U.S. Government's Bailouts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U.S. Government's Bailouts - Research Paper Example The debt ratio of the company was 2.11. The firm was highly leveraged which led to the high fixed costs associated with debt financing. The debt of the company was more than twice its total assets. Providing governmental assistance to corporations such as General Motors is a way for the government to spur economic activity. Governmental assistance can ensure that companies that are facing financial trouble keep their doors open . Prior to the governmental assistance General Motors was near shutting down their operations. In the short run companies get a capital injection that can be used to cover operating expenses which includes both variable and fixed costs. The fixed costs of the company increase in the long run if the assistance that is given is in the form of debt financing. From the perspective of the government the assistance given protects jobs and government tax revenues. In the case of General Motors the long run consequence of the bailout was that the firm had to give up a lot of equity to the government in exchange for the governmental assistance. General Motors has recovered well since its reorganization in 2008. The current price of GM common stocks is $34.48 (Yahoo, 2014). The organization has a global workforce composed of 1.9 million employees. The firm is a socially responsible organization. Its product portfolio of vehicles includes hybrid / electric cars. The company on November 18, 2010 completed the world’s largest initial public offering, emerging with a solid financial foundation that enabled GM to produce great vehicles for their customers and build a bright future for its employees, partners and shareholders (Gm, 2014). In fiscal year 2013 General Motors generated $155 billion in revenues and it had a net income of $3.8 billion. The net margin of GM in 2013 was 2.45%. When a company employs directly 1.9 million people it is always worth saving such an organization.

Theories of communication Essay Example for Free

Theories of communication Essay Theories of communication Argyles theory of communication is a cycle of six concepts, which repeats its self through every conversation, emailing, phone call, and text, through all the ways we communicate. The 6 following steps are: An idea occurs-A thought goes through your head. Example: A midwife thinking to tell a student midwife to go and do the observations on the patient that has just come in Message coded- turning your thoughts and feelings in to communication thinking about Your body posture, tone of voice, body language, gestures, pictures, writing and posture. Example- the midwife now needs to think how to say to the student midwife she needs to do the observations and how she is going to come across, like her tone of voice, her facial expressions, body language , does she need to write it and her posture. Message sent- have communicated what you want to say. Example- The midwife has now told the student midwife to go and do observations on the lady that has come in, the way she wanted to come across. Message received- is when the person or audience has received what the sender had tried to communicate. Example- The student midwife has received what the midwife has communicated. Message decoded- now they have to take what has been said and try to decode it so they understand what they have communicated. Example- the student midwife is now trying to understand and decode what the midwife has said about doing observations on the patient that has just come in. Message understood- the audience or the person targeted at has understood what has been communicated. Example- the student midwife has understood that she needs to go and do the observations on the patient that has just come in. This works with a response as well for example: Idea occurs- thinking of a response- example: the student midwife is thinking of a response to say to the midwife. Message coded- thinking how you are going to communicate your response- Example-student midwife thinks how she is going to communicate her response. Message sent- you have communicated your response- Example- The student midwife has communicated what she wants to say to the midwife. Message received- the response has been received- example- The midwife has received the student midwife’s response Message decoded- take the response and try to understand it, attempt to decode it-  Example – the midwife now needs to decode what the student midwife has said so she can understand it. Message understood- they have understood the response- Example- the midwife has understood the student midwife will go and do the observations on the patient that has just come in. Bruce Tuckman’s 1965. Forming, storming, norming and performing- team development model Bruce Tuckman’s theory was a helpful explanation of team development and behaviour. He believed that there was stages when a team come together and they was the forming, storming, norming, and performing there is also adjourning and transforming also known as the mourning stage These stages worked like this: The first stage is forming and this was the team being assembled, at the beginning each individual tend to behave independently, until they start shaping in to a team. The team is coming together and trying to figure out why they are there or what they have to do. They spend time collecting information and bonding. The second stage is the storming stage, in this stage the team are aware of the task and begin to suggest different ideas and what they are going to do and how it works. This is just the stage of ideas and talking about the task. This is also when a team leader may be formed to lead the group. Time is spent addressing the task working out what they have to do and then brainstorming all their ideas for the task. The third stage is the norming stage, this is where the team finish the storming stage and move towards working on the task after putting all their ideas together and agreeing on what they are going to do and work out an effective plan, allowing the contribution of each member. At this point team leader can also take a step back as each individual team member takes more responsibility. In this stage time is used putting ideas together and agreeing and moving towards working on the task. The fourth stage is the performing, performing their ideas to complete the task given and have a final piece, this is the bit where they actually do it and try to complete it. The time is spent completing the task, working together. The last stage is the adjourning and transforming also known as mourning. This is the final stage; this is the breakup of the team, where the team leave as they have completed the task given. Example of Bruce Tuckman’s theory: classroom of year ones on their 1st day. The year ones have been put into a group, this  is where they meet and talk for the first time, this would be the forming stage, as the group is being formed and shaped. The teacher then gave them a task. Each child had to give an idea to help to complete the task, this is the storming stage as different ideas where put together to help complete the task. The year ones then had to decide all together what ideas they liked and agree on which one they was going to use for the task, this is the norming stage where they all decide and agree and start to work on the task, also having to agree on the rules which is given for the task. The fifth stage is the performing stage where they all perform the task given and the decisions are collaborative for the final piece. The final stage is the adjourning and transforming stage where the children go home after completing their task and the group is broken up as the task is now finished.

Scopes Trial :: essays research papers

The roaring 20's, a definitive time for change in the world. An introducing to new technologies and philosophies is sweeping the country and with it a change that is met with opposition. A notable event that affects everyone, is the infamous â€Å"Monkey Trials.† The lasting effect of a mockingly laughable monkey trial, was felt in many areas of everybody’s lives. Specifically the impact felt was seen through media, changes in personal intellect and the transition from traditional to modern values.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Not only was the trial heavily covered; it changed its nature to accommodate the coverage.† This case drastically altered the scale and the hype of any media until that time. The presiding judge, allowed radio lines into the courtroom, paused proceedings to allow photographers time to snap a shot, and even moved the entire trial outside to allow every person a chance to view it. The fact that this â€Å"media event† was probably the most heavily covered hype of it’s time, but that the hype became more important than the trial itself. â€Å"The real trial, it was agreed, was taking place in the newspapers. The things the jury never got exposed to got the heaviest emphasis around the nation.† Newspapers and magazines carried innumerable articles and cartoons on the case, and telegraph operators wired stories to Europe and Australia. For the first time news of an American trial was nationally broadcast by radio, while thousands of pe ople came to Dayton itself to take in what became a virtual carnival, complete with sideshows.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Modern life had become too complex for ordinary householders to get along with the help of experts.† During the trial, Clarence Darrow saw his defense as a â€Å"vehicle for affecting the public,† one that which had little opportunity of winning, but in due course tooks it’s affect among those who heard his argument. Mr. Darrow, in a risky move, brought in outside experts to testify which, â€Å"was not only an affront to local pride but a relatively risky new procedure in law.† The times changing, with technology and scientology among other things, saw the need for the everyday person to have his/her life explained to them by an expert. The case changed a lot of the purpose of a normal person being able to consider complex thoughts and discriminate logical possibilities without a broken down explanation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Consequently, the primary importance of family, home, church, and local community began to recede in national life.

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres Essay

In Corelli’s Mandolin, a novel by Louis de Bernià ©res, minor characters Mandras and Carlo contribute to the complicated relationships between each of the characters. Each individual has an influence on the changing events in the novel and inflict change in the main characters. Though unalike, the two face similar struggles that impact other characters and events in both positive and negative ways. In the end, both minor characters have the same fate. Mandras and Carlo are two minor characters that have a significant impact on the events and other characters of the novel. Mandras is a fisherman who falls in love with Pelagia, but breaks their connection after he leaves for the war. The introduction of Mandras at the beginning of the novel is the start of change and alteration in the plot. He falls in love with Dr. Iannis’ daughter, Pelagia, the moment he lays eyes on her. â€Å"What he thanked Megalo Velicarios for what that in the doctor’s house he first set eyes on Pelagia, the doctor’s daughter.† (21) He inflicts a significant amount of change in Pelagia’s character by catching her attention, and he becomes her first love. Their relationship end as Mandras’s leaves for war, and Pelagia becomes a victim of misunderstanding. â€Å"Unfortunately, my dream of Pelagia was better than Pelagia herself. I can see and hear that she is disgusted with her returning hero, and I knew before I went that I was not good enough for her.† (141) Mandras discovers that he is an unworthy suitor for Pelagia, and he knows that their relationship has ended once she develops a fascination for Captain Antonio Corelli. Read more: Sport captain speech essay

