Law’s Influence On Social Norms
The relationship between law and social opinion is delicate and dynamic. Landmark legal cases can significantly influence social attitudes and norms on a national and global scale. The opposite to this is also true, with changes in public opinions influencing updates to existing laws or the introduction of new legislation. It is a careful balancing act to ensure the legal system of a country represents its people’s interests while maintaining principles of justice and equality.
Legal Decisions In Shaping Social Norms
Outcomes of legal cases have the ability to cause shifts in public perception and behaviour. One such example is the UK indoor smoking ban, which came into full effect on 1 July 2007. Since its inception, people’s perceptions around smoking have changed and more people have decided to quit as the popularity for smoking declined. People also started to smoke less within their own homes. This phenomenon has led to a decrease in hospital admissions: both from smoking sufferers and from children experiencing effects of second-hand smoke.
In the 2015 landmark court case of Obergefell v. Hodges, James Obergefell and John Arthur James, together with other same sex couples, challenged state bans on same sex marriage. The case resulted in legalised same-sex marriage across the United States. It also caused a shift in social perception of the LGBTQ+ community, leading to increased social acceptance and normalisation.
Social Attitudes In Influencing Legal Outcomes
While legal outcomes can shape public opinions, the opposite is also true, creating a intricate and complex feedback loop. Changes in social attitudes can influence legislation to become more aligned with common views.
Sometimes these changes in public opinion take time, as was the case with the #MeToo movement. Originally started in 2006 by Tarana Burke to represent women survivors of sexual assault and harassment, the movement gained widespread global attention from a MeToo hashtag by actress Alyssa Milano in 2017. Within 24 hours, more than 12 million women had responded to the movement. In the wake of Harvey Weinstein’s conviction, many new laws and policies were updated, including the revision of several countries’ workplace sexual harassment policies and the update of internal policies by the United Nations.
Global Influences
Each country has its own laws which reflect different legal strategies and societal attitudes; this can be seen in the case of differing levels of drug decriminalisation, which vary significantly between countries. It is however possible for global attitudes to be changed based on specific country legal outcomes. This has been seen for example, in the spread of LGBTQ+ human rights across the globe, where legal and social changes in certain countries have been put in place off the back of pioneering legal decisions and shifts in social perceptions.
Challenges And Considerations
The feedback loop between legal changes and social perceptions is a delicate balance. Legal systems must strive to consider public pressure with the principles of justice and are in a constant state of reflection. They must also remain unbiased, especially to the pressures of social hierarchies and individuals in power who may influence legal frameworks towards their own causes.
In a profession that once relied heavily on paper records and manual documentation, advances in technology are making the legal industry more accurate, efficient, accessible and cost-effective. Changing client needs can be met, and new flexible, adaptive approaches ensure the legal industry remains competitive.
Documentation Management
AI allows for the automation of routine tasks. AI software can also be used to scan vast amounts of documents in a process known as e-discovery to search for specific and relevant information needed for a case that could take hours or days to manually paper-research. This frees up time to allow for higher-level tasks to be carried out. AI can also help lawyers make data-driven decisions through the predictive outcome of legal disputes by analysing past trends and records.
Improved efficiency with documentation filing and cloud computing allows access to information at any time and with rapid speed while allowing for collaborative working. Software gives access to vast legal resources to allow better access to information. As well as making the legal practice more efficient, it also allows for a better work-life balance for lawyers who can work remotely from any location.
Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology has mitigated the need for manual contracts, instead replacing them with automated smart contracts. These digital contracts automatically execute when certain criteria are met, removing the need for intermediaries. Increased security for the platform ensures transactions are recorded in tamper-proof environments.
Online Dispute Resolution
Social distancing and remote working measures from the COVID-19 pandemic have led to rapid technological advancements in online dispute resolution. New measures have been put into place to allow court cases to be resolved outside of traditional courtrooms via video conferencing. This has allowed a more flexible, convenient and accessible approach, enabling small claim disputes to resolved online and usually at a lower legal cost.
Technological Concerns
While technology has brought tremendous benefits to law firms world-wide, it has also brought added difficulties. With more documentation and sensitive information online, law firms have become a target for cyber-attacks. Data protection acts such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California mean that law firms must do more to mitigate cyber security attacks and data leaks.
