Category: Uncategorized

Name

Institution

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Selecting counseling theory

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a psychotherapy treatment that is short term and follows steps towards a certain goal. This goal-oriented therapy uses a hands-on or practical approach to alter how a patient thinks or behaves. It is a short-term method where the client preferably attends weekly sessions for a number of months to learn strategies and tools they will apply independently.

Goals for Therapy

The most important goal is to change the thinking patterns of the patient or behavior that cause them certain difficulties. Because each therapy is customized for each client and their needs, the goals are unique in each session depending on the circumstance of the client (Craske, 2014). The ultimate goal of these sessional objectives is to guide the clients into rethinking their own perceptions and thought patterns, enabling them to get ahold of their behavior by detaching what others do from their interpretations of the world.

On a personal level, the goals of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy may be things like being able to interact comfortably with people, conversing comfortably with friends and strangers, enjoying socializing, being able to form friendships or getting intimate, speaking in public. It also helps an individual to be assertive, overcome depression, performance anxieties, or trauma. However, the exact goals of this type of therapy are customized to the needs of each client.

In summary, cognitive behavioral therapy promotes and individual self-awareness and emotional intelligence by helping them learn to understand or “read” their emotions and differentiate between unhealthy and healthy thoughts. This type of therapy allows clients to comprehend how distorted contemplations and perceptions result in painful feelings. The other goal is to reduce the symptoms as fast as possible by emphasizing on examining the current situation the client is in and dealing with the current issues. The therapy also works towards equipping clients with techniques to pinpoint and deal with distorted thoughts. The last goal is to prevent emotional distress in the future and encourage the personal growth of clients to alter their core beliefs associated with their suffering.

Role of Therapist

The role of the therapist is to listen and to teach the client while encouraging them to express their feelings and concerns, to learn, and to put that learning into practice (Hofmann, 2012). In essence, CBT therapists do not dictate what clients should do but rather identify the strengths of these clients and use them to help them learn how to do. This emphasis on education leads to long term results. When people understand why and how they are doing well, they have the incentive to continue on the same path. The therapists believe that the negative impact on one’s life comes from the way an individual perceives and responds to the situation as opposed to the negative effects coming from the situation or circumstance itself.

Techniques

Cognitive-behavioral therapy differentiates itself from other types of therapies by how the therapeutic sessions are structured. This type of therapy put great emphasis on structure. A standard session is guided by this protocol;

The client and therapist identify particular problems they will deal with for the week.

The client and therapist start with planning strategies for how to approach the identified problems.

They then revisit the client’s homework from the previous week together and discuss progress made.

The client is then assigned new homework for the coming week based on the progress they made and the newly identified goals.

A standard session is 50 minutes, which is somewhat limited. For this reason, sessions are tuned into forums for revisiting ideas and monitoring progress (Zettle & Hayes, 2015). Homework is very important to the success of this type of therapy, and it’s the duty of the client to ensure they complete these tasks and keep up with what is expected of them and honor agreements between them and their therapists. This homework usually includes behavioral learning strategies, worksheets, and experiments.

Expectations of the Client

The role of the client is to express themselves and their concerns, to learn, and to apply that learning in their actions. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a partnership where both the client and the therapist make meaningful contributions. However, some experts believe that CBT does not pay attention to therapeutic relationships as a means of effecting change (Easterbrook, & Meehan, 2017). The client is also expected to be reactive during sessions and participate actively.

References

Craske, M. G. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral therapy. American Psychological Association.

Easterbrook, C. J., & Meehan, T. (2017). The therapeutic relationship and cognitive behavioural therapy: A case study of an adolescent girl with depression.

Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive therapy and research, 36(5), 427-440.

Zettle, R. D., & Hayes, S. C. (2015). Rule-governed behavior: A potential theoretical framework for cognitive-behavioral therapy. In The Act in Context (pp. 33-63). Routledge.

CLONING EXTINCT SPECIES.

Many species become extinct each day. Despite increasing interest in using cloning to rescue endangered species, successful interspecies nuclear transfer has not been previously described, and only a few reports of in vitro embryo formation exist. There are also contradicting views on the idea of cloning where some view it as good and some are against it. Extinction threatens the life of birds, mammals and plants yearly. With this trend, the rare species of vertebrates will soon be lost despite the efforts put in maintaining their bio diversity through habitat and wildlife conservation.

To start, cloning ensures the continuity of species. After scientist clone a DNA from a living being, the species will continue to exist. It should be understood that recently, scientists have not only cloned other species, but they have advanced the science of cloning to now include genetic modifications that serve particular pharmaceutical or agricultural purposes. One type of modification is the production of transgenic animals that have genetic material from another species spliced into their genome. For example, sheep have been engineered to secrete a human protein, which makes human protein available for different purposes. Also, I find cloning something that the 21st generation needs since after cloning, there is the production of genetically modified animal organs engineered to be compatible with a human recipient.

In conclusion, many effects of cloning mammoths are based on assumptions. On one hand, the potential harms and long-term effects seem more certain than the potential benefits if the clones are reintroduced into the wild and harm other species. However, these harms can be avoided if restrictions are placed on mammoth cloning to minimize negative impacts and maximize benefits.

Cognitive Disorder

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Course:

Instructor’s name:

Date:

Cognitive Disorders

Michael Fred Phelps is an American former competitive swimmer. He is known to be the most successful swimmer of all time. Michael Phelps has twenty-eight medals for this. However, do not think that things were easy for Michael Phelps at any point in life. This is because he was struggling with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) from a very young age. He is a perfect example that ADHD should not deter anyone from being successful in life.

Anyone can get ADHD. In fact, today it is one of the most common conditions that affect children. It may be caused by a number of factors. One of the factors is when one’s part of the brain that control attention and activity cease to function as they should. It is also possible for a child to inherit the condition from the parents (Swanson et al. 2006). Other times one may be get a head injury that may interfere with the part of the brain controlling attention and activity. A child born premature is also more likely to get the condition. Mothers are advised not to take drugs such as nicotine and alcohol as this infects the child by increasing their risk of getting ADHD (Barkley, 2014). For Michael Phelps, there was no obvious cause for his condition. His parents did not have the condition. His mother also did not smoke or drink while she was pregnant.

People with this condition can barely concentrate or have a very low concentration span. They also tend to fidget, repeat their words a lot and be impulsive. Like all other children with ADHD, Michael found it very difficult to concentrate in class. He was constantly finding other things to do. His teachers could not understand him and ended up treating him differently. Other teachers even told him that he would be a failure in life because of his he behaved. Teachers in different grades continued to complain about Michael and how he never seemed to improved in his studies. It was a challenge and struggle for him all through. He was depressed and had anxiety due this condition.

His mother decided to take him to a professional and he was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of nine years old. Phelps started going swimming at an aquatic club nearby. He noticed that he loved doing this. Even though he could not concentrate in class, he was able to concentrate while swimming. He started wining medals at a very young age because he was exceptionally talented.

Much of Michael Phelps success can be attributed to his mother. His mother helped by establishing a routine that was meant to help him in his concentration. She implemented more strategies such as decreasing his intake of sugar that would help him be more successful. Her mother believed that swimming helped him through his condition. By seeking the help of a professional, they advised on how they would manage the condition. Many parents would have stayed silent with their children’s condition due to fear of stigmatization. Michael Phelps also took stimulants to assist him with his concentration in school. He had to carry them to school even though he was not comfortable with this.

Michael Phelps admits that dealing with his condition was not easy at all. He was constantly angry and depressed. In spite of his condition, he believed in himself and pursue his dreams. People should talk more about cognitive disorders and assist those who have the conditions. They can also become successful and happy if they accept who they are and work on themselves every day.

References

Barkley, R. A. (Ed.). (2014). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. Guilford Publications.

Swanson, J. M., Volkow, N. D., Newcorn, J., Casey, B. J., Moyzis, R., Grandy, D., & Posner, M. (2006). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science.