Decoding the PMP?® Exam

PM Introduction Since the early asses, project managers have prepared for the Project Management Professional ([email  protected]) Exam through intense study of the Project Management Institute's ([email  protected]) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge ([email  protected] Guide). Throw in a few ancillary primers and then take practice exam after practice exam and you've got a good chance of passing.What this approach lacks is an intuitive understanding of what it takes to put the [email  protected] Guide into practice. Many fresh-faced Amps can experience inefficiencies and extra challenges early on, until they overcome this handicap with on-the-Job experience. Depending on the scope and objectives of your project, this could have business-wide ramifications. Why learn from your mistakes when you can prevent them? The Task-Skill Method†* of PM Exam preparation offers a new approach that is more effective and offers more benefits than Just getting you rea dy to pass the exam.The Task-Skill Method prepares candidates through intensive review of the expected roles and responsibilities of a Certified Project Management Professional as identified in Mi's PM Role Delineations Study (REDS), also known as the PM Exam Blueprint. Armed with a fundamental understanding of on-the-Job requirements, you will better understand PM Exam questions and achieve higher overall scores. What's more, you'll be ready to immediately have an impact on your projects.The Task-Skill Method Revealed The Task-Skill Method is the result of more than a decade of lessons learned and process improvement. The breakthrough change lies in the foundational approach. While traditional PM Exam prep techniques prepare you to pass by essentially caching to the exam,' the new Task-Skill Method prepares you by teaching to the role of a PM The . ‘ Task-Skill Method still incorporates significant MAMBO Guide study, exam-taking skills and practice exams. However, they are us ed as reference standards and study or practice aids, rather than foundational requisites.While most traditional approaches are built around the framework of Knowledge Areas, Process Groups and Process Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Outputs, the new Task-Skill Method is built around the framework of the 37 individual Tasks and 65 individual PM Knowledge/Skill Sets of the PM Exam Blueprint. These are well defined and generally form the roles and responsibilities of a PM After . Taking into consideration overlap and redundancy, the Task-Skill Method boils down to 28 individual Tasks and 28 individual Knowledge/Skill Sets.What's more, these Tasks and Knowledge/Skill Sets serve as the foundation for all questions on the PM Exam, virtually eliminating any surprises. The 2012 PM pulse of the Profession study found that organizations with more than 35% PM certified project managers had better project performance. Keeping It Simple The Task-Skill Method reduces the amount of information y ou need to consume, sousing your objectives on what matters most and speeding up prep time. With traditional approaches, you can study up to 100 hours or more, but with the new Task-Skill Method, preparation time can be decreased by at least 25%.In a facilitated classroom environment, preparation time can require as little as 35-40 hours. Forty percent of your preparation time should be focused on the 28 PM Tasks and another 40% on the 28 PM Knowledge/Skill Sets. All should be clearly identified, understood, studied and sufficiently mastered. You should focus on understanding when and where each Task is typically performed across the project lifestyle and here each Skill Set is most essential. The remaining 20% of your time should be devoted to PM practice exams. This will hone your test-taking skills and serve as an additional learning resource.For example, in a 60-hour, self-paced, self-study plan, 12 hours would be devoted to Practice Exams, 24 hours to PM Tasks and 24 hours to P M Knowledge/Skill Sets. A Quick Look at the Exam The PM Certification Exam is a demonstration of your suitability to function as a Certified Project Management Professional. The exam includes 200 questions, many of them situational. Your score reflects your ability to: correctly identify recognized best practices; 2 use proper terminology; and 3 use logical reasoning to apply appropriate tools and techniques in given situations.PM Practice Exams 28 PM Tasks Knowledge/ Skill sets To ensure you are truly deserving of the PM Credential, many questions are deliberately made extra challenging. If you pass, you are awarded the PM Credential. If not, you can retake the exam up to three times in a one-year period. The Tasks and Skill Sets identified in the Task-Skill Method serve as the foundation for all questions on the PM Exam. Must-Know PM Tasks As a PM you may be expected to perform en or all of these 28 identified PM Tasks at various times during your project management career.The PM Exam will thoroughly test your understanding of each one by requiring you to demonstrate adequate knowledge of recognized best practices with respect to each Task. The PM Exam Blueprint identifies 37 individual PM Tasks. With many Tasks, there is overlap and some redundancy. For organization, efficiency and practical study purposes, the new Task-Skill Method effectively consolidates the 37 Blueprint Tasks to 28. Following is a detailed list of each must-know PM Task and the corresponding study aids. Evaluate Project Feasibility It is essential to establish a high-level understanding of the project early on.Is the project high risk, low risk, straightforward, complex? What constraints and assumptions are in consideration? How will you structure the project life cycle? What strategies will work? Study: [email  protected] Guide sections 3. 3 and 4. 1 Perform a Stakeholder Analysis Managing stakeholder expectations is considered the top priority each and every day by many Amps. Study: [email  protected] Guide section 10. 1 3 Develop a Project Charter A Project Charter is the formal document intended to authorize a project (or project phase).It briefly describes high-level project characteristics and identifies/authorizes the project manager. Study: [email  protected] Guide section 3. 3 and 4. 1 4 Define Project Deliverables It is essential to get a firm understanding of the project scope-?what the project is and what it isn't-?early in project planning. Study: [email  protected] Guide sections 5. 1 and 5. 2 5 Create a Work Breakdown Structure Once scope has been determined and agreed upon among key stakeholders, it should be broken down into manageable pieces.

Free Essays on When Your Hero Falls

When Your Hero Falls The year was 1998 when it finally all fell apart, although the chain of events leading up to such a dramatic event in my life was set on course years prior. The location was a common, quiet small town. A young boy had lived in this current location all of his life, and it was all he knew. This was soon about to change... Born and raised life outside this town was not known. As a young child my life probaly resembled the childhood of many other children my age. I was the first of three children. I had two loving parents. My family was complete. Some of my fondest memories occured in this period of my life. I remmember them so vividly that each days it seems like the occured the day before. Christmas, for example, was one of these mundane events. At the young age of five I became estatic once the holiday season rolled around. Each year I looked forward to our family traditions. We would cruise around town and look for houses with Christmas lights. The houses with numerous amounts of sparkling lights were a special find. We would pull over and just gaze at them. I could sit on the side of the road all night and look at the lights. After the hunting for lights we would go home and set out milk and cookies for Santa. An early bedtime was required to ensure Santa would be generous with his presents. The following morning I would be the first one up at 5 o'clock. I would wake up the entire family. We would go out and sit in front of the tree. I remmember the look on my fathers face. The look of happiness; the look of pure joy. As the pile of presents went down his smile seemed to grow bigger and bigger. The best gift he ever gave me was my first baseball glove. I will never forget that. I had to wait till spring to coem around so we coudl go out and play catch. I would wait all day for my father... Free Essays on When Your Hero Falls Free Essays on When Your Hero Falls When Your Hero Falls The year was 1998 when it finally all fell apart, although the chain of events leading up to such a dramatic event in my life was set on course years prior. The location was a common, quiet small town. A young boy had lived in this current location all of his life, and it was all he knew. This was soon about to change... Born and raised life outside this town was not known. As a young child my life probaly resembled the childhood of many other children my age. I was the first of three children. I had two loving parents. My family was complete. Some of my fondest memories occured in this period of my life. I remmember them so vividly that each days it seems like the occured the day before. Christmas, for example, was one of these mundane events. At the young age of five I became estatic once the holiday season rolled around. Each year I looked forward to our family traditions. We would cruise around town and look for houses with Christmas lights. The houses with numerous amounts of sparkling lights were a special find. We would pull over and just gaze at them. I could sit on the side of the road all night and look at the lights. After the hunting for lights we would go home and set out milk and cookies for Santa. An early bedtime was required to ensure Santa would be generous with his presents. The following morning I would be the first one up at 5 o'clock. I would wake up the entire family. We would go out and sit in front of the tree. I remmember the look on my fathers face. The look of happiness; the look of pure joy. As the pile of presents went down his smile seemed to grow bigger and bigger. The best gift he ever gave me was my first baseball glove. I will never forget that. I had to wait till spring to coem around so we coudl go out and play catch. I would wait all day for my father...

The Use and Abuse of Antibiotics

The Use and Abuse of Antibiotics What is an antibiotic? What is this 'miracle drug' that everyone talks about? There is a lot about antibiotics that we should all be more aware of.The word 'antibiotic' actually means 'anti-life'. The most common definition that we use for an antibiotic is: any substance produced by a microorganism that harms or kills another microorganism.There are many different kinds of antibiotic substances, most of them are natural products that certain bacteria and fungi (molds) produce and send outside of their cells. About 90% of the antibiotics we use today, are originated from bacteria. However there are a couple of antibiotics that were created from scratch in laboratory. These totally synthetic antibiotics are designed to inhibit some process previously identified to be completely unique to bacteria, and necessary for the bacterium to remain alive.Bacterium in the wild suffers a constant competition for available nutrients. Therefore if they can develop a substance that can cripple or ann ihilate their competitors then they have an advantage.Pseudomonas aeruginosa IMP-1- Metallo-betalactamas...So, even though these microorganisms do not have the ability to decide what substance to produce, through several mutations and additional events, they are capacitated to compete and consequently to survive more readily within their environment.We use antibiotics for a different purpose, of course, to help us kill harmful bacteria that cause us infection and disease.Scottish physician Alexander Fleming rediscovered in 1928 what Ernest Duchesne, a French Student, had initially discovered in 1896; the first and most famous fungus, Penicillium, which conceived the first identified microbial antibiotic, penicillin.Commercial methods for penicillin for human use were only developed in 1941 at the time of World War II. Howard Floerey and Ernst Chain made a major effort to try to make penicillin available to all of the British, U.S., and other allies...

Sentence Combining With Adjectives and Adverbs

Sentence Combining With Adjectives and Adverbs In this exercise well apply the basic strategies outlined in Introduction to Sentence Combining. Combine the sentences in each set into a single clear sentence containing at least one adjective or adverb (or both). Omit words that are needlessly repeated, but dont leave out any important details. If you run into any problems, you may find it helpful to review the following pages: Adding Adjectives and Adverbs to the Basic Sentence UnitIntroduction to Sentence Combining After completing the exercise, compare your new sentences with the original sentences in the paragraph on page two. Keep in mind that many combinations are possible, and in some cases you may prefer your own sentences to the original versions. Marthas Departure Martha waited on her front porch.She waited patiently.She wore a bonnet and a calico dress.The bonnet was plain.The bonnet was white.The dress was long.She watched the sun sink beyond the fields.The fields were empty.Then she watched the light in the sky.The light was thin.The light was white.The sky was distant.She listened for the sound.She listened carefully.The sound was soft.The sound was familiar.A ship descended through the evening air.The ship was long.The ship was silver.The ship descended suddenly.The evening air was warm.Martha picked up her purse.The purse was small.The purse was black.She picked it up calmly.The spaceship landed in the field.The spaceship was shiny.It landed smoothly.The field was empty.Martha walked toward the ship.She walked slowly.She walked gracefully.Minutes later, the field was silent again.The field was dark again.The field was empty again. After you have completed the exercise, compare your new sentences with the original sentences in the paragraph on page two. Heres the student paragraph that served as the basis for the sentence combining exercise on page one. Marthas Departure (original paragraph) Martha waited patiently on her front porch. She wore a plain white bonnet and a long calico dress. She watched the sun sink beyond the empty fields. Then she watched the thin, white light in the distant sky. Carefully, she listened for the soft, familiar sound. Suddenly through the warm evening air a long silver ship descended. Martha calmly picked up her small black purse. The shiny spaceship landed smoothly in the empty field. Slowly and gracefully, Martha walked toward the ship. Minutes later, the field was again dark, silent, and empty.

