The most important problems facing humanity. Ways to solve global problems

Global problems are problems that:

1. concern all mankind, affecting the interests and destinies of all countries, peoples, social strata;
2. lead to significant economic and social losses, in case of their aggravation, they can threaten the very existence of human civilization;
3. can only be solved through cooperation on a planetary scale.

The essence of global problems and possible ways their solutions:

The issue of peace and disarmament- the problem of preventing a third world war remains the most important, the highest priority problem of mankind. In the second half of the XX century. nuclear weapons appeared and there was a real threat of destruction of entire countries and even continents, i.e. almost all modern
Solutions:

• Establishing strict control over nuclear and chemical weapons;
• Reducing conventional armaments and the arms trade;
• A general reduction in military spending and the size of the armed forces.

Ecological— degradation of the global ecological system, as a result not environmental management and waste pollution human activity.
Solutions:

• Optimization of the use of natural resources in the process of social production;
• Protection of nature from the negative consequences of human activity;
• Environmental safety of the population;
• Creation of specially protected territories.

Demographic- continuation of the population explosion, the rapid growth of the population of the Earth and, as a result, the overpopulation of the planet.
Solutions:

• Carrying out a well-thought-out demographic policy.

Fuel and raw- the problem of reliable supply of mankind with fuel and energy, as a result of the rapid growth in the consumption of natural mineral resources.
Solutions:

• Increasingly widespread use of non-traditional sources of energy and heat (solar, wind, tidal, etc.).
• Development of nuclear energy;

food- According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and WHO (World Health Organization), from 0.8 to 1.2 billion people are hungry and malnourished in the world.
Solutions:

• An extensive solution lies in the expansion of arable land, grazing and fishing grounds.
• The intensive path is an increase in agricultural production through mechanization, chemicalization, automation of production, through the development of new technologies, the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant plant varieties and animal breeds.

Use of the resources of the oceans- at all stages of human civilization, the World Ocean has been one of the most important sources of sustaining life on Earth. At present, the ocean is not just a single natural space, but also a natural and economic system.
Solutions:

• Creation of the world structure of the maritime economy (allocation of oil production zones, fishing and recreational zones), improvement of the infrastructure of port industrial complexes.
• Protection of the waters of the oceans from pollution.
• Prohibition of military testing and disposal of nuclear waste.

Peaceful space exploration Space is a global environment, the common heritage of mankind. Testing different kinds of weapons can threaten the entire planet at once. "Littering" and "littering" of outer space.
Solutions:

• "Non-militarization" of outer space.
• International cooperation in space exploration.

Overcoming the backwardness of developing countries- most of the world's population lives in poverty and destitution, which can be considered extreme forms of manifestation of backwardness. Per capita income in some countries is less than $1 a day.
Solutions:

• Creation and implementation of international assistance programs for lagging countries.
• Free economic and financial assistance (construction of industrial enterprises, hospitals, schools).

Mironov Nikita

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MBOU "Balesinskaya secondary comprehensive school No. 5"

Global problems of mankind

Research

Completed by a 9th grade student

Mironov Nikita

Checked by geography teacher

First qualifying category

Mironova Natalia Alekseevna

P. Balezino, 2012

1. Introduction…………………………………………………………….3

2. Main body:

1. Characteristics of the global problems of mankind………5
2. Questionnaire………………………………………………………6
3. Ecology problems

1. Air pollution………………………………….8
2. Ozone holes……………………………………………10
3. Acid rains………………………………………........11
4. Pollution of the hydrosphere………………………………..13
5. Terrorism………………………………………………….14
6. Alcoholism…………………………………………………15
7. Smoking……………………………………………………..17
8. Drug addiction………………………………………………...18

3. Conclusion…………………………………………………………..19

4. Literature …………………………………………………………..20

5. Appendix ............................................. .......................... 21

Introduction

The last decades of the 20th century posed many acute and complex problems before the peoples of the world, which are called global. This drastic change occurred due to two interrelated circumstances characteristic of the second half of the century: the growth of the world's population and the scientific and technological revolution.

The rapid growth of the world's population is called the population explosion. It was accompanied by the seizure of vast territories from nature for residential buildings and public institutions, automobile and railways, airports and marinas, crops and pastures. Hundreds of square kilometers of tropical forests were cut down. Under the hooves of numerous herds, the steppes and prairies turned into deserts.

Simultaneously with the population explosion, there was also a scientific and technological revolution. Man mastered nuclear energy, rocket technology and went into space. He invented the computer, created electronic technology and the industry of synthetic materials.

The population explosion and the scientific and technological revolution have led to a colossal increase in the consumption of natural resources. Thus, 3.5 billion tons of oil and 4.5 tons of coal and lignite are produced annually in the world today. At such a rate of consumption, it became obvious that many natural resources would be depleted in the near future. At the same time, the waste from giant industries began to pollute the environment more and more, destroying the health of the population. In all industrialized countries, cancerous, chronic pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases are widespread. Scientists were the first to sound the alarm. Beginning in 1968, the Italian economist Aurelio Pecchen began to annually gather in Rome major specialists from different countries to discuss questions about the future of civilization. These meetings were called the Club of Rome. In the spring of 1972, the first book prepared by the Club of Rome was published, with the characteristic title "Limits to Growth". And in June of the same year, the UN held the First International Conference on Environment and Development in Stockholm, which summarized materials on pollution and its harmful effects on the health of the population of many countries. The participants of the conference came to the conclusion that a person from a subject who studied the ecology of animals and plants, in the new conditions, must himself turn into an object of multilateral environmental research. They appealed to the governments of all countries of the world with an appeal to create special state institutions for these purposes.

After the conference in Stockholm, ecology merged with nature conservation and began to acquire its present great importance. In different countries, ministries, departments and committees on ecology began to be created, and their main goal was to monitor the natural environment and combat its pollution in order to preserve public health.

The term ecology is derived from two Greek words: from the Greek "oikos" - house, dwelling, homeland and "logos" - science, meaning "the science of the house." In a general sense, ecology is the science that studies the relationship of organisms and communities with their environment. For centuries, man has sought not to adapt to the natural environment, but to make it convenient for his existence. Now many people have realized that any human activity has an impact on the environment, and the deterioration of the biosphere is dangerous for all living beings, including humans. The problem of the interaction of human society and nature has become the most important at the present stage of the development of civilization. The threat of ecological catastrophe comes to the fore, becoming even more significant than the threat of a thermonuclear conflict. The difficult ecological situation in the world did not develop suddenly, but was the result of a long-term anthropogenic impact on the natural environment, the result of ill-conceived decisions and actions. Global problems directly concern each of us.

Characteristics of the global problems of mankind

Firstly , global problems are those problems that affect the interests of not only individuals, but can affect the fate of all mankind.

Secondly , global problems are not solved by themselves and even by the efforts of individual countries. They require purposeful and organized efforts of the entire world community. Unresolved global problems may lead in the future to serious, irreversible consequences for humans and their environment.

Thirdly global problems are closely related to each other. Therefore, it is so difficult even theoretically to isolate and systematize them, to develop a system of successive steps to solve them.

Global problems are, on the one hand, natural in nature, and on the other, social. In this regard, they can be considered as the influence or result of human activity, which had a negative impact on nature. The second option for the emergence of global problems is a crisis in relations between people, which affects the entire complex of relationships between members of the world community.

Global problems are grouped according to the most characteristics. Classification allows you to establish the degree of their relevance, sequence theoretical analysis, methodology and sequence of the solution.

