Final Statement-Western Europe:

*Low fertility rates, approaching zero population growth

*privatized water companies not providing clean drinking water to the globe, water as a commodity

*high rates of deforestation

*high CO2 emissions

*over-use of dams and other barricades

*starting to employ soft engineering tactics, nature-friendly "go with the flow" methods

*Greenland ice melt changing chemistry of oceans, thermohaline circulation

Fertility Rates and Life Expectancy in Western Europe

www.bit.ly/gXDiVY

Western Europe

France

Demographic Indicators	2011	1995	2005	2015	2025
Population
Midyear population (in thousands)	65,103	59,712	62,912	66,301	68,482
Growth rate (percent)	0.5	0.4	0.6	0.4	0.2
Fertility
Total fertility rate (births per woman)	2.0	1.7	1.9	1.9	1.9
Crude birth rate (per 1,000 population)	12	13	13	12	11
Births (in thousands)	800	763	807	783	751
Mortality
Life expectancy at birth (years)	81	78	80	82	82
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 births)	3	5	3	3	3
Under 5 mortality rate (per 1,000 births)	4	6	5	4	4
Crude death rate (per 1,000 population)	9	9	9	9	10
Deaths (in thousands)	570	540	537	607	676
Migration
Net migration rate (per 1,000 population)	1	1	2	1	1
Net number of migrants (in thousands)	95	39	95	95	95

Infant Mortality Rate and Life Expectancy, by Sex: France

Year	IMR Both Sexes	IMR Male	IMR Female	Life expectancy both sexes	Life expectancy male	Life expectancy female
2011	3.29	3.61	2.96	81.19	78.02	84.54

Crude Birth and Death, Net Migration, and Growth Rates: France

Year	Births per 1,000 population	Deaths per 1,000 population	Net number of migrants per 1,000 population	Rate of natural increase (percent)	Growth rate (percent)
2011	12.29	8.76	1.46	0.353	0.500

Age-Specific Fertility Rates and Selected Derived Measures: France

Year	ASFR 15-19	ASFR 20-24	ASFR 25-29	ASFR 30-34	ASFR 35-39	ASFR 40-44	ASFR 45-49	Total fertility rate per woman	Gross reproduction rate per woman	Sex ratio at birth (males per female)
2011	9.8	61.4	133.3	121.6	53.7	12.3	0.7	1.9644	0.9579	1.0508

	Midyear Population, by Age and Sex: France: 2011 Age Both Sexes Population Male Population Female Population Total 65,102,719 31,841,169 33,261,550 0-4 4,066,364 2,082,733 1,983,631 5-9 4,040,271 2,067,911 1,972,360 10-14 3,961,119 2,030,261 1,930,858 15-19 3,882,617 1,986,973 1,895,644 20-24 4,048,265 2,065,732 1,982,533 25-29 4,102,283 2,088,769 2,013,514 30-34 4,103,058 2,086,018 2,017,040 35-39 4,413,843 2,239,059 2,174,784 40-44 4,553,860 2,283,004 2,270,856 45-49 4,477,827 2,213,348 2,264,479 50-54 4,312,384 2,113,757 2,198,627 55-59 4,151,032 2,020,846 2,130,186 60-64 4,082,873 1,984,669 2,098,204 65-69 2,799,211 1,340,840 1,458,371 70-74 2,372,240 1,087,196 1,285,044 75-79 2,220,186 944,036 1,276,150 80-84 1,794,094 684,040 1,110,054 85-89 1,174,891 382,048 792,843 90-94 429,104 115,793 313,311 95-99 104,321 21,593 82,728 100+ 12,876 2,543 10,333

Annotated Bibliography-Western Europe-Internet Source

"Climate change-driven malaria is a potential risk for Western Europe." Scivista. Accessed February 22, 2011. http://www.scivista.com/content/climate-change-driven-malaria-potential-risk-western-europe-7812347.html.

Due to new research Western Europe could be prone to a malaria epidemic 8 months out of the year by 2080. Because of the global temperature rise, parasites are allowed to produce much more rapidly. It's projected that Tertian Malaria, once found in Germany will be reintroduced due to climate change. Because of sea surface temperature changes it is possible for increased parasite reproduction in addition to warmer air. When we think of global climate change we are mostly thinking about the organisms that will suffer from the changes, but have we thought about organisms that will thrive in our heightened air temperature? According to the (IPCC) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change global temperature is due to increase 6.4 degrees celsius by 2099.

