Governments On Preventing Air Pollution In Colombo Environmental Sciences Essay

Governments On Preventing Air Pollution In Colombo Environmental Sciences Essay Air pollution is the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more contaminants such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odour, smoke, or vapour in quantities and of characteristics and duration such as to be injurious to human, plant, or animal life or to property, or to interfere unreasonably with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property. 1. Air is the very basic need of every living organism. Air is essential to life on earth. All organisms require moderately pure air, and they cannot survive without it. Air is considered safe when it contains no harmful dust and gases. Air pollution effects global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain and various respiratory illnesses. 2. The air pollution has worsened in most large cities in the developing world. In Sri Lanka, Colombo city is facing this problem due to the highly increased vehicle emission and few other environmental issues. The high density of population and industrialization is the other most important environmental issues that have drawn the attention of policymakers, administrators, and environmentalists in the recent past. Most countries in the world are trying to give a solution to air pollution in their countries by revising their policies, rules and regulations. However Sri Lanka is still not taken firm action to revise the environmental policies, rules and regulations to prevent air Pollution. 3. Colombo is the main commercial and business hub of Sri Lanka and as a result, many people are arrived into the city daily. The central district, which comprises of Fort and Pettah, provides more than 100,000 jobs and is estimated to have a daytime population of more than 650,000. The greater Colombo area contains more than 4 million people or 26% of the countrys population, but covers only 5.6% of the entire land area. Outside the city, Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport and the Free Trade Zone further increase traffic congestion in Colombo. As the most important commercial and administrative center, Colombo attracts the maximum number of vehicles and individuals. Therefore it is highly vulnerable to health hazards due to vehicle emissions. 4. Clean, dry air contains 78.09% nitrogen by volume and 20.94% oxygen. The remaining 0.97% is composed of a gaseous mixture of carbon dioxide, helium, argon, krypton, nitrous oxide and xenon, as well as very small amounts of some other organic and inorganic gases whose amount in the atmosphere vary with time and place. Various amounts of contaminants continuously enter the atmosphere through both natural and man-made processes that exist upon the earth. Man as a pollutant has labelled that portion of these substances which interacts with the environment to cause toxicity, disease, aesthetic distress, physiological effects or environmental decay. 5. The human activities are the primary cause of pollution and as the population increases, the attendant pollution problems also raise proportionately. The first significant change in humans effect of nature came with his discovery of fire. Prehistoric human built a fire in his cave for cooking, heating and to supply light. The problem of air pollution came into existence at this time. OBJECTIVES 5. General Objective. To analyze the responsibility of the Government and its authorities towards the reducing of air pollution in Colombo City and give recommendations to prevent Air pollution in Colombo City. 6. Specific Objectives. The specific objectives of the research are as follows. a. To examine the various Air pollutants. b. To examine the impact of the air pollution. c. To examine the actions taken by the Government and its authorities to prevent Air Pollution in Colombo City. d. To analyze and suggest the recommendations for implementations based on the findings of the study. CHAPTER 02 METHODOLOGY STATEMENT OF PROBLEM 1. The air pollution in main cities in developing countries is one of the leading critical environment problems. The health impact of the air pollution looks likely to be greater in the capital of Sri Lanka. Therefore the responsibility of the government and its authorities is to protect air and minimize the air pollution in the country. 2. However, the actions taken on air protection in Colombo are inadequate and not suit the present day context. Therefore, this paper will identify the effects of air pollution in Colombo and analyze the impact of air pollution in Colombo City. Further this paper will analyse the effectiveness of existing legal remedies in preventing air pollution. HYPOTHESIS 3. Actions taken by the Government and its authorities to prevent air pollution in Colombo City are inadequate. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 4. This study will explore the air pollution in Colombo city and the responsibility of the Government and its authorities and how air pollution can undermine the goals of development. 5. Furthermore, policies that are necessary on economic basis can deliver significant environmental benefits. However, these policies are not enough to ensure urban air protection. Therefore the strong public organizations and policies for urban air protection are very essential. The policies adapted by the Sri Lankan government over the past two decades to rely more on development. However, natural air protection is an area which government must uphold a central role. 6. Examine the effects of air pollution in Colombo and validity and practicability of the existing environmental policies and regulations in Sri Lanka. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION 7. The primary study shows that the Colombo city would be the area where the air pollution can be seen predominantly. The both primary and secondary data will collect regarding the subject of air pollution in Colombo City from the available resources like publications, books and internet web sites. 8. The main decisive factor is to look at this problem in government and citizens perspectives. Thus, the views of government authorities and citizens will seek to get their expectations of the desired strategies and policies. Scholars on the subject and professionals on this subject will be interviewed through discussions. A predetermined questionnaire will be distributed among the selected citizens in Colombo city to absorb their views. LIMITATIONS 9. This research study was done within three months of period and with limited time. Hence it was difficult to cover all the pollution proven areas in Colombo area. Therefore the calculation might be showed slight difference if compare with another research. It also faced the difficulty of getting genuine answers from the community. CHAPTER 03 AIR POLLUTION ATMOSPHERE 1. The atmosphere surrounds the earth. It is composed of gas molecules held close to the earths surface by gravitation. It consists of Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen (20%), Carbon dioxide (0.03%) and small amounts of inert gases such as argon, neon, and krypton. It also consist changing amounts of water. Dust participles called as particulates are also consist with varying amounts. 