Techniques using AI for e-discovery could lead to biased results which can raise questions about the ethical use of technology in law. Predictive analysis and collected data may not indicate a fair and just representation and potentially lead to discrimination.
As technology advances, there may also be an issue of tech literacy as many lawyers struggle to keep up with new software and digital techniques needed to perform their duties.
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Celebrating Youth And Young People: International Youth Day: 12 August
You are midway through the summer holidays – well, in the UK anyway – and you might be getting a little restless, perhaps a bit bored – and you are itching to get back to learning. Well, on 12 August, you could spend time thinking about International Youth Day (IYD) – a day which celebrates young people the world over.
Facing Forward
IYD came about to do two main things: to recognise the role that young people have to play in the future of the world and also to draw attention to issues that young people face every day. This has been running since 1999 when it was decided that such a day needed to exist.
Across the world, there are nearly 2 million young people aged between ten and twenty-four years old. Shockingly, about half of these live in war-torn areas – and lots are affected by lack of education, access to healthcare, suitable jobs and other potential opportunities.
One of the aims of the International Youth Day is to teach young people how to make a better life for themselves – and to help them become equipped with the skills to do this. One example is knowing how to promote peace and having ideas about how this can help for future generations.
How To Be A Part Of It
So, how might you get involved this year? Well, you can participate on social media using #YouthDay and #Transforming Education. You can find out more at https://www.un.org/en/observances/youth-day – there is a lot more information provided here. This year’s theme is From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development. Technology plays a huge role in how the world works today and young people are often very quick to pick up on new initiatives.
When the 12th of August rolls around, try and get involved with issues that will affect you – and other generations – in years to come. This is how you can make a difference to the world we live in today.
In an era dominated by digital platforms and instant access to information, traditional mediums like newspaper articles, magazines, and journals might seem obsolete. Yet they have seemed to have withstood the test of time and are still in print. It begs the simple question: why?
Trust
Firstly, credibility and trustworthiness play a significant role. With digital platforms, it is much easier to circulate information that has not been verified, leading to fake stories and mass hysteria. Established newspapers, magazines, and academic journals, on the other hand, often have rigorous editorial standards and fact-checking processes in place, which lend them an air of reliability. Consequently, readers trust these sources to provide accurate, well-researched information, distinguishing them from the vast array of unverified content circulating online.
Texture
Secondly, the tactile experience of reading a physical publication can still hold allure. Think about it: you’re commuting to work; your wi-fi is not stable, what do you do? There’s nothing like flipping through the pages of a magazine or newspaper, feeling the texture of the paper, smelling the print, and engaging with the content in a tangible way that digital platforms just cannot compete with. This sensory experience can enhance the overall reading enjoyment and retention of information.
Furthermore, printed publications have historically served as cultural artefacts, capturing moments in time and preserving them for future generations. Indeed, the physical archives of newspapers and magazines serve as valuable historical records, offering insights into past events, societal trends, and cultural norms.
A Printed Future Can Co-Exist With The Digital One
Ultimately, while digital platforms have revolutionised the way we access information, traditional mediums such as articles continue to thrive for several reasons. Their credibility, tactile experience, historical significance, and role in fostering critical thinking all contribute to their enduring relevance. Just as with the adaptation of a novel into a visual medium, each format offers its own unique benefits, enriching the overall reader experience. So, whether you’re flipping through the pages of a magazine or scrolling through an online article, the art of writing articles remains a vital skill in our information-rich world.
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English Literature GCSE and IGCSEs
How The Pomodoro Technique Can Help You
In a recent article, I touched on the Pomodoro technique as a means of being productive when it comes to revision over the Easter break. But, such a fleeting mention doesn’t do justice to just how useful it can be.
The What
The Pomodoro Technique is a strategy aimed at helping people who struggle to focus for long periods and have a short attention span. If you get easily distracted, the Pomodoro is definitely for you. Developed in the 1980s by a University student who struggled to focus on his studies and assignments, the Pomodoro Technique is a strategy for doing work in short stretches. Twenty-five minutes of focus broken up by five-minute breaks, with a longer break of 15-30 minutes after every fourth stretch. It’s a technique that’s applicable beyond revision and can be applied to how you work, manage tasks, and helps you completely remove procrastination as a problem—which is an issue many of us deal with, especially when it comes to those things we just don’t want to do. By breaking tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks to deal with systematically, that mountain in front of you is reduced to a series of steps. It makes you more efficient, mitigates distraction and ultimately makes you much more accountable to yourself.