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS - Essay Example he brains behind the business including the friends of Holly Tucker and Sophie Cornish have had a wealth of experience in marketing and the media industry, having worked with big brands including the top five advertising agencies, major magazine houses, the Boots and L’Oreal. This must have injected a lot of skills and knowledge into the business successfully making it one of the awards winning online market places whose popularity cannot be overemphasized across the globe. The reputation of these brains has gone unchallenged. It follows then that they must have contributed immensely to the success of the business (Press release, 2010). The fact that the business has a variety of products ranging from garden to gourmet, bracelets to handbags, lingerie to linen, cushions to kid’s clothes, and scarves to stationery has also contributed a great deal to the success of the business. Furthermore these products are originally made (Gilmour, Matthews & Holden, 2011, p.103). This has boosted the business attracting customers from across the globe. Indeed, fantastic is the word to describe the products. People love beautiful things; they want to be associated with such fantastic products. These products are found in notonthehighstreet.com. As such people come flowing for the products that are largely seen to enhance their individual happiness and social well being. Another factor that is likely to have contributed to the success of this high profile business is the early realization of the importance of the modern information and communication technologies. The business has significantly taken advantage of the modern technologies thereby enhancing its marketing. The use of the internet for the promotion of the services, online marketing is a fundamental tool that this business has used to get to the point where it is. Companies like notonthehighstreet.com are likely to face certain challenges especially during the first years of operation. One of such major

American Revolution Plutocaracy or Democracy in TOWARD AN AMERICAN Essay

American Revolution Plutocaracy or Democracy in TOWARD AN AMERICAN REVOLUTION - Essay Example He writes, "The reason for the Constitution was to empower people of property over common people. Indeed, our definition of self-government and freedom have become linked, if not equated, to the interests of the corporation." (ch. 3, 'A Great Compromise,' para. 4) It is a compelling book in the tradition of writers such as Howard Zinn and America's resident crank, Gore Vidal,(1) which should be read by every citizen in this country who thinks they know what the Constitution says, who wrote it and why. The Framers of the Constitution, as Fresia points out, would have likely agreed with an IBM ad quoted in the book: "The Constitution is a political work of art . . . and . . . It's also the most important contract of your life." (Ch 1, 3 Obstacles, 1st para.) Almost every man attending and contributing to the Constitutional Convention was wealthy in land and humans, i.e. slaves. As property owners, 'better people,' these men relied on real and implied contracts to protect what they owned. A government that could not provide such protection would be no government at all. to British entrepreneurs - Peers and Knights - the right to colonize and to make money from lands in the New World.(2) As Fresia makes clear throughout his book, this right to make money became a right to govern in the New World and eventually became justification for American landowners to sever ties with England and to create their own mercantile country. What thes What these men of wealth and property wished to establish was a legal system, a government that protected their wealth. They did not wish to be subject to the whims of, as Rufus King put it, ". . . the poor and illiterate." (ch. 3, Ratification, end of 1st para). Indeed, James Madison, the 'Father of the Constitution,' wrote: Landowners ought to have a share in the government, to support these valuable interests, and to balance and check the others. They ought to be so constituted as to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority. (Ch. 3, Checks & Balances, 2nd to last para.)What has escaped many people in their understanding and reverence of The Constitution is that it is a document which was designed to secure the rights of the wealthy, the better people, while shutting out those without property or wealth. At the Convention of 1787, Alexander Hamilton put it succinctly when he said, "Give therefore to the first class [rich and well-born] a distinct, permanent share in the government. They will check the unsteadiness of the Second."(2) What he meant by Second was the masses or, as he once called them, "a great beast." (Ch 1, para 6) Check the Balances Of significant influence on the Constitution and the men who wrote it were the political theories of British philosopher

The War in Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The War in Vietnam - Essay Example The basis of such view are what elicited heated debate and controversy over the motive and gain of the US government in engaging in Vietnam War. In this regard by not understand the lopsidedness of commitment between the Vietnamese communists and the United States, the anti- Vietnam War activists claim that this paved the way for causing the most egregious blunder a nation going to any war can make.. Those that opposed the war then felt that it was obviously unnecessary, immoral or illegitimate, and there was a consensus on the nature of the war. During the initial years of the War, there was an intense dispute within civilian and military decision-making institutions mutually over the fact that the conflict was predominantly a conventional cross-border aggression or an internal insurgency. Regrettably, U.S. foreign policy advisers in the 1960s did a supreme action of miscalculation by getting involved directly in the Vietnam conflict yet the intervention proved calamitous and dreadful. There is a general consensus among the public particularly the section opposing the war that the war violated a set strategic injunction for committing military of the U.S. to a large-scale land conflict on the Asian mainland. The question thus was the war justified and was it worth such expenditure and risking the lives of the young soldiers? More seriously, in analyzing the argument was the fac t that the Vietnam War achieved very little yet a lot had been pumped in terms of cost. Anti-War theorists argued that the United States should not have invaded Vietnam since Vietnam’s political battles and internal conflicts did not directly impact or influence America. Despite the fact that U.S. politicians and leaders and military experts in one spirit agreed that Communism had at that time infringed on political freedoms and violated democracy, the war in Vietnam presented no direct threat to the government of United States or to

Beggar Mafia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Beggar Mafia - Research Paper Example However, their has developed a business of begging that has spawned a series of crimes that defy the belief of the Western world. Children are being mutilated and maimed in order to be used by gang leaders for proceeds from begging through a form of organized crime referred to as a beggar mafia. In this research project I plan to show how there is a lack of awareness from which global social pressure could evolve in order to force countries in which there exists these organizations so that strict law enforcement actions can be put into place to stop the beggar mafias from operating. One of the horrors of life that face many parents in third world countries is the abduction of their children in order to force them into a profession of begging, centralized by leaders who expect them to bring home a certain amount of money per day. In India, one of the countries where this practice is predominant, there are more than 44,000 children who disappear each year, most of which are trafficked into illegal professions such as prostitution. A good portion of them are used within syndicated systems of beggars, maimed and mutilated to make them seem more sympathetic, and then their earnings taken from them in order to support the leaders of this heinous activity. The beggar mafia can exist because local law enforcement and politicians are benefiting from payoffs from the leaders of the gangs. Because of the different cultural concepts of individual value and law, third world countries are often susceptible to the existence of such organized crime within their cities. The prime targets of such trafficking and abuse are the poor as their poverty is easily manipulated through a lack of resources with which to combat the assault of circumstances that can be a part of the taking of their children, the use of their need, and the neglect of their overall well-being. In addition, there is the horror of doctors who are

Paris in 1792 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Paris in 1792 - Essay Example The events of this year thus, also heralded a new form of governance, complete democracy as the major form of governance. Even though democracy was followed in varying degrees in many parts of Europe, it was the French Revolution that gave the impetus for its establishment as the sole form of government acceptable to the people of a nation. As is the case with any historic event, the actual event is preceded by a build up consisting of mounting tensions, resentment and dissatisfaction on the part of certain communities. The involvement of the French government in the American Revolution and the huge expenditure that this interference had cost had created widespread dissatisfaction among the middle classes of France, who felt that this expenditure was needless and could have been avoided, had the government been more astute in the evaluation of the situation. The refusal of the nobility to have helped out the government had meant that an unfair share of the taxes required for the expe nses were extorted out of the bourgeoisie. This bred a lot of resentment amongst them, not only against the monarch, Louis XVI, but also against the nobility of France. France’s unsuccessful attempts to defeat England in war had also placed a heavy burden upon the exchequer that fell largely upon the French bourgeoisie whose standards of living dipped drastically. The constitution of the National assembly, a body of people who were picked out of the middle classes was an important development during the year of 1792. This led to an understanding on the part of both the king and the bourgeoisie of the power of a collective. Michael David Sibalis remarks upon this understanding of the power of the collective as an outcome of the class-consciousness that had seeped into the minds of the middle classes of France, as is seen in the emergence of â€Å"mutual aid societies† in Paris before 1789. These societies enabled the mobilization of the masses during the constitution of middle class citizens during the creation of the National Assembly that was created for the purpose of the creation of a national constitution for France that would invest the bourgeoisie with more powers that it had till then. This constitution of the National Assembly represents, for Sibalis, an attempt on the part of the Parisian middle classes to â€Å"provide themselves with some minimal economic security through their own efforts† (http://fh.oxfordjournals.org/content/3/1/1.extract). Many of these efforts were frustrated by later events of the Revolution but the events of 1789 displayed a passion and fervor on the part of the Parisian middle classes to rise above their petty divisions and fight for the causes of equality that the French Revolution stands for, even today. The fight was also against what Barry M. Shapiro refers to as an â€Å"irrational and inhumane judicial system† (Barry M. Shapiro, Revolutionary Justice in Paris, 1789-1790, ix) that refused to treat every subject of the state equally. The embodiment of this passion and fervor and one of the turning points of the revolution, according to historians like Eric Hobsbawm, was the storming of the Bastille on the morning of the fourteenth of July in 1789 (Eric Hobsbawm, The Age of

