Challenges to the UK Building Industry Regulations

Challenges to the UK Building Industry Regulations Literature Review The Building (construction) industry is complex in nature. It involves several stakeholders with different procedure, process and perception; therefore, there are bound to be conflicts and disputes amongst them. Jaffar et al. [Jaffar, Abdul Tharim, et al. 2011] noted that a study undertaken by Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran [Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran 1998] provided a good reference of the common sources of construction disputes that are likely related to contractual matters, including variation, extension of time, payment, availability of information, quality of technical specification, administration and management, failure to meet clients expectations and determination. Conflict may be as a result of difficulties in communications between individuals, barriers between personal and professional relationships, informal agreements etc. Conflict are also known to produce tension and distraction amongst team members or stakeholders, from performing their agreed task. Gould [Gould] explained that conflict may arise in construction project, and taking adequate steps in avoiding them is very important. Effective communication, identifying objective solutions and avoiding conflict can help in achieving a hurdle-free project lifecycle. In the construction industry, commercially based settlement is frequently used, either in negotiation or by mediation. Time and money can be saved by using a mediator or other ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) process. The literature review of this research will cover the UK building Industry; the building regulations applicable in the UK; causes of conflict and how they can be managed. The UK Building Industry The UK construction industry employs 2.9 million people, approximately 10% of all jobs (in over 280,000 businesses). It contributes nearly  £90bn to the UK economy, 6.7% of the total. The global construction output is expected to increase from around $8.5 trillion today to $12 trillion in 2025. The UK is considered to be the sixth largest green construction sector in the world, with around 60,000 jobs to support the insulation sector alone by 2015 [HM Government]. As stated by HM Government [HM Government], the population of 2.9 million people is divided into the following trades: Executive and managerial 11% Painters and decorators 3% Civil, mechanical, electrical engineers 5% Bricklayers, masons, roofers, tilers 3% Metal, electrical and mechanical trades 10% Architects, town planners, surveyors 6% Carpenters and joiners 7% Plant and machine operatives and drivers 7% Plasterers, glaziers and other trades 5% Plumbers and heating ventilation engineers 5% Other occupations 37% Building Regulations in the UK In the United Kingdom, Building regulations are statutory instruments that ensure that the policies set out in appropriate regulations are carried out as required. Building regulations that are applied across in Scotland are set out in the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 while across England and Wales, Building regulations applied are set out in Building Act 1984. The Building regulations for the UK are generally divide into three: England and Wales; Scotland; and Northern Ireland. In England and Wales, the department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) is responsible for Building Regulations. The Building regulations legislative framework principally made up of the Building Regulations 2000; and the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2000. The aim of these regulations is to provide standards for most aspects of buildings construction, including its structure, fire safety, thermal efficiency, sound insulation, drainage, ventilation and electrical safety. Furthermore, Electrical safety was included in January 2005 to reduce the number of fatality, injuries and fire caused by faulty electrical installation [KnaufInsulation]. As stated by England and Wales Planning Portal [UK National Archives], the Building Act 1984 is the primary legislation under which the Building Regulations and other secondary legislation are made. The many powers of the Building Act 1984 include those for: Setting the status of Approved Documents Setting the status of Approved Documents Dangerous structures Demolition of buildings The role of Approved Inspectors Enforcement of Building Regulations Powers of entry to premises etc. As noted in the Building and Buildings, England and Wales The Building Regulation 2010 [Legislation.gov.uk], the regulations covers the following: Control of Building work Notices, Plans and Certificates Supervision of Building Work Otherwise than by Local Authorities Self Certification Schemes Energy Efficiency Requirements Water Efficiency Requirements Water Efficiency Information to be provided by the Person Carrying Out Work Testing and Commissioning Miscellaneous In Northern Ireland, the department of Finance and Personnel (DFPNI) for Building regulations. The Building regulations (Northern Ireland) Order was enacted in 1972, which was subsequently amended in 1978 before finally replaced by the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 (as amended 1990). The current regulations are the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009. The Building Regulations set the requirements and standards that can be attained reasonably, having regard for the health, safety, welfare and comfort of people in and around buildings and others affected by buildings or building matters [KnaufInsulation]. The Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA) is responsible for the Scottish building standards system. The Building regulations legislative framework in Scotland is principally made up of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Building (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2004. The Scottish Building Standards Agency will work on behalf of Scottish Ministers to [KnaufInsulation]: Promote the health, safety, welfare and comfort of people in and around buildings; Encourage the conservation of fuel and power; and Encourage the achievement of sustainable development. Planning permission are different from Building regulations; they are concerned with appropriate development, the neighbourhoods appearance, and nature of land usage while Building regulations control how buildings are designed and construction (building specifications). Definition of conflicts Most people do not recognise the difference between conflict and dispute. Many scholars have differentiated between the two terms. As defined by Burgess et. al [Burgess and Spangler], Disputes are defined as short-term disagreements that are relatively easy to resolve. Long term, deep-rooted problems that involve seemingly non-negotiable issues and are resistant to resolution are referred as Conflicts. A dispute can result when a claim or assertion made by one party is rejected by other party and that rejection is not accepted [Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran 1998]. This shows that a dispute is more likely to occur when the conflicting parties exhibit an action or arguments to a controversy. Jaffer et al. [Jaffar, Abdul Tharim, et al. 2011] noted that according to Thomas [Thomas 1992], there are three themes among the definitions of conflict. The first, it is regarded as a perception issue, whether conflict exist or not. The perceived difference may not be real but conversely if the difference is real but not perceived, there is no conflict. The second, there is interdependence among parties (i.e. each has the potential to interfere with the other). Thirdly, there are issues of opposition, blockage and scarcity. Resources (money, power and prestige) are limited. Their scarcity creates blocking behaviour. Conflict and dispute are two distinct notions. Conflict tends to exists where there is incompatibility of interest, and it is pandemic. Conflict can be managed to an extent at which a dispute is avoided to occur from the conflict. Dispute require resolution, and it is associated with defined justiciable issues and third party intervention [Fenn and Lowe 1997]. Costintino and Merchant [Costintino and Merchant 1996] defined conflict as the fundamental disagreement between two parties, of which a dispute is one possible outcome (conciliation, conflict avoidance, or capitulation are other outcomes). Furthermore, conflict is a state rather than a process. Participating parties with different interests, values, or needs may be in a state of conflict, which may be considered to be latent (meaning ignored) or manifest resulting in a form of dispute or disputing process. Therefore, a conflict can exist without a dispute, but a dispute cannot exist without a conflict [Yarn 1996] Conflict can be defined as a social phenomenon which can arise when people interact and pursue common goals. The beginning of a disagreement if often when two people or parties have differing interests and work against one another in order to achieve their set objectives. Furthermore, conflicts only carry destructive potential, they can also offer many opportunities for change, development and innovation [Proksch 2016]. Gorse [Gorse 2003] defined conflict as any divergence of interest, objectives or priorities between individuals, groups or organisation, or non-conformance to requirements of a task, activity or process. Conflict is not only inevitable in the construction industry, it is often desirable. The numerous definitions shows that scholars look at conflicts and disputes from different angles. However, most researchers are of the opinion that conflict and disputes share the same definition that is generally involve disagreement regarding interests or ideas [Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran 1998]. This research adopts the view that conflict and dispute are the same. Types of Conflicts Identifying what type of conflict that exist is very important, as it will reduce the risk of tackling the wrong problem. Each conflict has a multitude of different facets. In resolving a conflict, it is often necessary to determine the root cause before solving the actual problem. Depending on the causes, there are six different basic forms of conflict, namely [Proksch 2016]: Circumstantial conflicts Circumstantial conflict are referred to those conflicts that are caused as a result of differing, insufficient or incorrect information, as well as differing interpretations of this information. An example is A car accident resulting in damage to property. Solution to such conflict is normally on factual level: obtaining all required information, clarify all facts, establish agreement on facts assessed and if necessary, employ the assistance of independent experts. Circumstantial conflict is more about who compensates whom for the damages caused and in what amount. Emotions that arises in this type of conflicts usually disappears after clarification of the issue. Conflicts of interest This type of conflict is not about facts but differing interests. For example in a neighbourhood, conflict between a bar owner and a resident due to noise disturbance, the former has a legitimate right to have as many customers as possible. In this context, the bar owner may be required to play loud music. The resident also has a legitimate interest in peace and quiet. It is advisable to identify the respective interest and requirements. These are sometimes not clear by the positions of the parties involved. Once legitimate interest are revealed, it makes it easier to resolve, as requirements are often broadly-based. Consequently, these increases the possibility of various options. Relationship conflicts Relationship conflict is caused by