The How
The Pomodoro Technique is designed to get work done while preventing the chance of overwhelm or the temptation of distraction. It works best with a bit of preparation and with a timer beside you (that timer should not be your phone, we’re here to remove distractions not add them). To prepare, make a list of the tasks or a single large task broken down into smaller ones. Assemble everything you need and remove anything you don’t. What you’re going to do is flip your perspective from sitting down for the long haul and instead stack a series of small wins through short bursts of focused work with breaks in between.
Once you’re ready, the process is fairly straightforward:
STEP ONE: Choose the task.
STEP TWO: Set your timer and work ONLY on that singular task.
STEP THREE: Once the timer goes off take a five-minute break. Stretch your legs, grab a drink, or check your phone.
STEP FOUR: Repeat steps one to three FOUR times.
STEP FIVE: Take a longer break of between fifteen and thirty minutes. Have some lunch, walk the dog or meditate.
Keep working through the steps like a cycle as you progress through your to-do list, and you’ll soon find yourself racing through it. It may seem deceptively simple, but that’s why it works. The idea behind this method is that the timer instills a sense of urgency. Instead of sitting back with the whole day ahead of you, finding ways to put off the work, time is turned against you. The breaks are there to help you catch your breath and not burn out.
If a task overruns, simply pick it up on the next interval, while if you have tasks that you know won’t take long at all, group them. If you have a sudden revelation of something that needs doing, simply make a note and add it to the list to do later, don’t ruin your momentum by diving into that task immediately. And of course, there are always moments of unavoidable interruption. Whether it’s a knock at the door or being informed of an important phone call, it’s not the end of the world. Simply take that break there, and then start fresh with a new interval from there.
What if you finish that task before the timer is up? Don’t call it early, use your remaining time to brush up further on whatever that task is. Research it more or go over what you’ve done; you’re focused on that particular topic at that moment so it’s important to keep that focus.
Things To Note
This technique isn’t going to change your life and solve all your problems, but it can be a huge help if used properly. With that in mind, it’s important to note that it doesn’t apply to everything and has its limitations. Long-form writing isn’t always the best for this. To really get into the flow of a piece, you do need longer to get the thoughts out of your head, so save the Pomodoro technique for research, editing and planning. Timing-wise, while the windows are relatively short, as you adjust to the technique it’s important to consider lengthening the windows of focused work. As your attention span and working mind adjust to it, you’ll likely find that the short windows begin to hinder more than help and longer stints will be more beneficial. Indeed, with that in mind, you might just come to a point where one day, you may not need it.
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Exam Questions On The Horizon
It might only be March, and May may seem so far away, but two things are worth mentioning: it’s never too early to be exam-ready, and time moves faster than you think it does.
So while you’re stepping up your revision, one of the best and most effective approaches is getting stuck into past exam papers. You’ll have a lot of the fundamentals of whichever subject you’re tackling in your memory already, but these questions will test how you apply what you know. It’s not just about information retention, but how you can use it alongside your problem-solving skills to reach an answer. Don’t think of them as tests but as puzzles.
The Anatomy Of An Exam Question
First of all, let’s pull apart these questions, and typically how they’re put together and the big clues they contain that will tell you what kind of response examiners are looking for (unfortunately, it won’t outright tell you the answer, just how to structure it).
The Prompt: This is the stem, the important part of the question amongst all the jargon and other information you’re given. It’s here that you’ll find the core information and the context for the question. It’s also where the imperative verbs will be that will tell you how to answer it.
Imperative Verbs: pay attention to these, because they are the indicator of just how to go about it. ‘Describe’, ‘compare’, ‘evaluate’ and ‘justify’ will all demand different answers. ‘Describe’ simply wants you to explain, while ‘compare’ will want you to look at the differences between two sets of data/sources. ‘Evaluate’ is likely going to want to you point out the flaws and the strengths of a source and decide on its reliability, and ‘justify’ will be wanting you to back up your answer using evidence from the text. These are just a few examples, so be sure to make a note of all the different ones you run into when looking at past papers, you may just notice a trend.