The most widely used method of classification, which is based on the task of determining the severity of the problem and the sequence of its solution. In connection with this approach, three global problems can be identified:

Between states and regions of the planet (prevention of conflicts, establishment of economic order);

Environmental (protection environment, protection and distribution of fuel raw materials, space and ocean exploration;

Between society and a person (demography, health care, education, etc.).

Questionnaire

In my work, I want to talk about the global problems of mankind, which became the goal of my work. In order to achieve this goal, I set the following tasks for myself:

1. Reveal ideas about the main problems of mankind, show what danger some of them represent.

2. Conduct a survey among students in grades 8-9, show the results of the survey in a diagram.

3. Give a complete description of the main global problems and find solutions.

I used methods such as scientific literature analysis and survey. I interviewed 80 students in eighth and ninth grades, asking them the following questions:

1. How do you understand the meaning of the term "Global problems of mankind"?

Basically, the meaning of the term "Global problems of mankind" is clear to students. Most students believe that the global problems of mankind are:

1. Problems of all mankind;

2. World;

3. Problems with a great threat to humanity;

4. Problems affecting the whole world as a whole;

5. Very important;

6. Problems causing harm to the environment and humans;

7. Extensive, covering vast territories;

8. Large scale;

1. Which of the following problems do you consider the most dangerous? Choose three problems:

A) global warming

B) Ozone holes

B) acid rain

D) Atmospheric pollution

E) Pollution of the hydrosphere

E) Terrorism

G) Raw material problems (resource availability)

H) Demographic problem

I) The problem of peace and disarmament

K) AIDS

According to the diagram (see appendices, fig. 1), it can be seen that the main problems of mankind are:

1. Ozone holes
2. Air pollution
3. acid rain
4. Terrorism
5. Hydrosphere pollution

The main problems relate to natural pollution.

3. What measures are being taken to solve these problems in the world or country?

The students came up with the following solutions:

1. Creation of treatment facilities;

2. Respect for nature;

3. Limit the release of waste into the atmosphere;

4. Promoting a healthy lifestyle;

5. Creation of reserves;

6. Strengthening the fight against terrorism;

7. Reducing the amount of exhaust gases;

8.Signing peace treaties, regulation of foreign policy relations;

4. What other problems, in your opinion, can be classified as global?

1. Alcoholism

2. Smoking

3. Addiction

(See Fig. No. 2)

5. Can you contribute to solving global problems?

Many of those interviewed can contribute to solving global problems, and here is what they offer:

1. Do not litter
2. Do not pollute the atmosphere
3. Do not pollute the hydrosphere

4. Use the latest technology

5. Do not exterminate flora and fauna

(See Fig. No. 3)

Following from this, I put forward a hypothesis: there are a huge number of global problems that require immediate solutions. I would like to explore these problems in more detail and find ways to solve them..

Air pollution

Under air pollutionany change in its composition and properties that adversely affect human and animal health, the condition of plants and ecosystems should be understood. It may be natural (natural) and anthropogenic (technogenic).

natural caused natural processes. These include volcanic activity, weathering of rocks, wind erosion, mass flowering of plants, smoke from forest and steppe fires, etc.;

Anthropogenic - emissions into the atmosphere of various pollutants in the course of human activities. In terms of volume, it often exceeds natural pollution.

Emissions of substances into the atmosphere are classified into: gaseous (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, etc.); liquid (acids, alkalis, salt solutions, etc.); solid (carcinogenic substances, lead and its compounds, dust, soot, resinous substances, etc.).

The main air pollutants are formed in the process of industrial and other human activities; these are sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter; they account for about 98% of the total emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere. The total world emissions of these pollutants into the atmosphere in 1990 amounted to 401 million tons (in Russia - 26.2 million tons). In addition to them, more than 70 types of harmful substances are observed in the atmosphere of cities and towns.

Another form of atmospheric pollution is local excess heat input from anthropogenic sources. This is indicated by the so-calledthermal zones, for example, “heat island” in cities, warming of reservoirs, etc.

Currently, the following enterprises mainly pollute the atmospheric air in Russia: thermal and nuclear power plants, vehicles, industrial and municipal boiler houses, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, building materials, oil production and petrochemistry enterprises.

In the developed industrial countries of the West, for example, the main amount of emissions of harmful substances falls on motor vehicles (50 - 60%), while the share of thermal power is much less, only 16 - 20%.

At thermal power plants, boiler plantsin the process of burning solid or liquid fuels, smoke is emitted into the atmosphere, containing products of complete and incomplete combustion. When units are converted to liquid fuel (fuel oil), ash emissions are reduced, but emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides are practically not reduced. The cleanest is gas fuel, which pollutes the atmospheric air three times less than fuel oil and five times less than coal.

A major source of energy pollution of the atmosphere - the heating system of dwellings (boiler plants, see Fig. No. 6) - emits products of incomplete combustion. Due to the low height of the chimneys, toxic substances in high concentrations are dispersed near the boiler plants.

In ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgywhen smelting one ton of steel, 0.04 tons of solid particles, 0.03 tons of sulfur oxides and up to 0.05 tons of carbon monoxide enter the atmosphere. Non-ferrous metallurgy plants discharge into the atmosphere compounds of manganese, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, mercury vapor, vapor-gas mixtures consisting of phenol, formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia and other toxic substances.

Enterprise emissionschemical productionsmall in volume (about 2% of all industrial emissions). Atmospheric air is polluted with sulfur oxides, fluorine compounds, ammonia, nitrous gases (a mixture of nitrogen oxides), chloride compounds, hydrogen sulfide, and inorganic dust.

There are several hundred million cars in the world, which, burning a huge amount of oil products, significantly pollute the atmospheric air. Exhaust gases from internal combustion engines contain toxic compounds such as benzopyrene, aldehydes, oxides of nitrogen and carbon, and lead compounds. Correct adjustment The fuel system of automobiles allows to reduce the amount of harmful substances by 1.5 times, and special converters (catalytic afterburners) - to reduce the toxicity of exhaust gases by 6 or more times.

Intensive pollution also occurs during the extraction and processing of raw materials at oil and gas processing plants, with the release of dust and gases from underground mine workings, with the burning of garbage and burning rocks in dumps. In rural areas, the sources of air pollution are livestock and poultry farms, industrial complexes for the production of meat, spraying pesticides.

Ozone holes

Ozone holes (See Fig. No. 5) are a phenomenon of low ozone concentration in the stratosphere, which is located in upper atmosphere earth at an altitude of 10 to 50 km, where there is a layer of high concentration of ozone, called the ozonosphere.

Ozone holes are located mainly in polar regions such as Antarctica. And in Lately observed in the region of southern Argentina and Chile.

According to annual studies, in these areas the ozone content is decreasing by about three percent per year. Currently, the depletion of the ozone layer is about 50% of its original state.

The formation of the ozone hole is associated with economic activity man and his constant intervention in the environment. Ozone is a natural filter that protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation and compounds such as fluorochlorocarbons.

The ozone hole is formed by the decomposition of ozone into ordinary diatomic molecules of oxygen and chlorine, which rises and reaches the upper atmosphere. Where does chlorine come from? Some of it comes from the gases of volcanoes, but large quantity chlorine, which destroys the ozone layer, comes from the decomposition of freons, which are components of most paint and varnish products, cosmetics and aerosol products.