problems of an emotional nature. These conflicts are as a result of feelings like fear, frustration, similar emotions, envy, unmet expectations or reoccurred misunderstandings. Something of value to one person may not be of interest to the other person e.g. punctuality. A relationship conflict may arise amongst parties where one perceive the unpunctuality of the other as a gesture of contempt. The parties involved should be given the opportunity to express their feelings; and the underlying aspirations and needs of each individual should be understood by parties. Conflicts of values Differing ideals and principles clash may result in Conflicts over value. A classic example of this form of conflict is disparate religious norms, but a more general example is when values such as seniority on one side and performance orientation on the other come into conflict. In some cases, both principles in varying degree are valued. Establishing a common value footing will aid conflicts of values resolution. In an event where a common basis for discussion cannot be determined, a decision should be taken at a higher instance or by a court. Structural conflicts This form of conflict does not result from difference between people but from differences in structural factor. There is typically an area of tension between sales and construction areas of a company, a latent conflict, because they set definite priorities and pursue different goals. Another example is the tension that exist between two opposing lawyers in a trial, they engage in conflict with one another based on the logic of the legal system. In search of a solution, It is advisable to focus on the development of regulatory and coordination processes, in a view to constructively manage the permanent tension. Inner conflicts This form of conflict is the world of thoughts and feelings of one person. Everyones desires, goal or role requirements varies; therefore, contradict one another. For example, the thought of Shall I finish the assignment today and get home later, or put it off until tomorrow and have dinner with my family? In this instance, the role of a family person and the role of a professional come into conflict. Open conversation with someone may help in dealing with serious inner conflicts. Figure 1: Types of Conflicts As explained by Gorse [Gorse 2003], conflict can be perceived to be natural, functional and constructive or unnatural, dysfunctional, destructive and unproductive. Challenges, disagreements and arguments relating to tasks, roles, processes and functions, may result from functional conflict which often involves detailed discussion of relevant issues. The advantages of function conflict are: Helping to expose problems; Reduce risks; Integrate ideas; Produce a range of solution; Develop understanding; Evaluate alternatives; and Improve solutions. Unnatural conflict can be defined as where a participant enters into encounter intending the destruction or disablement of the other party. Dysfunctional conflict can be as a result of personal insults, criticism that encourages self-ego and comments that lack regards for others feelings. This type of conflict is not aimed at improving task performance [Gorse 2003]. Causes of Conflict in Construction Industry Conflict develops in multidisciplinary building teams as group members tend to impose their team objectives on others, in order to change others beliefs or actions. Furthermore, conflict may result due to a failure to develop and manage peoples expectations. For example, the inexperience of some clients means that when explaining the construction process, it has be detailed. Explanation should broken-down to their level of understanding. When problem arises and decision need to be made, clients require unbiased and professional responses but this is often inconsistent because information or responses are offered from different professionals. Information from professionals may differ even if they provide the same service because they tend to concentrate on aspects closely associated with their profession, training and experience [Gorse 2003]. Conflicts are often not conspicuous, they are mostly recognisable by their symptoms which may include [Proksch 2016]: Opposition, rejection: The conscious or unconscious attempt to prevent the opponent in achieving his objectives, in the work that is carried out carelessly or information is not communicated. Withdrawal, indifference: The parties involved loses motivation to work as well as the need to open up emotionally. This often referred to as inner resignation. Kumaraswamy [Kumaraswamy 1997] identified 20 common causes of construction conflict and disputes, which are as follows: Failure of respond to issues on time Lack of communication among the team members The mechanism is not clear in providing information Poor management, control and coordination Failure to determine responsibility in accordance with the contract Estimation error Delayed in providing information Design errors and specifications Pictures and specifications are incomplete Calculation of incorrect work progress Lack of experience of consultants Lack of contractor management, supervision, and coordination Delay of jobs Failure of plan and implement change of work The failure to understand the price of the work or the offer price correctly Lack of understanding of the existing agreement in the contract Employment contracts and the complete lack of construction documents The lack of clarity of document in the distribution of work flow Non clarity of terms in the contract documents The big difference in understanding of contracts in foreign languages within the same contract As noted by Jaffer et al. [Jaffar, Abdul Tharim, et al. 2011], Hohns [Hohns 1979] opined that construction disputes have their instinct nature and characteristics; therefore, the sources of disputes will vary from one project to another. In his study, he