Beggar Mafia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Beggar Mafia - Research Paper Example However, their has developed a business of begging that has spawned a series of crimes that defy the belief of the Western world. Children are being mutilated and maimed in order to be used by gang leaders for proceeds from begging through a form of organized crime referred to as a beggar mafia. In this research project I plan to show how there is a lack of awareness from which global social pressure could evolve in order to force countries in which there exists these organizations so that strict law enforcement actions can be put into place to stop the beggar mafias from operating. One of the horrors of life that face many parents in third world countries is the abduction of their children in order to force them into a profession of begging, centralized by leaders who expect them to bring home a certain amount of money per day. In India, one of the countries where this practice is predominant, there are more than 44,000 children who disappear each year, most of which are trafficked into illegal professions such as prostitution. A good portion of them are used within syndicated systems of beggars, maimed and mutilated to make them seem more sympathetic, and then their earnings taken from them in order to support the leaders of this heinous activity. The beggar mafia can exist because local law enforcement and politicians are benefiting from payoffs from the leaders of the gangs. Because of the different cultural concepts of individual value and law, third world countries are often susceptible to the existence of such organized crime within their cities. The prime targets of such trafficking and abuse are the poor as their poverty is easily manipulated through a lack of resources with which to combat the assault of circumstances that can be a part of the taking of their children, the use of their need, and the neglect of their overall well-being. In addition, there is the horror of doctors who are

Pressure Canning Green Beans Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pressure Canning Green Beans - Assignment Example Pressure Canning Green Beans To pressure can, one should gather the canning supplies that include the pressure canner, canning jars, canning funnel, jar lifter, canning seals and rings, a large pot or blancher, towels and dish cloths, bowls, sharp knife and large spoons. The ingredients needed will include green beans and canning salt, which is optional (Rombauer 37). Snapping the green beans involves breaking off the ends and breaking the remaining one into pieces. Snapping is not necessary do but it is preferable because it helps the beans to fit into the jar properly. The preferable size is 2 inches. One could pack the green beans either hot or cold depending on desirability. A cold pack can also be referred to as raw pack. Cold packing is quicker because it does not require heating of the green beans. In addition, in places of high altitude, cold packing is essential because it helps in achieving high pressure. The advantage with hot packing is that it allows more green beans in a jar. However, hot packing or cold packing all depends with ones choice. Both styles of packing require adding canning salt to the jar. The amount of the canning salt should be half teaspoon for pints and one teaspoon for quarts. The important point here is that canning salt is optional because it is meant for taste only (Rombauer 37). For hot packing, boil the green beans for 5 minutes before packing to the jar. One should then drain the water, pack the green beans to the jar loosely, and cover it with boiling water. One-inch headspace should be left on the jar.

How To Handle Information Essay Example for Free

How To Handle Information Essay The learner can: 1. Understand requirements for handling information in social care settings 1.1 Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling information in social care settings 1.2 Explain how legal requirements and codes of practice inform practice in handling information 2. Understand good practice in handling information in social care settings 2.1Explain how to maintain records that are up to date, complete, accurate and legible 2.2Describe practices that ensure security when storing and accessing information 2.3Describe features of manual and electronic information storage systems that help ensure security 3. Understand how to support others to handle information  3.1 Explain how to support others to understand the need for secure handling of information 3.2 Explain how to support others to understand and contribute to records Additional information about the unit Unit purpose and aim(s) This unit develops the knowledge and understanding needed to implement and promote good practice in recording, sharing, storing and accessing information in social care settings. This unit is aimed at those who are interested in, or new to working in social care settings. Unit expiry date Details of the relationship between the unit and relevant national occupational standards or other professional standards or curricula (if appropriate) HSC 31 Guidance for developing assessment arrangements for the unit (if appropriate) Others may include: Colleagues External third party such as IT specialist Social worker Occupational Therapist GP Speech and Language Therapist Physiotherapist Pharmacist Nurse Specialist nurse Psychologist Psychiatrist Independent Mental Capacity Advocate Advocate Dementia care advisor Assessment requirements or guidance specified by a sector or regulatory body (if appropriate) This unit needs to be assessed in line with the Skills for Care and Development QCF Assessment Principles. Support for the unit from a SSC or other appropriate body (if required) Skills for Care and Development Location of the unit within the subject/sector classification system 01.3 Health and Social Care Name of the organisation submitting the unit Availability for use Shared Unit available from Unit guided learning hours