The weakening of the ozone layer increases the flow of solar radiation to the Earth and causes an increase in the number of skin cancers in people. Also from advanced level radiation affects plants and animals.

acid rain

In the fresh water of rivers and lakes there are many soluble substances, including poisonous ones. It may contain pathogenic microbes, so it is impossible to use it, let alone drink it, without additional purification. When it rains, drops of water (or snowflakes when it snows) capture harmful impurities from the air that have fallen into it from the pipes of some factory.

As a result, harmful, so-called acid rains fall in some places on the Earth (See Fig. No. 8). Blessed raindrops have always made people happy, but now in many parts of the world, rains have become a serious danger.

Acid precipitation (rain, fog, snow) is precipitation whose acidity is higher than normal. The measure of acidity is the pH value (hydrogen index). The pH scale goes from 02 (extremely acidic), through 7 (neutral) to 14 (alkaline), with the neutral point (pure water) having pH=7. Rainwater in clean air has a pH of 5.6. The lower the pH value, the higher the acidity. If the acidity of the water is below 5.5, then the precipitation is considered acidic. In the vast territories of the industrialized countries of the world, precipitation falls, the acidity of which exceeds the normal value from 10 to 1000 times (рН = 5-2.5).

Chemical analysis of acid precipitation shows the presence of sulfuric (H2SO4) and nitric (HNO3) acids. The presence of sulfur and nitrogen in these formulas indicates that the problem is related to the release of these elements into the atmosphere. These gaseous products (sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide) react with atmospheric water to form acids (nitric and sulfuric).

In aquatic ecosystems, acid rain causes the death of fish and other aquatic life. Acidification of the water of rivers and lakes seriously affects land animals, as many animals and birds are part of food chains starting in aquatic ecosystems. Along with the death of lakes, the degradation of forests also becomes apparent. The acids break down the protective waxy coat of the leaves, making plants more vulnerable to insects, fungi and other pathogens. During drought, more moisture evaporates through damaged leaves.

The leaching of nutrients from the soil and the release of toxic elements contributes to slowing down the growth and death of trees. It can be assumed that what happens to wild species of animals when forests die.

If the forest ecosystem is destroyed, then soil erosion begins, clogging of water bodies, flooding and deterioration of water supplies become catastrophic.

As a result of acidification in the soil, the nutrients that are vital for plants are dissolved; these substances are carried by rain to groundwater. At the same time, heavy metals are also leached from the soil, which are then absorbed by plants, causing them serious damage. Using such plants for food, a person also receives an increased dose of heavy metals with them.

When the soil fauna degrades, yields decrease, the quality of agricultural products deteriorates, and this entails a deterioration in the health of the population.

Under the action of acids from rocks and minerals, aluminum is released, as well as mercury and lead, which then enter surface and groundwater. Aluminum can cause Alzheimer's disease, a type of premature aging. Heavy metals found in natural waters adversely affect the kidneys, liver, central nervous system causing various cancers. The genetic consequences of heavy metal poisoning may appear after 20 years or more, not only in those who use dirty water but also in their descendants.

Acid rain corrodes metals, paints, synthetic compounds, and destroys architectural monuments.

To combat acid rain, efforts must be made to reduce emissions of acidic substances from coal-fired power plants. And for this you need:

Use of low-sulfur coal or its desulfurization

Installation of filters for purification of gaseous products

Application of alternative energy sources

Hydrosphere pollution

There are many hydrosphere pollutants and they are not much different from atmospheric pollutants.

On a global scale, the main pollutant of the hydrosphere is oil and oil products that enter the aquatic environment as a result of oil production, its transportation, processing and use as fuel and industrial raw materials.

Among other industrial products, detergents, highly toxic synthetic detergents, occupy a special place in terms of their negative impact on the aquatic environment. They are difficult to clean, and meanwhile, at least half of the initial amount gets into the water bodies. Detergents often form layers of foam in reservoirs, the thickness of which on locks and rapids reaches 1 m or more.

Industrial waste polluting water are heavy metals: mercury, lead, zinc, copper, chromium, tin, radioactive elements. Mercury (methylmercury fractions) is of particular danger to the aquatic environment.

One of the most significant sources of water pollution is Agriculture. This is manifested, first of all, in the washout of fertilizers and their entry into water bodies.

Increasingly, water resources are being polluted with herbicides and pesticides. At the same time, the degree of their accumulation and manifestation of toxicity largely depends on the hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics of the water body.

The pollution of the oceans is growing. Every year, up to 100 million tons of various wastes from the coast, from the bottom, from rivers and the atmosphere enter the ocean. The movement of waters in the ocean leads to the spread of pollution over long distances;

Among the most polluted rivers are many rivers - Rhine, Danube, Dnieper, Volga, Don, Dniester, Mississippi, Nile, Ganges, Seine, etc. Pollution of internal and marginal seas - the Mediterranean, North, Baltic, Black, Azov, Japanese and etc. (See Fig. No. 7)

TERRORISM

Terrorism today is the most powerful weapon, a tool used not only in the fight against the Power, but very often - by the Power itself to achieve its goals. (See Fig. No. 11)

Modern terrorism takes the form of: international terrorism (terrorist acts of an international scale); domestic political terrorism (terrorist actions directed against the government, any political groups within countries, or aimed at destabilizing the internal situation); criminal terrorism, pursuing purely selfish goals.

Terrorism appears when a society is going through a deep crisis, primarily a crisis of ideology and the state-legal system. In such a society, various opposition groups appear - political, social, national, religious - for which the legitimacy of the existing government becomes doubtful. People in most countries are unaccustomed to political violence and fear it. Today the most popular and effective methods terror - violence not against representatives of the authorities, but against peaceful, defenseless people not related to the "addressee" of terror, with the obligatory demonstration of the catastrophic results of terror. So it was in America when buildings were blown up shopping center in September 2001 or the terrorist attack in Budenovsk. The object of the attack is a hospital, a maternity hospital. Or the events that took place in Kizlyar, Pervomaisky, as well as the explosion in Moscow, etc.

The task of terrorism is to involve a large mass of people for whom either the goals of terror are so lofty that they justify any means, or they are so indiscriminate in means that they are ready to realize any abomination.

Through "lofty motives" they usually involve young people, who, due to mental and moral immaturity, easily "bite" on radical national, social or religious ideas. It is most often involved through totalitarian, religious or ideological sects. The most famous example is the Aum Shinrikyo sect.

Terrorism of any kind, no matter what motives it is caused by, no matter how politicized, should be considered as a criminal phenomenon, subject to detailed criminological analysis.

After analyzing the results of the surveys, I considered such problems, which in our time can also be classified as global. These are alcoholism, smoking and drug addiction. I would also like to tell you more about them.

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a disease, a kind of substance abuse, characterized by a painful addiction to alcohol (ethyl alcohol), with mental and physical dependence on it. The negative consequences of alcoholism can be expressed in mental and physical disorders, as well as violations of the social relations of a person suffering from this disease. (See Fig. No. 9)

It is known that Prince Vladimir, ruling in Kievan Rus of the 10th century, decided to introduce a new religion to replace, as it seemed to him, obsolete ones. pagan gods. It is not known why he did not like Judaism, but he did not accept Islam only because, according to him, "joy in Russia is drinking." Thus, it was not entirely correct to believe that along with the introduction of Christianity, supposedly, Vladimir the Red Sun also introduced drunkenness in Russia, although it is already clear from his words that wine was drunk in Russia before.

In that era, our ancestors drank mainly wine and mash, and wine was most often imported. Since these intoxicants were weak, they did not cause any problems for a long time.