2. The earths current atmosphere consists of several layers as Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. The average composition of the atmosphere varies little from place to place, except for its moisture contents. The variation of moisture condition is a very important natural condition affecting plant growth. Air temperature is another important environmental condition that profoundly affects both plant and animal life. Air is in constant motion and its movement is creates wind. 3. Some of the atmospheric gases have the capacity to absorb heat. These are called Green House Gasses. Carbon Dioxide, Water vapour and Ozone are three of the naturally make green house gasses in the atmosphere. Green house gasses are liable for maintaining the level of temperature of the earth. If the quantity of these gasses increases in the atmosphere then additional heat will be trapped and the earths atmosphere will get warmer. These gasses have been increasing in the atmosphere in recent years in the earth. 4. In the normal condition the atmosphere contains a layer of ozone in the atmosphere. This layer traps a part of Ultra violet rays and X-Rays, reducing the amount of these deleterious rays reach to the earth. However, the introduction of Chlorofluoro carbon (CFC) in to the atmosphere has been shown to damage the ozone layer. CFC is chemical that have been used for many years in aerosol, air conditioning and in refrigeration. AIR POLLUTION 5. Air Pollution is the presence in the atmosphere of one or more foreign materials such as dust, fumes, gases, mist or smoke in quantities and in durations which are harmful to human, plant or animal life or to properties. A gas like CO2 which is a normal element of the atmosphere can in certain conditions, become a pollutant, when its concentrations increase to levels that threaten the well-being of living things or disrupt physical or biological processes. 6. Air pollution is as old as civilization itself. The first air pollution incident took place, when early humans made fire in poorly ventilated or set fire to a dry forest. But it was the growth of industries after the industrial revolution that became the largest engine of air pollution first in Britain, Europe, North America and then spread to the other places of the World. 7. Damage to the clean air has three possible costs to present and future human welfare. The Health of Human may be harmed. Also the economic productivity may be reduced. In addition, the pleasure or satisfaction obtained from an unspoiled natural air may be lost. Since spoiled urban air problem vary across countries and with the stage of industrialization, each country required to assess its own priorities carefully. Emissions from transport industry and population growth impose serious costs for health condition and productivity in Sri Lanka. AIR POLLUTANTS TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS 8. Basically air pollution can be classified as primary and secondary types. Primary pollutants get into atmosphere directly by various processes. Major part of this is added to the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels in transport vehicles and by industries. Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur oxide and Hydrocarbons are some examples for primary air pollutants. Secondary air pollutants are those formed in the air through various chemical reactions. Some of the primary pollutants undergo chemical reactions once they are in the atmosphere and produce secondary pollutants. For an example Sulphur oxides will react with atmospheric water vapour and produce acids. This way acid rain is produced and it leads to disruption of various eco-systems. Another example is the smog produced by the action of sunlight on automobile exhaust emitted in to the atmosphere. 9. Air pollutants can be either in the form of gases or in the form of particles. Some of the common pollutants are Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, methane and ozone. Particulate pollutants include dust, fume, mist, smoke and sprays. 10. Dust particles get in to the air when materials are being handled or processed. Dust from cement, coal, and bricks and saw dust from wood working are few examples of such particulate pollutants. Fumes and mist are not many solid particles, formed in the atmosphere due to condensation of vapours by sublimation or chemical reaction processes. Smoke particle are formed as a result of incomplete combustion of carbonaceous materials. Liquid particles referred to as spray are formed by the atomization of a parent liquid. SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTANTS 11. Some pollutants are formed and emitted by natural processes. Pollen grains from flowers, smoke particles from forest fires, volcanic eruptions and wind blown dust are examples of particulates of natural origin. There are also naturally occurring gasses such as nitrogen oxide and methane. 12. Man made sources of pollutants can be considered under stationary combustion processes transportation, industrial and the agricultural processes. 13. When fuel such as oil or coal used in power plants, gasses and particulate pollutants are emitted in to air. These pollutants consist of a mixture of particles such as fly ash and smoke and gasses such as the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are also produced in combustion process. 14. In transportation, particularly from vehicles, the pollutants are emitted in to the air. These pollutants comprise particulates such as smoke, lead and gasses like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons. These pollutants are high in concentration around traffic light junctions in the cities such as Colombo. 15. In industrial processes, depending on the type of energy used, a wide range of pollutants are emitted. If the industry burns oil as its energy source, smoke, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides will be emitted to the air. 16. In Sri Lanka a large percentage of the energy consumed comes from fuel wood. Burning of fuel wood, used for industrial purposes or domestic use, also produces pollutants. Some agricultural activities such as crop dusting add particulate pollutants to the atmosphere. Further, the burning of forests for chena cultivation can be grouped in to this category. 17. Vehicle Emission: Increased vehicle emission in Sri Lanka mainly Colombo is the most significant environmental issue that has drawn the concentration of policymakers, administrators, and environmentalists in the recent past. Various studies undertaken by regulatory agencies and researchers clearly indicate that inefficient combustion of petroleum in motor vehicles is the primary cause of growing air pollution in Colombo city. Lack of information on economic and environmental costs of vehicle emission and its improvement and prevention have inhibited public response and enforcement, and impeded the implementation of existing laws, and the development of further regulations. The worst prevalent air pollutants emitted from vehicles comprise particulate matter (PM), lead (Pb), non-methane volatile organic components (NMVOC), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). Of these, particulate matter and lead are the most detrimental components of vehicle exhaus t that affect the environment and human beings. 18. Apart from pollutants emitted by petrol-driven vehicles, the amount of exhaust from diesel-driven vehicles is large and therefore a matter of major public concern due to its undesirable environmental effects. However diesel-engine exhaust contains less toxic gases, it has a much higher particulate matter consideration than petrol-engine exhaust. In Sri Lanka, the observed levels of TSP, SO2, O3, and lead are significantly higher than air quality standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) in Sri Lanka. This clearly reveals the special nature of the vehicle emission problem in the country which is directly linked with a wide range of factors such as composition and increase in number of vehicles, price structure of fuel, lack of traffic management, use of low-quality fuel, and lack of alternative fuels. 