000 people are given jobs. This area is also the center of the culture of Native America (Diamantis 317).

The problem the Pacific Northwest is confronted today is the loss of salmons. Overgrazing. Clearcutting and degradation of habitat is basically the reason why the salmons in this area are being endangered. Dams also contribute to the increasing risk the salmons and the industry in general are facing (Diamantis 317). 

    In the United States, 10,000 jobs are given to people because of freshwater mussels. These creatures, when harvested, are used to trigger the formation of pearls in oysters. The economy of the United States gets 700 million from these freshwater mussels every year. However, freshwater mussels are at present endangered in North America (Diamantis 317).

    Many industries these days benefit from wild plants. The guayule, for example, is rich in useful substances like natural rubber, among many others. The guayule is among the shrubs that are going extinct today. The jojoba is another plant species that is endangered. It is very helpful in the production of oil that industries use. It has the same quality of oil that we get from the sperm whale, which is also at the risk of extinction at the present (Diamantis 317).

The guayule and jojoba are both unique to the southwestern part of America. Both plants are big contributors to the economy of the country. Also, they provide value to the soil that is no longer fit for agriculture. These two plants, among many other endangered plant species, are available locally, which makes it easier for the people to make use of the product. If not, they have to purchase imported products, which are usually more expensive (Diamantis 317).

AestheticRecreational Benefits
Tourism is very highly dependent on the ecosystem, and everything that can be found in it, specifically plants and animals. Plant and animal species improve the quality of life of the people. They provide recreation for humans to have fun. Plant and animal species have a spiritual value as well.

    Recreation is best enjoyed when views are lovely, the machines are properly working, and basically when there is something nice to see. Wildlife-related recreation is very popular these days. Photographers take time out of their busy schedule to take photos of unique plants and beautiful animals. Kids enjoy feeding the animals they see for the first time. Adults feel refreshed by just observing different life forms enjoy their habitats.

    In the United States alone, people spend a big chunk of their money just to travel. In fact, around 59 billion is spent on tourism-related activities like dining, gadgets, accommodations, plane tickets and travel in general. Such amount is spent just to engage in wildlife-related recreation (Diamantis 317).

Endangered species are usually the type of species that are capable of attracting tourists. If they completely get lost, then one of the main reasons why people travel is lost, too. If this happens, the economic and specially the tourism industry will definitely suffer.

What Other People Say
    Some people may argue that because endangered species are environmental monitors, then it cannot be helped that we have to sacrifice a species or two to know what is going on around the environment. Obviously, this is a wrong mentality. It is inconsiderate, bordering on ridiculous.

    Endangered species are here to indicate the quality of our surroundings. It is not an intelligent idea for mankind to wait until something bad happens, before we do something. It is not enough for us to wait until animals and plants tell us that something is wrong. It is not good to wait until some species go extinct.

    It is best to maintain a healthy environment by doing our part to save the endangered, clean the polluted, prevent usage of the dangerous and stop people of more wrong doings. It is best do to our own part to maintain a healthy environment for the future generations to come, until no sign at all is shown to indicate that something is wrong.

    Also, it may also be argued that extinction cannot be helped because it is a work of nature. The changing world and the evolution of the environment are constantly calling for the survival of the fittest. With this, it is natural for other species to go extinct as this is nothing but a natural process.

    Humans destroy habitats due to pollution or urbanization. We poison animals, harvest them in great numbers, and kill them. Because of these types of activities, endangered species like the West Indian manatee, loggerhead sea turtle, American crocodile are now almost complete gone.

    The problem here, then, is that we can no longer blame the work of nature for the extinction of hundreds of species. Today, the idea that extinction is natural, no longer applies. At present, we can only blame mankind for the extinction of plants and animals. We are fast-forwarding the extinction which may possibly happen in a billion years.

    Over and above all these, it can now be concluded that we should indeed do more to save our endangered species because we benefit from them from the value they contribute to ecotourism, agriculture, industries, recreation, medicine and to our environment in general.

    Since we can no longer attribute these events to nature, we should take every step to save the endangered species. If not, there might not be an environment our future generations will enjoy. We all want our children and our childrens children to fully enjoy the benefits of a healthy environment. We want them to breathe fresh air, swim in clean bodies of water, and play with many types of animals. We want them to enjoy life to the fullest. Because of this, here are some of the things we can do to help save our endangered species.

    First, we should conserve habitats. Where do plants and animals thrive and live peacefully Not in our human homes, but in their natural habitats. They live in the wild, in nature reserves and in natural parks. They live most peacefully without humans around. Let us give them their space and not take them away from their homes
(Catudo and Bruchac 243).

