CHAPTER FOURTEEN: World Environment

Explore

Copenhagen Consensus Center
The Copenhagen Consensus Center is a research center associated with the Copenhagen Business School and is dedicated to addressing the world's "biggest challenges." The goal, as lead research Bjorn Lomborg points out, is to identify, given limited resources, how to best prioritize how to solve the world's biggest problems.

Read the introductory paragraph, and then click on "ranked list." What is being ranked? Which solutions rank in the top 5? Where does global warming rank? Scroll to the bottom and click on "The 10 Challenges," and then click on "Global Warming". What approach does the CCC advocate in response to this challenge?


International Energy Agency
This is the official site for the IEA, an intergovernmental agency that seeks to advance the security and sustainability of the world's energy supply. It contains information and databases describing the energy consumption of countries and regions worldwide.

Using the database, look up China. Now click on the graph entitled "Share of Total Primary Energy Supply in 2005." Do the same for the United Kingdom. What are the primary sources of fuel for each country? What do you think accounts for the difference?


United Nations Environment Programme
A program of the United Nations, the UNEP provides statistical policy information about numerous environmental issues.

Under "Thematic Areas," click on "Freshwater" and then "Water in the Regions." Click on "Activities of the Regional Office for Africa (ROA)." How many countries in the region are experiencing water stress? What initiatives is the UNEP taking to address these problems?