identified five primary sources of construction disputes that includes existence of errors, defects or omissions in the contract documents, failure of someone to count the cost of an undertaking at the beginning, changed condition, consumer reaction and people involved. Jaffer et al. [Jaffar, Abdul Tharim, et al. 2011] explained that conflict causes identified by researchers are summarised into three categories, namely: causes due to behavioural, contractual and technical problems. Conflicts causes due to behavioural problems Human interaction, personality, cultures, perception and professional background amongst team members are common behavioural problems. Other causes of conflicts in human behaviour are individuals ambition, frustration, dissatisfaction, desire or growth, communication and level of power, fraud and faith. It is one thing to lose money in a contractual issue, but it is a lot to lose face. People tend to protect their integrity and pride no matter the cost. Once ones ego involved can survive, disputes tend to be more easily resolved. Everyone wants a better future and the opportunity to increase the self-recognition; therefore, goal realisation and increase of authoritative power will help in resolving disputes. Conflict causes due to contractual problems The stakeholders in a project are governed by a contract which defines their obligation to each other, and also the exchange of construction materials and services for money. MacNeil [MacNeil 1974] defined contract as a promise or the set of promises for the breach of which the law give a remedy or the performance of which the law in some way recognises as a duty. As indicated in a study undertaken by Kumaraswamy Yogeswaran [Kumaraswamy and Yogeswaran 1998], the sources of construction disputes are mainly related to contractual matters including variation, extension of time, payment, quality of technical specification, availability of information, administration and management, unrealistic client expectation and determination. Standard contract documents in the building industry are guided by codes and regulations. They provide common ground for contractual definitions clarifications, thereby making conflict less likely in construction operations and specific project requirements. Conflict causes due to technical problems Projects come with uncertainty, most times surrounded around the technicality of the project. Technical disputes due to uncertainty are considered as the most common issues. Technical disputes include engineering clarification which is considered as a part of engineering making processes. For example, Request for Information (RFI) which is a tool used for clarifying differences in understanding during project operation, is used to resolve issue onsite before they develop to technical dispute. Such dispute can be resolved by project personnel with appropriate expertise. The engineering decision making process is quite straight forward and reasonably justifiable for all participants. The ways of resolving technical disputes in project management is different from the resolution of contractual disputes during project operations. The design deficiency is generally regarded as being beyond an error of omission. Design error significantly alter the means, methods, environment, duration, or the conditions of the construction process. In the construction industry, design errors are common in foundations, frame and enclosure, and in space utilisation. As explained by Rauzana [Rauzana], Susila [Susila] opined that on one hand the contractors attention is on project completion in accordance with specified schedule and attempt to gain financially, while on the other hand the owner needs excellent asset at economical prices. Each party goal contradict with another; therefore, it may result in circumstances which could lead to conflict. The factors of conflicts are owner, consultants, contractors, contracts and specifications, human resources and project conditions Conflicts in the building industry: Negatives or Positives? Proksch [Proksch 2016] explained that conflict has its negatives and positives, and may consumes valuable resources: time and money. When conflict escalate and develop into power struggle or paralyses an organisation, this becomes a commercial problem. The risk that arises from conflicts in an organisation affect various areas, which are as follows [Ref. 6]: Stress and pressure on employees: Conflict experienced by participant are often stressful and are associated with anxiety, aggression, excessive demands, lack of esteem and similar feelings. Decline in productivity may be as a result of stress, which may further cascade to demotivation, inner resignation and absenteeism spread. Fragmentation of teams: Communication behaviour between opponents is passive or aggressive. Participants are disparaged and increasing value may be placed on allies. Avoiding or insulting each other arises. In some cases, it may result in deception, theft, sabotage and hostile behaviour. Unproductive usage of time: The time that should be spent on carrying out work is taken up by conflicts. Colleagues focus more on talking about the conflict, speculating about causes and relationship, people blaming each other or scheme, seeking information, inflict agony on one another, etc. Staff turnover and sick leave: Lengthy conflicts results in higher levels of absenteeism due to stress or sickness. Chronic unresolved conflict are suggested to cause up to 90% of dismissals as well as in at least 50% of employee resignations. Running costs increases as a result of staff losses, recruitment and training of new employees. The comments above does not mean that conflicts are principally negative. As earlier noted, conflict has its advantages as well. Conflicts are perceived as the rule of human co-existence; the way it is being manage determines how successful organisations are in solving their