Supplementary Materials: these will be your data sets/graphs/images/sources depending on the exam you’re taking. It’s important to take the time to give them a good read-through. Your impulse will be to do so quickly and the temptation will be there to skim. Don’t. You’ll run the risk of misreading the information and that can derail your entire answer.
Mark Allocation: Have a glance at the marks available for the question. While not applicable to all exams (those that require longer-form responses) these can be a good indicator of just how much time and effort is required. If there are only a couple of marks at stake and you’re scratching your head at the way to answer it, chances are you’re overthinking it.
Planning Makes Perfect
Be sure to spend a few minutes before writing your answer to plan out what you’re going to say. Jot down some key arguments and examples, and highlight anything you think could be relevant. Prioritise the points you think best fit the answer, and then write. Taking the time here will help focus your writing and stop you from meandering from your point. Plus, should you run out of time, that plan will point out where your answer is going. It may not have much of a bearing on your marks, but you can’t rule out the marker not taking it into account.
Timing
Spending too much time on one question has the consequence of leaving you considerably less time for any subsequent ones. If you’re struggling with a question, the next one you may find much easier—how you’ll kick yourself if you waste time on a lost cause when you could maximise your marks elsewhere on the paper! Two partially answered questions will net you more marks than one good one and one terrible one, bear that in mind.
Using your time wisely is very important, and while it’s understandable that exam situations can cause a bit of stress, and once you get momentum in a question you can lose track of that clock; discipline with your timing is one of the most valuable assets to have in an exam.
Cross Your ‘T’s, Dot Your ‘I’s
Keep in mind to leave yourself five minutes at the end to give your answers one last read-through to catch any errant spellings and missing punctuation. The amount of marks dropped for not adhering to the fundamentals of writing keeps teachers up at night, and you wouldn’t want to lose out on a grade because you misplaced too many commas.
Whatever You Do, Don’t Do Any Of These
Panic! Of course, that’s easier said than done, but keeping your cool will help you save precious time. You can help mitigate your angst by practicing exam papers under timed conditions. It won’t solve everything, but at least it will give you one less thing to be worried about.
Waffle! Keep in mind the points above, and don’t jump straight in to writing your answer, and you’ll do well to avoid this. Long answers that dance around the point don’t score as well as concise ones that are half the length.
Dwell on it. Coming out of the exam wondering what could have been and talking to your friends comparing answers is a great way to bring your mood down. Once time is up, there is nothing else you can do. Take a break, do something to take your mind off it—then on to the next one!
There’s plenty of time between now and the exam, so use it wisely. Just remember, whatever may come results day, if you can get to the end of May and tell yourself that you tried your very best, what else could you do? Nobody can ask more of you than that.
You’ve got this, good luck.
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Improving What You Own
Your reading list probably asks you for newest editions of novels and textbooks. If you own some older editions of these texts already, you might think; ‘why do I need to rebuy something I already own?’ It can be an annoying question, particularly for your parent or legal guardian. After all, it’s their money! Due to cost-of-living pressures, many parents are now spending less on books for their kids. If you have an older sibling, it’s even possible your parents were planning on passing their books down to you. Unfortunately, it’s a plan that’s unlikely to succeed. So, why do you need to purchase the newest editions of books that you may already own? Well, we’ve tried to provide a few different answers to that question for you below.
Presentation for Curriculum Requirements
Over the years, the curriculums have changed. Studying is a lot more learner-friendly than it used to be. Let’s use English literature as an example. Textbooks for the subject would often present quite rigorous, factual questions, very much looking for answers that were distinctly ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. However, things began to change in the mid-1990s.
Some of the textbooks for English literature test pupils quite differently today. Now, schoolkids and home learners alike are tested on more interpretative questions, ones where your reading of the text is more important. You’re allowed to argue your points, and so long as they’re well-structured, well-written, and well-reasoned points, they’re generally marked favourably. It might seem tempting to get an older textbook for a more affordable price, but you’ll also be subjecting yourself to a different mode of learning when it comes to English literature. One that’s incompatible with modern curriculums! That difference likely extends to several other subjects as well.
