Neo-Liberalism and Global Environmental Governance Essay

Neo-Liberalism and Global Environmental Governance - Essay Example Human activities whether political, economic, or social have to be managed as subsets of ecosystems and the environment. Environmental governance involves the government, business society, and the civil society and necessitates the incorporation of alternative governing systems such as the watershed based management (Kutting, 2004). The global community has proven incapable of meeting these requirements, which has led to environmental degradation and the emergence of new environmental problems. The international community is experiencing several problems due to globalization. Globalization has led to the improvement of the logistic systems, changes in business and demographic trends and rapid technological progress. This process, however, has led to social and environmental marginalization, widening the gap between the rich and the poor, and increasing the gap between information and technology in the rich and poor countries and social groups. Sustainable development calls for the go vernance of globalization by applying international laws, civil sector domain, and the private sector. The global community has participated in several summits for sustainable development in order to address these issues. ... Resource depletion and environmental degradation could undermine the economy and have to be addressed by all sector actors. Neoliberal institutions argue that international institutions have considerable power to mobilize policymaking towards sustainable environmental governance. Some actors argue that a body high up in the UN hierarchy has to be established in to deal with global environmental and developmental problems. This body would have a mandate and funds to coordinate and centralize environmental and developmental problems within the UN. Economic governance was developed by the UN to promote economic prosperity. The World Bank was established to lend capital to governments for development and poverty alleviation. The GATT agreement promoted global prosperity through the establishment of free markets. The World Bank together with donor governments promoted the idea of liberal market themes, which would also govern resource allocation. UNEP has enacted several laws in the areas of marine pollution, disposal of hazardous wastes, and depletion of the ozone layer. This body linked development and environmental depletion, which forced developed nations to reduce its budgetary allocation. The developed framework has established several institutions in various countries that deal with environmental issues. Developed nations have in the past used environmental laws to limit innovation, intellectual property protection, and macroeconomic management in developing countries. Several developing countries have acquired development loans from the World Bank and other developed nations. These loans have increased the national debt of these countries, making poverty levels unmanageable. These governments spend most

What Is Information? :: Science Research Essays

What Is Information? ABSTRACT: There is a striking paradox in contemporary brain and cognitive science. Their purported fundamental category of information either is not defined or is used in a Shannonesque sense, which is unable to account for the processes of regulation and control when content, not the quantity of information, is concerned. I try to provide a more adequate formula which is applicable to a wide range of systems commonly counted as informational systems. Representative examples would include a single biological cell, animals, persons, and computers. In fact, I consider information-defined here as any detectable difference of physical states-to be the determining principle of all animate systems, one in which determines both their achitecture and their operation. I claim that the concept of information is a realist category and that information itself is, in ontological terms, an irreal entity unable to act on its own. Three hierarchically ordered forms of information are distinguished a nd a number of applications of the proposed definition are discussed. In the books and papers on brain science, cognitive science, etc., one of the most frequently used terms is information. We are told that brains and their various subunits — down to the level of a single neuron — process information, store it, retrieve it, transmit it, etc. They do, indeed. The point, however, is that we are not told what information is. Perhaps information is meant to be understood in the sense first given by C. Shannon? If so, it would be a huge misunderstanding for at least two reasons. First, his approach is entirely content-neutral. It concerns only technical/economical, quantitative problems of data transmission and communication. Brain activity, on the other hand, is concerned with regulation and control, where the content of information matters a lot. Furthermore, since according to Shannon's approach information is what reduces uncertainty, the whole idea presupposes such things as knowledge of a priori probabilities — a requirement which can hardly be attributed to, say, frogs and butterflies. It can serve well the purposes of mathematicians and engineers dealing with well-specified communication problems, but it is useless with regard to the systems which must cope with varieties of environmental stimuli. I suppose that what is taken for granted here is a commonsense, mentalistic connotation: information is thought to be a piece of knowledge. If this is the assumption being made, we must either flatly reject it because of its strong anthropocentric bias, or we must treat it figuratively, as a conventional term of art with no objective counterpart in reality.