    We can also inquire about how to protect the species habitats. In every country, there is always a nature reserve or a national park to check out. We can bring kids with us for guided tours and then ask the rangers about endangered animals and plants. These rangers know most about species. They can tell us what species are being threatened right now. Also, it is possible to ask these rangers to allow us to take part in their conservation work. They will surely be glad to have us in (Catudo and Bruchac 243).

    We should also be more aware of the different codes inside a national park. Usually these codes tell you to throw your trash in the garbage bin, to not touch the animals or plants, not pick the flowers, not bring our dogs and other domesticated pets in the park and obey fire regulations. Sometimes, these codes just remind us to use our common sense and encourage us to be nice. It is never difficult to follow wildlife codes. (Catudo and Bruchac 243).

    For those who know someone who live on farms, tell them to stop cutting trees, especially the old ones. Old trees are very useful in such a way that they can house animals, let alone the birds nest. Patches of bush are also very useful as these can be used as habitats of species. We need not go too far to protect the habitats of species. We can do something even when we just stay at home (Catudo and Bruchac 243).

Join groups that focus on nature reserves and land. Basically, what these groups do is replace pests like weeds with native plants. Also, these groups clean the environment by removing weeds and rubbish from the soil. The native plant species are then given leeway to regenerate. This way, even the animals that left because of fear may come back because they will find out that the environment is slowly being once again an ideal place for them. If we cannot find a group like this in our area, we can always start our own group with our family, our neighbors, and our friends. For more information, we can always ask the authority to guide us in what we do (Miller, Brewer and Spoolman 207).

        We can also help save endangered species not just by giving, but also by making space to plants and animals. Aside from conserving their habitat, we can create new ones for them. What we can do is to create a birdbath and a birdfeeder for birds. We can create a birdhouse in our front yard as long we have a tree. If not, we can plant a new tree. We can also ask adults around, and we can start within our family, to stop using chemicals in the garden (Miller, Brewer and Spoolman 207).
Also, composting is a very easy task. We can do this in our own homes. We can comport on the balcony. We can do this in the backyard. With this, we can throw away fertilizers, especially those with too much chemicals, as they are bad for the environment, especially to plants and animals. Recycling is also a very important part of protecting the environment. We can also recycle our trash and reuse the things that we do not really need to throw away. We can save the environment in our own little ways. We can start taking public transportation. By commuting from home to school or office, we are saving gas and contributing to a cleaner air. It is best to use a bicycle if our destination is not that far. The car emits too many pollutants to the air (Miller, Brewer and Spoolman 207).

    Sometimes, we forget to turn off our appliances when we leave for school or office. We should always make sure that television sets or computers are turned off before we live the house. All lights should be switched off. This way, we are saving energy. On the other hand, we can save water by turning off the faucet when brushing our teeth. It is best to use a glass of water while doing this so that we can make sure that the tap is not opened (Singer 139).

    Our parents can help protect the environment and save endangered species by not using packaging. If they can carry the items from the grocery, then there is no need to ask for a paper bag or a plastic bag. We can use our own bag to the shop which we can use everytime we shop to avoid using too much plastic and paper which contribute to excessive garbage. Also, as we grow old, we start finding our old books and clothes useless. Our clothes are too small and books and toys are no longer entertaining. We should not throw them away as they contribute to excessive garbage. After all, our trash is other peoples treasure. We can donate them to charity or to hospitals because a lot of less fortunate children need them. Aside from helping endangered species get their lives back, we are helping our fellow human beings, too.

    In the United States, there are several programs that are focused on the protection of plants and animals, particularly the rare ones. It will help to contact the state department because they know what species are endangered in our area. We can also ask the authorities to guide us and teach us about what we can do to help conserve the environment, and what measures we can take to save rare plants and animal from extinction (Singer 139).

    Also, Americans are lucky for the almost 400 national wildlife refuges all over the United States. Here we can find environmental science specialists who can help us with our inquiries about the environment. They also tell us what rare species are near our area. They tell us what they need to help them survive. They tell us the ways to which we can help them. They teach us management. There are programs these days that are open to volunteers in cleaning the environment, among many other activities (Singer 139).

    For those who are fond of buying plants or pets, we should make sure that what we are buying is not the rare type. Exotic plants or animals are not just in danger of extinction, they are also not easy to maintain and keep. These species are the type of species that easily die. We should just return them to their natural habitats so that they can naturally thrive with other organisms (MacKay 27).

If we continue protecting our environment, we are also continuously protecting the ability of our environment to operate as expected. If ecosystems no longer work as logically as it normally does, then we humans are going to pay for it, in forms of floods, extinction of species, drought, food shortages and billions of dollars. If we want to replace what is lost, we are going to pay for it in amounts we could never imagine we would have to spend (MacKay 27).