The Condition of the Book
You might agree that, generally, many people don’t treat their books very well. Instead of arranging them neatly on a shelf at home, some of these books might live in bags or under furniture for months at a time, folded and creased. Others might doodle in their books, spill drinks on the pages, or even playfully use them as weapons against friends. They can also be rudely vandalised for a laugh. So, publishers quite understandably think that passing these texts down and around isn’t always a good idea. Older editions are bound to carry a few ‘battle scars’.
So, if your reading lists ask you for a new edition of a text, it possibly means the person curating it may be trying to evade some of these common issues. It’s not a guarantee – new editions of a text are typically released every 3-4 years with most publishers. Still, the newest edition of a text is harder to buy or borrow second-hand. It all means your learning is less likely to be interrupted, and you can enjoy the reading precisely as intended.
Author Changes
Many authors publish their books and insist the first copy is the final copy. They can get quite touchy about it, believing their integrity and reputation as a writer is on the line.
Others take a more relaxed approach when it comes to making changes. It’s still quite rare they do so, but it does happen! For example, Stephen King rewrote the ending of his 1978 novel, ‘The Stand’, revising the ending once in 1990, and then again for the 2020 TV miniseries adaptation. You’re unlikely to read a Stephen King text for study before university, but the larger point here is that even high-calibre authors do make changes, sometimes. The changes aren’t typically small, either. They can be so large that they fundamentally alter the message and mood of a text. So, in buying the newest edition, you can be sure that you’re grappling with the most relevant copy of a fiction.
Textbooks Can be Wrong
It’s easy to think of study as memorising bulletproof facts. Empirical information is presented to you with great authority, and your learning is rightly taken quite seriously. However, it’s not just authors that might like to change things around. It’s also true that so-called ‘factual’ textbooks can be wrong. After all, even long held scientific understandings about the age of the universe can later be questioned or even outright disproved. The knowledge of the human race is pretty ‘far off’ sometimes, and that’s okay.
This doesn’t mean everything you’re reading is redundant. However, it does mean that buying the latest edition of a text means that you’re more likely to engage with information that is accurate, up-to-date, and has been revised and amended as many times as possible. It also teaches you a valuable a lesson, too; that the learning journey never ends. Professional scientists and scholars are always experimenting and updating their knowledge, presenting incorrect answers to eventually find the correct ones. Equipped with that understanding, you may approach your own learning more comfortably and confidently. It’s okay to be wrong sometimes!
Bonus Material
Newest editions of a text often come with bonus material to make a purchase more enticing for consumers. Some of these add-ons can benefit you during your home learning. You’ll likely know what an appendix is. It’s a section of nonessential writing at the end of an academic text. It’s bonus material, featuring anything from quick notes to scanned letters and maps. Sometimes these are updated for newer editions of books and provide unique insights into the text you’re reading. However, appendices in older editions are not always reprinted for newest editions. It may vary on a text-by-text basis!
Newer editions of a text may also feature better quality, brand-new, and more frequent illustrations, graphs, and other visual spectacles too. It may seem like a small thing, but these additions can break up an overwhelming wall of text and make it more engaging to engage with as a result.
So, there you have it. In reading the points above, we hope you’ve come to understand that newest editions of books bring you, as the reader, ‘closer’ to the text. You can more easily understand and relate to what’s written and the people who wrote it, which should benefit you greatly on your learning journey!
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Future Routes Open to You
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
That’s a question we’ve all been asked more than once in our lives, and the answer often changes as we get older. But as you near the end of your education, you’re older and wiser, it comes down to either of two answers:
“I know exactly what I want to be!”
“I have no idea what I want to be!”
It’s important to stress that both of these answers are perfectly normal. There are plenty of people who don’t figure out what kind of career they want until they’re into their 30s—some even later than that. What you have right now is time. And so much of it. Right now, you may feel a lot of pressure to make a decision, like there is some unseen and foreboding clock counting down to a decision you feel massively unprepared to make. It’s not. Whether you know exactly where you want to go, haven’t given it much thought, or are currently panicked into choice paralysis, here are a few of your options explained to help you decide which one is best for you. The best for you right now, not necessarily forever.
16+
You’ve gotten through your GCSEs, but there’s still learning to do. Fortunately, you have a lot more choice in what you want to learn about and can shift your focus to the subjects or skills that you enjoy.