Offshore Internet Gambling and the World Trade Organization Essay

Case Study Analysis of the Offshore Internet Gambling and the Wto Case Study Analysis: Offshore Internet Gambling and the World Trade Organization Running Head: Case Study Analysis of the Offshore Internet Gambling and the WTO Case Study Analysis: Offshore Internet Gambling and the World Trade Organization Ayman Naguib Abstract This case study analysis discusses the central issue of the case presented in the article, as well as the most relevant facts and assumptions with respect to the case under investigation. Furthermore, patterns that arise from reflection on these facts and assumptions with relation to external environment perspectives are described. The analysis also examines the consequences of not addressing the central issue of the case, and provides suggested actions in order to resolve it in the short and long term. Introduction The World Trade Organization (WTO) has been established as the world’s single international organization dealing with the rules and regulations governing trade between nations. In principal, the WTO is concerned with helping producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business within a competitive, non-discriminatory, open and transparent global trade framework. However, in reality, achieving these objectives is far from being e asy. The complexity of the WTO agreements signed by the majority of the world’s trading nations and collisions with national legislative frameworks, economic policies of the individual member states and political issues are the main hurdles in the way of achieving the objectives of the WTO. Consequently, several disputes have surfaced during the past decade. One of the most remarkable cases involved the Offshore Internet Gambling activities that take place in Antigua, a Caribbean island state. The importance of this case can be attributed to the fact that it was the first attempt by the WTO to examine cross-border electronic services as has been shown by Pontell, H., Geis, G., and Brown, G. (2007). The roots of the dispute between the USA and Antigua are undoubtedly related to the criminal prosecution of Jay Cohen, an American citizen that cofounded and ran an online gambling business licensed in Antigua. The basis of the prosecution was an alleged violation of the US Wire Act (U.S. Code, Title 18  §1604) (United States v. Cohen, 2001). The aforementioned statue was enacted in 1961, decades before the internet became publicly accessible. Antigua claimed that the USA has been using the complexity and opacity of its own legal system to deflect attention from the fundamental issue which is to retain revenues from internet Running Head: Case Study Analysis of the Offshore Internet Gambling and the WTO gambling within the US, which contradicts with the USA’s obligations as per the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) that the USA ratified. On the other hand, the USA claimed that the disputed activity poses financial and social threats to its citizens. Identification of the Central Issue While the GATS explicitly concedes the right of sovereign states to regulate and to devise laws on the supply of services within their countries to meet national policies and strategies (Krajweski and Marcus, 2003), aligning such regulations, legislative instruments and policies to the commitments of the individual states that are signatory to the GATS and vice versa is often a problematic affair that has led to a majority of the recent disputes handled by the WTO. This is clearly the case in the Internet Gambling dispute. Another issue is maintaining a balance between the special needs of developing and poorer countries and those of the richer and already developed countries, as far as the liberalization of service trade is concerned. Notably, a study of the WTO dispute settlement cases during the period from 1995 to 2006 (World Trade Organization [WTO], 2006) shows that the USA has been involved in approximately 38% of all disputes handled by the organization during that period. Most of these disputes involved developing countries. Notable Facts and Assumptions Based on a study of the facts and assumptions stated in the article, the following facts can be identified: ï‚ · ï‚ · The GATS was applicable to betting and gambling and the USA was in violation of the GATS treaty; The WTO mechanism allows sovereign states to restrict that trade of certain products or services that are deemed to pose risks to public morals and/or public order, provided that such products or services are the production of such products or rendering of such services should not be allowed domestically. However, as far as the USA is involved, gambling activities are permitted in several states, such as Nevada, Michigan and Ohio, amongst others; The American legal framework is complicated and somehow obscure due to the variation between State level laws and Federal laws; and The USA has ratified the GATS without making exclusions pertaining to gambling activities, unlike the Senegal which made an explicit exclusion in its agreement to rule