The use and production of vodka in Russia was first used starting from the 14th century, and a hundred years later, i.e. in the time of Ivan the Terrible, the so-called "tsar's taverns" first appeared, in which the tsar's close associates and his guardsmen "came off" for the most part.

Drunkenness became widespread in Russia with the organization of a large number of taverns for the common people during the reign of Peter I, who drank heavily himself and encouraged his nobles to do so. Starting from the XIV century, the production and distribution of all alcoholic beverages was taken under the strict control of the state, clandestine moonshining gained wide popularity. As a result, since the 19th century,alcoholism in Russiabecame a national tradition...

In 1985, an absolutely ill-conceived law was introduced, sharply restricting the consumption of alcohol in our country. They did not drink less, as the illegal production of alcohol increased sharply. Drunkards, unable to get high-quality vodka, resorted to the use of its surrogates, as a result of which the number of poisonings, alcoholic psychoses and alcoholism itself in our country increased sharply. Unable to find and consume alcohol, some began to look for alcohol substitutes - such “products” as toothpaste, liquids for defrosting locks in cars, and various kinds of medicines went into business. As a result, the number of cases of substance abuse and drug addiction has risen sharply, especially among young people.

Currently, alcohol abuse is the main reason that life expectancy among men in our country is much lower than even in the most underdeveloped countries such as Mauritania, Honduras, Yemen, Tajikistan and Bolivia. According to UN forecasts, poor quality food, excessive alcohol consumption and high level crime could reduce the population of Russia by 2025 from the current 142 million to 131 million.

How do countries fight alcoholism? There are 41 countries in the world wherealcohol problem completely solved, there operates " no alcohol law » and 40 countries where production and sales alcohol is so squeezed by the state that they are also fighting very effectively with this problem. And it turns out that there are 81 (2/3 of the world's population) countries in the world where the problemalcoholism and drunkenness somehow solved. But the remaining 1/3 of the world's population " drunk ", these are precisely the countries wheretheory of cultural, moderate alcohol consumption. And for the last half century, our country has been included in this 1/3. Meanwhile, Russia 100 years ago was the legislator of the theory of sobriety, there is a science of a sober lifestyle " sobreology ". Such scientists as Bekhterev, Pavlov, Vvedensky and others worked on this theory.

The problem of alcoholism in Russia is very acute, and the chief sanitary doctor G. Onishchenko and the president speak about this. Every year about 700 thousand of our citizens die from drinking alcohol in Russia. Just imagine, during the ten years of the war in Afghanistan, about 14,000 of our children died, and here 700,000 citizens die from alcohol in a year. And many do not take this evil seriously.

Smoking

Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of preparations, mainly of plant origin, smoldering in the inhaled air stream, in order to saturate the body with the active substances contained in them by sublimation and subsequent absorption in the lungs and respiratory tract. As a rule, it is used for the use of smoking mixtures with narcotic properties (tobacco, hashish, marijuana, opium, etc.) due to the rapid flow of blood saturated with psychoactive substances into the brain. (See Fig. No. 10)

The top ten countries with the most widespread tobacco smoking are Nauru, Guinea, Namibia, Kenya, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mongolia, Yemen, Sao Tome and Principe, Turkey, Romania. Russia in this series of 153 countries ranks 33rd (37% of smokers among the adult population).

Since inhaled smoke burns mucous membranes and contains a large amount of harmful substances (benzpyrene, nitrosamines, carbon monoxide, soot particles, etc.), smoking (regardless of the drug used) increases the risk of lung cancer, mouth and respiratory tract, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease lung disease (COPD), mental, cardiovascular and other diseases. Researchers have noted a correlation between smoking and impotence.

Currently, the most common consequences of long-term smoking are the occurrence of COPD and the development of various tumors of the respiratory system, 90% of cases of lung cancer are associated with smoking. Smoking or passive inhalation of tobacco smoke can cause infertility in women. Atrophy and demyelination (destruction of the white matter of the brain and spinal cord) with multiple sclerosis more pronounced in patients who smoked for at least 6 months during their lifetime compared to patients who never smoked. Smoking addiction can be both psychological and physical.

At psychological dependence a person reaches for a cigarette when he is in a smoking company, or in a state of stress, nervous tension, to stimulate mental activity. A certain habit is developed, a ritual of smoking, without which a person cannot fully live.

In physical addiction, the body's demand for a dose of nicotine is so strong that the entire attention of the smoker is focused on finding a cigarette, the idea of ​​smoking becomes so obsessive that most other needs fade into the background. It becomes impossible to concentrate on anything other than a cigarette, apathy, unwillingness to do anything, may set in.

Addiction

Drug addiction - A morbid attraction or addiction to narcotic substances used in various ways (swallowing, inhaling, intravenous injection) with the aim of inducing an intoxicating state or relieving pain. (See Fig. No. 9)

Drug addiction (from the Greek narke - numbness and mania - madness, enthusiasm) - in medicine, a disease characterized by a pathological craving for drugs, leading to severe impairment of body functions; in psychology, the need to use some medicinal product or chemicals to avoid the discomfort that comes with stopping use, i.e. dependence on chemicals; in sociology - a type of deviant behavior.

Drug addiction includes two forms of addiction:

Mental dependence is a state of the body characterized by a pathological need for the use of any drug or chemical substance in order to avoid mental disorders or discomfort that occurs when the use of the substance that caused the dependence is stopped, but without somatic withdrawal phenomena.

Physical dependence is a condition characterized by the development of abstinence upon discontinuation of the addictive substance or after the introduction of its antagonists.

Addiction wears inadequate behavior, the state of the drug addict is constantly depressive. In addition, aggressive and unstable behavior is characteristic of drug addiction. People who are dependent on taking drugs are potentially dangerous both for the individual and for the whole society. For the sake of another dose of drugs, they are ready to turn the world upside down, commit the most terrible crime, and at the same time not experience any feelings of guilt, confusion or shame. Drug addicts are degrading beings who are alien to everything human.

The consequences of drug addiction range from disability to death. Always remember the consequences of drug addiction and talk about them to children, acquaintances, even strangers. Show sympathy and understanding for sick people, because they, as a rule, do not give an account of their actions.

Conclusion

For thousands of years, man lived, worked, developed, but he did not even suspect that the day might come when it would become difficult, or maybe impossible, to breathe clean air, drink clean water, grow something on the ground, because the air is polluted, the water is poisoned, the soil is contaminated with radiation or other chemicals. But a lot has changed since then. And in our age, this is a very real threat, and not many people realize it. Another Chernobyl, if not worse.

Global scientists suggest various options solutions to global problems of our time:

1. creation of waste-free production,
2. creation of heat and energy resource saving technologies,
3. use of alternative energy sources (sun, wind, etc.),
4. creation of a new world order,
5. development of a new formula for the global management of the world community based on the principles of understanding the modern world as an integral and interconnected community of people,
6. recognition of universal values,
7. attitude to life, man and the world as the highest values ​​of mankind,
8. rejection of war as a means of resolving controversial issues,
9. search for ways to peacefully resolve international problems.
   

One of the priority actions in solving environmental problems is the elimination of environmental illiteracy. This is a task of the state or even world level. Already from the school bench, the young inhabitants of the planet Earth need to learn to appreciate natural resources and comprehend the wisdom of their preservation. People need to be able not only to barbarously use all the best that nature can give us, but also to compensate for the damage caused. Human activities must be carried out in harmony with the environment.

Thus, I concluded that my hypothesis is correct. Each person should be aware that Humanity is on the verge of death, and will we survive or not? The merit of each of us.