20. Combustion Engine Exhaust: Cars, busses, trucks, jet airplanes and other combustion engine vehicles cause air pollution. The exhaust from these contains carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and gaseous oxide. This type of air pollution creates smog which causes respiratory health problems and holes in the ozone layer, which increases the exposure to the harmful rays of the sun. 25. Mills and plants: Mills and plants, such as paper mills, power plants, chemical plants, iron mills, steel mills, cement plants and asphalt plants, release emissions into the atmosphere causing air pollution 21. Factories: Factories, homes and power stations burn fossil fuels, which cause air pollution. The burning of oil and coal also contributes to smog. This air pollution destroys plants, damages buildings and creates oxidation on iron. 22. Petroleum: Petroleum refineries such as Sapugaskanda release hydrocarbons and various particulates that pollute the atmosphere. 23. Pesticides: Pesticides used to destroy indoor and outdoor pests, insecticides used to destroy insects and herbicides use to kill weeds all cause air pollution. 26. Indoor Air Pollution: This happens when there is insufficient ventilation to disburse the toxic fumes from new carpet, paint and/or cleaning chemicals that are used indoors. CHAPTER 04 IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION 1. Several studies conducted in Sri Lankan cities show that air pollution leads to reduced health and quality of life, damage to property, and economic losses. PM10-related health damage in the City of Colombo is about Rs. 26.0 billion per annum; and in the case of PM2.5 it is about Rs. 774 million per annum. This is according to a study by Chandrasiri,S. et. al. (2004) which quantified the health effects of PM2.5 from auto-diesel emissions. Based on the above estimates, the researchers calculated the cost per ton of auto diesel emissions in Colombo. These estimates of the health damage values for PM10 in Colombo come quite close to previous estimates in these studies: 2. Another study on the Exposure to Aerosol Pollution and Reported Respiratory Symptoms Among City Dwellers by Perera, G.B.S., Emmanuel, R., Premasiri, H.D.S., (2006) shows that urban dwellers report higher prevalence of respiratory illnesses since they spend more on the roadsides, have higher exposure and also have all the common respiratory symptoms. Comparison of most common causes of mortality and morbidity data shows that although non-air pollution-related causes remain the primary cause for mortality, air pollution is a significant contributor to morbidity. 3. The average property damage due to urban air pollution in Colombo is estimated at Rs. 12677 (US$ 126) per household per year. The average willingness to pay to avoid property damage from urban air pollution is at Rs. 520 (US$ 5.20) per household per year. If an Air Quality Improvement Fund were to be established, the public would be willing to pay Rs.15460 (US$ 154) per household per year. THE HEALTH IMPACT OF THE AIR POLLUTION 4. Air pollution is increasingly recognized as a threat to the health of people in mainly developing countries. The World Health Organization states that 2.4 million people die every year from causes directly attributable to air pollution. A study by the University of Birmingham has found a strong co-relation between pneumonia related deaths and air pollution from motor vehicles. More Worldwide deaths per year are linked to air pollution than to road traffic accidents. The causes of air pollution related deaths include aggravated asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, lung diseases and respiratory problems. 5. The health effects caused by air pollutants may range from subtle biochemical and physiological changes to difficulty in breathing, coughing, wheezing, and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. 6. These effects can result in increased medication use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospitalizing and premature deaths. The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the bodys respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Individual reactions to air pollutants depend on the type of pollutant a person is exposed to, the degree of exposure, the individuals health status and genetics. . RESPIRATORY HEALTH 7. The effects of air pollution on health of residents in an industrial areas in Colombo city using a cross-sectional design and reported that the adult population living in the industrial area was more likely to have unexplained episodic cough and a significant reduction in expiratory flow as compared to the adult population living in a non-industrial area. The younger population (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 12 years) living in the industrial area were times more likely to have rhinitis as compared to the younger population living in the non-industrial area. 8. School children are another group exposed to high levels of pollutants exaggerated by overcrowding of major schools in cities, especially in Colombo. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among school children attending a school in Colombo situated close to a busy main road was significantly higher than that of children attending a school situated in a rural area. 9. Based on data of the Colombo Fort monitoring station, episodes of bronchitis, emphysema and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases had a strong association with PM10 levels. Nearly 20% of asthma patients who visited the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo in 2005 could be attributed to exposure to PM10 in Colombo based on the health impact assessment software developed by WHO. Although the location of the Colombo Fort monitoring station may not represent the entire area of study population, this study provides evidence for implementation of early mitigation strategies. 10. Air pollutants were measured using passive samplers in Mount Lavinia, a metropolitan area bordering Colombo, to measure the 24-hour average levels among city dwellers engaged in different occupation. Bus drivers were exposed to more NO2 and SO2 as compared to three-wheeler drivers, shop keepers and outdoor vendors. The highest prevalence of respiratory symptoms was reported among bus drivers. BLOOD LEAD LEVELS 11. Following the introduction of unleaded gasoline, atmospheric lead levels reduced by 81.5%, 82% and 84% in three locations in Colombo measured blood lead levels of a sample of children living near a traffic congested junction in Colombo in 1998 and then one year after the introduction of unleaded gasoline. In 1998, 6% of children had blood lead levels above 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dL; in 2003, not a single child had a blood lead level >10 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl (range 1.67 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl to 9.7 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl). 