Student’s name

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Closing Argument

In any law proceeding, there are different parts of the proceeding. There is the introduction while the closing marks the end of the trial as the lawyers and other individuals wait for the statements of the judge of the jury. Therefore it is an important part of the case proceeding which if done in the proper way a client is likely to win. the lawyers who are given the work of representing the client are the ones tasked with this work of making sure that the closing arguments are the best and that in as much as it summarises the evidence and the case in general it is also drawn towards favoring the client they are representing. Therefore it is a very important aspect of law (Kennedy, 2006).

Therefore the main and the major purpose of the closing argument is to summarise the case from the introduction to the other parts in the middle to make sure that the closing statement is very moving. However, it is important to more that it is not a wise idea for a lawyer to keep the best arguments for the closing argument instead of providing all the information and evidence to help their clients during the case proceedings. Most of the jurors decide the case when it starts at the introduction or in between the other case proceedings. Therefore even though the closing argument is very important and it makes a lot of impacts it may not make a very strong impact to make the jury change their decision. Therefore it is an important part of saying goodbye to the case in the most moving manner but at the same time expecting anything about the decision of the jury (Zulanas, 2015).

The closing argument may include; summary of the evidence provided, reasonable inferences are drawn from the evidence, an attack on the opposing sides and highlighting their weaknesses, a summary of the law for the jury and in a creative way telling them to follow it and lastly a closing arguments can in a very creative way plea with the jury to take a specific action or judgment (David Adelstein, n.d). Even though it has limits like a lawyer cannot come up with a summary of the evidence which was not presented it still has a very great effect on the case and it is one of the most important parts of any case.

References

David Adelstein, (n.d.) Purpose of Closing Argument – ProveMyFloridaCase.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021, from https://provemyfloridacase.com/purpose-of-closing-argument/Kennedy, K. C. (2006). Closing argument: Through the eyes of a trial advocate. Am. J. Trial Advoc., 30, 593.

Zulanas, C. (2015). How to Deliver an Effective Closing Argument. Am. J. Trial Advoc., 39, 365.

Clothes as part of global commodity chain

Student’s name

Institution

Clothes as part of global commodity chain.

Different clothes are made from different countries. China is the leading producer in that it supplies about 16% of most items which were under research. Mexico is the second country which provides about 8% of the things which were under study. Other countries which produce the things are Honduras which contributed about 5%, Vietnam which adds about 5% as well as Indonesia which provides approximately 4.5% of the items. Also, only about 7% of the commodities under research were made in America.

The following is a list of items under research and countries where they are made.

1. Flannel shirt- India.

2. Orange tank- Vietnam.

3. VCU sweatshirt- China.

4. Sweater from target- China.

5. Black dress from target- Cambodia.

6. Vneck shirt from target- Guatemala.

7. Formal attire- the Philippines.

8. Leather boots- Brazil.

9. Dressy top- Turkey.

10. Camisole from express- Indonesia.

According to the research, most of the clothes which were under study were from China as well as Vietnam. The inquiry held showed that the clothes had no detailed on where the gears were assembled or made. Many countries appeared more on the clothes originality while others had no representation. Many of the costumes worn have the same nationality of origin as well as corresponding factories. One of the plants which made Targets, as well as Old Navy’s merchandise, had the reports that there was overwhelming noncompliance by Haitian export garment factory with the legal laws minimum wage in the country. There were articles which were written concerning the theft of the salary in the Haitian apparel industry.

One of the brands of the cloth, Danskin, as per the research had some concern on labour rights violations more so the areas of the freedom of association of the rights of women, benefits, wages, occupational health as well as safety. However, the problems were resolved later which included pregnancy discrimination about unfair termination as well as not allowed to access to adequate restrooms as well as health clinics. However, even when the problems were resolved, there are other problems which remain intact and involves short-term contracts for employees who risked termination before. (Hassler, 2003).

A company by the name LL Bean which is located in Thailand was reported to have an unsafe as well as an unhealthy working environment for its workers. The company didn’t warn its workers to wear protective clothing while working concerning the work areas which had higher noise levels. Also, the restrooms which were designed for the workers were not maintained in clean conditions which are required. As per the reported taken after the research revealed that LL Bean company failed to meet the minimum requirements of good practice more so in chemical labelling as well as the provision of material safety data sheets. (Bair, 2005)The company was found that it didn’t put labels on the chemicals in the screen printing area on how they should be handled, store, or treat safely when exposure occurs. The company was considered as to have been violated the Thailand law speculations.

In the November 2001, workers who worked in six countries basted and boycotted from working. The research showed that those workers sewed their work as the company owed the workers hundreds of thousands of dollars as their minimum wage as well as the overtime payments. They also sawed the company due to poor working conditions which were unsafe for their health as well as long working hours. Some workers who aired out the matter were fired immediately by the company making the case to be worse. The research revealed that there were efforts which were put forward to fix the problem as well as reinstate the positions those of those who were unjustly fired. However, the problem was familiar to many factories which need an uprising.

According to the research, most of the brands which were the favourites by many people such as Target, Old Navy, Danskin, LL Bean as well as Forever 21; none of the clothes were sweatshop free. Many people cannot avoid buying the clothes as there are limited options of wearing clothes which were affordable to oneself with the lack of sweat labour.

The research which was held enables the students to learn mapping lessons after the mapping exercise. The students can realize that they are connected in rather intimate ways with other people all over the world. Furthermore, the research enabled the students to learn that the connection which they had with people; who earned little even after working for about 12 hours a day in the factory. In that, they wore clothes which were made by the same plant as well as a similar country although of different designs and time. The research which involved mapping to arrive at the writing of the conclusion revealed the global commodity links. The links give the form as well as the meaning of the abstract concept of economic globalisation. Moreover, the exercise gave the students a better view concerning the global perspective of where the clothes they wear come from as well as how they are made.

Reference.

Hassler, M. (2003). The global clothing production system: commodity chains and business networks. Global Networks, 3(4), 513-531.

Gereffi, G. (1994). The Organization of Buyer-Driven Global Commodity Chains: How US Retailers Shape Overseas Production Networks. Commodity chains and global capitalism.

Bair, J. (2005). Global capitalism and commodity chains: looking back, going forward. Competition & Change, 9(2), 153-180.

Gereffi, G. (1999). A commodity chains framework for analyzing global industries. Institute of Development Studies, 8(12), 1-9.

Case Study #4: Cloud Computing

Insert NameCSIA 412 6381

INTRODUCTION

According to Kundra (2010), the United States government is the world’s largest consumer of information technology and yet its poor project implementation and lack of upgraded technology has led to decreased efficiency and a lack of productivity. To mitigate these issues through upgrades can be costly, however, there is another way to address the issues plaguing the technological departments of the federal government. Cloud computing. Cloud computing is a movement within the IT field that allows organizations to increase or decrease the capacity of what is essentially a shared folder as needed without having to update their technological devices or invest in hardware storage devices (Kundra, 2011). The following case study presents to its readers the benefits of ten case studies as well as the reasoning for the benefits identified in a specific study. This case study is designed to analyze ten cloud computing case studies and share the benefits organizations can experience through the use of cloud computing.

CASE STUDY ELEMENTS

Case Study Title Benefits

DoD US Army AEC (Example) Assets will be Better   Utilized, Efficiency Improvements will Shift Resources Toward Higher-Value   Activities (Example)

Department of Defense US Army AEC Faster application upgrades, increased efficiency, reduced hardware and IT staff costs, increased productivity.

DOD PSDT USAF Improved asset utilization (increased 70%), improved productivity in application management, focus shift to service management

DOE Cloud Computing Migration Linked to emerging technologies, purchases only the services needed, can increase capacity at any time, improved productivity in network

HHS Supporting Electronic Health Records Near-instantaneous increases in capacity, quick response to urgent agency needs, improved productivity with end-users

Department of the Interior Email Aggregated demand and accelerated system consolidation

GSA USA.gov Purchase and use of needed services from the cloud provider only, near instantaneous increase in capacity, focus shifted to service management, more responsive to urgent agency needs, improved productivity in network.