Literature

1. A. Aseevsky, “Who organizes and directs international terrorism?”, M.: Publishing house of political literature, 1982.

2. Akhatov A. G. Ecology. "Encyclopedic Dictionary", Kazan: Ecopolis, 1995.

3. O.V. Kryshtanovskaya. "Illegal structures of Russia" Sociological research, 1995

4. E.G.Lyakhov A.V. Popov Terrorism: national, regional and international control. Monograph. M.-Rostov-on-Don 1999

5. V.P. Maksakovsky, "Economic and social geography of the world", a textbook for grade 10 - M .: Education, 2004,

6. Odum, Eugene , Fundamentals of ecology. - M., 1975.

7. Encyclopedic dictionary - reference book "ENVIRONMENT", publishing house "Progress", M. 1993

8. http://ru.wikipedia.org

Appendix

Which of the following problems do you consider the most dangerous?

Fig. No. 1

What other problems in your opinion can be classified as global?

Fig. №2

Can you contribute to solving global problems?

Fig. №3

Rice. #4

Fig. No. 5. Ozone hole

Fig. No. 6. Atmospheric pollution

Fig. No. 7. Hydrosphere pollution

Fig. No. 8. The effects of acid rain

Fig. No. 9. Drug addiction and alcoholism

Fig. No. 10. Smoking

Global problems are called problems of particular importance, on the overcoming of which the possibility of continuing life on Earth depends. The solution of global problems is possible as a result of not only the unification of the economic efforts of countries, but also the adoption of political steps, changes in public consciousness, in the field of international law, etc. However, the economic prerequisites and the world economic significance of solving these problems seem to be the most important.

Signs of global problems:
without their solution, the survival of mankind is impossible;
they are of a universal nature, i.e. affect all countries;
the solution requires the unification of the efforts of all mankind;
they are essential, i.e. their decision cannot be postponed or shifted onto the shoulders of future generations;
their appearance and development are interconnected. These features require some explanation.

Without solving global problems, the survival of mankind is impossible. This means not only that their development gradually or simultaneously destroys or is capable of destroying humanity. For example, the proliferation of nuclear weapons across conflicting countries and regions of the world potentially threatens a nuclear catastrophe and its consequences for all the inhabitants of the Earth. Some problems are not in themselves a problem in the negative sense of the word. Simply, in the absence or insufficiency of universal efforts in certain areas (for example, in the exploration of space or the oceans), it will not be possible to create a material base for universal survival.

The universal nature of global problems means that manifestations of global problems can be seen in any country. At the same time, not every problem common to all countries is global. For example, unemployment exists in any country, but we do not call this problem global, because it is internal to countries. In addition, the problem of unemployment does not satisfy other features characteristic of global problems. Global problems affect all countries, but affect them in different ways. Let's say the demographic problem associated with exponential growth humanity, has different character in different groups of countries.

The need to unite the efforts of all mankind in the conditions of the current imbalance in the economic development of the countries of the developed North and the backward South predetermines the different contribution of individual nations to the process of solving global problems. In addition, the severity of individual global problems for different countries is different and, therefore, the degree of interest and participation of countries in resolving individual global problems is different. Thus, resolving the problem of poverty in the underdeveloped countries of the African region is key to the survival of most of the local population. The participation of the countries of the "golden billion" in resolving this problem is determined only by moral motives and is often expressed in the form of humanitarian aid or other forms of charity.

The emergence and development of global problems is associated with human activity, and not necessarily negative, aimed at self-destruction. Moreover, almost all global problems have arisen as a result of the creative activity of people. They are a consequence of progress, which, as we see, has too deep negative consequences.

In scientific publications, in international organizations, there is no single formulation and list of global problems. Often individual problems are grouped into more general ones. For example, they often talk about a natural resource problem, which includes raw materials, energy and food. The most common point of view is the following.

The global issues include:
ecological;
the problem of peace and disarmament, the prevention of nuclear war;
overcoming poverty;
demographic;
raw materials;
energy;
food;
international terrorism;
space and ocean exploration.

The list and hierarchy of global problems are not permanent. While the development of individual global problems is approaching the verge beyond which they are irreversible (for example, environmental or raw materials), the significance of individual problems has significantly decreased in recent years or their nature has changed significantly (the problem of peace and disarmament). In recent years, international terrorism has been added to the list of such problems.

The most acute today seems to be a global environmental problem. Behind the brief but capacious concept of "environmental problem" lies a long series of changes in the quality of the natural environment that are unfavorable for human life and health. It is no coincidence that many scientists talk about the development of several global environmental problems. They are interconnected and flow from one another. Thus, as a result of atmospheric pollution by industrial emissions, the Earth's ozone layer decreases and the climate warms, although scientists name not only anthropogenic (as a result of human activity), but also natural (natural) causes of the development of global environmental problems. Anthropogenic factors include irrational nature management and an increase in the amount of waste polluting the environment.

In each of the three components of the environment, negative changes are observed today: in the atmosphere, on land and in the aquatic environment. The ongoing changes affect physical (shifts of glaciers, changes in air composition, etc.) and biological objects (fauna and flora) in each of these elements and, ultimately, adversely affect human health and life (Fig. 3.2). Recently, scientists have also started talking about potential threats to human life from outer space (asteroids, "space debris", etc.).

In the atmosphere, the main negative manifestations of global environmental problems should be considered the deterioration of air quality, acid rain, depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, as well as temperature and other climate changes. As an example, we note that only air pollution is the cause of 5% of all diseases of the world's population, it complicates the consequences of many diseases. In rural areas of developing countries, about 2 million people die every year due to high concentrations of harmful particulate matter in the air.

The limited and largely non-renewable land resources are no less than the state of the atmosphere subject to rapid and massive deterioration. The main problems here are soil degradation, desertification, deforestation, reduction of biological diversity (species diversity), etc. Only the problem of desertification, i.e. The increase in the scale of desert lands in the world affects the vital interests of every third inhabitant of the Earth, since this process involves from a third to a half of the land surface.

Environmental problems also affect the aquatic environment, which is expressed in an acute shortage
fresh water (40% of the world's population experiences water scarcity), its purity and potability (1.1 billion people use unsafe drinking water), marine pollution, overexploitation of marine living resources, loss of coastal habitats.

For the first time, the global problem of protecting the environment from the harmful effects of man came to the international level in 1972 at the first UN Conference on the Environment, which received the name of Stockholm at the place of its convocation. Even then it was recognized that natural resources must be protected, the Earth's ability to restore renewable resources must be maintained, and pollution must not exceed the ability of the environment to clean itself. In the same year, an international organization, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), was established. In the 1970s and 1980s, the international community adopted a number of international conventions in the field of ecology. Among them: the World Heritage Convention, 1972; “On International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)”, 1973; “On the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals”, 1979; Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 1987; Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, 1989 and others.

The next major milestones in international cooperation in this area were the creation in 1983 of the World Commission on Environment and Development and the holding in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro of the UN Conference with the same name. The Summit in Rio de Janeiro revealed the unequal opportunities for the countries of the North and the South to move towards sustainable development and approved the document "Agenda for the 21st Century". According to estimates made during the summit, it is necessary to allocate 625 billion dollars annually to implement the provisions of the document in developing countries. The main idea contained in this document is to find a balance between the three directions of human development on the path to sustainable development: social, economic and environmental. Rio de Janeiro also signed the Framework Convention on Climate Change and introduced the principle of common and shared liability, reflecting the fact that industrialized countries are the largest contributors to carbon dioxide pollution.