12. The mean blood lead levels in traffic and non-traffic policemen were 7.47 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl and 7.06 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl, respectively. Abdominal discomfort, tremor and hypertension were higher in traffic policemen as compared to non-traffic policemen, although the differences were not significant. There may be exposure misclassification as non-traffic policemen are duty bound to control traffic during busy hours. ASTHMA 13. Low air quality, from traffic pollution or high ozone levels, has been repeatedly associated with increased asthma morbidity. Recent studies show a relationship between exposure to air pollutants (e.g. from traffic) and childhood asthma. This research finds that both the occurrence of the disease and exacerbation of childhood asthma are affected by outdoor air pollutants. LUNG CANCER 14. Studies of the American Cancer Society cohort directly link the exposure to particulate matter with lung cancer. For example, if the concentration of particles in the air increases by only 1%, the risk of developing a lung cancer increases by 14%. Further, it has been established that particle size matters, as ultrafine particles penetrate further into the lungs. 15. The majority of the population (more than 50%) was between the ages of 41-50 years and male; the majority of the cases were directly exposed to tobacco smoke (48%). There was an association between smoking and lung cancer but not with biomass fuels use. THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS AUTHORITIES TO PREVENT AIR POLLUTION IN COLOMBO CITY 16. Banning of importation of two-stroke engine three- wheelers: One of the main accomplishments in improving air quality in Sri Lanka is Banning of importation of two-stroke engine three- wheelers since 2006. The Government banned the importation of two-stroke petrol three-wheelers from 1 January 2008 and prohibited the import of full engine, engine blocks and cylinder heads after 2011 in order to avoid the local assembly of two-stroke engines. 17. Implementation of vehicle emission testing program: Sri Lanka is in the process of implementing the Vehicle Emission Testing program. The Program was launched on 15 July 2008. Several agencies play an important part in its implementation. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources developed the emission standards; the Department of Motor Traffic is the nominated implementing agency of the program. This program is designed as a public-private partnership and is a centralized System with two large private sector companies contracted to conduct the vehicle emission tests. Two private sector companies have been selected to set up testing centers in all the main cities of Sri Lanka. The testing centers in the main cities are already in place. 18. Under the Program, vehicle owners must secure an emission certificate because it is a necessity to obtain the annual revenue license in Sri Lanka. After the vehicle is tested, the owner of the vehicle gets an emission certificate which states the emission levels of the vehicle. If the vehicle meets the standards, the owner of the vehicle gets a pass certificate; if he fails, he has to repair the vehicle and go back to the testing center for a re-test. 19. Amendment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Considering the latest revised WHO guideline values, Sri Lankan authorities reviewed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and incorporated PM10 and PM2.5. Sri Lanka set the interim targets 2 as given in the Global update of WHO Air Quality Guideline in 2005. 20. Preparation of National Action Plan for Air Quality Management (Clean Air 2015): Clean Air Sri Lanka and the Air Resource Management Center of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Development have prepared the Clean Air 2015 action plan to manage the air pollution in Sri Lanka. The main areas under the action plan have been identified as priorities, action plans prepared and work started for each: Monitoring Emissions of Power Plants and High Polluting Industries, Monitoring and Reducing Vehicle Emissions, Provisions of Cleaner Fuels for Motor Vehicles, Prepare and Maintain Emissions Inventory, Monitoring Ambient Air Quality, Enhance Public Awareness and carry out health impact assessments and Providing an Indoor Air Pollution Management Programme. 21. Strategic Plan for Traffic Management in Greater Colombo Area (2008-2010): The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ordered the preparation and implementation of the Strategic Plan for Traffic Management in Greater Colombo Area. Therefore, the National Transport Commission of the Ministry of Transport has conducted wider discussion with stakeholders and prepared an action plan. This action plan includes several interventions such as the formulation of an urban transport policy, set up of an urban traffic coordinating mechanism, operation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), operation of at least two new multimodal terminals and introduction of the advance traffic control system etc., for completion by 2010. CHAPTER 05 ANALYSIS ACTS, RULES AND REGULATIONS 1. In the past in Sri Lanka there were a number of statues with scattered provisions pertaining to Environmental protection and Pollution control. Following are the Acts and regulations published in Sri Lanka in order to prevent air pollution. ACTS National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980 National Environmental (Amendment) Act, No. 56 of 1988 National Environmental (Amendment) Act, No. 53 of 2000 REGULATIONS PUBLISHED UNDER THE NEA Motor Traffic (emission control) Regulation Number 817/6 dated 3rd May 1994. Ozone Depleting substances and Natural Environmental (Ambient Air Quality) Regulations 1994. Gazette Notification Number 850/4 dated 20th December 1994. Amendment to National Environment (ambient air quality) Regulation 1994. Gazette Notification Number 1562/22 dated 15th August 2008. Amendment to Gazette Notification Number 1295/11 dated 30th June 2003.Gazette Notification Number 1557/14 dated 19th July 2008. Amended Regulations (Air Emission, Fuel and Vehicle Importation standards) Gazette Notification Number 1137/35 dated 23rd June 2000. National Environmental (Air Emissions, Fuel HYPERLINK http://www.cea.lk/pdf/reg1295-11.pdfHYPERLINK http://www.cea.lk/pdf/reg1295-11.pdf Vehicle Importation standards) Amended Regulations. Gazette Notification Number 1295/11 dated 30th June 2003. 2. When compare with many other South Asian countries, Sri Lanka has the best environmental protection regulations. However the enforcement is very unsatisfactory. Sri Lanka has a good National Environmental Act and Environmental Impact Assessment process. However its implementation is rather weak. 3. As an example we can take the vehicle emission test of Sri Lanka. As per the questionnaire distributed among the vehicle drivers in Colombo city it is found that the emission test certificate can be obtain without required standard of the vehicle. The drivers confirmed that they have experience for such incidents. 4. Further, during the research it was found that the only one monitoring site in Colombo is not in a position to check the every pollutant due to the system failure since April 2010. CEA hasnt taken any action to reactivate the system up to now. This shows the least priority given by the government towards the air pollution WEAKNESSES OF ACTIONS TAKEN FOR AIR PROTECTION IN COLOMBO BY THE GOVERNMENT 5. . The National environmental act of Sri Lanka approved in 1980 and it was again amended in 1988 and 2000. For the last 30 years amendments were not in a considerable frame and there are many lapses in the amendments. This shows the least priority given by the ruled governments at that time towards the air pollution. The citizens who were participated in this research also clearly indicated this in the questionnaires. 