Annotated Bibliography-Western Europe-Policy Document

Gloria Mulvihill

" The Dublin Statement on Water and Sustainable Development - UN Documents: Gathering a body of global agreements ." UN Documents: Gathering a body of global agreements. Hyperlinked collection of more than 500 key United Nations documents . http://www.un-documents.net/h2o-dub.htm (accessed February 21, 2011).

Five hundred people attended the International Conference on Water and the Environment (ICWE) in Dublin, Ireland in 1992. They addressed the usage of our freshwater resources, acknowledging that these problems were not just for the future, nor are they speculative. Problems such as "overconsumption, pollution, and rising threats from drought and floods" were addressed. Principles were established: freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resource, water development should include users, planners and policy makers, women play a major role in the management and safeguarding of water, and water is an economic good. By increasing awareness and implementing various water projects they hope to solve the global issue of freshwater. This source is a policy document and applicable because of its subject (water) and where the meeting took place (Dublin, Ireland, which is in Western Europe).

Annotated Bibliography

Population Source- Western Europe

1. Gall, Timothy L., ed. Encyclopedia of the Nations. Michigan: Gale Research. 1998.


In 1981 there were 56,243,395 people living in Italy, and ten years after there was a 5% increase in population. The cities were growing and getting more crowded which means they need to use more electricity to run the city and burning more carbon dioxide. In Italy around 67% of the country is urban, and in 1996 it was estimated that the average population density was 195 per sq km (506 per square mile). With all the people living there, they are burning and using many resources and now they have to replenish the resources they used before. The population is increasing and if they can not find enough resources for their country it will be harder to live there and prices will also go up.

This is a reliable, tertiary source because even though the encyclopedia I used is a later version it still has reliable research and I can trust the information it gives me.

(Kirsten Yi)

Annotated Bibliography

Climate Change- Western Europe

1. Rosenthal, Elisabeth. "As Earth Warms Up, Tropical Virus Moves to Italy." The
New York Times, December 23, 2007.


In this news paper article, it has been said that there was a tropical virus in Italy due to the warm weather they have been having; this virus is known as chikungunya. This virus causes high fever, exhaustion, and excruciating bone pain. Everyone was pointing fingers and blaming the recent immigrants from tropical Africa because they all thought they were the ones who brought the virus to Italy, but what they did not know was because the temperature in Italy were increasing and becoming warmer, it attracted tiger mosquitoes, which carried the virus and spread through out Italy. The tiger mosquitoes are also spreading to France and Switzerland. Climate change does not only affect the glaciers in Greenland and being extra hot in the summer, it affects the health of people as well.

This is a reliable, media source because New York times keeps up with the world and even though this source was from a few years ago it still is happening in Europe today.

(Kirsten Yi)

Annotated Bibliography:

Gloria Mulvihill

History Source-Western Europe

1.Dark, Petra, and Henry Gent. "Pests and Diseases of Prehistoric Crops: A Yield 'Honeymoon' for Early Grain Crops in Europe?." Oxford Journal of Archaeology 20, no. 1 (2001): 59-78. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?hid=8&sid=780ec62b-7836-4193-8300-cc443fe88622%40sessionmgr10&vid=1&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=4407069.

As stated in the title, this source discusses the role that pests and disease played in the development and history of agriculture in Europe. It will discuss how pests and diseases evolved to attack crops, and the period of time when crops yields were higher ("honeymoon" period) and why this was. This is pertinent because it applies to the European area and the history of agriculture, both subjects we are focusing on this term.

Annotated Bibliography:

Gloria Mulvihill

Water Source-Western Europe

1. Bunting, Lynda, Peter R. Leavitt, Christopher E. Gibson, Edward J. McGee, and Valerie A. Hall. "Degradation of water quality in Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland, by diffuse nitrogen flux from a phosphorous-rich catchment." Limnology and Oceanography 52, no. 1 (2007): 354-369. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40006086 .

In this article, two lake zones are compared to try to deduce what happened to decrease the water quality. One lake exhibited moderate production, with low levels of fossil pigments, while the other exhibited high levels of fossil and algal pigments, leading to eutrophication of the lake. The lake zones compared are located in Northern Ireland, which is pertinent to our group's world region. The topic, eutrophication of a phosphorous-rich lake, is pertinent to our study of water.