In 1997, at an international conference in Kyoto (Japan), a legal instrument of the Framework Convention appeared - the Kyoto Protocol. According to the Protocol, signatories and ratifiers must reduce their total greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% compared to 1990 levels. The Protocol contains a new, hitherto unused market mechanism to achieve the goal, including:
the possibility of joint fulfillment of commitments to reduce emissions;
trading in quotas for greenhouse gas emissions. A seller country that exceeds its emission reduction commitments may sell certain units of already reduced emissions to another party;
the possibility of participation of legal entities-enterprises in actions to receive, transfer or purchase emission reduction units.

By December 2001, 84 countries had signed the Kyoto Protocol and 46 more had ratified or acceded to it. The Protocol will enter into force only 90 days after it has been ratified by at least 55 signatory countries.

Characteristics of global problems

Remark 1

The problems that today are called global are nothing but the result of the contradictions in the development of society. They appeared far from today and not at all suddenly. Problems human health, war and peace have been relevant at all times. As man influences nature, environmental problems appear, which initially are of a single nature and concern a particular country. Gradually, these problems turn into regional ones and only then become global ones that are important for all mankind.

Not all problems can become global, but only those on which social progress and the preservation of civilization depend. Global problems concern the entire planet, and the quantitative factor is the most important criterion for determining them. To identify global issues from the many problems of today's world, a qualitative criterion becomes important.

The qualitative criterion has the main characteristics:

1. Global problems affect the interests not only of each individual, but of all mankind;
2. They are an objective factor in the existence of modern civilization, further world development;
3. Global problems can be overcome by the efforts of all the peoples of the planet or by the majority of the population;
4. Unresolved global problems or unwillingness to solve them can lead to irreparable consequences for the life of the entire civilization.

The unity and interconnection of qualitative and quantitative factors make it possible to single out the global problems of mankind. Global problems cannot be in a static state, they are characterized by mobility. They are constantly changing, acquiring different intensity and significance for a particular era. The solution of some global problems contributes to the fact that they cease to be global, lose their global relevance and move to the rank of local ones. At some stage, such a terrible disease as smallpox may disappear altogether. New problems, arising in different regions of the world, can become global in a short period of time.

Modern humanity has witnessed such new problems as the depletion of the planet's ozone layer, the greenhouse effect, AIDS, etc. A few years ago, humanity did not suspect the emergence of such problems. The task of science and philosophical thought is to notice their appearance in time and develop a proactive policy for their solution. Of course, it is impossible not to notice how garbage, spent radioactive products accumulate on the planet, the population is aging, uncontrolled births, etc.

Remark 2

Until now, man felt himself to be a master on Earth and believed that no forces of nature could not only destroy, but even interrupt human progress. If earthquakes, floods, droughts were crises that were caused by the elemental forces of nature, then the crises that humanity faces today are the result of its activities.

Classification of global problems

The diversity of global problems, since they all have a socio-natural character, the scientific literature tries to consider in a complex way. The contradictions between the individual and society, as well as between the individual and the natural environment, are divided into groups. In general, there are a lot of options for classifying global problems. Let us dwell on the variant of the classification, which was developed by I.T. Frolov and V.V. Zagladin.

TO first group include problems of relations between groups of states with similar political and economic interests, for example, rich and poor countries. This group of problems is called intersocial and includes the problem of preventing war and ensuring peace, establishing a fair international economic order, and the problem of international terrorism. The nature of these problems is significantly influenced by the peculiarities of the current situation of countries.

The result of the collision of opposing socio-political systems today is a lot of local conflicts. Since this or that local conflict can draw many states into its orbit, it has every opportunity to become global, and the threat of a general military catastrophe is not completely excluded. With the unevenness of world development, the problem of establishing a fair economic order becomes obvious. On the political map of the world, on the one hand, there is a small group of developed countries, and on the other hand, a huge number of economically backward states with a low quality of life of the population. I must say that the economy of backward countries is associated with the extraction and export of natural raw materials, so there are also very acute environmental problems.

Issues that unite second group associated with the interaction of society and nature. The environment has limited opportunities, and human needs are limitless, so it is very difficult for nature to endure anthropogenic loads.

This group of problems includes:

1. Energy supply;
2. Fuel supply;
3. Provision with raw materials;
4. Provision of fresh water;
5. Protection of nature from irreversible negative changes;
6. Reasonable development of the World Ocean;
7. Intelligent space exploration.

The group is divided into subgroups:

1. Ecological problems. These are, first of all, measures aimed at protecting water and air basins, protecting soils, protecting the flora and fauna of the planet, and preserving the gene pool;
2. Problems of development of nature. These are the problems of raw materials and energy resources. Despite the fact that the connection with environmental problems is quite close, it acts as an independent problem.
3. Problems of space exploration and the World Ocean.

Environmental problems are very acute in Russia and the CIS countries.

Among the reasons for them are:

1. Cost economy of the Soviet period;
2. Lack of public control during the period of nuclear testing;
3. The raw material nature of the economy;
4. technical backlog;
5. Lack of environmentally friendly technologies;
6. Inattention to ecology and insufficient understanding of its importance.

A number of scholars make an attempt to single out these problems for the modern stage of history. For example, a prominent figure in the Club of Rome (an international public organization) M. Mesarovich names the five most significant problems of the modern world, which the world community must solve.

These problems include:

1. Decrease in world population growth;
2. Reducing the extraction and use of non-renewable resources;
3. Reducing the level of pollution and destruction of the environment;
4. Reducing inequality between countries;
5. Eliminate hunger and poverty.

Remark 3

M. Mesarovich also notes that it is important not only to describe these problems and state the facts of their occurrence, but to give answers about their solution and indicate the means to be used.

Solving global problems

The survival of people on the planet depends on how and when global problems are solved, and there is no doubt that this is an urgent task of mankind.

Experts identify the following ways to solve these problems:

1. Curbing the arms race and preventing a world war with the use of thermonuclear weapons that threaten the destruction of civilization;
2. Elimination of nuclear weapons;
3. The need to overcome cultural and economic inequalities between developed and developing countries;
4. Economical use of natural resources, reduction of soil, water and air pollution by waste products of material production. This means it is necessary to overcome the crisis between man and nature;
5. Overcome the demographic crisis in developed countries and reduce population growth rates in developing countries;
6. To reduce, and it is better to prevent the negative consequences of the scientific and technological revolution;
7. Stop the decline in the social health of the planet's population, and this involves the fight against alcoholism, drug addiction, cancer, AIDS, tuberculosis, etc.

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

federal state budgetary educational institution higher professional education

discipline: Social global studies

GLOBAL PROBLEMS OF HUMANITY AND THE WAYS OF THEIR SOLUTION

Completed:

D.M. Sosedko

Krasnodar, 2014

Introduction

1. Development of globalization

Conclusion

Bibliographic list

Introduction

In the process of the historical development of human activity, obsolete technological methods are breaking down, and with them the obsolete social mechanisms of interaction between man and nature. At the beginning human history predominantly adaptive (adaptive) mechanisms of interaction acted.

Man obeyed the forces of nature, adapted to the changes taking place in it, changing his own nature in the process. Then, as the productive forces developed, the utilitarian attitude of man to nature, to another man, prevailed.

