Economic Growth and the Environment

Economic Growth and the Environment Will the world be able to sustain economic growth indefinitely without running into resource constraints or despoiling the environment beyond repair? What is the relationship between a steady increase in incomes and environmental quality? Are there trade-offs between the goals of achieving high and sustainable rates of economic growth and attaining high standards of environmental quality. For some social and physical scientists, growing economic activity (production and consumption) requires larger inputs of energy and material, and generates larger quantities of waste byproducts. Increased extraction of natural resources, accumulation of waste, and concentration of pollutants would overwhelm the carrying capacity of the biosphere and result in the degradation of environmental quality and a decline in human welfare, despite rising incomes. Furthermore, it is argued that degradation of the resource base would eventually put economic activity itself at risk. To save the environment and even economic activity from itself, economic growth must cease and the world must make a transition to a steady-state economy. At the other extreme, are those who argue that the fastest road to environmental improvement is along the path of economic growth: with higher incomes comes increased demand for goods and services that are less material-intensive, as well as demand for improved environmental quality that leads to the adoption of environmental protection measures. The strong correlation between incomes, and the extent to which environmental protection measures are adopted, demonstrates that in the longer run, the surest way to improve your environment is to become rich, Some went as far as claiming that environmental regulation, by reducing economic growth, may actually reduce environmental quality. As agriculture and resource extraction intensify and industrialization takes off, both resource depletion and waste generation accelerate. At higher levels of development, structural change towards information-based industries and services, more efficient technologies, and increased demand for environmental quality result in leveling-off and a steady decline of environmental degradation (Panayotou 1993), as seen in the Figure 1 below: The issue of whether environmental degradation (a) increases monotonically, (b) decreases monotonically, or (c) first increases and then declines along a country’s development path, has critical implications for policy. A monotonic increase of environmental degradation with economic growth calls for strict environmental regulations and even limits on economic growth to ensure a sustainable scale of economic activity within the ecological life-support system (Arrow et al. 1995) A monotonic decrease of environmental degradation along a country’s development path suggests that policies that accelerate economic growth lead also to rapid environmental improvements and no explicit environmental policies are needed; indeed, they may be counterproductive if they slow down economic growth and thereby delay environmental improvement. Finally, if the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis is supported by evidence, development policies have the potential of being environmentally benign over the long run, (at high incomes), but they are also capable of significant environmental damage in the short-to-medium run (at low-to-medium-level incomes). In this case, several issues arise: (1) at what level of per capita income is the turning point? (2) How much damage would have taken place, and how can they be avoided? (3) Would any ecological thresholds be violated and irreversible damages take place before environmental degradation turns down, and how can they be avoided? (4) Is environmental improvement at higher income levels automatic, or does it require conscious institutional and policy reforms? and (5) how to accelerate the development process so that developing economies and economies in transition can experience the same improved economic and environmental conditions enjoyed by developed market economies? Policy Response In the OECD countries we observe a strong decoupling of emissions of local air pollutants from economic growth. OECD countries have achieved a strong decoupling between energy use and economic growth over the past 20 years, with the economy growing by 17% between 1980 and 1998 and energy use falling by the about the same percentage. Water and resource use continued to grow but at a rate slower than GDP growth reflecting a weak decoupling of the two. Thus decoupling of emissions in OECD and generally the developed ECE countries has been accomplished through a combination of technological change and a strong environmental policy. The latter consisting of â€Å"greening† of fiscal policy, removing subsidies to environmentally harmful activities and the use of economic instruments to internalise environmental cost. A number of EU policy initiatives, such as the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines 2001, among others have promoted a gradual but steady and credible change in the level and structure of the tax rates until external costs are fully reflected in prices, to cope with most of the fundamental structural problem in all developed countries, the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. In the energy markets these guidelines aim to uses taxes and other market-based instruments to rebalance prices in favour of reusable energy sources and technologies. Other EU