Kent Paul Dolan <xanth...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> 140,000,000 pop. headed toward 100,000,000.
> Why? They have a below replacement repro
> rate. They're boozing themselves to death.
> Their corrupt health care system shortens life.
> Pollution that's rampant & intense doesn't help.
>
> http://clausvistesen.squarespace.com/alphasources-blog/2006/9/8/russi...
> or
http://preview.tinyurl.com/26q57q
www.cia.gov
Environment - current issues:
China:
air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide
particulates) from reliance on coal produces
acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the
north; water pollution from untreated wastes;
deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of
agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion &
economic development; desertification; trade
in endangered species
India:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing;
desertification; air pollution from industrial
effluents & vehicle emissions; water pollution
from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural
pesticides; tap water isn't potable throughout
the country; huge and growing population is
overstraining natural resources
United States:
air pollution resulting in acid rain in both
the US & Canada; the US is the largest single
emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning
of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of
pesticides & fertilizers; limited natural fresh
water resources in much of the western part
of the country require careful management;
desertification
Indonesia:
deforestation; water pollution from industrial
wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas;
smoke and haze from forest fires
Brazil:
deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the
habitat and endangers a multitude of plant
and animal species indigenous to the area;
there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade;
air & water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao
Paulo, and several other large cities; land
degradation and water pollution caused by
improper mining activities; wetland
degradation; severe oil spills
Pakistan:
water pollution from raw sewage, industrial
wastes, & agricultural runoff; limited natural
fresh water resources; most of the population
does not have access to potable water;
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification
Bangladesh:
many people are landless and forced to live
on & cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne
diseases prevalent in surface water; water
pollution, especially of fi****ng areas, results
from the use of commercial pesticides; ground
water contaminated by naturally occurring
arsenic; intermittent water shortages because
of falling water tables in the northern and
central parts of the country; soil degradation
& erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
Nigeria:
soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban
air & water pollution; desertification; oil
pollution - water, air, & soil; has suffered
serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable
land; rapid urbanization
Russia:
air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of
coal-fired electric plants, & trans****tation in
big cities; industrial, municipal, & agricultural
pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts;
deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination
from improper application of agricultural chem-
icals; scattered areas of sometimes intense
radioactive contamination; groundwater
contamination from toxic waste; urban solid
waste management; abandoned stocks of
obsolete pesticides
Japan:
air pollution from power plant emissions results
in acid rain; acidification of lakes & reservoirs
degrading water quality & threatening aquatic
life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
fish and tropical timber, contributing to the
depletion of these resources in Asia & elsewhere
Mexico:
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities;
rural to urban migration; natural fresh water
resources scarce & polluted in north, inaccessible
and poor quality in center and extreme southeast;
raw sewage & industrial effluents polluting rivers
in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion;
desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands;
serious air and water pollution in the national
capital & urban centers along US-Mexico border;
land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by
groundwater depletion. note: the government
considers the lack of clean water and
deforestation national security issues
Philippines:
uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed
areas; soil erosion; air & water pollution in major
urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing
pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are
im****tant fish breeding grounds
Vietnam:
logging & slash-and-burn agricultural practices
contribute to deforestation and soil degradation;
water pollution and overfi****ng threaten marine
life populations; groundwater contamination
limits potable water supply; growing urban
industrialization and population migration are
rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and
Ho Chi Minh City
Germany:
emissions from coal-burning utilities & industries
contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting
from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging
forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw
sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in
eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal;
government established a mechanism for
ending the use of nuclear power over the next
15 years; government working to meet EU
commitment to identify nature preservation
areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and
Habitat directive
Ethiopia:
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification; water shortages in some
areas from water-intensive farming and poor
management
Egypt:
agricultural land being lost to urbanization
and windblown sands; increasing soil salin-
ation below Aswan High Dam; desertification;
oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches,
& marine habitats; other water pollution from
agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and
industrial effluents; limited natural fresh water
resources away from the Nile, which is the
only perennial water source; rapid growth in
population overstraining the Nile and natural
resources
Turkey:
water pollution from dumping of chemicals
and detergents; air pollution, particularly in
urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil
spills from increasing Bos****us ****p traffic
Iran:
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from
vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and
industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing;
desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf;
wetland losses from drought; soil degradation
(salination); inadequate supplies of potable
water; water pollution from raw sewage and
industrial waste; urbanization
France:
some forest damage from acid rain; air
pollution from industrial & vehicle emissions;
water pollution from urban wastes,
agricultural runoff
Thailand:
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water
pollution from organic and factory wastes;
deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife popula-
tions threatened by illegal hunting
Dem. Rep. of Congo:
poaching threatens wildlife populations;
water pollution; deforestation; refugees
responsible for significant deforestation,
soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining
of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in
creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold)
causing environmental damage
United Kingdom:
continues to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol target
of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and
intends to meet the legally binding target
and move toward a domestic goal of a 20%
cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the gov't
reduced the amt. of industrial & commercial
waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of
1998 levels and recycled or composted at
least 25% of household waste, increasing to
33% by 2015
Italy:
air pollution from industrial emissions such
as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers
polluted from industrial & agricultural effluents;
acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate indus-
trial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Myanmar:
deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil,
and water; inadequate sanitation and water
treatment contribute to disease
South Korea:
air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water
pollution from the discharge of sewage and
industrial effluents; drift net fi****ng
South Africa:
lack of im****tant arterial rivers or lakes
requires extensive water conservation and
control measures; growth in water usage
outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from
agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air
pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion;
desertification
Ukraine:
inadequate supplies of potable water; air
and water pollution; deforestation; radiation
contamination in the northeast from 1986
accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant
Spain:
pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw
sewage & effluents from the offshore production
of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nation-
wide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
Colombia:
deforestation; soil and water quality damage
from overuse of pesticides; air pollution,
especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions
Argentina:
environmental problems (urban and rural)
typical of an industrializing economy such as
deforestation, soil degradation, desertification,
air pollution, and water pollution.
note: Argentina is a world leader in setting
voluntary greenhouse gas targets
Tanzania:
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification;
destruction of coral reefs threatens marine
habitats; recent droughts affected marginal
agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal
hunting and trade, especially for ivory
Sudan:
inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife
populations threatened by excessive hunting;
soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought
Poland:
situation has improved since 1989 due to
decline in heavy industry & increased environ-
mental concern by post-Communist gov'ts; air
pollution nonetheless remains serious because
of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired
power plants, and the resulting acid rain has
caused forest damage; water pollution from
industrial & municipal sources is also a problem,
as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution
levels should continue to decrease as industrial
establishments bring their facilities up to EU
code, but at substantial cost to business and
the government
Kenya:
water pollution from urban & industrial wastes;
degradation of water quality from increased
use of pesticides & fertilizers; water hyacinth
infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil
erosion; desertification; poaching
Algeria:
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor
farming practices; desertification; dumping of
raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and
other industrial effluents is leading to the
pollution of rivers and coastal waters;
Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming
polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and
fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of
potable water
Canada:
air pollution and resulting acid rain severely
affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal
smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle
emissions impacting on agricultural & forest
productivity; ocean waters becoming contam-
inated due to agricultural, industrial, mining,
and forestry activities
..
..
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