The global situation in which humanity finds itself reflects and expresses the general crisis of human consumer attitudes towards natural and social resources. Reason pushes humanity to realize the vital need to harmonize connections and relationships in the global system "Man - Technology - Nature". In this regard, understanding the global problems of our time, their causes, interrelationships, and ways to solve them is of particular importance. Thus, global problems are called those that are of a universal nature, affect the interests of humanity as a whole and each individual person almost anywhere in the world. For example, the threat of a thermonuclear catastrophe, the threat of environmental degradation and ecological suicide of mankind, the food problem, the problems of combating diseases dangerous to mankind, etc.

All these problems are generated by the disunity of mankind, the unevenness of its development.

Their solution involves the unification of the efforts of a large number of states and organizations at the international level.

1. Development of globalization

The global problems of modernity should be understood as a set of problems on the solution of which the further existence of civilization depends.

Global problems are generated by the uneven development of different areas of the life of modern mankind and the contradictions generated in the socio-economic, political, ideological, socio-natural and other relations of people. These problems affect the life of mankind as a whole.

The global problems of mankind are problems that affect the vital interests of the entire population of the planet and require the joint efforts of all states of the world for their solution.

Scientists identify two main sources of global problems of our time:

1) deepening contradictions between man and nature, which lead to the emergence of environmental, food, energy, natural and raw materials problems;

2) the expansion of the zone of contradictions between peoples, people in general, which leads to the emergence of problems of war and peace, the protection and development of the spiritual environment, demographic development, the fight against international terrorism, the spread of dangerous diseases.

One of the first, back in the 20s of the XX century, pointed out the threat of global problems of our time, scientist Vladimir Vernadsky.

In the second half of the 20th century, among the global problems of mankind, the subject of consideration was the theory of globalistics - the system scientific knowledge about the origin and state of the art global problems, their classification and substantiation of practical socio-economic and political ways to solve them. The theory of global studies includes the conclusions made by famous scientists Niels Bohr, Bertrand Russell, Albert Einstein, as well as theses from the speeches of the Delhi Six countries and the Club of Rome, which has been operating since 1968. In general, the theory of globalistics as a separate scientific discipline was formed in the second half of the 60s of the XX century and went through three stages in its development:

1) the stage of the late 60s - early 70s, when attention was focused on the study of two global problems of our time: space exploration and environmental protection;

2) the stage of the second half of the 1970s, when global modeling of the state and prospects for the development of world politics and world economic relations began in the context of global contradictions. It was during this period that the first attempts were made to compile a hierarchy of world problems;

3) the stage that began during the 80s of the XX century, when political and state figures of many countries of the world begin to show great interest in solving global problems, the first international documents are being developed aimed at their practical solution.

Modern globalistics explores, first of all, complex problems, the solution of which will make it possible to find a practical way to solve the global problems of mankind, namely:

1) comparative analysis the main socio-cultural values ​​of modern civilizations, the formation of a new universalism through awareness of the complexity of planetary existence;

2) comparative analysis of strategies between civilizational interaction;

3) substantiation of the concept of humanitarian consensus in the process of harmonizing the values ​​of different civilizations;

4) comparative analysis of possible alternative ways of globalization.

2. Classification of global problems of modernity and humanity

There are many classifications of global problems of our time. One of the most popular is the one proposed by the Norwegian sociologist J. Galtung, who identified four critical situations in the second half of the 20th century:

1) the crisis of violence and the threat of violence, which now manifests itself in the threat of international terrorism;

2) the crisis of poverty and the threat of poverty;

3) the crisis of exclusion of individuals and social groups and the threat of general suppression of human rights;

4) environmental crisis and the threat of local disruption of the ecological balance.

More traditional is the classification proposed by the Polish political scientist Artur Wodnar, who distinguishes:

1) nuclear threat of destruction of civilization;

2) the problem of the depletion of natural resources, in particular energy;

3) environmental problems;

4) the food problem, i.e., the problem of providing food to the population of the Earth, which is constantly growing;

5) the demographic problem, i.e., the problem of reproduction and migration of the population, the formation of its educational potential, employment;

6) a health problem;

7) the problem of using outer space for peaceful purposes.

It would also be advisable to classify the global problems of mankind according to their nature:

1) problems of a predominantly socio-political nature (preventing a nuclear war, ending the arms race, etc.);

2) problems of a predominantly socio-economic nature (overcoming economic and cultural backwardness, solving the problem of poverty, ensuring efficient production, solving the global energy, ethical, raw materials and food crises, optimizing the demographic situation, especially in developing peaceful exploration of outer space and the oceans);

3) socio-environmental problems (environmental pollution, the need for rational use of the Earth's natural resources);

4) human problems (ensuring his fundamental rights and freedoms, overcoming alienation from nature and politics, the state).

3. Global problems of mankind

Range of interests related to ensuring peace and international security. For a long period, the system of international security was based on the nuclear deterrence of military powers. However, over time, the understanding came that a nuclear war cannot be a means of achieving foreign policy goals in a situation where the global interdependence of states has increased. The end of the confrontation between East and West gave rise to certain hopes for a secure world. However, further developments have revealed new sources of instability and tension in the world.

The growth of international terrorism, the spread of Islamic fundamentalism, the increase in the number of local conflicts and "hot spots" on the planet - all this indicates the emergence of new dangers, threats and risks for the world community.

As before, the problem of disarmament, especially nuclear missiles, remains acute. Today, the stockpiles of weapons accumulated in the world make it possible to repeatedly destroy all of humanity. World military spending annually is about one trillion dollars. Now the world spends 60 times more on each soldier than on the education of one child. In developing countries, the rate of military spending is twice the rate of economic growth, which greatly complicates the solution of social problems.

The uncontrolled spread of weapons in the world expands the zones of terrorism and crime, contributes to the "militarization" of people's consciousness, and generates violence in everyday life.

The solution of the problem of disarmament would make it possible to avert the danger of nuclear war from mankind, to free up colossal human, material and financial resources for the needs of sustainable economic and social development peoples and countries. However, numerous difficulties and obstacles still stand in the way of disarmament, among which are the enormous inertia of the arms race, the resistance of the military-industrial complexes, large scale international arms trade, local wars and armed conflicts, the growth of terrorist and criminal organizations, etc.

Among the global socio-economic problems, three can be distinguished - the problem of economic backwardness, demographic and food problems.

The first of these three problems is manifested in the enormous backwardness of the developing countries, their inability to establish efficient production, provide themselves with food, eliminate poverty, solve numerous social problems. The gap in all socio-economic indicators between these countries and the highly developed states reaches colossal proportions and continues to widen. This deepens the division of the world into rich and poor countries, creates tension in relations between them, and gives rise to the instability of the world system as a whole. The solution of this global problem requires, on the one hand, broad progressive reforms in the backward countries themselves and the modernization of their national economies. And on the other hand, the provision of effective assistance to these countries by the world community, the revision and cancellation of part of external debts, the provision of gratuitous loans and soft loans, the restructuring of international trade on more equitable principles, the creation and establishment of a new world economic order.

Two other global problems, demographic and food, are closely connected with the problem of economic backwardness. As a result of the "population explosion" in the second half of the XX century. world population has more than doubled during this period to beginning of XXI v. 6 billion people. At the same time, more than 80% of population growth is in the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. According to some forecasts, in the near future more than 90% of the world's population will be concentrated in these countries.

Such a demographic situation entails a number of negative consequences: the uneven distribution of the population in relation to life resources, the increased destructive impact on the environment, overpopulation and the growth of poverty in backward countries, the emergence of uncontrolled migration flows, the deterioration of people's living conditions, etc.