initiatives in this direction are the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP), the directive establishing an EU framework for emissions trading, and the Integrated Product Policy (IPP) all of which aim at realigning price relations and stimulating investments in new technologies that promote sustainable development. Member states are encouraged to improve market functioning by addressing market failures such as externalities through â€Å"increased use of market-based systems in pursuit of environmental objectives as they provide flexibility to industry to reduce pollution in a cost effective way, as well as encourage technological innovations†. Economic instruments such as gradual but steady and credible change in the level and structure of tax rates until external costs are fully reflected in prices are promoted as the most efficient means of decoupling economic growth from pollution, as they alter price relations and thereby also drive changes in technology and consumer behaviour (preference) that lie behind the growth-environment relationship. As exemplified by the energy and transport sectors, the EU decoupling policy consists of demand management through full-cost pricing and development of more environmentally friendly alternatives by promoting technological innovations. Since 1990 all economies in transition have made efforts to restructure their energy and transport sectors along market principles and to raise energy prices closer to economic and international levels. However because of the political sensitivity of energy pricing and the lagging reforms in many transition economies a gap of 20-85% continues to persist between energy prices in economies in transition. For example electricity prices for households in Eastern Europe are only 50 percent of those of the European Union; for industrial consumers, electricity prices are closer to their economic and international levels being 20% lower than those of the EU. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has repeatedly called upon its members to raise the prices of various energy sources to their full economic costs and adapt economic instruments to internalise the costs to human health and the environment associated with energy production and consumption. The aim is to decouple emissions from energy use and energy use from economic growth. Despite significant progress towards sustainable development developed countries are still experiencing unsustainable consumption patterns as evidenced by the continued growth of municipal waste and CO ² emissions. As transition economies begin to recover and grow again their emissions and resource use are also growing though less than proportionately. Their GDP energy-intensity, though declining, continues to be several times that of the developed countries while their consumption patterns are tracing the same path as that of their developed counterparts. Further decoupling of growth and environment and progress towards sustainable development calls for action on many fronts by both groups of countries as well as cooperation between them especially in technology transfer: Use of an effective mix of economic instruments such as taxes, charges and tradable permits to correct market and policy failures and to internalise environmental and social costs and induce changes in the composition of consumption and production. Improvement in resource use efficiency and â€Å"dematerialization† of the economy Change in the content of economies growth and this involves adjustments costs which tend to be greater the faster is the rate of change in relative prices; in particular those who lose need to be compensated by those who benefit Introduction of specific policies to preserve the living standards of those directly affected by the required adjustment and to avoid unemployment and social disruption; issues of inequality and social exclusion must be addressed.

Events in Eiffel Tower

In this report I will be discussing many things about the Eiffel Tower. Such topics are: when the Eiffel Tower was built, how it was designed, and who the architect was. I will also tell you about how it was and how it is now used in Paris. I will also state the time and materials used to build the Eiffel Tower. I will tell you about Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the architect and builder of the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower was built by a man by the name of Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. Gustave Eiffel was born in the year of 1832 in Dijon and attended the Ecole des Arts et Manufactures in Paris. In school he specialized in the area of design of large metal structures. He then established his own business in Paris in 1867 and quickly established his reputation with building. He was responsible for such things as the first to use compressed air for underwater caissons, such as on the railway bridge over the Carunne at Bordeauz. Gustave Eiffel has built a series of ambitious railway bridges, of which span across the Dovso at Oportu, Portugal, was the longest at 525 feet (or 160 meters). Then in 1881 he provided the iron skeleton for the Statue of Liberty. He also helped in the French attempt at the Panama Canal, where he designed and partly constructed huge locks. Then the project collapsed in 1893 and Eiffel went to prison for two years. In 1900 he took up aerodynamics and worked with that until his death in 1923. Then 1889 Eiffel built his most popular project ever. His most popular project is the Eiffel Tower, which was begun in the year 1885 