NASA World-Wide Telescope Quick response to urgent agency needs, near instantaneous increases and reductions in capacity, accelerated system consolidation, improved productivity in application development and network.

NASA Become a Martian Improved productivity of the network, purchased only the services needed, near-instantaneous increases in capacity, focus shift to service management,

SSA SOASK Increased productivity, service management, tap into private sector innovation, purchase of only services needed, ability to respond quickly to urgent agency needs, aggregated demand

FLRA Case Management System Tap into private sector innovation, improved productivity in application management, quick response to agency needs, improved asset utilization (time of app to deploy is 25% of original time), better linked to emerging technologies.

CLOSER LOOK

HHS Supporting Electronic Health Records

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has employed the use of cloud computing in order to support and enhance the implementation of its Electronic Health Records (EHR) system (Kundra, 2010). In the table above, the benefits that HHS has experienced are outlined and now the reasons why these benefits have been identified will be shared in the table below:

Benefit Identified Reasoning for identification

Near-instantaneous increases in capacity The system can be updated as centers begin using it and future updates are expected to quick and seamless, providing more storage capacity or decreasing as is necessary.

Quick response to urgent agency needs The review process that was conducted to determine how long it would take to implement the technology necessary determined that over a year would pass before HHS would have access to its new systems, however Salesforce (the cloud computing agency) was able to implement their solution in less than three months.

Improved productivity with end-users Implementation of EHR systems is coordinated through this system, streamlining the process for all involved and Salesforce works collaboratively with the end user in order to provide the services needed.

CONCLUSION

Cloud computing is a service that can enhance the performance and productivity of any organization when used correctly and through secured access points. The case studies above give various examples of how organizations from various backgrounds can benefit from the same type of system by tailoring it to the needs of their consumers. While HHS consumers were able to benefit from the uniform implementation of EHR systems, customers of the SSA were able to greatly benefit from the cloud based website created and maintained by the SSA by bypassing long wait times and receiving near instant answers. Whether cloud computing is a service the organization is considering for internal purposes only or it is a service that will be used to benefit the individuals it serves as well, it is a system that all organizations should take into consideration. The increased efficiency, productivity, and storage coupled with the decreased need for continuous technological upgrades and increased staffing, cloud computing is a strategy whose benefits exceed its disadvantages when properly implemented.

References

Kundra, V. (2010). State of public sector cloud computing. CIO Council. Retrieved from: https://cio.gov/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/09/StateOfCloudComputingReport-FINAL.pdf

Kundra, V. (2011). Federal cloud computing strategy. Washington, DC. Retrieved from: https://learn.umuc.edu/d2l/le/content/47852/viewContent/2363992/View

2703830-252730Executive Proposal

00Executive Proposal

2703830-9525Assignment#01

Student Registration #

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Student Registration #

327660043815000centercenter9500095000

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2447925262255Security Testing Software for ADVANCED RESEARCH

00Security Testing Software for ADVANCED RESEARCH

280035055880 Submitted By:

Date of Submission:

OCT. 4, 2014

00 Submitted By:

Date of Submission:

OCT. 4, 2014

Executive Summary

Security testing software is a very important entity for many organizations as it provides security to a company’s network by identifying and testing vulnerabilities before potential hackers can exploit them. Advanced Research has been the victim of cybercriminal efforts to take intellectual assets and sell it to their competitors. It is assumed that our network of corporate documents has been infiltrated by illegal sources more than once.

The following is a plan for implementation and purchase of the CORE IMPACT pro for the protection of Advanced Research. The software product, IMPACT pro, is used internally to test the security of web applications, our network system, wireless networks, endpoints, and also many emailed based social attacks of engineering.

In short, IMPACT pro addresses penetrations by testing essential components to the infrastructure. The software also works to identify vulnerabilities and assess weak points in nearly all organizations networks that deal with cybercrime landscape, the production of layered security items. IMPACT pro also intermingles with the rising demand for the tangible metrics which are used to measure the development in security programs and to share these results with business management and IT.

All these factors have motivated the extensive adoption of comprehensive vulnerability management technologies by many companies. IMPACT pro uses advanced scanning systems and defensive tools which interact with individual dangers to deliver lists of potential weak aspects, or Security Management Systems that make use of algorithms in order to calculate theoretical threats. IMPACT pro’s capability to put on a wide array of real world threat situations allows organizations to test their networking assets and IT. Once a network has been compromised, any and all devices connected to such network have the potential to be compromised as well (Murphy, 2013). In short, IMPACT pro will assist Advanced Research in order to evaluate its most significant compliance-related and security risks.

The Requirement:

The main objective is to prevent access to the intellectual property of Advanced Research Corporation, available through our company’s network, from cybercriminals. Advanced Research is still a fairly young company and because of this, management has been hesitant to budget for expensive security projects in the past, which has resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in the form of research data stolen from its corporate network by cyber thieves. Due to continued potential loss, there is a need to purchase the necessary testing software. After much research, I have found CORE IMPACT pro to be the best solution for Advanced Research. Core Impact is rapidly becoming the standard in vulnerability scanning and penetration testing. This top of the line software features various penetration tests, including remote host-based and network-based, as well as web-based penetration tests, and Wi-Fi network (Stephenson, 2013).

The Proposed Solution:

CORE IMPACT Overview:

Core IMPACT pro will enable Advanced Research to complete independent, proactive penetration analysis on our applications, systems and end uses. It will allow us to replicate malware, data theft techniques, and real world hacking while gaining actionable material that will assist us in finding and fixing our most pressing security weaknesses. After using this product, we can determine the way our awareness policies and defensive security measures detect, react and prevent future attacks.

IMPACT pro will enable us to test:

Critical OS facilities and desktop and server operating systems.

IPS, IDS, network security solutions and firewalls.

End point security solutions such as anti-malware, anti-phishing, antivirus, prevention systems and host based intrusion.

End point applications such as web browser, instant messaging, email readers, business application. Media players and productivity tools.

End user awareness of spam, phishing and social engineering.

Core Impact Pro

The Benefits of IMPACT Pro:

The reasons for recommending Impact Pro, in order to satisfy the security requirements of our organization, are mentioned below:

It can be used efficiently by current internal staff:

We can use this product with our existing skill sets and staff. Its training requirements are slight, provided by the vendor, and easy to implement. It will also allow us to assess our security status as we upgrade, add and update endpoints, web applications, servers and other IT assets on regular basis.

Product stability, quality and security of network:

IMPACT Pro is a commercial-grade security testing software. It tests security against malware, hacking and data crack attempts using that same techniques that the cyber criminals apply. However, this software ensures a network is secure and safe without putting stability of networks, applications or endpoints at risk.

Enabling repeatable and consistent security testing:

IMPACT Pro allows a user to schedule endpoint and network penetration testing and vulnerability validation. This ensures reliability of testing programs by allowing more organized approach to an assessment with strong metrics in order to measure improvement over time.

Testing of web applications and heterogeneous infrastructure:

IMPACT Pro is the only commercial-grade programmed web applications testing software in market. It allows the user to verify both proprietary and commercial web applications that are secure against threats that search for SQL injection, Cross-site scripting, and PHP file insertion vulnerabilities. It can also help to identify weaknesses across many operating system platforms, service packs and versions existing on systems throughout network.

Constant updates for testing against latest attack trends:

A combination of continuing technology acceptance, increasing connectivity, persistent cyber criminals and modification means that security landscape is continually evolving. Core Security also offers regular updates that check for newly exposed vulnerabilities in services, operating systems, wireless networks, end-user applications, web applications and other different possible points of exposure.

How IMPACT Pro varies from other Vulnerability Scanners:

IMPACT Pro conducts continuing research into malware attacks and cutting-edge vulnerabilities, allowing companies to keep its software up-to-date with timely and new testing competences 20 to 30 times per month. Unlike many testing tools that only report potential vulnerabilities for analysis, CORE Pro allows to test present security position across majority of IT infrastructure in order to find real exposures that can be threats to operations.

