International Economic relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Economic relations - Essay Example Does this principle also apply to trade and environmental issues Does doing the other means giving up the other How has the World Trade Organisation work towards resolving issues on the trade and environment trade-off Economists, policy makers and business organisations and owners alike have, for decades, debated the role of international trade in determining environmental outcomes (Antweiler, Copeland and Taylor 2001, p. 877) and such debates are oftentimes heated. From these debates, economic theories on the trade-off between trade and the environment emerged. One such theory is the "pollution haven hypothesis that suggests relatively low-income developing countries will be made dirtier with trade" (Antweiler, Copeland and Taylor 2001, p. 877). On the other hand, the empirical works of others have disputed the fundamentals of the pollution haven hypothesis. Others claim that the international trade policy of a country affects how trade will impact the domestic environment, and trade alone is not to blame for environmental degradation (Bhagwato and Srinivasan 1996). As countries embraces free trade, the economic managers and policy makers of that country designs trade policies which can either break or make the country's future as a global trade player (Driesen 2004). These policies and the way the environment was factored into them will have a significant impact on the direction of change that will happen in the country's natural environment. Trade policies can be designed to protect or exploit the natural resources of a country. This fact is the reason why trade organisations such as the World Trade Organization have taken global climate and global trade, together, as part of their agenda. The World Trade Organisation which is the institution that "embodies the multilateral regime of rules governing international trade" (Frankel 2005, p. 9) was formed in 1995. WTO is the direct result of the Uruguay Round and eight years of negotiations among concerned nations. The WTO and other similar multilateral organisations have acknowledged the interconnectivity of trade policies and environmental policies. So far, the WTO has done its best to minimise the impact of trade on the environment. For example, in order to become a member of the World Trade Organisation, Russia has to ratify the Kyoto Protocol which requires signatory nations to achieve environmental standards such as emission targets. Source: as presented by Frankel 2005, p. 15. Given that trade does impact the environment, it seems that no country can do away with trade altogether. It seems that it is either trade or perish. However, this is not an excuse to do away with the possible impact of trade on the environment. Efforts such as the launch of negotiations for a "Free Trade Area of the Americas with an express decision to exclude environmental issues from the agenda provides an even starker example of the trade community's hostility toward serious environmental engagement" (Esty 2001, p. 120). These actions should not be tolerated. Environmental issues should not be taken out of trade policy decision making since the impacts of trade on the environment have long been identified. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away. The World Trade

Common problems in bulidings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Common problems in bulidings - Essay Example These are problems experienced by modern construction as well and building managers aim to provide solutions to them. With more research into the building sector, several solutions have been found that could help in mitigating these problems. Even then, they are still a subject of concern among many. Cracking refers to the disintegration of particles from each other resulting in a line of weakness in the walls and is because of unequal application of force to the particles often in opposite directions. This problem manifests because of the other problems experienced in building and construction. Subsidence means the gradual sinking of a structure to a lower level than the way it was designed on the plan. This can be caused by various reasons. It could be because of settlement of mines below the building over time often at great depth, which results in destruction of buildings. Uneven sinking would result in crack in the walls. Water flowing underground below the building could potential damage the subsoil the repercussions of which would be leaking drains hence creating weakness. The result is a heavy structure pressing down on the soil hence subsiding. Furthermore, decomposition and degradation of the soil, which results in shrinking, and consolidation of the soil fill potential results in long term change in the level of the soil as the weight of the structure presses down on it. Usually this is the case when the soil is above the water table, which gives it room to dry and allow for biodegradation. This uneven movement of the building causes particles to disintegrate hence the walls crack and form crevices. Earthquakes and tremors are the major causes of cracking. One way of combating subsidence and hence cracking is careful construction of houses by isolating them from trees, mines and unstable ground to reduce risk of such uneven forces. Moreover, the construction engineers