Climate change and biosafety

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Suggested activities for students and topics for discussion

1. Read the full text of the declaration and other statements made at the Millennium Summit and prepare a brief outline of the main points.

2. Can you enumerate other urgent problems the UN is to deal with? Chose one, which seems the most vital for you personally and study it. Is there any improvement? What means are used to achieve progress? Are they most effective means? What are the costs and benefits of this activity?

3. Try to get information on whether your country helps LDCs or not? If yes, then what is done in this respect? If no, try to find why it doesn't help.

4. In the year 2005 a string of summits and meetings devoted to the problem of poverty was to take place. Take one of them and analyze it. Do you see any progress in this scope of activity? Are the improvements visible? How can you prove it?

5. Is the problem of poverty the most acute nowadays? Why? Select any LDC to analyze the situation in this country. What is done to cope with the main problems? Are the measures effective or not?

6. If you were to take part in such a summit, what targets would you announce? How would you propose to solve them?

7. Do you think that struggling with poverty will bring fruit? Can you prove it? Do you regard the timetable for eradicating poverty as practicable? What steps are to be taken to achieve this goal?

8. It's common knowledge that LDCs need help. Do you agree with the proverb: "Charity begins at home?" Should EDCs held LDCs? What means are to be used to succeed in it? Do you agree with these means?

9. "We have the cash, we have the drugs, we have the science – but do we have the will? Do we have the will to make poverty history?" How would you answer this question?

10. Investigate conditions of poverty in your city. Who are the poor? How did they come to be poor? Where did you find information on poverty? Find out what governmental and non-governmental organizations are doing about poverty in your city.

Chapter 2

Concerns for the natural environment have moved up on everyone's agenda over the past three decades, as rapid population increases and economic development have strained the world's forests, farmlands, atmosphere, rivers and oceans. The UN has taken the lead through its efforts to safeguard our natural heritage. This is an area where the UN's global reach and ability to act as an honest broker has produces impressive results.

Many UN organizations participate in projects or programmes that include an environmental aspect, among them are:

· UNEP (the United Nations Environmental Program)

It sets the world's environmental agenda, promotes the environmental dimension of sustainable development and is an authoritative advocate of the global environment

· UNESCO (the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization)

It has a varied mission involving education, research and public outreach in science, protection of cultural and natural heritage

· WMO (the World Meteorological Organization)

It is a specialized agency that provides current scientific information about the atmosphere, freshwaters and climate

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