The software solutions of CORE serve as self-regulating form of dynamic self-assessment. This self-regulating system allows companies to authenticate the efficiency of various security points and determine whether or not they are working correctly and protecting the company. Specific competencies of CORE Pro comprise the capability to test for different types of vulnerabilities across:

Network Systems

Endpoints

Web Applications

Email Users

Wireless Networks

By doing practical testing across all of the aforementioned access points we, as an organization, can separate failure points in our security structure and report these problems rapidly. Advanced Research can also obtain the ability to evaluate efficiency and ROI (Return On Investment) of broadly deployed layered security tools like firewall, anti-virus, data leakage protection, authentication, IDS/IPS, security management systems and compliance on a continuing basis to measure the value of systems and validate past and future spending plans.

Product Cost:

Price of IMPACT Pro starts $30,000/year. The product payment includes:

Software License

All upgrades related to version

Systematic Product Updates

Training.

Customer Support

Reference:

F, B. (2013, July 30). Network Penetration Testing and Research. Retrieved September 30, 2014, from http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20140002617

Penetration Testing with Core Impact Pro (Attack Intelligence, Vulnerability Prioritization & Consolidation) Retrieved September 30, 2014, from: http://www.coresecurity.com/core-impact-pro

Replicate Real-World Attacks and Reveal Critical Security Exposures. (2012, January 1). Retrieved September 30, 2014, from http://www.coresecurity.com/files/ attachments/CORE_Pro_product_overview.pdf

Stephenson, P. (2013, February 1). Core Impact Professional. Retrieved September 30, 2014, from http://www.scmagazine.com/core-impact-professional/review/3791/

Climate Change as a Public Health Issue

Date

Name

West Coast University

Climate Change as a Public Health Issue

Environmental injustice can be well-defined as the unduly exposure of societies of the poor and color to pollution, and its related impacts on the environment and health, in addition to the uneven ecological protection and ecological excellence provided through regulations, laws, and government programs. Environmental injustice came from the element that several human groups or communities are excessively exposed to greater levels of an ecological threat than other parts of the community (Bick et al., 2018). There is real proof that environmental injustice is triggered by various factors, including unequal political power, misguided regulatory policy, unequal regulation enforcement, discriminatory siting, and higher exposure to environmental menaces. Social status and particularly low salaries are majorly linked to greater exposure to ecological risks in the residential location or private.

Science ought to play a critical part in the creation of a public health strategy. For a new and complex emerging matter such as environmental justice, science regularly cannot give policymakers with examination data to point decisively to a certain solution (Whyte, 2018). Among the environmental injustices met by ethnic minority and racial communities, one feature that is regularly overlooked is the impact of discrimination on the environs that the society is founded in. The common examples of social injustice that such communities undergo include: homophobia, discrimination, and ageism.  

Public health is the art of improving and protecting the wellbeing of individuals and their societies. It is attained by responding and preventing infectious sicknesses, promoting healthy lifestyles, and investigating sickness and injury prevention. The advantages of approaching a health disparity as a public health issue normally yield health welfares, indirect and direct. Public health supports the well-being of the whole community, safeguards its safety and safeguards it from the spread of environmental hazards and infectious disease, and aids in ensuring access to quality and safe care to profit the populace. Public health should insert social justice to decrease rates of medical conditions caused by injustice. 

Reference

Bick, R., Halsey, E., & Ekenga, C. C. (2018). The global environmental injustice of fast fashion Environmental Health, 17(1), 92

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-018-0433-7

Whyte, K. (2018). Settler colonialism, ecology, and environmental injustice. Environment and Society, 9(1), 125-144.

https://doi.org/10.3167/ares.2018.090109

Climate Change Education in China: Analysis of Existing CCE Organizations, development of CCE

Introduction

Today, schools and other educational institutions in China teach environmental topics on climate change and sustainable energy utilization as part of the “green education” mandate in the country. The environmental topics range from “carbon emissions” from various human activities, “sources and consequences of climate change” in the country, “behavioral guidance” on sustainable energy utilization, and “mitigatory actions” to control and prevent derogatory carbon production (Wiedenbach, 2020). Primary school curriculums focus on “stimulating junior pupils’ curiosity” on their living environment and topics like CO2 while secondary school curriculums subsume environmental and educational matters into broad topics of chemistry, physics and geography (Wang, 2021). Additionally, there are several climate change education organizations in the country that complement conventional teaching by fostering climate activism among the youth and rallying the whole public to take action against climate change by engaging in sustainable energy and resource utilization. These organizations work with the government, schools, and the local community to provide basic and advanced information on the current status in China, create innovative technologies to fight climate change, as well as contribute to policy and curriculum development in schools. This paper seeks to explore the development of these Climate Change Education (CCE) Organizations in China over the past twenty years by traversing the factors that have actively led to their proliferation in recent time.

The first part of this paper gives a comprehensive background for the research by detailing the developmental timelines for CCE organizations and climate change education in the country. It states some of the CCE organizations considered for this research and their contributions to CCE education in China. The second part is an extensive literature reviews that reconnoiters the characteristics of CCE organizations in the Chinese context by stating their fundamental features while separating them from other global CCEs. To further explore the development of CCE organizations in China, the literature review section explores the various factors that have contributed to CCE efforts and organizations in the country as well as providing an analysis of the challenges facing these organizations.

Research Background

Education and cognizance building regarding sustainable development, climate change, and global warming have been part of China’s educational curriculum over the past two decades. China introduced Climate Change Education (CCE) into its curriculum in the late 1990s due to increased global and national attention to sustainable socio-economic development that proactively protected the environment and the rising, irreversible dangers of climate change (Wiedenbach, 2020). After the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, climate change education in China strongly gravitated towards preparing learners to understand the causes and consequences of climate change, developing national policies for effective response to the global situation, as well as empowering students to take appropriate actions towards advocating for, and living more sustainable lifestyles. Since the adoption of “Guidelines for Implementing Environmental Education in Elementary and Secondary Education” in 2003 and China’s “National Climate Action Plan 2014-2020,” various organizations and institutions have sprung up across the country to help schools and universities realize the goals of the CCE curriculum. They include the China Youth Climate Action Network, a non-profit environmental organization that focuses on empowering China’s youth and university students to advocate for climate change; Tsinghua University, a comprehensive research institution actively engaged in creating, developing, and disseminating innovative ideas on sustainable energy systems, and the Hong Kong Combat Climate Change Coalition, an alliance between the government and private actors working on solving Hong Kong’s climate crises.

Research Questions

The following research questions will explore the development of CCE organizations in China.

What Characterizes CCE organizations in the Chinese Context?

What environmental, economic, and historical factors have contributed to augmenting CCE organizations and efforts across the country?

What challenges do CCE organizations face today?

Literature Review

In this section, I provide a comprehensive overview of the characteristic features of China’s CCE organizations as well as the environmental, economic, and historical factors that have contributed to their growth over the past two decades. Some of the challenges facing CCE organizations in the country are also discussed through the nexus of existing literature.

Characteristics of Chinese CCE organizations

Education

The Shanghai Environmental Education Center, a joint program between Shanghai’s Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministries of Education, UNEP, and Tongji University founded the “Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development” to provide an interdisciplinary and international learning environment for Chinese students in matters related to climate change (Lee, 2007). Therefore, one of the characteristic features of Chinese CCE organizations is that they are proactively engaged in offering education to students on this contemporary mater. Lee (2018) believes that education significantly encourages people to change their attitudes and regulate their behaviors on climate matters. On the other hand, Cordero et al. (2020) state that offering developmental education for children on matters pertaining to climate change is critical for concise building because it makes them aware of their “individual lifetime carbon emission levels.” When developing the rubric for “National and World-System Explanations of Educational Reforms,” Ginsburg et al. (1990) identified climate change as one of the factors leading to educational reforms in many countries across the globe. Educational policy developers are therefore concerned about the role of education in raising environmentally concise and ideologically woke students.