2. When considering the countries, which achieved less air pollution percentage, there were the separate air pollution act and activating it in a proper manner. A separate authority was established to facilitate in administrational functions. Sri Lanka is still relying on the common environmental act. Due to the prevailing situation in Sri Lanka, it is very essential to have a separate act with special laws to reduce the air pollution in the country as well as the Colombo city. 3. The hierarchy of the Central Environment Authority of Sri Lanka are appointed by HE the president in consultation with the environmental minister of the ruling government. Therefore, a question emerged regarding the impartiality of the members of Central Environmental Authority. All the decisions made by the government may be approved by the CEA in this nature. 4. Authority of issuing licence and approving projects had been granted to the minister of environment by the amendment to the NEA in year 2000. As a result of this amendment the minister has sole authority to activate any harmful project to the environment if the government required it. Further this amendment has increased the validity time of the licence for the projects from one year to three years. The suspension and cancellation the licence, given to the minister from this amendment. If the minister insist it, the owner can continue his project without any interference. 5. The prior way of urban air pollution is the use of motor vehicles.

A discussion of equality and diversity issues in a teaching situation-CTLLS Essay

5. A discussion of equality and diversity issues relevant to the candidates teaching/training situation. Equality is ensuring individuals or groups of individuals are treated fairly and equally and no less favourably than others. Equality is about the rights of the learners to attend and participate regardless of age, sex, race, gender reassignment, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage/civil partnership and pregnancy /maternity. Diversity is about recognising and being tolerant of different views which individual people have, in terms of cultural backgrounds and different lifestyle choices relating to any characteristics they may have. A diverse society is what we have as every individual has a different culture, belief and life experience to the next. Inclusion is about including all the learners in ‘relevant activities rather than excluding them for any reason either directly or indirectly’ (Gravells 2008). ‘Every learner has the right to expect that they will receive high quality learning appropriate to their needs and circumstances ion a safe and healthy environment.’ (Success for all: DfES 2002). Inclusive teaching and learning is possible when promoted. In order to achieve this I combine both the training cycle and the learning styles from Kolb and Fry. These include using Concrete experience, Abstract Conceptualisation, Active Experimentation and Observation and Reflection. Learners the mixing up of which produces the learning styles that best suits a learner, ie; Converger, Diverger, Assimilator and Accommodator. By ensuring the lessons accommodate all learning styles all learners will feel inclusion. Along with the learning styles I would include relevant resource materials . If a learner requires more intervention then I may need to include the following; additional classroom support, adapted or specific resources, peer support, varied presentation, content selection, reducing or increasing time for activities Along with my mentor Geri walker I have written the 5 day induction programme for new starters within the organisation. This includes lectures in subject matter using power point presentation and notes (abstract conceptualisation), Direct discrimination occurs when you treat someone unfairly due to at least the nine characteristics discussed. Indirect discrimination occurs when a working condition, environment or rule disadvantages one group of people or person more than another. As a teacher it is important that to give equal support, you must not discriminate and  must not show favouritism in any way. A teacher should not impose views and opinions on the learners. It is necessary to ensure that the learners show dignity and respect to others in the learning environment. A teacher must recognise that each learner is different and accommodate for those differences wherever possible in the classroom. You should demonstrate your commitment to equal opportunities through everything you say and do in your work with adult students.† (Daines, Daines and Graham, 1993). Geoff Petty states that: Differentiation is an approach to teaching that attempts to ensure that all students learn well, despite their many differences. Catch phrases which go some way to capturing this concept include: ‘Coping with differences’. ‘Learning for all’ or ‘Success for all’ People began to realise it was not just ability that could be â€Å"mixed’’ and that teachers had to cope with differences: learning style, age, motivation, prior learning and experience, gender, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and so on. Consequently the term ‘mixed ability’ began to be replaced by the less vivid term: ‘differentiation’. It is important to work in partnership with the learner, get to know them, so that you can assess their ‘minimum core’ and what their learning needs are. If a learner knows what is expected from them and you tell them what to expect from you , successful learning can be achieved . This may be achieved by recognising the needs of a particular person or group of people. The learners within the sessions I teach include people with; learning difficulties, hearing impairments, those whose first language is not English, or those people who may require additional support with literacy, language, numeracy and ICT skills. The learners I teach come from different social and cultural backgrounds and during teaching I have had to respect the following and accommodate, prayer times, Ramadan and different beliefs to mine without impacting on others. I need to plan my sessions to enable all learners to take part and achieve their individual learning aims, taking into account how I communicate with learner (e.g. using appropriate vocabulary and terminology no abbreviations and jargon, my comments are not discriminatory or offensive or that my body language is appropriate. I need  to check that the resources used are non- discriminatory or stereotypical, suitable for the learners needs so that all the learners can participate. Teaching methods need to be varied and support all learning styles. The learning environment needs to promote inclusion ,e.g. for people with disabilities. The Kennedy Report (1997) stressed the importance of making learning accessible to all learners , focussing on people who may be disadvantaged due to social, economic or educational background. These create barriers to learning that may prevent adults from continuing developing their education e.g.lack of information, childcare support, basic skills and costs involved to study. References Daines, JW et al (2006) Adult Learning, Adult Teaching, 4th ed, Cardiff: Welsh Academic Press DfES (2002b) Success for All. London: HMSO Gravells, A, (2008).preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector.3rd ed. exeter: learning matters Petty, G, (2004) Teaching Today: A practical guide,3rd ed. Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes Reisenberger A & Dadzie S (2002), Equality and diversity in adult and community learning – a guide for managers, Niacehttp://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/pdf/A1181.pdf Smith, M. K. (2001). ‘David A. Kolb on experiential learning’, the encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved 17/3/13 from http://www.infed.org/b-explrn.htm.