problems, and consequently in protecting their future. Conflicts have positive aspects, which are as follows [Proksch 2016]: Conflicts indicate problems: Problems or misunderstandings become visible and noticeable through conflicts. Tension between participants is an indicator of Need for Action. Conflicts trigger change: Conflicts provide opportunity for change. At this point, actions or decisions are taken to trigger change and thereby prevent deadlock. Conflicts arouse interest and curiosity: Conflicts encourages great enthusiasm to human co-existence. They would lead to tension, curiosity, fostering interest and stimulating the search for creative new solutions and innovations. Conflicts strengthen relationships: When conflicts are successfully overcome by both sides, they provides enduring relationships. Friendship tend to get stronger when they go through through and thick and finally settle their differences. Conflict free relationships are often cursory. Frictions will produce understanding amongst participants which will improve trust. Conflicts strengthen group cohesion: Having constructive debate will result in knowing preferences, strengths and weaknesses of colleagues or participants. Making it easier to develop trust and to recognise ones weaknesses. Conflict Management in Organisations Proksch [Proksch 2016] noted that the survey carried out by the working group Internal Mediation concluded that methods of conflict management can be reduced to four basic forms. In attempting to settle conflict, the parties to the disputes can be separated or brought together. However, attempts can be made to resolve the conflict on an issue-related or individual -related basis. The four basic forms of conflict management are as follows: Separative measures Issue related measures Integrative measures Individual related measures TraditionalComplementary Figure 2: The four forms of conflict management [(Proksch 2016)] Separative Measures Separative measures are focused on separating the parties, thereby eliminating the conflict. Examples of this are dismissal or transfer of an employee or employees from their work base to other locations of the organisation. Another example is where the Project manager in a conflict with the site engineer, one of them is transfer to another location to avoid issues. These forms are often used and constitute a classic form of conflict management, whereby existing conflicts are made to vanish from the face of the earth relatively quickly and effectively [Proksch 2016]. Proksch [Proksch 2016] suggested that if a similar conflict arises frequently, that means it is probably a structural conflict. Therefore, the conflict is not related to the person but to his/her organisation and the management system. On this occasion, it is advisable to apply an integrative form of conflict management to get to the root cause. Issue-Related Measures Issue Related Measures is implemented where the organisational or technical solution is sought independently of the conflict participants. First step is to identify the mistake and analyse it; then draw up regulations, guidelines or standards aimed at preventing the recurrence of the same conflict. In the construction industry, regulations, guidelines and standards that are in relation to the industry and tasks should be consulted. Effective tools such as work procedures, organisational chart, procurement procedures, business process models and so forth should be used to organise the way in which people work together. An example of issue related measure is increasing scarce resources, and they are a frequent cause of conflict. The basis of the conflict is eliminated as result of the lower degree of mutual dependency when the bottleneck is removed. These methods are bound to be successful if the conflict is caused by unclear guidelines or boundaries or when assignment are not explicit thereby resulting in misinterpretation. Method fails when the causes are perceive to be only a pretext, and other underlying problem such as personal issues or organisational culture are the main causes. Individual Related Measures Individual Related measures focuses on seeking solution at an individual level. Sometimes personal discussions are conducted or coaching offered to the affected individual. If the conflict cannot be resolved through discussions, the task of resolving the conflict may be delegated to someone. Disagreements by the categorisation of events into good or bad, right or wrong make it easily to resolve. The judicial system operates on this principle in order to ensure order and security. In the professional context, this approach has its shortfall because conflicts do not only arise on individual level but a large number of influencing factors play a role together that result in conflict: organisational frameworks, customs, power structures or limited resourc

Examining Deforestation Of The Amazon Rainforest Environmental Sciences Essay

Examining Deforestation Of The Amazon Rainforest Environmental Sciences Essay The amazon Rainforest is one of the richest areas on Earth biodiversity wise and possesses many endemics species of fauna and flora. The Amazon also plays an human population has grown, and demands in soybeans, cattle and wood as increased over time, the Amazon rainforest has been selected for deforestation. Recent concerns have arisen over the last decades emphasizing the problems deforestation causes especially biologically. This problem has been further underlined as concerns over global climate change have arisen. The Amazon forest is the greatest tropical forest in size as it covers an area over seven million square kilometres and is found in ten countries of South America. Motives of deforestation, rates, history Most of the Amazon Basin ( >70%) is found in Brazil ; therefore most of our study will focus on the Brazilian Amazon. Starting in the late 1950s, for the purpose of