and finished in the year 1889. It was originally built for the World†s Fair or Centennial Exposition of 1889 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. It took him a year to design it and three years to build the tallest structure of that time. The structure was meant to be disassembled after the World†s Fair was over in the year, but was preserved for other better uses. The materials used to build the huge structure were 7,742 tons of iron, 2-1/2 million rivets, and 15,000 pieces of metal. That which brings us to the process of building. To build the tower, the workers would first fabricate all the parts in a welding shop, then number them, and send them to the sight. The building design was to be built with cross-braced lattice girders or a diagonal brace, which runs from vertical support to vertical support, which allows very little movement. Even in hurricane strength winds there would be only 8. 8 inches (or 22 centimeters) of movement. All the highest quality wrought iron. The Eiffel Tower is resting on 25 square foot (or 2. 25 square meter) masonry piers. The piers are set in seven feet (or two meters) of concrete far below ground. The tower has three above ground stages. Below the first platform, which is at the height of 188 feet (or 57 meters), the four legs are connected by structurally sound arches. The second platform is placed at 380 feet (or 115 meters) where the legs are brought almost completely together. Then the third platform is 911 feet (or 276 meters) above the ground. Above the final platform is the lantern, which warn airplanes above, and the final terrace. Then in 1959 the addition of a radio antenna raised the height of the tower from about 990 feet (or 300 meters) to 1,056 feet (or 320 meters). The tower is now used for other things. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France is located in the â€Å"Champ de Mars,† on the south bank of the River Seine. Its uses have diversely changed throughout the years. After 1889 and the closing of the World†s Fair, Gustave Eiffel spent his time to save his monument and find new and profitable uses for the tower. He supervised changes to accommodate a meteorological station in 1890, a military telegraph station in 1903, and laboratories for studying aerodynamics in 1909. Then in 1900, 1923, and 1937 further modifications were added. The tower was then used for radio and television transmission, as a meteorological recording station, and has a restaurant and office space. Then for many years the Eiffel Tower was owned by a public firm and was in need of repairs. Then in 1981, the government of Paris took over its management. Then in the years 1981 to 1983, the tower underwent serious renovations and reconstruction in preparation for its 100th anniversary in 1989. The remodeling cost over $40 million, and stripped all the paint off down to the girders, removed the excess weight, and built new lighter buildings within the tower. The current state of the first level is three glass-enclosed structures: a museum and the Cinema, which shows films about the tower. The central level is made up of two of its own sections, each of which has a restaurant: Le Perisien, on the lower section, and La Belle France, on the upper section. The third level is the Salle Gustave Eiffel, which provides spaces for conferences, expositions, cultural events, and social gatherings. Also on the second level is a snack bar and souvenir shop. There are also glass-enclosed elevators, which take you to the first and second levels. To conclude my report I would like to say my opinion of this beautiful structure and how it has always been one of the most visited monuments in the whole world. The Eiffel Tower is Paris† most loved monuments and will probably never be disliked. The beautiful structural design and architecture just surprises me for its age. So, a masterpiece that was supposed to be torn down after the World†s Fair has lived a much longer life, a 102-year life. The Eiffel Tower was used in many collectors† plates in its early life. The most popular plates number over 82 today. In its life time, the Eiffel Tower has been visited by over 2. 5 million people and is still today a tourist trap so from a French military telegraph station to restaurants and souvenir stores, the Eiffel Tower has lived trough it all. The Eiffel Tower also went through two world wars, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, and Desert Storm, so never question the strength of a worldwide known monument.

Essay on Reflexivity and Modern Works of Anthropology

Reflexivity and Modern Works of Anthropology The role of reflexivity in Anthropology has changed a great deal over time. The effects of doing ethnography on the ethnographer was not considered an important mode of inquiry in the past. While inevitably, going to far distant lands and living with a culture so different from your own will at least cause the ethnographer to reflect on personal issues but most likely will cause profound changes in the way he or she will view the world. But in the past these changes were not important. What was necessary for the ethnographer to do in the past was to document a culture break it down structurally and quantify the observations made. The reflexive nature of his or her experiences were of little†¦show more content†¦(Malinowski, 11) This basically means that it is the role of the ethnographer to rationalize and put in writing the ways of existence of another culture. What he gains from the experience of living with the trobriand islanders is of no concern