out crossborder betting (WTO, 2005, p. 63); Similarly, the following assumptions can be pointed out: ï‚ · Antigua has demonstrated that it has devised rules and regulations aiming at addressing, as far as reasonably practicable, the concerns over fraud and under-age betting. In fact, the measures taken by the Antigua appear to be more stringent than those enforced within the US; Running Head: Case Study Analysis of the Offshore Internet Gambling and the WTO ï‚ · Suspicions have arisen as to the true motives behind the USA’s claims, which could indicate that the claim was driven by the desire to retain revenues generated from internet gambling; and Restrictions that the USA tried to impose over Internet gambling activities, would negatively affect the Antiguan economy. Arising Patterns and the External Environment The arising patterns suggest that on the technological environment, new technologies such as the internet and related technologies pose a challenge to national legislations and international regulatory frameworks which need to address the implications of such advancements. Furthermore, the political environment is affected by issues arising from the power that the more developed and rich nations try to exercise on poorer developing nations in order to enforce their national strategies, which can sometimes be in contradiction to the global inclination towards facilitating the growth of developing nations. As far as the economic environment is concerned, the consequences of such disputes may be greatly harmful for developing countries such as Antigua, compared to the impact it might have on developed nations such as the USA. For example, in 1999, 10 percent of Antigua’s gross national product (US$ 0.6 Billion) was generated from online gambling, which was equivalent to only 0.006 percent of the gross national product of the US during the same year. Consequences There are several consequences of not addressing the central issue identified in this analysis, the most significant amongst which is making agreements such as the GATS ineffective due to the collision between national interests of the more powerful countries and the brisk needs of developing countries. Furthermore, trade  imbalances and discriminatory global wealth distribution will be inevitable, which will clearly be inclined towards the more powerful and developed nations will have control. Recommended Actions In light of this analysis, the short-term actions that are suggested to resolve the central issue entail working towards streamlining the internet gambling business in Antigua in collaboration with the USA to ensure that concerns over fraud and underage gambling is reasonably addressed. Furthermore, the USA should adopt a more transparent approach that avoids double standards in deeming the legality of internet gambling. On the long term, an international framework is required in order to establish a more effective and transparent mechanism to maximise the alignment of national legislation with international treaties, without compromising the rights of each nation over its legislative instruments. Additionally, the WTO’s should enforce provisions that are meant to give developing nations a special and a more Running Head: Case Study Analysis of the Offshore Internet Gambling and the WTO lenient status when liberalisation of trade is concerned. These provisions should also be protected against unjust practices from developed nations. On the other hand, the WTO and particularly its developed nations’ members should assist developing countries to implement legislative reforms that ensure that such countries to achieve better governance and compliance in adopting more fair trade practices. Running Head: Case Study Analysis of the Offshore Internet Gambling and the WTO References CIA 2008. Antigua and Barbuda. The World Factbook, Updated August 7. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ac.html. Djordjevic M (2002) Domestic Regulation and Free Trade in Services – A Balancing Act. Legal issues on Economic Integration, vol 29, no 3. Krajweski, Marcus (2003). National Regulation and Trade Liberalization in Services: The Legal Impact of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on National Regulatory Autonomy; Kluwer Law International, The Hague-London-New York. Lang, Andrew (2004) The GATS and Regulatory Autonomy:  A Case Study of Social regulation of the Water Industry, Journal of international Economic Law, 7(4). Mattoo Aaditya and Sauvà ¨, Pierre, Editors (2004. Domestic Regulation and Services Trade liberalization. World Bank and Oxford University Press. Pontell, H., Geis, G., and Brown, G. (2007). Offshore Internet gambling and the World Trade Organization: Is it criminal behavior or a commodity? International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 1(1), 119-136. Scott Sinclair and Jim Grieshaber-Otto (2002) Facing the Facts: A guide to the GATS Debate, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Ottawa. World Trade Organization (2007). WTO Dispute Settlement : One-Page Case Summaries : 1995September 2006. Geneva: WTO Publications.

