Globalization and Sustainability

Key Terms and Questions Globalization Sustainability Expansionist World View Ecological World View Conceptual Models Spaceship Earth Concept Gaia Hypothesis Limits-to-growth thesis Carrying capacity Cornucopian thesis Total stock Resource Renewable resource Non-renewable resource

Why are globalization and sustainability useful themes for the study of world issues? In what ways is the world getting more globalized? What implications does globalization have for the world and for our future? Why is sustainability such an important goal for the future but so difficult to achieve? How are natural resources viewed differently at different times and in different places?

What is globalization? Greater interconnectedness. Financial, economic, technological, political, cultural, sociological, ecological, and geographical.

Let’s look at Dubai.

Why is Dubai a “global city?” One family has ruled Dubai since 1958. -Why is this important? 3885 square kilometres. Toronto’s GTA is 7125. Mostly expatriates. -What is an expatriate? 19% of Dubai is from the UAE. 23% from Iran or Arab countries 50% from South Asia 8% from Europe, North America, or East Asia. Subtropical climate: low as 10 Celsius at night, high as 48 in the day. Very little rain.

Tourism What makes Dubai attractive to tourism?

Hotels are opening up everywhere. The emir wants 29,000 rooms. They are close to that.

Air Travel

Business Attracting major companies: -Access to new markets -Trained labour -”Romance” of having an office there. -Established “Knowledge centres” of universities and schools. -Major investments

How are they able to do this? Globalization-friendly environment -Acceptance of other faiths* and allowing land usage for them. -Alcohol served to non-Muslims; relatively relaxed dress codes. -English is widely-known. On purpose.

Selling the Brand Let’s have a look at Dubai. When people hear the name, they think of glamour, expense, large things, comfort, and excess.

Foreign Investment Countries and businesses all over the world invest money in Dubai. For ALL the reasons we have already seen. There is also significant investment FROM Dubai in other places.

What are some negatives? What do you think? Culture and Religion? Environmental? Security?

Types of Globalization Globalization means different things to different people. Some positive views, Some negative views.

Financial Globalization Stock markets all over the world list stocks from all over the world. When something small* happens, it could have a huge impact. Greece is an excellent example. Has it had a positive impact on the world? You decide.

Economic Globalization This has to do with companies. As we know, money is moved around to wherever it will benefit. Some say this brings wealth to new places (like Xin). Others say that this kind of behaviour increases the gap between rich and poor countries.

Technological Globalization What does this refer to? When we hear the term “global village,” we think of technology and the internet specifically. It allows the world to be connected.

Technological Globalization The more technology we bring into a place, the more likely it is that they recover from economic poverty. Cell networks and internet provide the ability for businesses to compete.

Political Globalization Countries become interdependent as they develop. Why? This creates a requirement for policy and standard unification. Free Trade Agreements are going to keep forming because of this.

Cultural Globalization When global cultures mesh into a single one, this usually means local cultures are lost. We call this cultural globalization. People who are anti-globalization say that these cultures are being replaced by an American one. Do you agree?

Ecological Globalization Treating the world as a single ecological system instead of a series of different ones. We worked together to deal with ozone depletion. We can work together to fix other things.

Sociological Globalization This is the belief that there are certain societal behaviours that should be standard anywhere. This will differ from place to place, but there are some that are almost universally accepted.

Geographical Globalization Study of geography does not really focus on local impacts anymore. How things are affected beyond borders and within cultures, societies, and economies is the new focus.

Page 29 (McDonalds) Big Mac Index Golden Arches Theory MaDonal Read the page and answer questions 1-3

Concerns about Globalization Been happening for hundreds of years. Check this out. Cultural, religious, social reasons, Financial reasons Security reasons Ecological reasons

Globalization Personified

Sustainability Let’s get back to Dubai. All of that building and all of those people have a massive impact on sustainability. What is sustainability?

Sustainability The World Commission on Environment and Development defined it as: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Dubai’s Sustainability Dubai probably uses more water than any other nation on Earth. They use 503 litres per day per person. The US is estimated to use 322 litres. Some comes from stored rains, but MOST comes from desalinization plants. This takes a lot of energy.

Dubai’s Sustainability Electricity use grows at a very high rate in the UAE. Their emissions grew 75% between 1990 and 2000. India and China only grew 41 and 32 % respectively.

Canadian Links to Sustainability?

Pine Beetle larvae die in cold warmer winters lead to fewer dying more trees are lostfewer trees lead to more CO2emissionsclimate change increases. DubaiCanadaDubai.

Views on Sustainability By the 1700s, a lot of the world was in the process of being colonized. Industrialism had not really happened yet.

Expansionist World View 18th century view of the world. Nature is there to be used. Look at the progress we have made! Look at all the wealth! We could never run out!

Ecological World View Mid to late 18th century. Focused on our relationship with Earth. Cities were too fake and dehumanizing. We were at our best, “in nature.” Land was put aside for use. We recognized that we should maintain some natural beauty.