A-Levels are the most traditional route for pupils after their GCSEs. Each course is two years long and you’ll need to pick three of them to study. There is some wiggle room, as you can combine them with other qualifications too, depending on what you’re looking to study. A-levels are the next step for those looking to go to University.
T-Levels were brought about in 2020, with more and more subjects becoming available in colleges year on year. A T-Level is a two-year course that focuses on technical skills instead of academics. A T-Level pupil will spend most of their time in college, learning skills and developing their knowledge, and then spending a small part of their time on placement within their industry, getting valuable experience. After your T-levels, you can either choose to continue your employment or seek out further qualifications with technical courses or a degree. This is an option for those who prefer to be more hands-on in what they do.
Apprenticeships are on-the-job training. You’ll be paid while you learn and spend most of your time at work with a small amount of your time spent in an educational setting developing your knowledge and earning a qualification. These qualifications come in levels, with Level 2 being the same as a GCSE, and Level 3 equal to A- and T-Levels. You can find information about firms looking for apprentices locally, but your education provider should be able to support you in your search as well. This is perfect for those who never really felt like an academic environment was for them or just feel ready to get out into the working world.
18+
Congratulations, you’re free! You are no longer required by law to stay in education or training and as a result, your options are much broader. That can be a blessing or a curse, depending on which way you look at it. So let’s take a look at what you can do now:
Higher Education
Higher Education comes in the form of bachelor’s degrees and higher technical qualifications like Higher National Certificates and Higher National Diplomas. In most cases, these are offered by Universities on 3+ year courses. The delivery of these courses varies depending on what you choose. Some are purely lecture/seminar-based while others will have placements. What’s great about universities or further education colleges is that the courses they offer are often very flexible in their delivery. From full-time to part-time and even combined with a job in some cases. Yes, Higher Education can be expensive, but student loans are available and there is plenty of financial support available for those who need it. It’s well worth visiting these places when they have open days so that you can speak to students and staff and get a feel for the environment. It’s also a great opportunity to ask questions about the course (and any advice on getting financial support such as bursaries etc.).
Entry-Level Work
With your A-Levels, you’re set to apply for entry-level jobs and start your career. There’s a lot to choose from, but it’s important to note that what’s available to you will vary depending on where you live. Don’t let that limit you though. If you’re willing to brave a commute, you can save on rail fares with a 16-25 Rail Card. Take a look at this explore careers section on the National Careers Service website. It has a pretty extensive list of categories of work and the jobs they entail. It’s always good to know just how many options there are out there.
Gap Year
Find yourself. Travel a bit. Volunteer. Shadow people in areas you are interested in. These are all things you can do in a gap year. It’s a choice that is becoming more popular as young people are seeing the value in taking a gap year. It provides a unique opportunity for personal growth and allows young people to gain a bit more ‘real-world’ experience, get a bit of independence, and develop some resilience. Plus, it can be a nice break after 13 years in education, so why rush straight into a few more?
The Choice Is Yours
Hopefully, this has helped clear away a bit of the fog surrounding what you can do next. But remember, regardless of how sure you are of where you want to go or what you want to do, there’s no need to rush. Take the time you need to be as prepared as you can for whatever is to come—and don’t forget to take a moment to appreciate what you’ve already achieved. If you’re looking for more information, head over to Talking Futures, a great website with plenty of information and resources for young adults (and their parents too) looking at their next steps.
Good luck!
If you are taking your GCSE exams this year and wondering about doing an A level afterwards, Oxford Home Schooling offer the opportunity to attain one in a number of subjects. You can see which by following the link here. You can also speak to a student adviser for ,ore information, in which case you can do so via the following web page: Contact Us.
What is COP?
In 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was founded as an international treaty to address the issue of climate change. The Conference of the Parties, or COP, is the decision-making body of the UNFCCC and brings together representatives from its member countries to discuss and set out actions to tackle climate change. This year, from November the 30th to the 12th of December, will see the latest meeting, COP28, held in the United Arab Emirates.
The main focus of the treaty is to “stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference with the climate system”, thereby helping to achieve its goal of limiting long term temperature rises to 1.5C. It aims to achieve this through the promotion of sustainability, equity and justice.
What Has COP Achieved?
Since it’s inception, COP meetings have helped achieve several important milestones. The most significant actions have included the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol at COP3, a legally binding emissions reduction target for developed countries, and perhaps the more widely known Paris Agreement at COP21, which established a global framework for countries to set their own nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to mitigate gas emissions and enhance resilience to climate impacts.
