Global Environmental Issues
All region DVD.

This video explores the challenge of how to balance global economic needs with protecting and preserving the environment that has existed throughout human history. Many people believe the environmental challenges facing the world today are greater than ever before, with industrialization causing severe water and air pollution and with greenhouse gas emissions strongly linked to accelerated global warming.

With world population totals at six billion, and with some projecting that number to double in the next fifty years, natural resources will become increasingly strained. Developed nations use a majority of the world’s fossil fuels, but many developing nations like China are rapidly industrializing and crave the material possessions of the modern world - with possibly dire consequences for the global environment.

To address this issue, the United Nations sponsored the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, which set hard deadlines for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. The ratification of Kyoto is a major global issue, as countries such as the United States reject the treaty’s conditions, arguing that it places an unequal burden on them to reduce emissions while developing countries face no restrictions.

Complicating the global environmental debate even further is the fact that, while few disagree that the Earth is warming, many wonder whether human activity is solely to blame, or even whether the consequences will be so dire.

Despite the strong nature of the debate and much uncertainty about the future, it is clear that balancing economic development with environmental needs is still a major challenge, and will remain so for generations to come.

Part of the multivolume Assimilation Series.

A Teacher's Guide is included and available online at: www.libraryvideo.com

"… well-crafted…employs striking video footage from [CBS’s] newsgathering resources as well as interviews with experts in each field to present the particular issue in an effective and interesting manner…A very worthwhile series for high school social studies and current events courses."
School Library Journal (Nov 2004)

"This documentary series pulls no punches. Authoritative narration coupled with news footage and riveting still photography set the stage for student discussion and interest."
Teacher Librarian (Dec 2004)

"Balanced examinations of the topics are appropriately presented for the intended audience…This is a very valuable series that covers a range of very difficult topics succinctly and thoroughly ... Highly recommended."
Library Media Connection (Mar 2005)

Produced: 2004
Format: DVD in PAL format, 4:3 aspect ratio, English audio 2.0, region code 0 (all regions)
Duration: 27 minutes.
Age Group Suitability: Grades 9 to Adults