Annotated Bibliography:

Population Source-Western Europe

1. Massimo Livi-Bacci."Population Policy in Western Europe" Population Studies.Vol. 28, No. 2 (Jul., 1974), pp. 191-204.

Peer reviewed source (Found at PSU Library)

Most European countries have not adopted any sort of demographic policy. Throughout Europe populations rose steadily after the industrial revolution with an exception of France. But still there are no policies restricting birth. Throughout Europe sex ed is plentiful and contraception is within easier access than the United States by far. This article goes into depth with the extensive political applications for a country to adopt a demographic policy. A country would have to change a lot and devote a lot of energy to make all such changes for a nation.

Climate Change Western Europe

Annotated Bibliography:

Climate Change Source-Western Europe

1. Drijfhout, S S (04/01/2010). "Response of the Western European climate to a collapse of the thermohaline

circulation". Climate dynamics (0930-7575), 34 (5), p. 689.

Peer reviewed source (Found on PSU Library)

This article investigates the possible outcomes of the thermohaline circulation coming to a halt in the future and also analyzes the current slower speed of the circulation due to the addition of fresh water into the ocean. With the declining speed and strength of the thermohaline circulation comes a great temperature contrast between land and sea, especially in western europe because of it's location. As global mean temperatures rise from this process the contrast to cold sea surface temperatures is a question to be maintained. As the THC looses strength the SST decrease in the Northern Atlantic ocean as they increase in the Southern Atlantic ocean. This results in a southward shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. This article explains how climate change in one region can really affect the whole world, and climate change is not just about temperature, but the earth's natural chemistry getting mixed up.

The Poor in Developed Countries - Western Europe: Poverty In The United Kingdom And Germany

http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2682/Poor-in-Developed-Countries-WESTERN-EUROPE-POVERTY-IN-UNITED-KINGDOM-GERMANY.html

Germany and the United Kingdom are the two largest economies in the European Union. The U.K. also has the EU's highest levels of poverty and income inequality as well. In Germany, child poverty is rising and unemployment levels are soaring. Countries confront the problem of poverty with three different social welfare approaches:

The social democratic:

This exists in mostly in the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. This welfare program is paid for by taxes. This provides the highest level of services.

The liberal:

This is what the U.K. is using, and while it provides lower levels of service, it also lowers taxes. Private sectors are encouraged to help the needy, and those who are unemployed are urged to take whatever is available. This approach is very similar to what the U.S. welfare system is like.

The corporatist:

Countries such as France and Germany use this model, as well as most other continental European countries. Benefits would come through the employers through individual contributions.

Note: Scandinavian countries have the lowest poverty rates when compared to the rest of the European Union.

Although efforts have been made to reduce the number of impoverished people in Britain, the results were based off of the increase of all levels of society's incomes; therefore the challenge is to increase the incomes of the poor faster than that of the wealthy. As of 2005, about one in five people in Britain are poor. 33% of that number are families with children.

Germany, though they seemed to recover remarkably well after WWII, fell into an economic sinkhole by the 2000s. As of December of 2005, the unemployment rate had dropped from 12.6% to 11.2%, it shot back up to 12.2% by February of 2006. Germany had a similar problem to the British when it came to measuring the poverty line, however. They looked at income increases across the board, instead of specifically where the rise was needed most. The government is now looking at reforming labor and social welfare laws. But these reforms do not seem to be a valid way to reduce poverty. In specific:

-The work week would be increased with no pay raise (it is now at 35 hours per week)

- Labor unions power would be decreased

- Unemployment benefits would be very strictly limited

DEFORESTATION RATES IN GERMANY:

http://rainforests.mongabay.com/deforestation/2000/Germany.htm

This page has the complete lowdown on Germany and it's forests, including information about what is destroying their forests, their economic status, population, etc. Some important numbers to think about:

- 31.8% of Germany is forested

- Between 1990 and 2010, they lost an average of 0.16% per year, and gained 3.1% of that cover during the same time period

- Of their wildlife, 0.9% are endemic, and 3.5% are threatened

- Of their plantlife, 0.2% are endemic

This link also includes a list of environmental issues Germany is facing. Some include:

- coal emissions

- acid rain

- pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial runoff

- disposal of hazardous waste

Total and Per Capita Carbon Emissions (All Countries)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jan/31/world-carbon-dioxide-emissions-country-data-co2#data

Just scroll down a bit :)

GREECE SEEN FACING BLEEK CLIMATE CHANGE:

http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/31620

Droughts, desertification, rising sea levels, higher temperatures and damage to agriculture-Greece is facing it all, if not now then it could be soon. The cities of Thessaloniki and Messolongi will most likely be under water. The temperature in the Mediterranean has risen 1 percent, as compared to 0.74 globally. Greece's rainfall has fallen 30% since the 1970's. The animal and plant life are also showing change, with birds flying farther north in the winter and viruses and diseases popping up that are not native to Greece.

These possible and already occurring changes make it even more important for Greece to meet it's Kyoto Protocol target.

Global Protocol- Preliminary Session

Western Europe is just as guilty as the United States when it comes to their contributions to climate change, in particular global warming. The U.S., Western Europe, and Japan (about 15 percent of the world population) are responsible for two- thirds of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Western Europe is a leading burner of fossil fuels, which is a major contributor to the increase of carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere. Other activities such as deforestation also contribute to carbon release; the demand for wood such as mahogany creates the need to cut down large areas of forest, which causes high levels of carbon emissions.
The main issue impacting our region is glacier melt of Greenland contributing to global sea surface rising. The glacier melt that is being added to the ocean is not cold dense water, like the rest of the water in the ocean. This fresh water melt is not being pulled down with enough strength to continue the thermohaline circulation as it should be. The worry is that the "Ocean Conveyor Belt" is slowing down. Sea surface temperatures and levels could, and are rising. Global climate change is more than just warmer temperatures. It's a domino effect melting the glaciers. The chemistry of the ocean is being interfered with. There is a positive feedback as well; water absorbs more solar radiation than it reflects, resulting in more ice heating.
The most common factors that contribute to global warming are cars, trains, refrigerators, and electricity. In Greenland they propose that decreasing the use of greenhouse gas emissions is the first way to start solving global warming and preventing the glaciers in Greenland from melting. Another solution they have is to change the way that they produce and consume energy. Friends of the Earth Europe say that “this can also create millions of new green jobs in sectors such as energy efficiency, energy saving, and renewable energy.” This is a good solution because there is a need for job openings, and this is a good way for people to learn more about the effects of carbon emissions. People will then have a job and also help save the planet. If Western Europe could cut back on the usage of cars, trains and electricity then their usage of carbon dioxide will decrease exponentially. Friends of the Earth Europe say “So far the EU has only agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, [but] if the European Union takes the lead and shows that Europe is ready to make cuts in greenhouse gas emissions” they could lower their gas emissions by 40% instead of 20% by 2020. Once some takes the lead, other countries will then follow and sooner or later the whole world will then be making an effort to lower their gas emissions to solve global warming.

Friends of Earth:
http://www.foeeurope.org/climate/index.htm

Short-term weather extremes, not warming, driving Greenland ice sheet flow: Study

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/short-term-weather-extremes-not-warming-driving-greenland-ice-sheet-flow-study_100471671.html

Another piece of evidence supporting that climate change is more complex than just global warming. "Since the 1990's, it has been documented to be losing approximately 100 billion tonnes of ice per year." And most surprising, it's not only increased temperature that is speeding up the glaciers melting, but the increased rain fall is resulting in increased melt. Gradual warming causes gradual glacial melt, and sudden increases in rainfall can cause glacier melt to spread and speed up. "...during heavy rainfall, higher water pressure is required to force drainage along the base of the ice..." As a result of glacial melt from Greenland, global sea levels rose about 0.14 to 0.28 milimeters per year between 1993 and 2003.

Expectedly Greenland is experiencing warm weather

It has been stated that some parts of Western Europe are witnessing record low temperatures. Greenland, however, known for record lows, has been experiencing higher than usual temperatures. Explanations as to why this is happening include changes in jet stream paths. This change is causing places like Australia to have snow. It seems that warmer air off the Atlantic is being directed towards Greenland and Canada, causing a sort of climate swap.

Check out the article at:

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/enviornment/unexpectedly-greenland-is-experiencing-warm-weather_100477454.html