The meetings have so far promoted international cooperation and diplomacy to help foster a sense of shared responsibility, set the stage for global action through global climate goals, provided aid to developing countries’ strategies through financial support and technology transfer, conducted research and innovation and helped raise public awareness. For example, between 2020 and 2025, richer nations have pledged to finance developing countries with $100 billion a year.
Will The UNFCCC Achieve Its Goals?
There is some debate among the public that, ironically, the holding of COP meetings is contributing more to the greenhouse than they are taking away. However, this does assume a negative view the impact of the meetings. In the case of COP28, if its proposals are delivered upon, the emissions savings would prevent 72,200 times more CO2 emissions in 2030 than those associated with the summit itself.
It is true to say, though, that beyond this debate over the summit’s own emissions, there is much more substantial concern surrounding proposal delivery. Many experts agree that despite the efforts being undertaken, especially by major emitters such as the United States and the European Union, the window to achieve the 1.5C target is still narrowing rapidly. Currently it is predicted that global temperatures will reach 2.5C in the near future despite the current pledges to tackle emissions. It is therefore clear that actions being taken need to be increased and at a faster rate.
How COP28 Can Improve Efforts
COP28 aims to address these concerns by fast-tracking the transition to clean energy sources by 2030 and increasing further the financial support for developing countries, to help with their climate action activities. In a world first, the conference aims to push for a phase out of the global use of ‘unabated’ coal, oil and gas. It will also take a first Global Stocktake (GST) of the progress made since the adoption of the Paris Agreement to help decide what measures will be needed to bridge the gap between current progress and climate action targets. This event will, in essence, set the precedent as to whether the UNFCCC can achieve its future targets.
It is clear that COP events have encouraged united collaboration and inspired action on a global scale, placing pressure on businesses and governments to put processes in place to tackle these issues. However, due to the complex nature of the climate actions required and the rate at which climate change is occurring, many challenges still remain.
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The factors facing new business start-ups are constantly changing in line with economic, technological and societal shifts. Business ventures of today are faced with new pressures and challenges to survive and become profitable. On the positive side, they enjoy access to new advanced technology and a greater range of support services. So, what does it mean to be an entrepreneur in this modern age?
Current Challenges
The business landscape is changing rapidly and companies must be quick to keep up. Nascent ventures are agile but also particularly vulnerable to external threats. Growing changes in technology means entrepreneurs need to be savvy and digitally literate to remain competitive while evolving regulations, data privacy changes and working practices all affect how an organisation must operate.
With information easily accessible online, modern customers can easily research a company’s previous reviews, history and organisational values and expect more from the businesses they purchase from; personalised experiences, environmental and social impact and diversity and inclusion practices all rank highly in consumer considerations.
Emerging global markets have led to greater overseas opportunities, but there is also the need to negotiate different cultural expectations, foreign supply chains and legal policies. Many markets are currently saturated, so brands must differentiate in order to stand out competitively. In a modern culture of information overload leading to short attention spans, companies must be able to cut through the noise to capture and hold a customer’s interest.
The Modern Benefits Of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs now have access to more funding options than ever before, including grants and investments to help get them off the ground. This has enabled entrepreneurs to become established quickly, by acquiring the personnel and resources they need to bring their visions into reality.
Technology has also enabled new start-ups to reach a wide audience with little upfront costs. Platforms such as YouTube and DIY website builders allow companies to get straight in front of customers and set up e-commerce channels while artificial intelligence (AI) has allowed automation of many business functions, freeing up time and resources.
The flexibility of current workforce conditions allows a modern approach to employment, helping to reduce costs through practices such as remote working. With many initiatives, educational opportunities and resources available, entrepreneurs can quickly attain the knowledge and skills needed in order to succeed.
The Future for Entrepreneurs
While there is much improvement in the level of support, technology and global reach opportunities for entrepreneurs, new challenges and obstacles are constantly emerging. It is clear that AI will continue to play a large part in the evolution of businesses globally, enhancing the level of automation. It is also expected that entrepreneurial opportunities will continue to rise in the areas of renewable energy, waste reduction and sustainable practices as environmental concerns continue to grow.
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