the people he was writin g for. It is my belief that perhaps the reason that the anthropologists of the past have placed so much importance on structuralizing and bringing into written fruition the laws that the natives live by but are not aware of, is to give others the idea that their research and inquiry are purely scientific and by no means reflexive. The reason that they do this is probably to get backing by institutions in order so they may have their travels paid for and so they may be recognized as a scholar by a scholarly reading audience. As time has gone on more and more Anthropologists have talked about how their ethnographic research has effected their thinking. At first they integrated the reflexive nature of their research in a sort of roundabout way. For instance the notion that different cultures and peoples really dont structure their realities all that differently. 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pH, pKa, and the Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

The  pH  is  a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in an aqueous solution. pKa (acid dissociation constant) and pH are related, but pKa is more specific in that it helps you predict what a molecule will do at a specific pH. Essentially, pKa tells you what the pH needs to be in order for a chemical species to donate or accept a proton. The relationship between pH and pKa is described by the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. pH, pKa, and Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation The pKa is the pH value at which a chemical species will accept or donate a proton.The lower the pKa, the stronger the acid and the greater the ability to donate a proton in aqueous solution.The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation relates pKa and pH. However, it is only an approximation and should not be used for concentrated solutions or for extremely low pH acids or high pH bases. pH and pKa Once you have pH or pKa values, you know certain things about a solution and how it compares with other solutions: The lower the pH, the higher the concentration of hydrogen ions, [H].The lower the pKa, the stronger the acid and the greater its ability to donate protons.pH depends on the concentration of the solution. This is important because it means a weak acid could actually have a lower pH than a diluted strong acid. For example, concentrated vinegar (acetic acid, which is a weak acid) could have a lower pH than a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid (a strong acid).On the other hand, the pKa value is a constant for each type of molecule. It is unaffected by concentration.Even a chemical ordinarily considered a base can have a pKa value because the terms acids and bases simply refer to whether a species will give up protons (acid) or remove them (base). For example, if you have a base Y with a pKa of 13, it will accept protons and form YH, but when the pH exceeds 13, YH will be deprotonated and become Y. Because Y removes protons at a pH greater than the pH of neutral water (7), it is consid ered a base. Relating pH and pKa With the Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation If you know either pH or pKa, you can solve for the other value using an approximation called the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation: pH pKa   log ([conjugate base]/[weak acid])pH pkalog ([A-]/[HA]) pH is the sum of the pKa value and the log of the concentration of the conjugate base divided by the concentration of the weak acid. At half the equivalence point: pH pKa Its worth noting sometimes this equation is written for the Ka value rather than pKa, so you should know the relationship:   pKa -logKa Assumptions for the Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation The reason the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation is an approximation is because it takes water chemistry out of the equation. This works when water is the solvent and is present in a very large proportion to the [H] and acid/conjugate base. You shouldnt try to apply the approximation for concentrated solutions. Use the approximation only when the following conditions are met: −1  Ã‚  log ([A−]/[HA])  Ã‚  1Molarity of buffers should be 100x greater than that of the acid ionization constant Ka.Only use strong acids or strong bases if the pKa values fall between 5 and 9. Example pKa and pH Problem Find [H] for a solution of 0.225 M NaNO2 and 1.0 M HNO2. The Ka value (from a table) of HNO2 is 5.6 x 10-4. pKa  Ã‚  Ã¢Ë†â€™log  Ka  Ã‚  Ã¢Ë†â€™log(7.4Ãâ€"10−4)  Ã‚  3.14 pH pka log ([A-]/[HA]) pH  Ã‚  pKa  Ã‚  log([NO2-]/[HNO2]) pH  Ã‚  3.14  Ã‚  log(1/0.225) pH  Ã‚  3.14  Ã‚  0.648  Ã‚  3.788 [H]  Ã‚  10−pH  Ã‚  10−3.788  Ã‚  1.6Ãâ€"10−4 Sources de Levie, Robert. â€Å"The Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation: Its History and Limitations.†Ã‚  Journal of Chemical Education, 2003.Hasselbalch, K. A. Die Berechnung der Wasserstoffzahl des Blutes aus der freien und gebundenen Kohlensà ¤ure desselben, und die Sauerstoffbindung des Blutes als Funktion der Wasserstoffzahl. Biochemische Zeitschrift, 1917, pp.112–144.Henderson , Lawrence J. Concerning the relationship between the strength of acids and their capacity to preserve neutrality. American Journal of Physiology-Legacy Content, vol. 21, no. 2, Feb. 1908, pp. 173–179.Po, Henry N., and N. M. Senozan. â€Å"The Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation: Its History and Limitations.†Ã‚  Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 78, no. 11, 2001, p. 1499.