Strategies to Meet Energy Demands in the UK

Strategies to Meet Energy Demands in the UK 1.0 Introduction The question of how Britain will be able to meet its energy demand in the next 10 10 years is a matter of concern for the British Government. With aging nuclear plants, replacing these with cleaner and more energy efficiency plants is going to be a challenge. This dissertation aims to investigate the governments proposals to construct a new generation of nuclear plants and rely more on renewable technologies, whilst meeting the energy demand in next 10 20 years and cutting C02 emissions. 1.1 Aims If Government proposals for new nuclear plants and renewable technologies will be able to meet Britains energy demands 1.2 Objectives Is the current proposals the only answer Can they meet their targets of cutting C02 emissions whilst meeting demand Will they be able to construct the nuclear plants on time Have all issues been addressed, such as safety concerns when considering constructing the nuclear plant. Should renewables have a bigger contribution 1.3 Rationale The British Government have been concerned with the gap of meeting the British demand in the next 10 20 years. With aging nuclear plants and questions surrounding what is going replace these, and the commitment of meeting targets to cut C02 emissions. The government has proposed to build a new generation of nuclear power stations and rely more on renewable energy to meet these demands. The conversational decision on this issue has raised further questions on whether this will be enough to make sure Britain does not suffer power black outs in the medium term. Experts in the nuclear sector have also questioned the proposals in terms of are these nuclear plants going to be build on time, who is going to pay for these plants and will the design be right to avoid any health and safety issues. Other plans that the government proposes includes relying more on renewable energy to meet demand. Heavy investment will be needed to meet this target and it remains to seen if this will be enough to meet the demand. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 World Energy Demands Energy is fundamental in how we all lead our lives. As the years goes by and the higher the world population grows, this means that global demand for energy can only increase. The UN has predicted that as of 2005, 6.5 billion made up the worlds population, and this could grow up to 9.1 billion within 45 years (Asif and Muneer 2007). If the worlds population reaches this figure, then the world is going to face a challenge to meet the energy needs of all of these people, especially with the emerging nations such as China, India and Brazil. 2.2 Energy Usage We use energy in all ways of life and we use them in a number of ways. Areas that energy is used includes Buildings Industry Trasport Buildings Buildings consume over 60% (International Energy Outlook, 2009) of energy produced around the world. Buildings are split into domestic householders and commercial buildings. Domestic buildings usage includes space heating, lighting, air conditioning, ventilation, and general electrical appliances. The volume of the property will determine its final energy consumption. The bigger the property, the more heating and lighting it will need to make it into comfortable surroundings. For residential buildings, the physical size of the structures is one key indicator of the amount of energy used by their occupants (International Energy Outlook) Commercial buildings can include offices and government buildings such as schools and hospitals. Commercial buildings are of a similar nature to domestic buildings, but will be to a much bigger scale. For example, an office could consist of a dozens or even hundreds of computers, compared to maybe one in a domestic house. Industry Industry consumption uses around 29% (International Energy Outlook) of the total energy produced around the world. Industry energy usage includes manufacturing metals, chemicals, materials and agriculture. The industry uses the energy it receives to operate manufacturing assembly lines, processing, space heating and lighting. Transport Transport uses the vast majority of oil that is consumed around the world. Transport energy accounts for cars, trains, planes and lorries. In comparison with the other energy sectors, the transport is largely constricted to oil and cannot operate with the other fuel options. In IEA (International Energy Agency) countries, the transport sector is taking an increasing share of oil demand (Taylor) 2.3 Threats to World Energy Supply As the demand for energy grows, the threat of not producing this energy increases. 2.3.1 Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels currently produce the majority of our energy needs and take many forms. Developed countries use oil, gas and coal and all of this fossil fuel usage heavily contributes to climate change because of the C02 emissions that they produce. Developing countries will use firewood etc and in comparison to the developed countries, the developing countries will produce alot less C02 because of their methods of producing energy. As well as the effects of the fossil fuels, the fuel reserves will decrease as the years and decades go on, particular since the demands for fuels will only rise. The security of getting these fuels is also a concern because of the political divides in the Middle East, where the biggest oil fields are. The political differences between the EU and Russia are also a concern because Russia is biggest exporter to the EU. The energy policies of Britain and France take these threats into account and are putting in place measures to reduce the threat. The threats t hat Britain and France predict is the increasing importation of these fuels, at the same time as demand goes up and the political strains increase. Our increasing reliance on imports of oil and gas in a world where energy demand is rising and energy is becoming more politicised (Meeting the energy challenge, 2007). 2.3.2 Oil Out of all of the fossil fuels, oil is the most precious and scarce. It is the primary source that we use to power our transportation system, to produce energy and used to make many different types of products. The worlds energy demand is expected to grow by 45% in the next 20 years; therefore, the demand for oil is expected to rise by 26% over the same period. Even if we do maintain the optimum amount of oil production over the next 20 years, it is very unlikely that the energy demands will be meet by oil. Oil Prices The issue of the oil peak production and its decline is much debated and opinions vary from a number of sources. One thing that is certain is that oil is not a re-newable fuel and as demands for energy increases year by year, production for oil will increase and this will deplete oil reserves more quickly. The steady growth of spot oil price exploded suddenly in the second halve of 2007: in only twelve months, the price of oil nearly double from $74/barrel on July 2007 to $147.27/barrel on July 2008 (Matutinovic, 2008.) This was a huge hike in a short space of time, caused by the demand from China and India, together with unrest in the Middle East were the main reasons. This increase in price however was short lived and to the present day is back to a manageable price. However, in the future the price will increase and stay there due to a number of factors. Energy demand going up, meaning that supply and demand will be squeezed. The political unrest in unstable regions where the largest oil reserves are As the price of oil increases, so will the price of energy and we this may become uncontrollable over the long term. Security of Oil As mentioned before, the majority of oil reserves are contained within unstable regions or countries and countries that have political issues with the most developed countries. This includes the Middle East, which holds the most of the oil reserves and is almost always unstable. As the developed countries own oil reserves decrease, the importation of oil will increase from these regions and if the regions were to decline further, this may affect security of supply of the energy needs of these countries. The most important implication of such distribution of proven oil reserves is that future oil increasingly dependence on politically instable Middle East (Matutinovic) 2.3.3 Gas In the past natural gas was not used globally to produce energy and by domestic householders. It is becoming increasingly important to meet energy demands around and in particular, the EU region. As with the issues with oil, gas reserves in the European Union and USA regions are dwindling and these regions are fast becoming increasily reliant on Russia and Middle East for their supplies. The UK in particular as a large proportion of its power produced by gas power stations and this has been addressed within their energy policy of the intention to decrease the importation of gas in the long term. However, in the short medium term it is anticipated that Europes dependence on gas will go from 36% up to in 69% (Weisser H, 2005) even with the issue of climate change, as natural gas is less pollutant than coal and oil. Looking at Russia, by far the biggest supplier, for analysing the security of supply equation one has to account for the fact that this countrys energy policy is not only d etermined by economic interest but a least equally by geopolitical, foreign policy and security consideration (Weisser). Political Issues The country with the most natural gas reserves is Russia. As each year goes by, the EU will have to import gas from Russia more and more. The political relationships between Europe and Russia are not the best. This was brought about by the dispute between Russia and the Ukraine over the gas supply. This in turn reduced the supply to Europe, as the pipe goes through the Ukraine to supply Europe. This brought tensions between the EU and Russia, since then Russia has threatened the supply to Europe and dramatic price increases. Apart from the Russia, the Middle East is the second biggest exporter and like oil, is vulrable to political unrest and this may affect supplies to their customers. Gas Prices Gazprom is the biggest gas provider in Russia and world. With demand for gas going to increase in the coming years, this will give the power to increase prices to the EU and other regions. If this were to happen, this would lead to higher costs for the UK to produce power and this would lead to higher power costs for domestic householders. The price of gas will also have to increase to fund investments to find new gas fields and pipes that transport the gas. The main reason for dual gas pricing has been to provide a gas subsidy to the Russian economy. (Spanjer A, 2007) 2.3.4 Coal Coal was the first significant fossil fuel to be used by humans and was the spearhead for the industrial revolution. It is used by both developed and developing due to its availability and value Consumption Developing countries use 55% of the world consumption of coal, which includes China and India. It is predicted that this is going to rise to over 65% in the morelonger term. The availability of coal is vast, which is the primary reason why it is used so much. It is found all over world, including vast reserves in the UK. It is predicted that if the current trend of excavating coal were to continue, it may take up to a few hundred years to exhaust the earths supply. As the coal reserves are spread all over the world, this gives an advantage to the other fossil fuels of providing a greater security of supply. Because of the inevitable decline in world reserves of petroleum and natural gas and rising demand for energy, coal is a major alternative along with nuclear power to meet these meets. (Yilmaz A O, Uslu T, The role of coal in energy production Consumption and sustainable development of Turkey, Energy Policy 35, 1117 1128, page 1, 2007) Cleaner Coal In the future, it is anticipated that cleaner coal power stations are to be constructed as coal is seen as a fuel that will meet the energy demand for the medium term. This is seen as a way of meeting the energy demands because of the reserves of coal offering a much higher security of coal, but also a way to reduce the emissions that coal gives off when used to produce energy. 2.4 Climate Change The issues that are associated with climate change go back over one hundred years when scientists were discovering that greenhouse gases were interfering with the atmosphere. Over the course of history to this present day, the understanding of climate change has jumped dramatically over the past 10 years and scientists are beginning to see the potential effects that may have on the earth if we do not tackle the roots of the problem. 2.4.1 Energy Production Energy production accounts for the vast majority of the green house gases that is produced. Energy accounts for over 80% of the global anthropogenic GHGs (Quadrelli R, The energy-climate challenge: Recent trends in CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, IEA, Elsevier, page 2, 2007). These green house gases are a direct result from using fossil fuels in producing energy. The world energy supply is still very much dependant on fossil fuels to produce the energy needs for the world population, even with the growth of renewable energy. As stated before, the worlds energy demand is expected to grow significantly over the next 20 30 years as a direct consequence of a rising world population and the rapid development of China and India. 2.4.2 C02 Emissions All fossil fuels contribute to green house gases, some more than others however. Coal is the biggest contributor of C02 emissions and this will just increase as coal becomes more popular, especially with China and India. An Energy production accounts for the vast majority of the green house gases that is produced. Energy accounts for over 80% of the global anthropogenic GHGs (Quadrelli R, The energy-climate challenge: Recent trends in CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, IEA, Elsevier, page 2, 2007). These green house gases are a direct result from using fossil fuels in producing energy. The world energy supply is still very much dependant on fossil fuels to produce the energy needs for the world population, even with the growth of renewable energy. As stated before, the worlds energy demand is expected to grow significantly over the next 20 30 years as a direct consequence of a rising world population and the rapid development of China and India. 2.4.2 C02 Emissions All fossil fuels contribute to green house gases, some more than others however. Coal is the biggest contributor of C02 emissions and this will just increase as coal becomes more popular, especially with China and India. An increase of C02 emissions in the last 35 40 years has been substantial and the total amount of C02 emissions due to burning of fossil fuels reaches to about 26 billion tons. (Saito S, Role of Nuclear Energy to Future Society of Shortage of Energy Resources and Global Warming, Journal of Nuclear Materials, Elsevier, 2009). These countries will have to find a guaranteed supply and this fuel will become cheaper than oil and gas over the longer term. These countries will have to look to coal to meet its energy demands for its growing population. If the projections are correct, coal will become more popular amongst the developed nations. This will increase green house gases and that is with the policy of constructing clean coal power stations. The oil and gas sectors will still have a very important part to play in the long term, but it is projected that dependence on these fuels will decrease slowly as the price goes up and the security of supply is not guaranteed. 