Focus Question: To what extent can internationalism effectively address contemporary global issues?
Canada has more fresh, clean water than any other country on Earth - and many Canadians take access to water for granted. They think nothing of taking long showers, watering lawns, and washing cars. The average Canadian uses about 335 litres of water a day, much more than people in most other countries. The French, for example, use only about 150 litres a day. At the same time, many people in the world have little or no access to clean drinking water. The cause may be geography, poverty, population growth, or conflict - but this lack of water can be deadly. People may die. Many internationalist argue that water is a basic human need and that the earth's resources, especially water, belong to everyone and should be shared by countries with abundant clean water. Some even predict that access to clean water will become the next major source of conflict in the world.
What are some contemporary global issues?
Increasing globalization has cast a worldwide spotlight on issues that might, at one time, have concerned only a limited number of people. When a giant tsunami hit Southeast Asia in 2004, for example, news of the destruction started flashing around the world in minutes. Events like this show that the world's people are more connected than ever. This connectedness has fostered an awareness that issues such as climate change, the spread of disease, and access to water affect everyone.
- Climate Change
- The Spread of Disease
- Access to Water
- Control over Water
How has internationalism been used to address contemporary global issues?
Suppose you wanted to take a course that is offered only at a school outside your neighbourhood. Would you make the decision to change schools on your own, or would you involve your family? What factors would influence who to involve in your decisions? Some issues, such as which school you attend, can be resolved individually or as a family, but other issues are too complex for individuals to handle on their own. In fact, many contemporary global issues are so complex that even national governments are unable to deal with them. This is why many countries choose to work with the international community to tackle challenges such as poverty, hunger, disease, debt, climate change, human rights, and conflict.
- Absolute Poverty
- Hunger in Canada
- HIV and AIDS in Africa
- Odious Debt
- Human Rights in Myanmar
- Conflict in Darfur & Syria
Is internationalism always the most effective way of addressing contemporary global issues?
In 2000, the UN established eight international targets - its millennium development goals. These goals, which were to be achieved by 2015, included reducing poverty by 50 per cent, ensuring that all children have access to primary education, and combating diseases such as HIV/AIDS. By 2008, it had begun to look as if none of these goals would be reached.
UN's 8 International Targets - Click Here!
Success or Failure? Click Here!
Does the fact that the world is unlikely to achieve any of the UN's millennium development goals suggest that international attempts to solve the world's problems are a failure?
UN's 8 International Targets - Click Here!
Success or Failure? Click Here!
Does the fact that the world is unlikely to achieve any of the UN's millennium development goals suggest that international attempts to solve the world's problems are a failure?
- International Trade
- Decline versus Shift