Art in Education - 2861 Words

Art in education The arts are an essential ingredient for any child’s education, allowing every student to accomplish important things in life. I disagree that arts no longer holds a place in education. By imparting important life skills, providing character education and better appreciation of the arts, arts become essential to students in both the pursuit and achievement of excellence. Yet, many students have little or no opportunity to learning arts as arts is devalued as a core element in the curriculum. Education, without arts, is an incomplete education that fails to develop the full potential of individuals, communities and societies. Hence arts are of great importance in the students’ learning experiences and should hold a place†¦show more content†¦Community and civic engagement becomes an explicit purpose off arts in education, allowing the students to exercise their voice and engage in community, civic and social issues. As they develop a moral conscience, youths are more willing to help and extend a helping hand in improving lives of the underprivileged in society. Also through exposure to literary texts from around the world, students gain access to the consciousness and lived realities of other communities; they apply critical reflection and ethical reasoning as the navigate various cultural and moral ambiguities conveyed vividly through the struggles of various characters in texts and, in the process of experiencing other worlds, they develop an imagination hospitable towards the powerless and the foreign. Thus, arts become a form of inspiration and motivation for youths to take action to help the less well-off, building up their character as well as imparting important values that all students must gain in life. Hence, arts become vital in students’ character building and value learning. By having arts in education, it allows students to develop aesthetic awareness and enjoy the finer things in life. Arts provide students with opportunities to have much broader discussions about their lives, their culture and politics. The pursuit of cultural understanding raising awareness of other cultures allows students to increase their cultural capital. Students are encouraged toShow MoreRelatedThe Arts And Arts Education1540 Words   |  7 Pagesshow that students in the arts outperformed their non-arts peers on the SAT by 96 points, while a child who has continued access to arts education has a 74 percent higher chance of planning to attend college† (Urist 9). The arts teach several lessons to children and they provide an equal opportunity for everyone. The arts also provide a different form of discipline and insight into the real world. 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Actus Reus In Recklessness And Common Assault Law Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2868 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Maxim actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea means that the guilty act on its own will not make a person criminally liable unless it was done with a guilty state of mind. The majority of crimes are brought about by a mixture of actions and are referred to as the guilty acts these represent the physical elements of a crime (actus reus).The mental elements are the thoughts or guilty state of mind (mens rea). If actus reus and mens rea are known and there is no valid defence, the defendant will be found guilty. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Actus Reus In Recklessness And Common Assault Law Essay" essay for you Create order It is the task of the prosecution to demonstrate together the actus reus and the mens rea of the offence beyond a reasonable doubt to the agreement of the judge and jury. If the proof is not found then the defendant will be acquitted. The actus reus covers all the exterior elements of an offence and consists of conduct, circumstances, and consequences. These are divided into two categories: Conduct crimes and Result crimes Conduct crimes consist of conduct and circumstance and are those in which the actus reus is concerned with prohibited behaviour in spite of its consequences, an example of this would be to drive when you have been disqualified. Result crimes are those where the guilty act requires proof that the conduct caused the outlawed consequence, for example, the actus reus of criminal damage is that the property owned by another person is damaged, and another example is the act of killing someone or committing murder. As result crimes are concerned with causing t he consequences the prosecution must show that it was the defendants behaviour that caused the result or circumstances to occur, they have to provide a clear, unbroken causal link. Causation requires a two stage test: Factual causation, the defendants act must be a sine qua non of the prohibited consequence. This simply means that the consequence would not have occurred without the defendants actions. R v.White (1910) 2 KB 124(CA) this case deals with but for test. The test establishes multiple factual causes of death. Legal causation can be established by showing that defendants act was an operating and substantial cause of death. It may not be the sole or main cause but it must make a significant contribution. R v. Cheshire (1991) 1WLR 844 (CA), R v. Pagett (1983) 76 Cr App R 279 (CA). R v. Smith (1959) Legal causation also deals with fault, assigning blame, and responsibility. The defendant will be liable for the all foreseeable consequences or results of the ir actions. R v. Roberts (1972) 56 Cr App R 95 (CA), R v. Marjoram (1999) (CA). There is no liability in criminal law for omissions unless that failure to act was whilst you are under a duty to act. The duty to act can arise in several ways: Duty arising from statute for example s.170 (4) of the Road Traffic Act 1998 places a duty on the driver involved in an accident to report it to the police or provide details to of the other people involved. Contractual duty, if someone fails to so something under a legally binding contract that they are contracted to do they may be criminally liable if any harm or injury occurs as a result of their failure to act. R v. Pittwood (1902) 19 TLR 37 (Assizes) concerned a duty to act, contract Parental duty to act and a duty towards family members, this is a common law duty that members of a family owe to each other to care for each others welfare. R v. Gibbins and Proctor (1918) 13 Cr App Rep 134 concerning duty to care, R