Sustainable Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Sustainable Development - Essay Example From a historical perspective, the decisions made by our forefathers with regards to rapid industrialization and development without considering the resulting impact on the environment continue to have a severe impact on numerous ecosystems even today (Stefanovic, 2006). Similarly, the economic decisions and policies our governments make today will have an impact on the world’s sustainability and growth in the future. The above points clearly suggest that sustainable development depends on the cooperation between various societal, economical, governmental, environmental and cultural aspects. As such, sustainability should not be perceived as a homogeneous concept. In fact, planning and achieving sustainability in any tangible manner is a complex process that is based on some broad principles. The introduction of the Brundtland report and its extensive coverage of sustainability have had an influential role in shaping future laws on environmental conservation and protection in many countries and international agreements (Wallace, 2005). Sustainable development and policy continues to face numerous challenges from various corners. Amongst these, the existence of poverty within a large part of the world’s population poses a serious challenge. The planet is estimated to reach a total population of 7 billion people in 2011, which implies a greater competition and struggle for growth and control of the earth’s limited resources (Cowie, 2007). People belonging to developing and poor nations are facing prolonged shortages of food, water and access to basic civic amenities. The past few decades have witnessed the emergence of new countries experiencing tremendous economic growth. Rapid development in countries like China and India has increased the demand for oil and other non-renewable fuels and is likely to increase the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Fragile places like Antarctica are likely to bear the most serious consequences if these trends are not controlled through sustainable means (Ekins, 2005). Another issue impeding sustainable development is the lack of economic growth in some countries, especially those in Africa. Many countries like Zimbabwe have faced years of economic depression due to oppressive regimes and lack of proper government. Several multilateral agreements have emerged out of the guidelines recommended by the Brundtland report. One among these is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Known as UNFCCC in short, this is an environmental agreement signed by various countries at the UN Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (Wallace, 2005). The primary goal of this agreement is to restrict the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and stabilize their concentrations at an acceptable level that can prevent any serious interference with climatic patterns. However, this treaty suffers from several deficiencies, most notably its non-binding attribute which does not provide any mandatory limits that signatories have to maintain. Further, there are no enforcement

SHORT LISTENING ASSIGNMENT FORMAT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SHORT LISTENING ASSIGNMENT FORMAT - Essay Example group of musicians like the group of three trumpeters, saxophonists, and trombone players and the soloists like the pianist or cellist or the drummer take turns to improvise the piece based on what was performed by the musician(s) before him. Riff refers to short relaxed phrases being repeated over varied melodies. In this piece the complex riff structure in the head arrangements or collaborative arrangement that was memorized and not written down. The visual appeal in the video is remarkable. The video displays the musicians’ prowess and their rhythmic motions to the music mark the beginning of the swing era. The swing music was gaining popularity at the time and the Jazz Big Bands were a reflection of the times. The trumpet solo was very significant. The musician starts from low tone and displays a wide range in tone during his solo. He is preceded by the saxophone soloist and succeeded by the piano solo. The trumpet lends to the bouncy beat and light mood of the music piece and is very well placed in the sequence. The visual elements as discussed previously is enhanced with the lighting effects where the lights fall on each sectional as they play out their piece starting with saxophone players, the trombones and their head motions imitating the music and then the section of trumpet players. The One O’Clock Jump ends with all the players playing a repetitive phrase with variations in tone and melody and the catchy beat almost like a dance beat lends to the charm of the song. Why this jazz song became so popular is not difficult to understand. The overall performance is quite astounding. The light and fluffy rhythm has an energetic feel that is easy to swing to and uplifts the mood instantly. The complex riffs played out by the ensemble is very melodious and the sequences played out all seem to fit in perfectly and hence it is no wonder why it has come to be considered as one of the best songs of the