Currently, there is no bigger world issue than the covid-19 global pandemic. Over one hundred and ten million people have been infected, more than two million have died, and close to sixty-five million have recovered. Covid-19 has been a life-changing event, questioning everything from medical development and government regulation to modern concepts of society, family, and well-being.
Luckily, most experts predict the most difficult parts of this ordeal are behind us. Pharmaceutical enterprises continue working hard with science-based companies to test, develop, and distribute suitable vaccines and disease control mechanisms. With the use of instruments for dissolution, physiochemical analysis tools, subcutaneous devices, and continuous testing, incredible progress has been made.
But covid-19 isn’t the only thing happening on our planet. There are plenty of other issues that deem our attention. Among them are environmental matters, education, social responsibility, cybersecurity, and lifestyle diseases.
Environmental Protection
Environmental protection has always been a pressing global issue. As societies develop and the population grows, nations become more and more dependent on natural resources. We need more water, more food, more oil, and more sunlight to grow crops, feed families, and keep businesses running.
Yet, there has never been a time as important as now. There are more than seven billion people globally, and the tax put on the planet is something we can no longer afford to pay. As such, along with measures like the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the latest Paris Agreement on Climate Change, governments and private institutions should work together to put in place action plans that guarantee sustainability for future generations.
Education
According to a 2018 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), over 56 percent of Canadian citizens between 25 and 64 have some post-secondary education. Examples include two-year degrees, four-year undergraduate programs, and vocational courses. Canada ranks number one, roughly five percent ahead of Japan and Israel.
On the flip side, more than 258 million children in Africa cannot even attend primary school. What this shows us is the gigantic educational disparity that exists between developed nations and their developing counterparts.
But how can we bridge the gap? Is it simply a matter of money? Even if finding answers to these questions is not easy, it starts with a combined effort by rich and developing nations to prioritize child welfare.
Social Responsibility
No matter how much local and global media outlets pay lip service, the truth is we live in a world where not everybody is equal. This was greatly highlighted by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other African American cities at the hands of the police.
The last country to abolish slavery was Brazil in 1888. This was almost 140 years ago. Yet, we still live in societies where blacks and whites go to different schools and have different access levels to social benefits.
But it doesn’t end there. Social responsibility also entails being good citizens who recycle, treat others with respect, follow the established laws, and refrain from littering our streets and neighborhoods.
Cybersecurity
Everything today is done online. The internet has made it possible for human beings to interact in ways never seen before, from the food and other products we buy to the people we talk to and movies we watch.
Still, this level of extreme convenience has brought with it a threat that previously didn’t exist. We are talking about cybersecurity.
When it comes to cybersecurity, there are plenty of issues to consider. First and foremost is the protection of data and personal information. It includes bank transactions, online accounts in e-shopping malls, and user profiles in gaming sites, social media networks, and even online dating communities.
At a corporate level, cybersecurity is paramount as attacks continue to increase, leaving corporations bankrupt and unable to recover.
Lifestyle Diseases
The term lifestyle disease is often associated with preventable ailments that arise based on our daily habits and stress levels. A few of the most common ones are type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and mental disorders like anxiety and depression.
Even if some of these sicknesses are inherited, most go hand-in-hand with the ever-increasing pace of our lives and the amount of pressure we have to deal with. People today need to balance a highly-competitive career, family life, physical health, and personal hobbies. Thus, there is no time to relax and properly take care of oneself.
Five pressing global issues are environmental protection, education, social responsibility, cybersecurity, and lifestyle diseases. In a world dominated by technological development, stress, and now a global pandemic, finding solutions to them is the key for us to having better, happier lives.