Chinese CCE organizations see to it that teachers are well trained on matters pertaining environmental conservation and climate change. Some of the organizations actively engaged in providing comprehensive teacher-training lessons on climate change include the Shanghai Environmental Education Center, the China-UK low carbon college in Shanghai, Shangri-la Institute for Sustainable Communities, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences- “Climate change, the development of the Arctic waterway, and the prospects for Sino-European cooperation” (UIL, 2020; Q. Wang et al., 2022, and Chen, 2020). The Ministry of Education Service Center and the National Institute of clean and low carbon energy are governmental organizations that regulate policies on climate change education as well as develop response actions for students as they receive these pertinent instructions (Tian & Wang, 2015). Environmental subjects taught in primary and secondary schools in the country are part of the “green education mandate” which seeks to ensure that all students are introduced to environmental matters affecting their lives. Land degradation, waste detachment, biodiversity, low-carbon travel and efficient use of natural resources, recycling, and psychosocial guidance on good “low-carbon behavior” are just a few of the topics covered (Wiedenbach, 2020).

Activism

Additionally, CCE organizations in the country are actively engaged in environmental and climate change activism. Non-governmental organizations like the “Friends of Nature,” the “Green Earth Volunteers and Wild China Movement,” and the “China Environment” are spearheading environmental activism to the next level (Xu, 2010). These activist CCE organizations are publicly protesting against increasing carbon emissions in the country, filing lawsuits against corporations that contribute to climate change through their exploitive activities, as well as exposing corrupt practices across environmental agencies in China. Dunlap (2015) argues that environmental activism is one of the most successful ways of ensuring that climate action is taken seriously by the government because it indicates an awaken society. World society perspectives also encourage societies to take up activism as one of the most radical but effective ways of advocating for change (Ramirez, 2012). Activist groups in China are therefore advocating for climate change, rallying the society to support climate change, as well as pushing the government to regulate on climate change.

Policy development

China has also created a number of policies and programs connected to education for sustainable development (ESD) and climate change education, recognizing the importance of education in fostering sustainable development (SD) (CCE) (Han, 2015). Climate change and environmental protection education has been taught in Chinese primary and secondary schools for more than two decades, though at varying levels of intensity and topic depth. Relevant materials are standardized as part of the official curriculum as part of other science-related courses. There do not appear to be any stand-alone environmental courses, though (Huang & Cheng, 2022). Beyond the formal level, it appears that teaching climate change and environmental protection is based on the preferences of individual teachers, who also bring relevant material adapted to their class (Wiedenbach, 2020). Environmental or climate change-related extracurricular activities differ from school to school and area to region, depending on instructor interest and the readiness of school administration and parents to embrace such themes. Some schools, however, major on ensuring incorporation of both curriculum and extra curriculum time in educating on the impact of human behavior and climate.

Schools are currently experimenting with new approaches to include sustainability information into education, in addition to developing and implementing dedicated sustainability education curriculum and textbooks. For example, in Beijing, one school teaches sustainability by incorporating the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations into the current school curriculum, particularly connecting each goal with relevant courses for each grade. The other institution takes a “whole school approach” to sustainability, incorporating it into students’ everyday routines on campus. The school, for example, offers a recycling area where students can learn and experience sorting recyclable paper products, various plastic products, hazardous wastes, and useable things for donation. All these efforts have been augmented by CCE organizations that are actively calling for climate change action in the country. They therefore develop new policies and guidelines to guide schools in adopting CCE education as well as help authenticate the new approaches to CCE education in the country.

Sustainability content typically gets lost when integrated into relevant disciplines in China, as it does in many other Asian countries and areas, and is easily overlooked by instructors if the information is not related to standardized tests. Even though the subject is assessed through tests, the methodology often concentrates on test preparation, with little emphasis paid to developing students’ knowledge, attitudes, and values, all of which are important factors in incorporating sustainability lifestyles and behaviors. Furthermore, the high pressure of teaching a standardized curriculum leaves teacher with little time or energy to experiment with new pedagogies or organize extracurricular activities. As a result, in the absence of broader educational reforms and changes in classroom instruction, ‘ongoing curriculum design will need to include more innovative delivery modalities.

Environmental Factors Contributing to growth of CCE organizations and efforts in China

Coordination of environmental factors and economic development has become a global concern, and China’s ecological destruction and pollution have been in the limelight. Applying climate change knowledge could be a possible mitigation to the detrimental proponents that affect China’s environment. Education and creating awareness towards achieving sustainable development have been part of China’s education syllabus for over two decades. Chinese Ministry of Education had established an environmental policy for primary and secondary education known as the “Guidelines for Implementing Environmental Education in Elementary and Secondary Schools (Wiedenbach, 2020). However, China has witnessed an increase in Climate Change Education programs due to the increased industrialization that has been deemed to influence the global climate adversely. The economic factors are linked to numerous environmental sustainability challenges due to its large population, and perhaps this might have shifted the Government’s attention to more CCE programs.

The environmental factors have influenced various CCE programs and efforts across China. A report by CNBC revealed that China’s greenhouse emission is responsible for 27% of total global emissions (Newburger, 2021). The intense environmental issues intrigued China’s desire to participate in CCE programs to enhance a more secure environment for her citizens. Increased greenhouse gas emission has increased China’s efforts to manage climate change. China launched a system known as tradable performance standards (TPS) in July 2021 to help reduce China’s carbon emission by half as of 2060 (Yang & Goulder, 2021). The environment-related literature offers insight into the relationship between the emission of greenhouse gases and how it affects the climate in a particular area. Beijing has implemented policies to help reduce emissions and stem continuous degradation by signing the Paris Agreement in 2015 to pledge carbon neutrality (Maizland, 2021). Practical efforts produce model accomplishments through closing down wasteful warm power plants with a rough limit age of 34.21 GWs from 2006 to 2008 (Khan & Chang, 2018). Examination of energy changes demonstrates the public anticipating green sustainable power assets, e.g., sunlight based, wind, sea, and warm energies. The Chinese Government’s endeavors contributed to administrative measures to beat natural difficulties. Indeed, China is driving the world in the wind power age, with the most outstanding introduced limit contrasted with any state and with continually developing, new wind offices.

Overpopulation has been an environmental factor affecting China’s climate and has been a concern to the federal state. Yao (2021) believes China’s demographic crisis is taking a new toll, and more resources are exhausted. Yao claims that China’s population will reach its peak in the near future, an implication that her vegetative cover will reduce with time. It is no doubt that overpopulation is a significant contributor to global warming. Overpopulation has increased the efforts to promote Climate Change Education in China. To positively influence climate change, the human population has to be controlled. A report by Sustainable Development Goals reveals that China’s National Development and Reform Commission in the country was formed to ensure Chinese citizens are well informed about the detrimental effects of overpopulation on their climate (UN, 2020). China upheld its one-child policy to reduce population pressure and land degradation.

China’s environmental health challenges have been a significant factor that has led to the growth of CCE organizations. China’s groundwater in more than 60% of large towns is contaminated, and her significant rivers are unsuitable for consumption (Khan & Chang, 2018). Insufficient waste disposal facilities and treatment has been the leading cause of health problems influenced by climate change. The water crisis in some parts of China has thwarted arable farmlands into a desert; this is accompanied by poor farming practices and overgrazing which affects the climate. In 2019, Beijing received its first-UN accredited climate educator; project-based climate education had been adopted to help in educating on matters about climate change (Gupta & Gu, 2019). Environmental health challenges as a factor affecting the environment have steered the desire for numerous CCE programs to educate on keeping our environment safe. The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) was moved up to the Service of Environmental Protection (MEP). It acquired gigantic significance as a virtual office of the State Council (Suharman & Karo, 2020). The MEP is answerable for laying out and carrying out homegrown approaches related to contamination and natural issues. It holds an order to assess and carry out natural strategy throughout China. At the same time, the NDRC takes care of the issues related to the advancement and decrease of ozone-depleting substances.