The Matrix, By Directors Lana And Larry Wachowski Essay

Due to technology more advanced, it is only natural for people to question the possibilities and dangers as well its consequences to our society. Science fiction genres are great depictions and visual representations that can bring possible answers to our doubts. In the film The Matrix (1999), directors Lana and Larry Wachowski convey their idea that freedom is when you can fully control you own life and the theme of Reality Vs. illusion through characterization, setting and the films visual effects. The protagonist Neo, is a hacker who believes that he is not truly awake and feels an unexplainable doubt in his life. He is then awakened by Morpheus, the leader of the resistance against the matrix, into an apocalyptic world where machines control peoples’ minds through a program called â€Å"the matrix†. Throughout their battle in rescuing the human race, the crucial idea of what true freedom is, constantly stirs up not only the characters but also the viewer’s mi nds. Would we call living in a reality full of chaos being free, or would we rather live in an illusion where you are free and the society is perfect, but in reality being locked up in a tube? The theme of Man Vs Machine is communicated through characterization and costume. The matrix is an example of human devolution, when Machine takes over human species. In the film, humans are enslaved by machines in an invisible prison where they perceive they live normal lives, but in reality they are controlled by the machines.Show MoreRelatedThe National Lgbtq Task Force Transgender1504 Words   |  7 Pagestransgenders and gay and lesbian these past couple years, for exampleâ€Å", Last year, Americans enthusiastically supported Chaz; nee Chastity Bono as an openly transgender dancing contestant on national television. Hollywood film director of The Matrix Lana; (nee Larry) Wachowski was celebrated in the press for sharing her painful past of growing up transgender,† said Eve Glickman writer for apa.org. Glickman also talked about how there are more studies are exploring treatment for transgender people

The United States Economy And The Economy - 1484 Words

Every country has an economy that shows the give and go of wealth and resources between producers and consumers. Some economies are better than others; here in the United States we have been stuck in a recession, meaning our economy is declining. Even though the United States economy has been in a recession for the past 8 years, its still, if not the best compared to other countries. The United States has a mixed economy made of individual producers and consumers, this economy allows the consumers choose what goods are produced, the prices and services. The United States economy is mixed due to the fact that even though it has properties of a market economy, the economy is controlled by the government. In the United States there are both†¦show more content†¦Some of these factors are, if there is competition in the same category, the amount of goods produced, the demand for the products and more. The United States government doesn’t fully control the economy but it do es have and important impact. The government besides private businesses provides services and goods, some of these being the programs that help families in need, the military, road/highways, and some means of transportation. The government helps encourage manufacturing of goods and with some goods even discourages production, whether the good isn’t selling, lack of resources, or even for safety concerns. The United States intervenes in the economy to limit certain activities and to set rules for production. Some guidelines/rules effect safety of consumers and workers, the environment, and the conditions that workers work in. If the government didn’t intervene in the economy, there would still be child labor in the United States, no limits on hours worked, the amount of pollution being emitted into the environment, etc. Monopolies would still be buying out small businesses; the top percent would own everything. The government’s role is to make sure that the econo my is efficient, and to make sure everyone has the right to be able to make a profit and wealth is somewhat distributed. Ever since the recession, the United States government has lost funding for some services. Many factors contribute to the changes in funding, one of the reasons