v. Harri s and Harris (1993) Reliance or voluntary assumption of care, R v. Stone and Dobson (1977) CA Supervening fault or dangerous situation, this is where the defendant does nothing to avert a dangerous situation resulting from their conduct. R v. Miller (1983) 1 All ER 978 in relation to situation created by the defendant. The mens rea deals with the guilty state of mind. There are two states of mind which either together or separately can form the necessary mens rea for a criminal offence. These are Intention and Recklessness. Direct intention is where the defendants purpose is to cause death, mens rea of murder is the intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm. Indirect intent which is also known as oblique or foresight intent is where the unlawful consequence as a result of the defendants conduct is foreseen by the defendant as virtually certain although its not the defendants purpose. R v. Woollin (1999) 1 AC 82 (HL) oblique intention, virtual certainty. Reckl essness is where the defendant takes an unjustified and unreasonable risk. There are two known types of recklessness, subjective and objective. The law tends to concentrate on subjective tests. R v. G (2004) 1 AC 1034 (HL) subjective recklessness, criminal damage R v.Cunningham (1957) 2 QB 396 (CA) subjective recklessness and interpretation of malicious. The Cunningham test applies to all offences other than criminal damage. Coincidence of actus reus and mens rea When the defendant commits the actus reus of an offence, for liability to occur it must be shown that they also had the correct mens rea at the time the actus reus was committed. The guilty act and guilty state of mind must coincide. Problems have cropped up where the actus reus has been performed, then the mens rea comes into play, and also where the mens rea is present first and then the actus reus follows In order to overcome these problems the courts have used several approaches in order to secure a conviction where the actus reus is complete prior to the mens rea being present, and with the mens rea occurring before the actus reus. The approaches that they have used are called continuing acts and a chain of events. Continuing act is where the actus reus is committed over a period of time and the mens rea is present at some point during it commission. Continuing acts Fagan v. Metropolitan Police Commissioner (1969)1 QB 439 (DC) The defendant accidentally stopped his car on a policemans foot, (actus reus) when he realised this he didnt take it off (mens rea).It was a continuous act as he had actus reus when he ran over his foot and this only stopped when the car was moved and then the mens rea when he refused to move it. The defendant was subsequently found guilty of assault. R v. Kaitamaki (1985) AC 147 He penetrated the victim (actus reus) and when he realised she objected to the penetration he did not withdraw at which point mens rea was present. It was hel d that the actus reus of rape was a continuing act, and when he realised she objected he formed the mens rea the actus reus was still continuing and so there was coincidence. The defendant was found guilty of rape. R v. Miller (1983) 2 AC 161 (HL) The defendant fell asleep on a mattress in a house whilst smoking a cigarette. When he woke up he noticed that the mattress was smouldering he left it and decided to go to another part of the house. He made no attempt whatsoever to stop the damage and due to this the house caught on fire. The act which caused the (actus reus) dropping of the cigarette happened when the defendant was asleep and the (mens rea) recklessness, damage to property occurred when he awoke. It was held that the defendants failure to do anything about putting the fire out was the actus reus and this coincided with the appropriate mens rea. Chain of events This is the second approach that deals with the mens rea occurring before the actus reus. The defenda nt will be found to be criminally liable if the guilty act and guilty state of mind are present even if they do not coincide during the series of events. R. v Church (1966) 1 QB 59 (CA) The defendant took the victim to a van in order to have sex with her. The victim made fun of him so the defendant knocked her unconscious (mens rea). The defendant believed she was dead so he threw her into a river in order to get rid of the victim. The victim then died (actus rea). The defendants conduct was viewed as a series of acts designed to cause GBH or death. The actus reus and mens rea were present during the chain of events. The defendant was found guilty of manslaughter R v. Thabo Mali (1954) PC (South Africa) The defendants took the victim to a hut and beat him over the head intending to kill him. They believed they had killed him so they rolled him over a cliff. The victim did not die from the beating or being rolled of the cliff but died of exposure. It was held that the act us reus and mens rea was present throughout. The actus reus consisted of a series of acts and the mens rea was present at some time during the chain of events. They were found guilty of murder. R v. Le Brun (1991) CA The defendant knocked the victim (his wife) unconscious. Whilst he was moving her she knocked her head on the kerb and this fractured her skull. She later died of the injury. It was held that the original unlawful act and the act causing death (actus reus) and the (mens rea) were all part of the same chain of events. The defendant was found guilty of manslaughter. My own example Im employed as a female plasterer on a building site. After finishing work one evening and on my way home I realised that I had left something behind, so I head back too the site. The site has never been secured properly and the workforces have been complaining about this for some time. Whilst back on site a stranger approaches me and threatens to cause me some harm. As he is coming towards me I deliver a powerful kick into his stomach which causes him to fall back and trip over an item on the floor. He bangs his head on the ground and I also use my hawk to batter him over the head several times to ensure he does not get up again in a hurry. There is a great deal of blood on the floor and he does not appear to be breathing. I feel that he may be dead. I drag his body too the back of the worksite and hide it amongst some very tall weeds. I go back to the area where the blood is, clean up, and then leave the site. This example illustrates how the actus reus and mens rea are all part of the same