Economic Factors contributing to the growth of CCE organizations and Efforts in China

Climate Change Education relies on economic factors to ensure numerous programs to help carb extreme climatic conditions. According to Zhu et al. (2019), exhaust cloud contamination has turned into an undeniably genuine ecological issue that truly compromises its good financial turn of events. China is one of the globe’s most prominent manufacturing economies; this implies that more effluents are released into the atmosphere (Zhang, 2017). As per the Annual Report on the State of the Environment in China, intense contamination issues and biological annihilation continued until 1996. (Kovaleva et al., 2021) In 1997, enhancements were noted in certain areas. From 1999 forward, the pattern toward escalating natural contamination has been put under broad control interestingly, yet environmental annihilation has stayed a significant issue to date. Manufacturing activities increase the propensity to set up more CCE programs to help monitor unethical economic activities that pose many environmental risks.

The attempt to forge a balance between public and industrial effluents and sustainable economic development has shifted the focus on establishing more CCE programs. A zero-tolerance policy should be adopted to address natural issues and difficulties. In such a manner, public endeavors are made to explain the matter; by taking reasonable steps, serviceable and result-situated procedures to accumulate and carry out the general environmental approaches are accomplished (Khan & Chang, 2018). The Chinese Government has been underway to solve the climate issues related to climate change. It has emphasized environmental protection approaches to reduce emissions into the atmosphere.

China’s desire to overtake the global market might be an economic factor that influences more CCE programs. China’s GDP has expanded by 6.3 times. This accomplishment, notwithstanding, has brought about issues of net energy imports, natural contamination and biological obliteration at home, cross-line contamination, and mounting carbon dioxide (CO2) discharges. Taking a gander at the future, the Chinese Government set up an objective of quadrupling the size of its GDP in 2000 by 2020. Notwithstanding, it is conceivable that this target might decline the issues of energy security, homegrown and territorial climate, and an unnatural weather change, which is providing a reason for concern. This study intends to explain the current state of energy-related and ecological issues hiding behind China’s high development and afterward evaluate what self-improvement homegrown endeavors and worldwide participation will be essential to limit the effects of these issues. This aspect encourages the formation of numerous CCE programs and intensifies the government efforts to uphold economic well-being and the climate of the region.

To ensure more reliable CCE organizations, the financial aspect of environmental performance has to be recognized. Improvement of the financial sector has acquired an eminent significance because of its financial and mechanical developments. Monetary advancement is capable of channelizing the reserve funds of the economy and dealing the financial specialists to keep resources in fluid structures and empower ventures (Wang et al., 2020). The progressions in monetary and innovative areas are coming about with acute effects on ecological execution and influencing climate change. The financial sector offers various assistance by increasing the expansion of industries, albeit causing increased pollution. The formation of CCE programs ensures that they are channeled to educative environmental programs when such financial services are issued.

Ideally, an individual’s willingness to pay for environmental protection has a causal effect on how the CCE programs are managed and how various efforts are implemented to realize a positive climatic change. Economic classes influence types of CCE programs and what should be done to uphold the existing ethics. Since everyone values the quality of the environment, the level of sacrifice towards protecting by contributing a specified amount of money might be a challenge since those with low wages would prefer to satisfy their basic needs. As the financial plan limitation is relaxed, the worth of an extra unit of utilization falls, and the compromise among utilization and environmental quality turns out to be less limited, expanding interest for the last option (Jayachandran, 2021). Besides, in more financially evolved locales like China, individuals are more mindful of the well-being and usefulness expenses of environmental well-being and its influence of climate change, which offers another explanation they could uphold climatic protection.

Historic Factors Leading to growth of CCE organizations and efforts in China

Dalian bay turns black

According to Zhou (2008), this is one of the top-notch disasters brought about by climate change in China which led to contamination of a massive chunk of the land. Previous investigations on the area revealed a shocking revelation that the incident occurred due to the continued release of untreated industrial waste in the area. The loss was enormous since it recorded the damage of approximately 5000 kilograms of sea cucumber and that of shellfish was 100,000 kilograms (Zhao et al., 2014). The year 1972 witnessed an accident that occurred in Dalian Bay where the rising tide brought with it black water and a lot of dead fish (Zhong, 2020). Following this event and the advice of Enlai Zhou, China sent a member to the Stockholm conference where it was noted that environmental degradation does not go down only as a technological problem but also a social and economic problem (Zhong, 2020).

The second event that occurred in the same year took place in Beijing where the fish was poisoned by metals in form of industrial discharge in the surrounding. More alarming was the fact that the individuals who consumed the fish risked their health since they later exhibited signs of poisoning from the fish. Prior to its pollution in 1997, the Guanting Reservoir posed as a major source of water for Beijing. The symptoms displayed by the residents included vomiting, stomach upsets, nausea, and headaches (Ruff, 1989). Current studies have suggested that fish poisoning in its severe case can be detrimental to the point it leads to pain in the muscles and can cause heart attack to the victim (Soni & Verma, 2018). The remedy to fish poisoning is attained through various ways of relieving the severity of the symptoms since the antidote for the same has not yet been achieved by the medical practitioners in line with the response to fish poisoning. Following the investigation was the setting up of a team to deal with the evident pollution in the reservoir. This was the pioneering team of its kind in China to be set up to deal with the adverse effect of pollution. Zhou, who later succumbed to blood cancer in the year of 1976 is seen as a revolutionary leader since under his premier leadership he foresaw the first project aimed towards treating pollution

National conference on Environmental Protection 1973

 After the two historic incidents occurred in China, the Peoples Republic of China which was the main party started to push for efforts to protect China’s environment from the booming industrial activities in China at that time. coupled with the attendance of the Chinese delegate to the conference that took place in Stockholm was the first-ever domestic conference to be held which was the National Conference on Environmental Protection 1973. It was organized by the nation’s planning committee as per the instructions by the state council.

During this conference, several regulations were set up that were to enable the protection of the environment and the improvement of the same going forward. Even though these regulations were only meant to be trials, they soon became permanent upon continuous practice. During the same conference, the youth were also urged to conduct research and to lead the role of educating the other members of the public on the need to protect the environment. The youth were chosen due to their pivotal role in the society which bestowed them as the heir to the leadership of the next generation. In addition, the regulations came with a unique stipulation that necessitated the tertiary learning institutions to award certificates, majors, and honors to courses on environmental education. According to Tian and Li (2016), this move acted as one of the first steps towards achieving environmental education in China which was inclusive of climate change education in the country. Thereafter, some universities around China including Beijing engineering University commenced an offering of environmental courses (Mc Beath et l., 2014). This was a faster rate compared to that witnessed in primary and secondary institutions in the country which was pioneered five years later.

In 1979, China then passed its pioneering environmental law which offered more emphasis on the tertiary institutions to teach environmental courses for the country to end up with specialists who would, in turn, teach the common members of the public who could not make it to the tertiary institutions to learn about climate change themselves (Qu, 1993). In addition, the law emphasized on the content to be taught concerning the environment and climate inclusive where it mandated that the primary and secondary students could be subjected to a certain concentration of content in order not to bombard them but to ensure effective learning. According to Zhu and Dillon (2001), the second national conference on environmental protection was crucial just like the first one since it was during this event that the reigning vice-premier of the country announce that environmental protection would be enacted as a long-term policy of the state. In accordance with the policy, environmental protection studies were included in the biology syllabus at the national level which meant that all syllabi being produced by different publishers were mandated to include the subject matter in their books failure of which would be viewed as defiance to the state policy.

In 2005 when the United Nations embraced the idea that China should enter into a decade of sustainable development because of its huge contributions in terms of industrial emissions, the same body had acknowledged that the first conference held in the country opened gates for a movement and policy that has the potential to steadily restore the country to its environmentally friendly days (McBeath et al.,2014). Climate change is a problem that has firm roots in China and it displays itself through various ways such as flooding of certain areas which lead to the displacement of people. on the same note, climate change education has taken huge strides in the country and is viewed as a remedy to the effect of climate change.