2.4.3 Biggest C02 Producers The biggest polluters seem are the countries with the biggest economic development, the rapid development of some countries meaning a higher energy demand and the countries population. The United States was the biggest polluter due to its economic power and industrial size. However, as China has grown rapidly, this has pushed it to become the worlds biggest polluter. This is because China has seen significant economic growth and has required it to increase its energy production to meet its industrial growth. 2.4.4 Affects of Climate Change The affects of climate change will be catastrophic if the current trend of C02 emissions continues. Climate Change threatens the basic elements of life for people around the world access to water, food production, health and use of land and the environment (THE STERN REPORT, Executive Summary (Long), page 6, 2006). Rise in sea levels The affect of the earth heating up will mean the two polar ice caps melting, making the global sea levels rising. This will mean that countries or regions with a low altitude could mean land being lost. Global sea rises will mean millions of people being displaced and having to find alternative areas to live. Vegetation areas These areas could change the whole global landscape, in terms of the areas where crops could be grown. This could mean areas where crops are grown just now, will not able to grow in the future and this again may displace millions of people, especially in the more developing regions such as Africa. Weather systems There is current evidence that the weather pattern is already changing. The likelihood of this worsening is very real if climate change is not tackled. This includes an increase in category 5 hurricanes, increased flooding and an increase in heat waves due to temperature rises. Temperature rises will also lead to sever forest fires in regions such as Australia and California. 2.5 Financial Implications of Climate Change As well as the physical implications of climate change, the financial consequences may well be as bad for all countries if climate change is not tackled and heavy investment put in place 2.5.1 STERN REPORT The STERN report was produced to assess the potential damage that climate change could inflict on economies around the world. The evidence shows that ignoring climate change will eventually damage economic growth (THE STERN REPORT, Executive Summary (Long), page 2, 2006). The report consists and focuses on a number of issues The affects of climate change on the economies The costs of putting in control measures to reduce the affects of climate changes The investment needed to change to an infrastructure that omits less C02 emissions The report highlights the relation of GDP in relation to the increase in temperatures. There seems to be a trend in that for every one degree that the temperature goes up, then 1 per cent of GDP is lost. As well as the GDP, the biggest affect that climate change could have on is the developing countries, particular Africa. The report highlights that the ability to grow crops will reduce and water supplies will decrease dramatically and this will displace millions of people. 2.5.2 Investment The STERN report also points out that investment is now needed to prevent much higher costs being incurred in the longer-term. The report comments that such investment should include the acceleration of cleaner and renewable energy. 2.6 Energy Policies Energy policies are produced by governments to help them plan their countries energy production for the long term, set targets for cutting C02 emissions and evaluating their methods of producing energy. 2.6.1 Contents of Energy Policies The contents of energy policies will wholly depend what country it is, how much GDP it produces and how confident they will be in making sure that they can meet their targets Energy Policies will usually contain the following Security of supply Evaluation of their current energy production methods Methods of making sure that they have sufficient ways in meeting demand Outline any new ways in producing their energy Ways in which they will tackle climate change Their policies of using renewable energy to produce power. 2.7 Renewable Energy Policies Renewable energy is essential for meeting the commitment to cut C02 emissions, to ensure the world can meet the energy demands, security of supply and eventually leading to cheaper energy in the long term in comparison with fossil fuel produced energy. Renewable energy technologies have increased dramatically in the last 5 years. Its essential to have renewable energy in a countries energy policy to help meet all these commitments. To the present day, 73 countries are thought to have included a renewable strategy within their policy. Between 2004 and 2008, over $120 billion of investment has put in place to increase the usage of renewables. Although this investment is substantial, it is predicted that that this type of investment will have to be spent every year to help renewables get to a level to produce energy to a stage where it can compete with coal and gas. While most renewable fuels are free, renewable energy projects have high up-front costs (Sawin J L, National Policy Documents, International Conference for Renewable Energies, page 5, 2004). Renewable Energy types include Solar Power Wind Power Hydro Geothermal Biomass Tidal Power 2.7.1 Wind Power Out of all of the renewable technologies, wind power is by far the most used around the world. Wind power was the largest addition to renewable energy capacity (Renewables Global Status Report 2009, REN21, page 11, 2009). Wind power comes in two forms either on shore or off shore. Wind power is particularly used throughout the EU due to its climate. Wind power production percentage throughout the EU varies, with Germany being the most productive country within the EU. 2.7.2 Solar Power At the end of 2007, solar power production accounted for around 0.5% of the power produced. As with the wind power restrictions, solar power is more effective where countries are better situated to get sun on a regular basis. Also as solar power is expensive to build in comparison to the more conventional power stations, this currently makes it unviable to construct until capital costs come down. 2.6.3 Other Renewables The other options of renweables make up a tiny proportion of energy production, in comparison to the wind and solar. Heavy investment is needed to bring these up to level where they will be seen as a potential energy source as the other options. 2.8 Nuclear Energy Nuclear power has is fast becoming one of the main sources of power for a few countries within the EU and the USA. Apart from the Western countries, nuclear power is fast becoming the one of the major sources of producing energy. There over 100 hundred power stations currently being built in Asia and alot more are being planned. Nuclear Power alone wont get us where we need to be, but we wont get there without it. (Abu-Khader M M, Recent Advances in Nuclear Power: A Review, Nuclear Energy 51, 225 233, Elsevier, 2009) 2.8.1 Production Nuclear power currently accounts for around for 14 per cent of the power produced around the world. It is expected that this will grow rapidly over the longer term as the worlds most developed countries construct more plants to meet energy demands. 2.8.2 Why Nuclear Nuclear power has big advantages over the current main sources of power production. Security of Supply Nuclears raw material is more readily available than other fossil fuels. This gives it a more guaranteed security of supply of generating the energy needed. Importing uranium is expensive to import, however it can be stored for several years and makes it less of a concern. Price Rises Nuclear power is less of risk of being the subject to a large price rise. This is because it is cheaper to run the power plant in comparison to gas and coal power stations. 2.14 Bar Chart Showing Predicted Price Rises for Each Fuel Type (Adamantiades A, Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Status and Future Prospects, Energy Policy 37 5149 5166, 2009) A doubling in the price of Uranium would cause a 5-6% increase in the total cost of generation, while a similar increase in the price of natural gas would lead to 65% increase in gasfired costs. ((Adamantiades A, Kessides I, Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Current Status and Prospects, Energy Policy, Elsevier, page 2, 2009). Climate Change As with renewable energy, nuclear plants produce little or no C02 emissions. As the world is becoming increasily concerned with climate change, severe cuts of C02 emissions are being set and nuclear is seen a key player in reducing these emissions. 2.8.3 Safety Concerns After the tragic accident at Chernobyl, it was understandable that nuclear power got a bad reputation around the world, with some countries even banning it altogether. However, since safety factors in constructing and operating a nuclear plant have improved greatly and the idea of nuclear power is taking off again. During the past two decades, nuclear power plants have also achieved increasingly higher capacity factors with the same or greater levels of safety (Adamantiades A, Kessides I, Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Current Status and Prospects, Energy Policy, Elsevier, page 12,2009). 2.15 Bar Chart Showing Fatalities by Fuel Type (Adamantiades A, Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Status and Future Prospects, Energy Policy 37 5149 5166, 2009) The most obvious risk of operating a nuclear plan is exposing the public to radiation poisoning, with Chernobyl being the best example. Strict measures are now in place to greatly reduce such a tragedy happening again. This includes conducting risk assessments and putting in control measure to reduce the risks. 2.8.4 Nuclear Waste The debate of nuclear waste was one the biggest obstacles for the new generation nuclear plants being constructed. Although the storage of nuclear is major concern, the technology is in place to manage safely and effectively. In comparison with the waste that fossil fuels produce, it is signifcently less. 3.0 Methodology My method of research was to use a mixture of both quantitative and quantitative research methods. 3.1 Quantitative and Qualitative Research The method of using quantitative is and will be limited, in comparison with the other forms of data collection. This has used up to this point for comparing statistics, figures and forecasts. This is based on using journals, government reports and reliable websites being used to gather this information to allow me to compare the above. It will be my intention to continue this form data collection when completing my dissertation The method of using qualitative will be the form of research that the bulk of dissertation will be based on. This is based on sources from journals, books, government reports, reliable websites, interviews and case studies. It will be my intention to continue with this form data collection when completing my dissertation. Journals This form of gathering data has helped me gather the majority of my information. I have gathered peoples perceptions, thoughts and opinions of this subject. Information gathered was mostly opinions in the form of text, graphs and diagrams. Government Reports This has allowed me to focus on the subjects that I need to concentrate to be able to answer my aims and objectives. Information gathered included factual statistics and text. Websites This form of sourcing of information allowed me to gather some of quantitative and qualitative information. I made sure that these websites were reliable websites and that the information was as accurate. Information gathered included graphs, statistics and text. 3.2 Interviews My intention is to organise three interviews with three different organisations. This is to allow 3 different opinions based on the subject of my dissertation. This will include getting opinions on people who are involved with the nuclear programme, the renewable sector and an organisation that represents somebody/something for which the nuclear plants or the rapid construction of renewables may have negative consequences. 3.2.1 Initial Contact and Organisations My initial contact to arrange interviews was via e-mail. I asked them for an interview by introducing myself, the reason for the interview and the topic of my dissertation. My first contact was Mr David Cameron, of the Scottish Renewables trust. He kindly agreed to an interview in his Glasgow based office and agreed that I would be in touch when I am ready to conduct the interview. My agenda for this interview is to get his views on the developments of the renewables sector, the developments of the nuclear sector and will this be able to meet the energy demand My second contact was Mr Peter Dobson, of Scottish and Southern Energy who are directly involved with the nuclear program within the UK. My contact with him came about because of the close relationship that my employer and SSE have. My agenda for this interview will be similar to my first contact My third contact I hope to be the Scottish Wildlife trust. I have still to make contact with this gruop. My agenda for this interview will be to get the developments on both nuclear and renewables development in the UK and how this could affect the British ecosystem. When it comes to conducting the interview, I will stress the confidentially is the most important issue when conducting this interview and will ask them to make me aware that a particular question can not be answered without their confidentially being breached. 3.2.2 Interview Technique and Agenda My intension is to make the interview semi-structured. This will allow me to prepare a set of questions that I will ask all three participants, with the possibly of other questions being prepared depending on the organization. By having a semi-structure interview, it will allow me to get the information that I will require, while allowing any other questions or conversations to happen during the interview, as some topics may come to light during the interview. I shall prepare the questions before the interview takes place and sent the interviewees the prepared question paper and the agenda beforehand. 3.3 Case Studies It will be my intention to focus on two case studies. One will be in the form of concentrating on one of the chosen nuclear sites. I will give information on the suitability of the site, the energy that will generated, the benefits of having this plant and the health and safety implications of having the plant at this location. The form of collecting data will involve the use of journals, construction information, site location, government reports on this site and information coming from interviews. My other case study will focus one of a key renewable project that has been constructed in recent times. I will give information on the characteristics of the site, the e Strategies to Meet Energy Demands in the UK Strategies to Meet Energy Demands in the UK 1.0 Introduction The question of how Britain will be able to meet its energy demand in the next 10 10 years is a matter of concern for the British Government. With aging nuclear plants, replacing these with cleaner and more energy efficiency plants is going to be a challenge. This dissertation aims to investigate the governments proposals to construct a new generation of nuclear plants and rely more on renewable technologies, whilst meeting the energy demand in next 10 20 years and cutting C02 emissions. 