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Environmental Issues
Countries: China OV Iraq OV Brazil OV South Africa OV

Generally speaking the human experience is somewhat similar around the world; however there are certain differences that separate countries. Environmental issues are a separating factor for countries around the world, including air pollution, deforestation, and water shortages. These issues may be happening in more than one country or region, although each is specifically unique to the country and the people it affects.

China’s air pollution has worsened over the years. There are great amounts of smog that fill the air from coal power plants. Coal power plants are responsible for providing China with most of its energy and are also the main cause of air pollution. Making clean air is less important to the people of China than making electricity. Due to economic growth China’s air pollution has gotten worse over the past years. Out of the 560 million city dwellers in China about only one percent of them breathe clean air. With China being one of the fastest growing economies, air pollution in China is expected to rise over the next years and peak in 2030.

Since 2005 Iraq has been experiencing a severe water shortage, leaving two million people without electricity and drinking water. According to Medical News Today the water crisis has natural causes and man made causes. Agricultural and industries are struggling to keeps their heads above water because of the water shortage. Many new reservoirs have been built in Iran, Syria, and Turkey, which all share the Euphrates River, and are taking more and more water from the river. Iraq uses karez, underground aqueducts, which are designed for dry and arid climates and are supposed to be productive even during dry spells. Karez systems are declining and forcing entire groups to find new water sources.

Brazil suffers from deforestation and land clearing since the 1600’s. Farmers used the slash and burn method for their crops. The crops are harvested and then the land is burnt and usually spreads to forestlands. This method also causes the soil and land to lose its desired fertility within two years. In April 1,123km of rainforest land was cleared. Carlos Minc, Brazil’s environmental minister, is looking for solutions and setting laws to help improve deforestation. Laws such as, seizing of cattle in unregulated land, and industries reporting on activity that might be damaging the rainforests are being set into place. It is projected that the worst is yet to come with Brazil and deforestation levels.

Albert Dykema, a farmer in South Africa, looks at his crops and talks like he might have to abandon his farm. Dykema and many other citizens rely on water for irrigation systems and general living, however South Africa is currently in a water crisis. South Africa is rich in many resources except the one that is needed most. The demand for water in Africa is so high it might exceed the amount available by 2013 if nothing is done to improve the problem. South Africa also experiences pollution in the available water sources such as rivers, and lakes. According to South Africa’s water affairs and forestry minister solutions are being talked about and some put into action such as building dams.

Coming to the conclusion that the human experience is relatively the same around the world has some truth to it. Each country has its own unique accomplishments and issues. For example the air quality in the United States is of greater quality that the air in China because China uses coal factories to make electricity. Another example is Brazil’s deforestation and South Africa’s water shortage. Each is a different problem; however both affect citizens who reside in that country. The issues happening in a country determine the lives of the citizens living there. No matter what problem a country has it directly affects the citizens in some way, which causes a gray area in the validity of the human experience being the same throughout the world.