Challenges Facing CCE organizations in China

Limited financial resources 

According to Monroe et al. (2017), climate change education is vital as it coaxes the local population to contribute towards mitigation and adaption of practices that provide a positive impact on climate change. A majority of the climate change education organizations in China are non-Governmental organizations including Shangri -Ia Institute for sustainable communities, the China- UK low carbon college, and the China Association for NGO Cooperation – creative. A huge proportion of these organizations face the problem of acquiring funds since they rely massively on donors and getting donors with the appropriate conditions for funding is an uphill task (Alonso, 2017). Pruneau, khattabi, and Demers (2010) argue that lack of financial resources as a structural challenge makes it near impossible if not impossible to put into practice and implement educational activities regarding climate change education. Furthermore, the climate change education by organizations can begin with efforts such as mobilizing the community through events, these events require funding. Recently, China has marked two decades since it began the incorporation of climate change education into its curriculum. However, required to drive this program is the training of staff and funding of research projects in the universities (Filho et al., 2021). According to (, 2021), nations all over the world are concerned with health and climate, however, they lack proper funding which has been fueled further by the post effects of the COVID 19 pandemic. Without proper funding systems and support from the government and voluntary donors, the efforts towards climate change education are rendered inefficient.  

Failures of environmental policies.

The Chinese political system is aligned in such a way that it prioritizes economic growth over environmental a case which has resulted in a thriving economy but a continued degradation of the environment (Xu & Faure, 2016). In addition, Xu and Faure (2016), continue to argue that whereas there have been environmental policies targeted towards soothing the impacts and causes of climate change, lack of inclusion of the public during the formulation of these policies has been the downfall of the policies. Therefore, teaching these policies in institutions has not been effective due to the dynamism of the policies. The organizations have also found it hard to adapt and align their activities with environmental policies because they change rapidly. According to (Smith, 2015), China produced more stringent policies against environmental degradation. This action provides evidence for the continuous improvements in the environmental policies in the country. 

The complexity of climate change 

From a general understanding, the climate of the earth is complex since it comprises the atmosphere, the water bodies such as the oceans, the land surface, and the flow of energy. The changes in the climatic conditions are a result of the different compositions of the gases in the atmosphere. In its description alone, the atmosphere consists of four zones, therefore understanding climate change is an intricate process. Although climate change is one of the crucial issues of the twenty-first century, understanding the factors that lead to it is complex given that more effort knowledge on this field tends to complicate matters more (Swift, 2015). According to (Bangay, 2010), numerous education materials on climate change tend to focus on how the knowledge is transferred rather than the complexity of the issue and how it can be integrate

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Climate Change Facilitates and Exacerbates Animosity Among Communities Living in the Sub-Saharan African Region

Introduction

Sub-Saharan Africa comprises more than two-thirds of the African nations. Besides, Sub-Saharan Africa accommodates people from varying socio-cultural, political, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. Unfortunately, more than 40 percent of the countries in the region have encountered instances of civil war. As such, Sub-Saharan Africa could be treated as a war-torn region. Subsequently, several people have lost their lives while others have been displaced from their original places of residence. In 2015, more than 8,300 people died within two months in Sub-Saharan Africa following the insurgency of a militant group called Boko Haram (Villiers). The deaths occurred in five countries, including Niger, Somalia, Sudan, Cameroon, and Nigeria. Besides, an Al-Qaeda liked group called Al-Shabaab has been terrorizing different countries in East Africa. Al-Shabaab appears to be waging religious wars as it strives to establish Islamic states in the region, especially in Somalia (Chiluwa 218). Precisely, various factors that entail religious and political affiliations and socioeconomic aspects trigger civil wars and conflicts in the region. For instance, socio-economically disadvantaged, unemployed, and uneducated persons constitute the majority of the Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab militants (Villiers). Moreover, Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing adverse impacts of climate change that entail prolonged droughts, severe floods, and a rise in atmospheric temperatures. Subsequently, varied diseases, shortage of food, and destruction of crops and animals are common occurrences in the region.

Statement of the Problem. A significant decline in the intensity and frequency of organized political wars in the region has been witnessed between the 2000s and 1990s (Straus 180). However, conflicts over basic resources that entail water and land, as well as electoral violence, tend to rise and become persistent over time.

Statement of Purpose. This study serves to accomplish two purposes:

Determine climatic factors that trigger conflicts and violence in Sub-Saharan Africa

Establish social changes that happen due to climate change

Hypothesis

Null hypothesis: Climate change does not exacerbate or facilitate conflicts and civil wars in Sub-Saharan Africa

Alternative hypothesis: Climate change exacerbates and facilitates the growth of conflicts and civil wars in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Research Questions

How does climate change impact on the availability of arable land and clean water in Sub-Saharan Africa?

How do communities living in Sub-Saharan Africa respond to the adverse impacts of climate change?

How do communities living in Sub-Saharan Africa protect their valued natural resources, especially water and land?

Significance of the Study. This research study would unravel vital information regarding the link between climate change and hatred among communities living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, findings from the study would elaborate on how climate change facilitates conflicts among such populations. As such, interested parties would utilize the information to develop appropriate strategies for preventing or addressing the undesired effects of climate change on the social wellbeing of the residents.

Limitations. This study would rely only on critical analyses of secondary sources of information. Accordingly, the levels of accuracy and originality of such secondary sources would dictate the quality of this report. Besides, personal judgment and inferences would primarily inform this study and shape the final outputs, conclusions, and recommendations.  

Assumptions. It is assumed that available information would adequately represent each nation within Sub-Saharan Africa. Besides, it is assumed that communities from every part of Sub-Saharan Africa would exhibit similar responses to the impacts of climate change.

Literature Review

The review of the existing literature would provide a strong foundation and guideline for this study. Accordingly, relevant resources would comprise those that focus on conflicts and wars in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although varied factors could encourage disputes and civil wars in different parts of the globe, the adverse impacts of climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa could be linked to the relatively rampant and possibly increasing cases.

Sub-Saharan Africa has been experiencing rampant cases of civil wars and conflicts due to particular reasons that include economic dependence on natural resources, failed political institutions, and high levels of poverty (Elbadawi and Sambanis 253-54). According to Elbadawi and Sambanis, the relatively widespread assumption that religious and ethnic diversity trigger wars in the continent could be misleading (254). Some political institutions cannot adequately control and encourage appropriate politics. Instead, some of the institutions could allow the growth and use of militants by rogue politicians. Besides, high-levels of poverty in the region could trigger conflicts and civil wars in specific ways. For instance, desperate individuals could join militant groups and accept to be abused by rich politicians. Also, reliance on natural resources as the primary source of income and economic growth attracts unhealthy competitions that end in conflicts and civil wars. Most of the inhabitants of the region exploit natural resources such as forests, rivers, and lakes as their primary sources of income. Therefore, various factors other than religious and ethnic diversities facilitate violent conflicts and civil wars in Sub-Saharan Africa.     

Moreover, diversity in communities living the Sub-Saharan countries trigger civil wars. Specifically, religious, cultural, ethnic, and political factors serve as the main forces behind the relatively many civil wars in Africa. Some categories of people try to express their superiority through fierce competitions and wars (Fearon, and Laitin 4). Unfortunately, the significant variances among the communities in the region could drive them to view and perceive each other as an enemy. For example, Islamic communities and Christians could treat each other as enemies due to their theological differences and beliefs. Likewise, persons from one community could treat each other as brothers and sisters while taking those from other communities as enemies. Hence, diversity has been a key contributor to the rampant civil wars and conflicts in the region.