1.1 Aims If Government proposals for new nuclear plants and renewable technologies will be able to meet Britains energy demands 1.2 Objectives Is the current proposals the only answer Can they meet their targets of cutting C02 emissions whilst meeting demand Will they be able to construct the nuclear plants on time Have all issues been addressed, such as safety concerns when considering constructing the nuclear plant. Should renewables have a bigger contribution 1.3 Rationale The British Government have been concerned with the gap of meeting the British demand in the next 10 20 years. With aging nuclear plants and questions surrounding what is going replace these, and the commitment of meeting targets to cut C02 emissions. The government has proposed to build a new generation of nuclear power stations and rely more on renewable energy to meet these demands. The conversational decision on this issue has raised further questions on whether this will be enough to make sure Britain does not suffer power black outs in the medium term. Experts in the nuclear sector have also questioned the proposals in terms of are these nuclear plants going to be build on time, who is going to pay for these plants and will the design be right to avoid any health and safety issues. Other plans that the government proposes includes relying more on renewable energy to meet demand. Heavy investment will be needed to meet this target and it remains to seen if this will be enough to meet the demand. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 World Energy Demands Energy is fundamental in how we all lead our lives. As the years goes by and the higher the world population grows, this means that global demand for energy can only increase. The UN has predicted that as of 2005, 6.5 billion made up the worlds population, and this could grow up to 9.1 billion within 45 years (Asif and Muneer 2007). If the worlds population reaches this figure, then the world is going to face a challenge to meet the energy needs of all of these people, especially with the emerging nations such as China, India and Brazil. 2.2 Energy Usage We use energy in all ways of life and we use them in a number of ways. Areas that energy is used includes Buildings Industry Trasport Buildings Buildings consume over 60% (International Energy Outlook, 2009) of energy produced around the world. Buildings are split into domestic householders and commercial buildings. Domestic buildings usage includes space heating, lighting, air conditioning, ventilation, and general electrical appliances. The volume of the property will determine its final energy consumption. The bigger the property, the more heating and lighting it will need to make it into comfortable surroundings. For residential buildings, the physical size of the structures is one key indicator of the amount of energy used by their occupants (International Energy Outlook) Commercial buildings can include offices and government buildings such as schools and hospitals. Commercial buildings are of a similar nature to domestic buildings, but will be to a much bigger scale. For example, an office could consist of a dozens or even hundreds of computers, compared to maybe one in a domestic house. Industry Industry consumption uses around 29% (International Energy Outlook) of the total energy produced around the world. Industry energy usage includes manufacturing metals, chemicals, materials and agriculture. The industry uses the energy it receives to operate manufacturing assembly lines, processing, space heating and lighting. Transport Transport uses the vast majority of oil that is consumed around the world. Transport energy accounts for cars, trains, planes and lorries. In comparison with the other energy sectors, the transport is largely constricted to oil and cannot operate with the other fuel options. In IEA (International Energy Agency) countries, the transport sector is taking an increasing share of oil demand (Taylor) 2.3 Threats to World Energy Supply As the demand for energy grows, the threat of not producing this energy increases. 2.3.1 Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels currently produce the majority of our energy needs and take many forms. Developed countries use oil, gas and coal and all of this fossil fuel usage heavily contributes to climate change because of the C02 emissions that they produce. Developing countries will use firewood etc and in comparison to the developed countries, the developing countries will produce alot less C02 because of their methods of producing energy. As well as the effects of the fossil fuels, the fuel reserves will decrease as the years and decades go on, particular since the demands for fuels will only rise. The security of getting these fuels is also a concern because of the political divides in the Middle East, where the biggest oil fields are. The political differences between the EU and Russia are also a concern because Russia is biggest exporter to the EU. The energy policies of Britain and France take these threats into account and are putting in place measures to reduce the threat. The threats t hat Britain and France predict is the increasing importation of these fuels, at the same time as demand goes up and the political strains increase. Our increasing reliance on imports of oil and gas in a world where energy demand is rising and energy is becoming more politicised (Meeting the energy challenge, 2007). 2.3.2 Oil Out of all of the fossil fuels, oil is the most precious and scarce. It is the primary source that we use to power our transportation system, to produce energy and used to make many different types of products. The worlds energy demand is expected to grow by 45% in the next 20 years; therefore, the demand for oil is expected to rise by 26% over the same period. Even if we do maintain the optimum amount of oil production over the next 20 years, it is very unlikely that the energy demands will be meet by oil. Oil Prices The issue of the oil peak production and its decline is much debated and opinions vary from a number of sources. One thing that is certain is that oil is not a re-newable fuel and as demands for energy increases year by year, production for oil will increase and this will deplete oil reserves more quickly. The steady growth of spot oil price exploded suddenly in the second halve of 2007: in only twelve months, the price of oil nearly double from $74/barrel on July 2007 to $147.27/barrel on July 2008 (Matutinovic, 2008.) This was a huge hike in a short space of time, caused by the demand from China and India, together with unrest in the Middle East were the main reasons. This increase in price however was short lived and to the present day is back to a manageable price. However, in the future the price will increase and stay there due to a number of factors. Energy demand going up, meaning that supply and demand will be squeezed. The political unrest in unstable regions where the largest oil reserves are As the price of oil increases, so will the price of energy and we this may become uncontrollable over the long term. Security of Oil As mentioned before, the majority of oil reserves are contained within unstable regions or countries and countries that have political issues with the most developed countries. This includes the Middle East, which holds the most of the oil reserves and is almost always unstable. As the developed countries own oil reserves decrease, the importation of oil will increase from these regions and if the regions were to decline further, this may affect security of supply of the energy needs of these countries. The most important implication of such distribution of proven oil reserves is that future oil increasingly dependence on politically instable Middle East (Matutinovic) 2.3.3 Gas In the past natural gas was not used globally to produce energy and by domestic householders. It is becoming increasingly important to meet energy demands around and in particular, the EU region. As with the issues with oil, gas reserves in the European Union and USA regions are dwindling and these regions are fast becoming increasily reliant on Russia and Middle East for their supplies. The UK in particular as a large proportion of its power produced by gas power stations and this has been addressed within their energy policy of the intention to decrease the importation of gas in the long term. However, in the short medium term it is anticipated that Europes dependence on gas will go from 36% up to in 69% (Weisser H, 2005) even with the issue of climate change, as natural gas is less pollutant than coal and oil. Looking at Russia, by far the biggest supplier, for analysing the security of supply equation one has to account for the fact that this countrys energy policy is not only d etermined by economic interest but a least equally by geopolitical, foreign policy and security consideration (Weisser). Political Issues The country with the most natural gas reserves is Russia. As each year goes by, the EU will have to import gas from Russia more and more. The political relationships between Europe and Russia are not the best. This was brought about by the dispute between Russia and the Ukraine over the gas supply. This in turn reduced the supply to Europe, as the pipe goes through the Ukraine to supply Europe. This brought tensions between the EU and Russia, since then Russia has threatened the supply to Europe and dramatic price increases. Apart from the Russia, the Middle East is the second biggest exporter and like oil, is vulrable to political unrest and this may affect supplies to their customers. Gas Prices Gazprom is the biggest gas provider in Russia and world. With demand for gas going to increase in the coming years, this will give the power to increase prices to the EU and other regions. If this were to happen, this would lead to higher costs for the UK to produce power and this would lead to higher power costs for domestic householders. The price of gas will also have to increase to fund investments to find new gas fields and pipes that transport the gas. The main reason for dual gas pricing has been to provide a gas subsidy to the Russian economy. (Spanjer A, 2007) 2.3.4 Coal Coal was the first significant fossil fuel to be used by humans and was the spearhead for the industrial revolution. It is used by both developed and developing due to its availability and value Consumption Developing countries use 55% of the world consumption of coal, which includes China and India. It is predicted that this is going to rise to over 65% in the morelonger term. The availability of coal is vast, which is the primary reason why it is used so much. It is found all over world, including vast reserves in the UK. It is predicted that if the current trend of excavating coal were to continue, it may take up to a few hundred years to exhaust the earths supply. As the coal reserves are spread all over the world, this gives an advantage to the other fossil fuels of providing a greater security of supply. Because of the inevitable decline in world reserves of petroleum and natural gas and rising demand for energy, coal is a major alternative along with nuclear power to meet these meets. (Yilmaz A O, Uslu T, The role of coal in energy production Consumption and sustainable development of Turkey, Energy Policy 35, 1117 1128, page 1, 2007) Cleaner Coal In the future, it is anticipated that cleaner coal power stations are to be constructed as coal is seen as a fuel that will meet the energy demand for the medium term. This is seen as a way of meeting the energy demands because of the reserves of coal offering a much higher security of coal, but also a way to reduce the emissions that coal gives off when used to produce energy. 2.4 Climate Change The issues that are associated with climate change go back over one hundred years when scientists were discovering that greenhouse gases were interfering with the atmosphere. Over the course of history to this present day, the understanding of climate change has jumped dramatically over the past 10 years and scientists are beginning to see the potential effects that may have on the earth if we do not tackle the roots of the problem. 2.4.1 Energy Production Energy production accounts for the vast majority of the green house gases that is produced. Energy accounts for over 80% of the global anthropogenic GHGs (Quadrelli R, The energy-climate challenge: Recent trends in CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, IEA, Elsevier, page 2, 2007). These green house gases are a direct result from using fossil fuels in producing energy. The world energy supply is still very much dependant on fossil fuels to produce the energy needs for the world population, even with the growth of renewable energy. As stated before, the worlds energy demand is expected to grow significantly over the next 20 30 years as a direct consequence of a rising world population and the rapid development of China and India. 2.4.2 C02 Emissions All fossil fuels contribute to green house gases, some more than others however. Coal is the biggest contributor of C02 emissions and this will just increase as coal becomes more popular, especially with China and India. An Energy production accounts for the vast majority of the green house gases that is produced. Energy accounts for over 80% of the global anthropogenic GHGs (Quadrelli R, The energy-climate challenge: Recent trends in CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, IEA, Elsevier, page 2, 2007). These green house gases are a direct result from using fossil fuels in producing energy. The world energy supply is still very much dependant on fossil fuels to produce the energy needs for the world population, even with the growth of renewable energy. As stated before, the worlds energy demand is expected to grow significantly over the next 20 30 years as a direct consequence of a rising world population and the rapid development of China and India. 2.4.2 C02 Emissions All fossil fuels contribute to green house gases, some more than others however. Coal is the biggest contributor of C02 emissions and this will just increase as coal becomes more popular, especially with China and India. An increase of C02 emissions in the last 35 40 years has been substantial and the total amount of C02 emissions due to burning of fossil fuels reaches to about 26 billion tons. (Saito S, Role of Nuclear Energy to Future Society of Shortage of Energy Resources and Global Warming, Journal of Nuclear Materials, Elsevier, 2009). These countries will have to find a guaranteed supply and this fuel will become cheaper than oil and gas over the longer term. These countries will have to look to coal to meet its energy demands for its growing population. If the projections are correct, coal will become more popular amongst the developed nations. This will increase green house gases and that is with the policy of constructing clean coal power stations. The oil and gas sectors will still have a very important part to play in the long term, but it is projected that dependence on these fuels will decrease slowly as the price goes up and the security of supply is not guaranteed. 