developing the western and northern parts of Brazil many new roads were constructed which constituted a direct access to the Amazon tropical forest. The construction of these routes along with other incentives ( such as cattle ranching , hydro electric project, timber extraction) was aimed at expanding development and integrating the whole territory into the countrys economy. The program was successful as people moved along these large highways; for example 2 million people moved along the Belem-Brasilia in the first 20 years of its construction. The settlement along the major highways and within the Amazon forest was highly unorganized which led to long term unnoticed deforestation. Overtime the rates of deforestation have increased from the 1970s to the 2003-2004 and since then have decreased. The peak in 2002-2004 was the highest rate of forest clearing for a three year period: 52 670 km ² were cleared. The 2008-2009 area cleared totalizes for 7008 km ². The literature seems to agree on the motives for deforestation although the importance of small farmers in the process is debated . ( K.R Birby , P. Fearnside). The motives for deforestation are multiple: contrarily to common belief, the biggest reason behind clearing in cattle ranching secondly, is small farmer exploitation then, logging, and recently soybean and palm oil plantations have led to deforestation. The reason behind this hierarchy and cattle ranching as being the number one reason behind forest clearing is due to multiple state incentives. These incentives made cattle ranching one of the few profitable product to rise in the Amazon. Under the Brazilian law, clearing the land in order to install pasture is characterised as effective. (K.R Kirby). Cattle ranching is one of the most popular use of land in the Amazon as it is not a labour intensive job , by products can be used ( such as milk) , and it is produces offspring. Compared to crops, the main advantage of cattle ra nching is that cattle ranching are independent of weather conditions. Small farmers also play an important role in the clearing of the land as they apply slash and burn method in order to create fertile land to grow their crops on. As farmers need for more land, they continuously increase their property. K.R Kirby has calculated that on average a small farmer clears 1 ha of forest per year. Furthermore, tropical soils are not fertile and fail at the long term production of crops, thus after 2-3 years the land is unusable and new land has to be slashed and burned. Today as agricultural financing has been more readily available in the Amazon compared to other regions in Brazil, soybeans farmers are pushing to the North. As the price for soybean has increased, it has become one of the most profitable crops to plant in the Amazon. A large part of the soybean production is used for export (as foreign currency) therefore greatly encouraged by the state which even plans on building new roads and infrastructure in order to expand the production. Although not broadly mentioned in the literature, it is important to also underline the logging activities undergoing in the Amazon. JA Foley et al mention that the logging has recently been recognized as one major source of land change in the Amazon. Although selective logging is comparatively not as ecologically destructive as cattle grazing or pasture, it has been shown that logging destroyed the same amount of forest as the area cleared for other activities. Indeed, selective logging leaves behind a fraction of the natural forest and allows some natural regeneration; not completely destroying the ecosystem. Biodiversity effects: The clearing of thousands of km ² of land is not at any cost. The Amazon is one the worlds richest zone in terms of biodiversity and number of endemic species. Being one of the largest forests in the world the tropical Amazon forest constitutes an important carbon sink for the integrity of the planet. Scientists have become aware of the importance of conserving the forest because of the numerous ecosystem services it provides. It is difficult to understand and quantify the ecosystem services provided by an ecosystem. As Fearnside explains, it is complicated to put a value on an ecosystem service. An obvious way of calculating the value of the ecosystem is using the profit of the good produced in the given area. This method does not take into account the future damage that could occur due to the abuse of the ecosystem. Indeed we taking the example of forest clearing , we can use the value of the good which will be produced on the area cleared but on a large scale that value does not take into account the habitat destruction of species. Often times we put a price on ecosystem services in order to emphasize the urgency of taking conservation actions, putting fines on illegal land used. Based on the literature there are many ecosystem services provided by the Amazon rainforest. Namely the most important ecosystem services are carbon sequestering, water flow of the Amazon River, air circulation patterns, the spread of water borne disease , fires , invasion by exotic species and most importantly , and biodiversity loss. The clearing of Amazon might influence the hydrological regime of the area because the forest regulates the quantity of water flowing into the river as well as the nutrient content. The quantity of water increases greatly overall because there is no interception by plants leading to much more surface runoff and less percolation in the soil. Indeed it has been observed in the Tocantins river basin, the changes during the 30 years period (1960-1990) in land cover have led to an approximate 25% increase in the river discharge during the same period although there were no changes in the precipitation regime. Over the long term, scientists are worried that the evaporation budget will change so much as to change global patterns of air circulation. Vector-borne