Further, religious extremists serve as one of the major forces behind the rampant conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa (Basedau 3). Different religious factions have been linked to conflicts and wars in different parts of the region. Varied groups of people uphold strong stances in specific religious identities and theological understandings. Unfortunately, such variances could end up in conflicts that may attract fierce wars as each religious group strives to attract more followers and gain dominance. For example, Islamic groups have been fighting with Christians. Every religious group believes that its actions are righteous and acceptable.

Additionally, European imperialism and colonialism that led to the establishment of artificial borders in Sub-Saharan Africa contribute to the constant chaos, conflicts, and wars in the region (Okumu 280). Initially, residents of the region used to travel and settle with little or no restrictions. As such, each group of people would determine their most preferred areas for settlement. For example, farmers would look for places with climatic and soil conditions that are suitable for farming. Unluckily, the colonialist introduced undesired restrictions that rendered different sections in the region appear as individual belongings. Subsequently, every nation and community strives to protect the new borders. Unluckily, conflicts, chaos, and civil wars would occur when those treated as outsiders attempt to enter other communities’ territories. Therefore, people in the region could still be sharing the natural resources if not for the European-imposed boundaries.

From the above analytical literature, a key question emerges: How is climate change linked to the conflicts and civil wars in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Research Method

This study would rely on a qualitative research method to facilitate the generation of more details through the use of personal inferences and understandings from available information (Rahman 104). Accordingly, this study relies primarily on secondary sources of data. Following the nature of this study, reliance on secondary sources of data serves as the most suitable approach to ensure timely completion and delivery of a quality report. Thus, purposive sampling would be employed to determine the most appropriate and highly-relevant resources of data using specific search terms that entail climate change, Sub-Saharan Africa, civil wars, and conflicts. Besides, critical analysis and evaluation of existing literature would be done in an attempt to elaborate on how climate change facilitates and exacerbates conflicts and civil wars among communities living in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Findings and Discussions

As climate change unfolds, highly-valuable natural resources that entail arable land and clean water become scarce. Specifically, Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing climate change that has attracted undesired outcomes that entail extreme weather conditions (prolonged droughts, floods, and a rise in temperatures). Accordingly, the different communities residing in the region endeavor to sustain their lives, their crops, and livestock by protecting the available resources (Tadesse, and Dereje 43). People with access to clean water and arable land would like to preserve and protect such resources from invasion by other communities. Unfortunately, the communities that do not have access to the limited resources would fight for them. Thus, civil wars prevail as communities compete for ownership and access to the available resources.

Climate change exacerbates poverty among communities living in Sub-Saharan Africa. The unpredictable and extreme weather conditions have rendered agriculture unfruitful. For instance, extended droughts would result in the destruction of crops and the death of livestock (Ahmed et al. 144). As a result, affected communities could opt to invade and rob their neighbors because they do not have other resources, especially finances, for purchasing basic needs such as food. Unluckily, such acts could attract more conflicts that may facilitate fierce wars. Communities whose crops and livestock succumb to extreme weather conditions would be left in dire poverty that demands immediate reactions for survival. As such, the affected communities would do virtually anything and everything to secure basic needs. Unfortunately, their unwanted acts of stealing from their neighbors could lead to retaliatory attacks. Eventually, the involved groups would treat each other as an enemy, a perception that could be transferred from one generation to the next.

Adverse consequences of climate change could prompt authorities to provide relief foods and other basic services to affected communities. Unfortunately, a rampant is the issue of corruption in the region could facilitate inefficiencies and unfair distribution of the services and products (Murshed and Saadat 188). Specifically, leaders could provide and care for their ethnic groups, relatives, and family members. Besides, corruption would trigger the provision of excess products and services to particular groups of people. Subsequently, the neediest and vulnerable individuals may not receive the vital services, while those who do not deserve assistance benefit from the donations. As a result, each group of people would be competing and fighting for government-sponsored products and services. Since the competition is not healthy, conflicts and wars could ensue. Weaker communities would treat the dominant and superior ones as their enemies.     

Moreover, climate change would facilitate the migration of people within and out of Sub-Saharan Africa (Serdeczny et al. 10). Precisely, the adverse weather conditions that include a rise in temperatures, prolonged droughts, and floods would displace people from their initial areas of residence. For instance, people would be moving out of flooded regions and those experiencing high cases of malaria due to heavy infestation by mosquitoes. As affected persons move from one point to the other, they meet with other people. Besides, the migrants would struggle to secure better and safer places of residence. Similarly, rural-urban migration would intensify as people try to find alternative sources of income and livelihood. As a result, urban centers would be congested by persons from varied cultural backgrounds. Unfortunately, such practices could facilitate the growth of conflicts, especially where the migrants make a forceful entrance into specific parts of the region. That is, the initial residents could find migrants as unwelcome intruders. Persons from varied religious, ethnic, political, and cultural backgrounds would converge. As a result, chaos and wars could ensue due to their diversities.

Similarly, more instances of conflicts and animosity would prevail in densely populated parts of Sub-Saharan Africa following the fight for basic social amenities including, schools, churches, and hospitals (Baumann and Kuemmerle 680). Since the adverse impacts of climate change would affect several people, social facilities would be congested while vital services and products like drugs may become more scarce. For instance, hospitals would be receiving numerous patients due to the rising cases of malaria and other infectious diseases, malnutrition, injuries from floods, and other related ailments. As a result, people would be struggling to gain access to the necessary facilities and benefit from their services. Unfortunately, the corrupt could take advantage of the situation to serve particular individuals while leaving the rest to fight for their lives. Besides, residents would be fighting for the establishment of additional facilities at nearby locations. Also, some patients could perceive that healthcare providers are unwilling to assist and treat them. Collectively, more conflicts and animosity would develop as each person and community struggle to acquire limited services and social facilities.

Additionally, authorities attract further animosity as they respond to the impacts of climate change. For example, some countries, including Kenya, have been forcefully evicting forest encroachers in an attempt to restore forest cover (Cavanagh et al. 309). Unfortunately, most of the authorities do not have suitable strategies for resetting the evictees. Instead, the involved governments could use excessive forces to evict the encroachers and leave them without basic needs, including shelter, food, and clothing. As a result, most of them end up being landless and more impoverished. Subsequently, the evicted communities would perceive that their governments and proponents of the evictions do not value and dislike them. Thus, the evictees could attack their neighbors or hate them in retaliation. Therefore, if not for climate change, people could be staying in peace and harmony at virtually every corner of the Sub-Sahara region.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Climate change would attract adverse social impacts on Sub-Saharan Africa by exacerbating animosity among the affected communities. Even so, the adverse effects of climate would indirectly facilitate the growth of hostility through various ways that include a decline of natural resources such as clean water and arable land as well as a further scarcity of social amenities and relevant services and products. Factors that include a rise in the number of infectious diseases like malaria, an increase in casualties, and victims of natural calamities such as floods and migrations would lead to congestions and stiff competitions. As a result, communities living in Sub-Saharan Africa could encounter more conflicts and hatred as they struggle to access and acquire the limited resources and services. Similarly, governments’ efforts to respond to adverse impacts of climate change would trigger hatred and conflicts among the affected communities. Also, unfairness and acts of corruption during the distribution of state-sponsored products and services would exacerbate animosity and disputes in the region. Accordingly, interested parties and governments falling within Sub-Saharan Africa should establish suitable strategies for preventing and addressing conflicts that may emerge. Specifically, the engage parties should endeavor to fight corruption to ensure fairness with regards to the distribution of government-sponsored services and products. Moreover, communities living in Sub-Saharan Africa should strive to understand and appreciate their diversities to facilitate better social-wellbeing and togetherness. Every person in the region should exhibit high levels of humanity to ensure that they assist each other during instances of natural disasters and calamities.

 Suggestion for Further Research Studies

Findings from this study assert that climate change act as one of the leading causes of conflicts and civil wars in Sub-Saharan Africa. Accordingly, further research studies should be conducted to determine the extent and frequency at which each impact of climate change influence animosity in the region. Besides, more studies should be conducted to find out if every part of Sub-Saharan Africa experiences similar social impacts from climate change.

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