    As mentioned in the early part of this study, once a species is lost, other species are put in danger, too. Because everything is connected to everything else, taking away a part of it will cause a chain reaction that will endanger the lives of many others. Because of this, the message is very clear. We should do everything in our power to conserve the diversity of our ecosystems to keep everyone living and existing in this world. In this paper, we kept on saying that we should conserve the environment to ensure biological diversity. Why is biological diversity even very important The earliest humans have relied on food from plants and animals. The clothes we wear come from plants and animals. Our houses, our schools, our office buildings and our shopping malls  they are all there because of trees. We have medicines for the sick because plants and animals are giving them to us. Everything that we human beings are using today comes from plants and animals (National Research Council, Committee on Scientific Issues in the Endangered Species Act 72).

    It is safe to say that we should save our endangered species to make sure that our lifestyle is maintained. We should protect plants, especially trees, so that we can erect more buildings and build more houses. We should protect plants so that we can sew more clothes and reinvent fashion as many times as we want it.
We should save plants and animals so that we can keep cooking our favorite dishes, and so that we can experiment some more. We should save plants and animals so that we can keep producing medicines for the sick.

    Then again, there is a more important point of protecting endangered species. We can never be sure if we have named all species on Earth. Some of them are yet to be discovered. Some of them might bring breakthroughs in medicine our tourism. It would be a shame to lose them before we find out about them.

    The present geological condition of the Earth is a result of continuous movement and alterations in most land mass eventually leading to different types of land formations and fossil foundation. One of the most acceptable theories that agree to these changes is the Plate Tectonics Theory as it defines the movement and other related motions occurring on larger parts of the Earths lithosphere. These movements have somehow been vital in affecting the existence of life on earth due to its ability to change most of the Earths physical layers. The Plate Tectonics Theory states that the Earth is divided into major tectonic plates and these plates, when creating a motion in the form of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, land and ocean trench formation, create either a convergent or a collisional boundary (Lutgens et al, 2002).

    This theory helped explain the existence of fossilized marine life in the Ural Mountains in Australia. As part of a greater land mass, the Pangaea, Australia has continuously created a massive motion, which includes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. These volcanic activities and land formation have embedded most forms of life making some of them extinct (Butler, 2001).

    In the case of earthquakes however, seismic motions triggers the creating of waves that are manifested through shaking and movements. When geological faults are ruptured, earthquake occurs. The initial rupture is usually the focus and in continuous movements creates a number of foci. Some foci sends strong motion waves that are then felt above the ground level also known as the epicenter that is directly above the foci (NASA, 2005).

    Moreover, some faults that are experiencing an inactive creep or crawling movement can be considered safe. However, as these creates a relatively consistent yet minor movements, dangers are still eminent as these may still contribute on the overall land structure and formation, thereby increasing the chances of progressing into a much stronger types of movement (Butler, 2001).

I hereby submit my application for the aforementioned graduate program.

I am interested in environmental issues and have been involved in numerous environmental conservation and preservation projects in my community.

I have gained valuable information on environmental issues from these projects and training sessions that have enabled me to sensitize my community on importance and ways of conserving the environment.

The fact that more than 15 million hectares of tropical forest are destroyed every year thereby emitting millions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere reveals that environmental matters are not given the priority they deserve. Tropical forests are disappearing at a rate of 5 every decade as a result of agricultural, timber, and road expansion. And by 2050, the Amazon in Brazil will be gone. 
Forests are the most significant carbon reservoir, playing an invaluable role in curbing greenhouse gas emissions and they contain more than 75 of all carbon stored in vegetation.If not addressed, this over exploitation of forests will cause untold suffering to the entire human populace.

The challenging experiences and awareness of complexities involved in environmental matters have resulted in my desire to enroll in this program to increase my knowledge in this field, continue my academic endeavors, and make important contacts that will help me advance my course in future.
I would like the opportunity to combine my experiences with the theoretical background available in the Environmental Applied Science and Management program at Ryerson University.

I have chosen to enroll in your university program because your institution is certified and recognized not only in Canada but in the world as a leading institution offering environmental courses. My desire to join your institution is also informed by the fact that your program combines scholarship, research, creativity, innovation and critical analysis. 

Additionally, your graduate programs provide excellent academic experience and include a high degree of interaction among faculty members and graduate students.

With the necessary expertise that I will gain from your program, I intend to raise awareness on environmental issues on national and international levels. As witnessed in the recently concluded Climate Change conference in Copenhagen, this phenomenon poses serious risks to the world particularly the developing countries yet enough measures have not been put in place to reverse this trend.   Even after the long awaited Copenhagen talks ended, the commitment of the developed world in combating this phenomenon remains is in doubt. Although the conference resolved to keep the maximum temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius USD 30 billion short-term funding for immediate action till 2012 and USD 100 billion annually by 2020 in long-term financing the challenge of translating these resolutions into legally binding agreement remains a challenge. The USA government stand on Kyoto protocol adduces evidence.

I look forward to joining your esteemed university.