Reference no: EM132315107
Assignment a: Threats to the Global Environment
The United Nations has hired you as a consultant on global issues.
Many of the UN members are not satisfied with the progress of the Millennium Development Goals. They believe that the goals focus on the wrong issues. There is a disconnect between the types of issues the developed countries in the UN believe are priorities versus the issues that developing countries of the UN want to prioritize. For example, the country of Burundi has requested that one of the goals be focused on food security. However, Austria is adamant that the major current global issue is to mediate ceasefires within countries experiencing a civil war.
You have been asked to provide an unbiased perspective and identify the four issues that have the biggest impact on the global environment.
Of the eight major threats listed below, choose the four that you consider the most critical.
Energy sources
Civil war
Globalization
Poor health of entire populations
Lack of educational opportunities
Cultural taboos
Inappropriate uses of technology
Climate change
You will present your findings at the next UN General Assembly. Your goal is to provide a brief history of each issue, the number of countries affected, and the effects of this threat on the world population.
The completed version of this assignment will include the following:
1. A PowerPoint presentation containing relevant information for the UN General Assembly on four of the eight threats listed above.
a. The order of your slides should reflect the order of priority you assign to the four threats you have chosen.
2. Create a minimum of four slides per threat (for a minimum 16 slides total) on the following topics:
a. A brief history of the threat
b. The number of countries affected, and how they are affected (giving examples)
c. The effects of this threat on the world population as a whole
d. Include a chart or graph (see #4 below).
3. Each of the four slides will include:
a. A paragraph in the notes section to explain how the details you have provided in the slide is pertinent to the UN's discussion on selecting and prioritizing goals.
4. For each of the four threats, include one visual (graph or chart) to represent the data you have collected. The visual should be incorporated into the information/topics presented in the slides.
5. Cite at least five credible sources excluding Wikipedia, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:
· Examine the factors that account for why the growth in the world's population can negatively affect the global society.
Assignment b: Threats Defense Argument
The information you provided in your presentation on Threats to the Global Environment has led to productive debates at the UN General Assembly. There are now questions about prioritizing the issues at hand. Some of the countries are challenging your recommendations and questioning your reasons for not including the issues they believe are priority.
From the initial eight global threats, there are four remaining threats that you did not choose in the list of major global issues. Review the list of topics and reflect on two that you did not use in last week's assignment. Defend your reason for considering these topics lower in priority than the ones in your presentation.
Energy sources
Civil war
Globalization
Poor health of entire populations
Lack of educational opportunities
Cultural taboos
Inappropriate uses of technology
Climate change
The completed version of this assignment will consist of the following:
1. Select two threats from the list above that you did not use in your Assignment 3a presentation.
2. Write a minimum of two-page document in which you outline a counterargument for the two threats you selected:
· Write an opening statement describing the perception of each threat.
· Write one paragraph for each threat (two paragraphs total) in which you give three reasons to explain why the threat is less of a priority to the global environment than the four you selected in Assignment 3a. Support your reasons with at least three credible sources.
· A conclusion statement for each threat.
3. Cite at least three credible sources excluding Wikipedia, dictionaries, and encyclopedias for your assessment.
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:
· Examine the factors that account for why the growth in the world's population can negatively affect the global society.