2.4.3 Biggest C02 Producers The biggest polluters seem are the countries with the biggest economic development, the rapid development of some countries meaning a higher energy demand and the countries population. The United States was the biggest polluter due to its economic power and industrial size. However, as China has grown rapidly, this has pushed it to become the worlds biggest polluter. This is because China has seen significant economic growth and has required it to increase its energy production to meet its industrial growth. 2.4.4 Affects of Climate Change The affects of climate change will be catastrophic if the current trend of C02 emissions continues. Climate Change threatens the basic elements of life for people around the world access to water, food production, health and use of land and the environment (THE STERN REPORT, Executive Summary (Long), page 6, 2006). Rise in sea levels The affect of the earth heating up will mean the two polar ice caps melting, making the global sea levels rising. This will mean that countries or regions with a low altitude could mean land being lost. Global sea rises will mean millions of people being displaced and having to find alternative areas to live. Vegetation areas These areas could change the whole global landscape, in terms of the areas where crops could be grown. This could mean areas where crops are grown just now, will not able to grow in the future and this again may displace millions of people, especially in the more developing regions such as Africa. Weather systems There is current evidence that the weather pattern is already changing. The likelihood of this worsening is very real if climate change is not tackled. This includes an increase in category 5 hurricanes, increased flooding and an increase in heat waves due to temperature rises. Temperature rises will also lead to sever forest fires in regions such as Australia and California. 2.5 Financial Implications of Climate Change As well as the physical implications of climate change, the financial consequences may well be as bad for all countries if climate change is not tackled and heavy investment put in place 2.5.1 STERN REPORT The STERN report was produced to assess the potential damage that climate change could inflict on economies around the world. The evidence shows that ignoring climate change will eventually damage economic growth (THE STERN REPORT, Executive Summary (Long), page 2, 2006). The report consists and focuses on a number of issues The affects of climate change on the economies The costs of putting in control measures to reduce the affects of climate changes The investment needed to change to an infrastructure that omits less C02 emissions The report highlights the relation of GDP in relation to the increase in temperatures. There seems to be a trend in that for every one degree that the temperature goes up, then 1 per cent of GDP is lost. As well as the GDP, the biggest affect that climate change could have on is the developing countries, particular Africa. The report highlights that the ability to grow crops will reduce and water supplies will decrease dramatically and this will displace millions of people. 2.5.2 Investment The STERN report also points out that investment is now needed to prevent much higher costs being incurred in the longer-term. The report comments that such investment should include the acceleration of cleaner and renewable energy. 2.6 Energy Policies Energy policies are produced by governments to help them plan their countries energy production for the long term, set targets for cutting C02 emissions and evaluating their methods of producing energy. 2.6.1 Contents of Energy Policies The contents of energy policies will wholly depend what country it is, how much GDP it produces and how confident they will be in making sure that they can meet their targets Energy Policies will usually contain the following Security of supply Evaluation of their current energy production methods Methods of making sure that they have sufficient ways in meeting demand Outline any new ways in producing their energy Ways in which they will tackle climate change Their policies of using renewable energy to produce power. 2.7 Renewable Energy Policies Renewable energy is essential for meeting the commitment to cut C02 emissions, to ensure the world can meet the energy demands, security of supply and eventually leading to cheaper energy in the long term in comparison with fossil fuel produced energy. Renewable energy technologies have increased dramatically in the last 5 years. Its essential to have renewable energy in a countries energy policy to help meet all these commitments. To the present day, 73 countries are thought to have included a renewable strategy within their policy. Between 2004 and 2008, over $120 billion of investment has put in place to increase the usage of renewables. Although this investment is substantial, it is predicted that that this type of investment will have to be spent every year to help renewables get to a level to produce energy to a stage where it can compete with coal and gas. While most renewable fuels are free, renewable energy projects have high up-front costs (Sawin J L, National Policy Documents, International Conference for Renewable Energies, page 5, 2004). Renewable Energy types include Solar Power Wind Power Hydro Geothermal Biomass Tidal Power 2.7.1 Wind Power Out of all of the renewable technologies, wind power is by far the most used around the world. Wind power was the largest addition to renewable energy capacity (Renewables Global Status Report 2009, REN21, page 11, 2009). Wind power comes in two forms either on shore or off shore. Wind power is particularly used throughout the EU due to its climate. Wind power production percentage throughout the EU varies, with Germany being the most productive country within the EU. 2.7.2 Solar Power At the end of 2007, solar power production accounted for around 0.5% of the power produced. As with the wind power restrictions, solar power is more effective where countries are better situated to get sun on a regular basis. Also as solar power is expensive to build in comparison to the more conventional power stations, this currently makes it unviable to construct until capital costs come down. 2.6.3 Other Renewables The other options of renweables make up a tiny proportion of energy production, in comparison to the wind and solar. Heavy investment is needed to bring these up to level where they will be seen as a potential energy source as the other options. 2.8 Nuclear Energy Nuclear power has is fast becoming one of the main sources of power for a few countries within the EU and the USA. Apart from the Western countries, nuclear power is fast becoming the one of the major sources of producing energy. There over 100 hundred power stations currently being built in Asia and alot more are being planned. Nuclear Power alone wont get us where we need to be, but we wont get there without it. (Abu-Khader M M, Recent Advances in Nuclear Power: A Review, Nuclear Energy 51, 225 233, Elsevier, 2009) 2.8.1 Production Nuclear power currently accounts for around for 14 per cent of the power produced around the world. It is expected that this will grow rapidly over the longer term as the worlds most developed countries construct more plants to meet energy demands. 2.8.2 Why Nuclear Nuclear power has big advantages over the current main sources of power production. Security of Supply Nuclears raw material is more readily available than other fossil fuels. This gives it a more guaranteed security of supply of generating the energy needed. Importing uranium is expensive to import, however it can be stored for several years and makes it less of a concern. Price Rises Nuclear power is less of risk of being the subject to a large price rise. This is because it is cheaper to run the power plant in comparison to gas and coal power stations. 2.14 Bar Chart Showing Predicted Price Rises for Each Fuel Type (Adamantiades A, Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Status and Future Prospects, Energy Policy 37 5149 5166, 2009) A doubling in the price of Uranium would cause a 5-6% increase in the total cost of generation, while a similar increase in the price of natural gas would lead to 65% increase in gasfired costs. ((Adamantiades A, Kessides I, Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Current Status and Prospects, Energy Policy, Elsevier, page 2, 2009). Climate Change As with renewable energy, nuclear plants produce little or no C02 emissions. As the world is becoming increasily concerned with climate change, severe cuts of C02 emissions are being set and nuclear is seen a key player in reducing these emissions. 2.8.3 Safety Concerns After the tragic accident at Chernobyl, it was understandable that nuclear power got a bad reputation around the world, with some countries even banning it altogether. However, since safety factors in constructing and operating a nuclear plant have improved greatly and the idea of nuclear power is taking off again. During the past two decades, nuclear power plants have also achieved increasingly higher capacity factors with the same or greater levels of safety (Adamantiades A, Kessides I, Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Current Status and Prospects, Energy Policy, Elsevier, page 12,2009). 2.15 Bar Chart Showing Fatalities by Fuel Type (Adamantiades A, Nuclear Power for Sustainable Development: Status and Future Prospects, Energy Policy 37 5149 5166, 2009) The most obvious risk of operating a nuclear plan is exposing the public to radiation poisoning, with Chernobyl being the best example. Strict measures are now in place to greatly reduce such a tragedy happening again. This includes conducting risk assessments and putting in control measure to reduce the risks. 2.8.4 Nuclear Waste The debate of nuclear waste was one the biggest obstacles for the new generation nuclear plants being constructed. Although the storage of nuclear is major concern, the technology is in place to manage safely and effectively. In comparison with the waste that fossil fuels produce, it is signifcently less. 3.0 Methodology My method of research was to use a mixture of both quantitative and quantitative research methods. 3.1 Quantitative and Qualitative Research The method of using quantitative is and will be limited, in comparison with the other forms of data collection. This has used up to this point for comparing statistics, figures and forecasts. This is based on using journals, government reports and reliable websites being used to gather this information to allow me to compare the above. It will be my intention to continue this form data collection when completing my dissertation The method of using qualitative will be the form of research that the bulk of dissertation will be based on. This is based on sources from journals, books, government reports, reliable websites, interviews and case studies. It will be my intention to continue with this form data collection when completing my dissertation. Journals This form of gathering data has helped me gather the majority of my information. I have gathered peoples perceptions, thoughts and opinions of this subject. Information gathered was mostly opinions in the form of text, graphs and diagrams. Government Reports This has allowed me to focus on the subjects that I need to concentrate to be able to answer my aims and objectives. Information gathered included factual statistics and text. Websites This form of sourcing of information allowed me to gather some of quantitative and qualitative information. I made sure that these websites were reliable websites and that the information was as accurate. Information gathered included graphs, statistics and text. 3.2 Interviews My intention is to organise three interviews with three different organisations. This is to allow 3 different opinions based on the subject of my dissertation. This will include getting opinions on people who are involved with the nuclear programme, the renewable sector and an organisation that represents somebody/something for which the nuclear plants or the rapid construction of renewables may have negative consequences. 3.2.1 Initial Contact and Organisations My initial contact to arrange interviews was via e-mail. I asked them for an interview by introducing myself, the reason for the interview and the topic of my dissertation. My first contact was Mr David Cameron, of the Scottish Renewables trust. He kindly agreed to an interview in his Glasgow based office and agreed that I would be in touch when I am ready to conduct the interview. My agenda for this interview is to get his views on the developments of the renewables sector, the developments of the nuclear sector and will this be able to meet the energy demand My second contact was Mr Peter Dobson, of Scottish and Southern Energy who are directly involved with the nuclear program within the UK. My contact with him came about because of the close relationship that my employer and SSE have. My agenda for this interview will be similar to my first contact My third contact I hope to be the Scottish Wildlife trust. I have still to make contact with this gruop. My agenda for this interview will be to get the developments on both nuclear and renewables development in the UK and how this could affect the British ecosystem. When it comes to conducting the interview, I will stress the confidentially is the most important issue when conducting this interview and will ask them to make me aware that a particular question can not be answered without their confidentially being breached. 3.2.2 Interview Technique and Agenda My intension is to make the interview semi-structured. This will allow me to prepare a set of questions that I will ask all three participants, with the possibly of other questions being prepared depending on the organization. By having a semi-structure interview, it will allow me to get the information that I will require, while allowing any other questions or conversations to happen during the interview, as some topics may come to light during the interview. I shall prepare the questions before the interview takes place and sent the interviewees the prepared question paper and the agenda beforehand. 3.3 Case Studies It will be my intention to focus on two case studies. One will be in the form of concentrating on one of the chosen nuclear sites. I will give information on the suitability of the site, the energy that will generated, the benefits of having this plant and the health and safety implications of having the plant at this location. The form of collecting data will involve the use of journals, construction information, site location, government reports on this site and information coming from interviews. My other case study will focus one of a key renewable project that has been constructed in recent times. I will give information on the characteristics of the site, the e