Globalization and Human Resources - 2045 Words

Nestle’ Company Leona Parks For Dr. Larry Byrd BUS325-001 February 1, 2013 Nestle’ Company The Enterprise This paper will discuss Nestle’ concerning globalization and its HRM strategies. With instant coffee, baby food, and bottle water in the mix, Nestle’ crunches more than just chocolate. The world’s #1 food company in terms of sales, Nestle’ is also the world leader in coffee (Nescafe’). It also makes coffee for the home-brewing system; Nespresso. Nestle’ is one of the world’s top bottle water makers (Nestle’ Waters), one of the biggest frozen pizza makers (DiGiorno), and a big player in the pet food business (Friskies, Purina). Its most well-known global food brands include Buitoni, Dreyer’s, Maggi,†¦show more content†¦In addition, some products in the United Kingdom may not be present or available in India. The third impact of cultures is challenges in terms of language barrier and culture shock can be encountered. Language barrier and culture shock can be regarded as serious problems in terms of cross-cu ltural communication, as both problems would lead to other serious complications in the organization, such as having no improvements in terms of team development and organizational interaction. In this regard, teamwork is being threatened, thus, affecting the tendency for the members of the organization to bond and coexist peacefully. The fourth impact of culture is the increased incidence of discrimination, inequality, and racial maltreatment. One possible issue related to this is the unequal payment between men and women. As we all know, equal pay has been mandated by law as early as 1963. Women have to save twice as men and this hurts the working family. Labor markets impact the company in the following ways: The first impact of labor markets is to make sure the company is not complicit in human rights abuse. The second impact of labor markets is to make sure each of their companies respect and follow the local laws and regulations concerning human right practices. The third impa ct of labor markets is to be against all forms of exploitation of children. Nestle’ had to set standards to preventShow MoreRelatedGlobalization and Human Resource Management Essay1360 Words   |  6 Pagesever. Globalization is now a key factor when creating a business strategy for most companies whether they are small family own businesses or huge corporations. Globalization however does not just involve selling a product in other countries. There are legal and cultural concerns that must be addressed. The legal aspects are fairly simple because in most places the laws are spelled out. Its the local customs, and regional way of doing things that can be tricky. 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Globalization’s Side Effects Free Essays

Globalization’s Side Effects May. 14. 2009 Discussing globalization’s side effects might not be appropriate without determining first what globalization is. We will write a custom essay sample on Globalization’s Side Effects or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although everyone has his or her own definition and uses the term globalization in his or her own way, globalization can be defined generally as a condition in which cross-border movements of money, goods, thoughts, and even people have become much more available on a large scale. Despite globalization having provided people throughout the world with many benefits, it has caused negative impacts on their countries’ economies as well as serious concerns about their nationalities and identities, which globalization gradually erases. The primary adverse effect of globalization is that it destabilizes the foundation of the developing countries’ economies. After cross-border movements of money and goods had become much faster and easier, many cheap and well-made products have invaded the markets of emerging countries. As a result, many local products almost have disappeared because they simply can not rival the cheap prices and high qualities of foreign products. In Paracho, Mexico, for instance, things are getting worse. A Mexican traditional guitar maker complains that his village has lost its famous craft of building guitars because of the invasion of the cheap and well-made guitars from China (Campbell, 2004). Paracho is not only losing its famous craft, but also losing the smarter and more intelligent workers who are leaving it to seek better job opportunities in the Unite State of America. In fact, hundreds and hundreds of villages and cities, especially in developing countries, are losing their main industries in addition to their traditional crafts and therefore their people emigrate to avoid being jobless. The second adverse effect of globalization is that it is gradually erasing the differences between cultures. Needless to say, a culture is a set of values and assumptions that group of people hold, and what makes the differences between one nation and another is the variety of the differences between these values and these assumptions. People’s thoughts all over the world about what is stylish and fashionable are starting to converge. Today, everyone seems to have the same desire which is buying what the advertisements want them to buy. The more you buy, the more happiness you get (Rifkin, 2003). For some intellectuals, globalization is making people’s desire cheap. It replaces people’s high and noble thoughts such as building their countries and contributing to human development with the culture of consumerism instead. Although many people all over the world acknowledge that globalization has provided them with many benefits, they have a strong feeling that globalization is slowly but surely obliterating their culture and traditional way of living. (The Pew Global Attitude Project). In conclusion, there is no doubt about the benefits that people all over the world gain from globalization. However, it causes developing countries serious problems. People in those countries are not only losing their jobs, but also their identities. They have become consumers of goods that are made in other countries. Globalization indeed is a huge challenge that many societies face: some of them have successfully known how to cope with it, yet many of them, unfortunately, have not, and therefore they have become globalization’s victims How to cite Globalization’s Side Effects, Papers