diseases increase due to the loss of vegetation and due to an increase in the number of mosquitoes (which are common vectors of diseases). Forested areas allow for more control of the disease though population control of infected animals, their hosts and intermediate disease vector. In South America, the most important disease transmitted by mosquitoes is malaria. A study in Peru has shown that Anopheles darling mosquito species are more susceptible to biting as the land cover decreases. The study found that when the area is deforestated by more than 20%, mosquitoes have a tendency to bit more than in forested areas. The reason for this increase is due to the preference of mosquitoes to breed in areas with shrubs or grasslands. ( A.M. Vittor) One of the most striking effects on deforestation is the loss of biodiversity. No papers truly estimated the loss of biodiversity due to deforestation. But based on the literature we can estimate the number of species potentially targeted by deforestation. The Brazilian Amazon is classified as one of the five megadiversity countries by the WWF (World Wild Fund) (P.Fearnside). Brazil has over 50  000 angiosperm plant species, over 400 species of mammals, over 1500 species of birds, over 500 species of amphibians, over 400 species of butterfly and over 70 species of reptiles. Deforestation can lead to changes in biodiversitys ecological niches, habitat fragmentation, or even invasion of exotic species. A major concern has arisen amongst ecologists due to the threat of deforestation on biodiversity hotspots. Indeed it has been observed in some cases that biodiversity hotpsots overlap the deforestation hotpsots. These latter are areas where deforestation occurs suddenly, locally and greatly pushed by demographic factors. The danger for the ecosystems when these two hotspots overlap is the extensive loss of habitat for the fauna and flora. Indeed, deforestation hotspots lead to much habitat fragmentation as many harvesters carry on their activity without much knowledge on the ecosystem and the implications of deforesting (Etter et al 2006). Moreover, it has been proven that a threshold exists for a species to survive. Species need enough area in order to reproduce and forage without it a population cannot sustain and is determined to extinguish. Much of the deforestation trends are not managed and very spontaneous, leading to patches of deforested land and often times the minimum thre shold is surpassed threatening the survival of many generations. As underlined in Etter et al., no significant studies have been consolidated in order to better understand the overlapping of deforestation and biodiversity hotspots; suggesting more data to be collected. Indeed without data there cannot be any consensus on the conversation policies to protect the Amazons ecosystem. Another paper also suggests the idea that better inventories should be complied in order to understand the forests composition and to better manage the area based on the species autoecology. Furthermore the paper underlines the importance of thorough and precise data entries with identical quantification measurements. These factors are all very important in the inventory process in order to build credible dataset on which policy makers can rely upon (Biscaia de Lacerda 2010). Deforestation in the context of Global Climate Change A major concern of the 21st century is the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the consequences on the worlds biomes. The role of the Amazon forest in the global carbon cycle is storage of organic carbon in the soil or in plants. The process through which plants take in CO2 is photosynthesis storing it afterwards in the biomass under the form of leaves, branches, roots, flowers and other structural tree components. The destruction of the Amazon makes it an emitter of carbon rather than a sink. Indeed because of land cover changes, carbon is no longer stored. Per se, carbon is not emitted from the forest rather carbon is not taken up by the trees anymore resulting in a net surplus of CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Furthermore the necessary machinery used for deforestation as well as the by-products of wood and the processing of trees in factories also contribute to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Some studies have tried to understand the changes which would occur if CO2 levels increased and deforestated areas kept increasing. The outcome results in many effects linked to changes in surface albedo, leaf area index, and surface roughness and texture (Compounding). In the study, the CO2 levels were doubled, increasing the CO2 concentration to 660 ppm. The IPCCs projection on CO2 levels project that 660 ppm will be reached by the end of the century under the least severe scenario: A1B which predicts: A future world of very rapid economic growth, low population growth and rapid introduction of new and more efficient technology. Major underlying themes are economic and cultural convergence and capacity building, with a substantial reduction in regional differences in per capita income. In this world, people pursue personal wealth rather than environmental quality. ( IPCC http://www.ipcc-data.org/ddc_co2.html). The sole effect of doubling CO2 concentration in the atmosphere results in a 2.6 T °C increase in temperature, increase in precipitation by 9.0 mm per month , and increase in -the net longwave radiation at the landsurface by 4.5 W m ­- ² subsequently increasing the surface evapotranspiration. There is not a great difference for all the factors when studying the present deforestation climate with the future warmed climate combined with deforestation, directly pointing to the fact that deforestation is the main source of deregulation in the climate (Figure 2). Indeed most changes due to increased CO2 levels are felt in the mid-high latitudes. Figure 2( Zhang et al.)