The "population explosion" especially exacerbated the food problem in developing countries. According to the UN, 800 million people here live on the verge of starvation, and 40 million die of starvation. It has been calculated that a 20-30% decrease in the world's food resources, with a continuous increase in population, will have catastrophic consequences for developing countries. Already, the global grain deficit is 10-12 million tons annually.

The solution to this global problem, first of all, is connected with the creation of highly efficient agricultural production in developing countries. The implementation of the so-called "green revolution" in them (a sharp rise in agricultural production based on the widespread use of advanced technologies) would make it possible to feed the population 2-3 times more than the current one. It should also be borne in mind that the current opportunities for obtaining food in the world as a whole are far from being fully realized. So, of all the areas suitable for agriculture, only 40% are used for their intended purpose.

It is possible to significantly increase the production and extraction of food in the oceans. Finally, it is necessary to revise the largely unfair system of distribution of food supplies in the world, to expand food aid to economically backward countries.

Global socio-environmental problems are being brought to the fore today due to the growing danger of destruction of the natural human environment. The modern ecological crisis is expressed in the pollution of the air and water basins of the Earth, global climate change, the destruction of forests, the disappearance of many species of plants and animals, soil erosion, the reduction of fertile lands, etc.

At present, about 1 billion tons of waste, including toxic ones, are emitted into the atmosphere, water and soil every year. Deforestation is 18 times higher than its growth.

One centimeter of black soil, which has been accumulating for 300 years, is now being destroyed in three years. The greenhouse effect, "ozone holes", "acid rain", poisoned rivers and lakes, flooded vast territories, ecological disaster zones - all these are the consequences of the destructive human impact on the environment.

Solving environmental problems involves the development and implementation of environmental programs at the national, regional and international levels.

Of particular importance are the joint activities of the countries of the world community to improve the composition of the atmosphere, preserve the ozone layer of the planet, rational use natural resources, the establishment of international environmental standards and control in the field of environmental protection, the introduction of waste-free and environmentally friendly technologies, the creation of environmental protection systems, etc.

In modern conditions, an integral part of the internal and foreign policy states of the world community is becoming an environmental policy, the main content of which is the optimization of socio-natural processes, environmental protection.

A necessary condition for the effectiveness of environmental policy is the creation of environmental legislation that provides for liability for its violation and a broad system of measures that encourage environmental protection (for example, the introduction of tax incentives for environmentally friendly industries).

An important task today is the development of environmental education, which is understood as the process of acquiring knowledge about environmental issues, the reasons for their occurrence, the need and possibility of their solution. The expansion of the environmental education system should contribute to the formation of environmental consciousness and environmental culture. It is also necessary to constantly and truthfully inform people about the state of their environment.

Global social and humanitarian problems cover a wide range of issues directly related to Man. These are the material and spiritual insecurity of life, the violation of the rights and freedoms of the individual, the physical and mental ill health of a person, grief and suffering from wars and violence, etc.

Natural disasters, local wars, bloody ethnic conflicts sometimes lead to real humanitarian catastrophes, the elimination of the consequences of which requires the combined efforts of the countries of the world community. Growing flows of refugees, the total number of which reaches 50 million people worldwide a year, create serious difficulties for many countries (providing huge masses of people with food, housing, their employment, the danger of the spread of epidemics, crime, drug addiction, etc.). Largely similar problems are generated by illegal migration, which overwhelms the prosperous countries of the world.

Environmental pollution leads to an increase in serious diseases of people, in particular, cardiovascular and oncological diseases. Of particular danger today is AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), from which about 6 million people have already died. The World Health Organization (WHO) is also concerned about an unhealthy lifestyle, the spread of drug addiction, alcoholism, smoking, an increase in mental disorders, etc.

In Russia, the aggravation of these and many other problems has led to a decrease in the average life expectancy of the population. If in 1987 it was 74.6 years for women and almost 65 years for men, then in the second half of the 1990s. - for about 72 years for women and only 58 years for men. Some researchers consider such a high difference in life expectancy between men and women to be a specifically Russian phenomenon and explain it mainly by the spread of drunkenness and alcoholism. Thus, global problems are closely intertwined with each other and, in the end, all of them "go out" to the Human.

They are based on contradictions on a planetary scale that affect the very existence of modern civilization. Awareness of the growing threats to humanity has prompted many scientists around the world to join forces to study global problems and find ways to solve them. In 1968, the Club of Rome emerged - an international non-governmental organization that brings together scientists, political and public figures from many countries of the world.

The founder of this organization was a prominent Italian economist, businessman and public figure A. Peccei (1908-1984). Gained widespread fame research projects Club of Rome "Limits to Growth" (1972), "Humanity at the Turning Point" (1974), "Goals for Humanity" (1977), "Third World: Three Quarters of the World" (1980) and others.

They forced us to take a fresh look at many aspects of modern civilization, to change traditional ideas about the possibilities of economic growth and the use of natural resources.

The conclusions and recommendations of the scientists of the Club of Rome, their forecasts and initiatives in the field of planetary modeling, the construction of the first computer "models of the world", the development of specific issues of the future society had a great impact on the world community and stimulated activity aimed at solving the global problems of our time.

4. Ways to solve the global problems of mankind

The solution of these problems is today an urgent task for all mankind. The survival of people depends on when and how they begin to be solved. There are the following ways to solve the global problems of our time:

1) Prevention of a world war with the use of thermonuclear weapons and other means of mass destruction that threaten the destruction of civilization. This implies curbing the arms race, prohibiting the creation and use of weapons systems of mass destruction, human and material resources, the elimination of nuclear weapons, etc.;

2) Overcoming the economic and cultural inequality between the peoples inhabiting the industrial the developed countries West and East and developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America;

3) Overcoming the crisis state of interaction between mankind and nature, which is characterized by catastrophic consequences in the form of unprecedented environmental pollution and depletion of natural resources. This makes it necessary to develop measures aimed at economical use natural resources and reducing pollution by waste material production of soil, water and air;

3) Decrease in population growth rates in developing countries and overcoming the demographic crisis in developed capitalist countries;

4) Prevention of the negative consequences of the modern scientific and technological revolution;

5) Overcoming the downward trend in social health, which involves the fight against alcoholism, drug addiction, cancer, AIDS, tuberculosis and other diseases.

Specialists pin certain hopes on the restructuring of technologies, the use of clean energy sources, the use of resource-saving production cycles, the transition to an ecological economy that involves spending on protecting and restoring the environment.

Measures are also needed to optimize the demographic situation, establish a mechanism for rational use of natural resources, develop international cooperation in the field of environmental protection, and ensure the priority of universal human interests and values.

The development by the world community of a strategy for the survival of mankind will make it possible to avoid a global catastrophe and continue the forward movement of modern civilization.

Conclusion

According to many social scientists, no matter what individual problem we take from the global system, it cannot be solved without first overcoming spontaneity in development. earthly civilization without moving to coordinated and planned actions on a global scale. Only such actions, as emphasized in the futurological literature of recent decades, can and must save society, as well as its natural environment. globalization society universal

In the conditions prevailing by the beginning of the 21st century, humanity can no longer function spontaneously without the risk of catastrophe for each of the countries. The only way out is in the transition from self-regulating to controlled evolution of the world community and its natural environment.

At present, to achieve this goal, humanity has the necessary economic and financial resources, scientific and technical capabilities and intellectual potential. But to realize this opportunity, new political thinking, good will and international cooperation based on the priority of universal human interests and values ​​are needed.

Bibliographic list

1. Global problems, their essence and search for solutions: Material for discussions