Cold War Essay -- essays research papers

The Cold War, 1949-1963 25.1 American Commitment to Cold War: National Security Council Document 68 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How NSC-68 influenced America’s response to Communist North Korea’s invasion of South Korea in June 1950 and to Communist expansion in Southeast Asia in the 1960s. The NSC-68 called for military assistance programs that would meet the requirements of our allies. Since South Korea was an ally, we assisted them in repelling the invasion of another communist nation. This help for South Korea meant that a communist nation would be weakened and therefore possibly cripple a potential ally for the Soviet Union. Also, South Korea would then respond to a call for aid if the Soviet Union ever attacked America. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The implications of NSC-68 for military spending by the United States and its allies. The NSC-68 stated that â€Å"budgetary considerations will need to be subordinated to the stark fact that our very independence as a nation may be at stake.† This meant that no matter how much it cost to build up our military, it would be done in order to protect our nation. Also, the rebuilding of European economies and defenses in order to try and contain Russian expansion without armed conflict, lead to the help of European powers having to return the favor of having their economies rebuilt with helping the United States in the Cold War. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The implications of the call for â€Å"covert actions† in NSC-68. Covert actions in the NSC-68 implies that the United States was not ready for another war so soon after World War II. Also, the Soviet Union had developed atomic weapons, which meant that the Soviet Union could cause mass destruction in the United States. However, America was unwilling to allow the communist nation of the Soviet Union to expand and gain enough power to crush the United States. So the government decided to use covert operations which would hurt their economy and cause unrest in the Soviet Union. 25.2 American Public Opinion and the Korean War, 1950-1952 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What these responses reveal about attitudes toward American involvement in the Korean War. At the beginning, American opinion supported the war in Korea. However, as time went on, the American opinion changed because we no longer had a clear chance of winning the war. People then c... ...tution given rights were ignored as well. The Red Scare was therefore similar to McCarthyism in the 1950s because it was a movement against communism that many people had. The Smith Act was passed which prevented the teaching of overthrowing the government and forced all foreign residents over the age of 14 to register their occupation and political beliefs. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How successful were United States responses to the Soviet Union in the 1950s? Were there alternatives to these responses? Eisenhower did a brilliant job in his responses to the Soviet Union in the 1950s. He kept the Soviet Union from expanding by rebuilding the economies of the war struck countries in Europe. Had technology developed that would allow the United States to spy on other countries armaments and military actions without exposing ourselves to any risk. Entered nine treaties that would make attacking the United States bring down a multitude of other countries attacks. Eisenhower also developed a large amount of nuclear devices that would allow the United States to respond to any attack with powerful force. Eisenhower could not have developed a better strategy to hold back the Russians.

Oedipus the King Essay -- Classics Oedipus King Essays

Oedipus the King Oedipus the King is the perfect example of a tragedy. It contains a complete combination of all the features of a tragedy. Aristotle in his Poetics[1] defines Oedipus as being 'a definite example of the form and purpose of tragedy'. In tragedies the Greeks dramatized climactic events in the lives of heroes, and Oedipus' story is no exception. By using many different literary devices it brings moral dilemmas of action and motive to the public stage. The action is set out over the timeframe of one day, which will according to the prophet Tiresias will bring Oedipus' 'birth' and 'destruction'. King Oedipus is the central protagonist and within his character lies a tragic flaw. He is unintentionally the architect of his own downfall. The strengths that once lead him to solve the riddle behind the sphinx later lead him to his own downfall. In the words of the priest; 'you helped us stand, only to fall once more'. Oedipus' hamartia is his anger. It lies at the root of the plot. It was fury that lead him to kill Laius. He was about to thrust Oedipus off the road one night, so Oedipus 'paid him back with interest' by murdering him. Another flaw is a persistent desire to discover the truth. His 'mindless stubbornness' motivates him to seek the truth about Laius' killer and who his father is. This search leads to the turn of events that take place throughout the play. Despite constant denial of his fate he cannot deny the work of the gods. Tiresias delivers him a prophecy of this fate. Oedipus' circumstances are far beyond his own control. No matter what he attempts to do or alter every path leads the same way. He finds himself 'always terrified Apollo's' oracle might come true'. However he is determined to seek out the Kings murderer to punish him. This search interlinks with the search for his father. Jocasta also tries to deny destiny believing that 'nothing human can penetrate the future'. She claims to believe that 'It's all chance, chance rules our lives'. However fate inevitably takes over. Through the process of anagorsis Oedipus discovers he is in fact the very criminal he seeks. Along with this he realises further truth in the prophecy, that he is married to his mother. Jocasta also comes to realise the same truth. By the end of the play his final downfall along with hers is inevitable. Tragic iro... ...loins that spawned my wretched life. What grief can crown this grief? It's mine alone, my destiny - I am Oedipus!' These two statements show the peripeteia of Oedipus' life. Once a hero basked in glory, he has now succumbed to his destiny. In turn he is lowered to a truly pathetic state. His altered state serves to highlight the reversal of fortune he undergoes. His tragic flaw leads him to acknowledging his fate. Oedipus' downfall comes as he tries to escape fate but cannot. The audience knows this as does the chorus and we can only watch. Oedipus the King contains nothing outside of the definition; it's just pure Tragedy at the very core. It also confirms to Aristotle's theory of Tragedy. It obeys all the rules and the elements of Tragedy mentioned throughout. These features entwine together to create the ultimate work of Tragedy. From all of this it is unquestionable that the word 'tragedy' is a usefully accurate description of Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] W.B. Worthen, The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, 3rd Edition (USA, Harcourt College Publishers, 2000), p 72.