chain of events and were present throughout Task 1(b) Common assault does not involve physical contact. It is an offence under s39 of The Criminal Justice Act 1998. The actus reus of common assault is when the defendant causes the victim to apprehend (expect) immediate unlawful violence. This can be carried out by conduct, deeds, menacing silence, words, or a failure to act. R v. Ireland (1998) AC 147 (HL) The defendant made several silent calls to the victims, these occurred during the evening. They eventually suffered from psychiatric illnesses (depression, stress, anxiety). The House of Lords decided that words can amount to an assault and that silence calls could be seen as communicating a threat. The defendant was found guilty of assault. R v. Constanza (1997) 2 Cr App R 492(CA) The defendant stalked the victim by following her home, turning up to her home address uninvited, writing offensive words on her front door, making several silent phone calls and sending her over 800 letters. The last letter was hand-delive red and this led to the defendant being found guilty of assault. The victim suffered psychiatric illness as a result of the defendants actions. The mens rea of common assault is the intention to cause apprehension of immediate violence or subjective recklessness as to the assault. Battery involves the use of physical force. The actus reus of battery is the infliction of force or violence, this includes slight touching. The actus reus is made up of three elements which consist of direct and indirect physical contact, non-consensual and physical contact. R. v Haystead (2000) 3 All ER 890 (DC) This case concerns indirect contact. The defendant punched a mother holding her baby. The baby dropped and the defendant was convicted of battery on the baby. Battery requires non-consensual touching, the victim can consent to contact (express) or contact is implied, day to day contact. Battery deals with minor physical contact resulting in minor injuries for example grazes, min or bruising, slight cuts, and black eyes. Collins v Wilcox (1984) 1 WLR 1172 (DC) this case gave examples of implied consent, agreed back slapping, seizing a hand in friendship and jostling on the underground. The mens rea of battery is exactly the same as assault, intention to make physical contact or subjective recklessness as to such contact. Unlawful malicious wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent is the most serious of all the non-fatal offences and is found in s18 OAPA 1861. Section 18 covers GBH by omission. The actus reus is that the defendant must have unlawfully wounded a person or caused grievous bodily harm. It involves deep repeated cuts, minor cuts, bones penetrating the skin. Serious injury includes mental injury and most recently the transmission of diseases. R v. Ireland, Burstow (1998) AC 147 (HL) As in Ireland above. Both defendants stalked the victims with unwanted attention for over 3 years. The victims suffered from psychiatric injuries as a result of the ongoing acts. The house of lords in both cases concluded that harm to a persons mind that amounted to a recognised medical condition would fall under the category of bodily harm. R v Dica (2004) QB 1257 (CA) The defendant who was HIV positive had unprotected sex with several women. The defendant was fully aware that he was infected but he did not inform the victims of his condition. The court of appeal accepted that a person could be liable for recklessly infecting another person with HIV. The mens rea of GBH with intent is that the defendant must have intention to wound or cause GBH. Recklessness as to causing GBH or wounding (malice) and intention to resist or prevent arrest. Strict Liability offences are those in which the defendant may not have intended or known about the consequences of their actions or the circumstances. The defendant does not need to have a guilty state of mind in relation to all parts of the actus reus (guilty act). St rict liability cases make up half the cases appearing before the courts. Defences for strict liability are those that are applicable to actus reus.   Defences that are probably relevant to actus reus include automatism and duress and also foreseeability is quite important as well. Strict liability offences are mainly created by statute and regarded as regulatory offences and public safety/public interest offences. The offences that are covered are quite extensive and include parking offences, road traffic offences, health and safety, dangerous drugs, dangerous weapons, sexual offences, environmental pollution, possession and the control of dangerous and non-dangerous animals. Sweet v Parsley (1970) HL This case is an important case on strict liability where the need for mens rea in most criminal cases was spelt out and where it was suitable for the presumption for mens rea to be dispensed with. Harrow LBC v. Shah (2000) 1 WLR 83 (DC) The defendant was found guilty of s elling a lottery ticket to a young person under the age of 16. The defendant was unaware of the persons age when selling the ticket. R v Marriot (1971) the defendant was found guilty after police searched his home and found a tiny amount of cannabis on a knife. His defence told the court that he had not been aware of what the substance on the blade was, he appealed against the decision and was still convicted. It was held that the accused was guilty if he knew that there was a substance on his knife even if he did not know what the substance was. R v Deyemi (2007) CA the defendants were caught with a stun gun, which they believed to be a torch. It was held that the prosecution only had to prove that they possessed the stun gun, and the stun gun was forbidden by the act. The prosecution did not have to prove that the defendants knew that it was an illegal weapon Alphacell v Woodward (1972) HL the defendants were charged with causing pollution to a river. The pollution occurr ed as a result of a pipe becoming blocked from their factory and the waste product entered a nearby river. FJH Wrothwell v Yorkshire Water Co. (1984), the defendant who was the director of the company  carelessly poured 12 gallons of herbicide into drains. These drains led into a river. Smedleys v Breed (1974) AC 839 A big manufacturer of tinned peas was convicted under the Food and Drugs Act (1955) (now Food and Safety Act 1990) when some tins were found to contain a caterpillars The arguments in favour of strict liability are: They help to prevent environmental pollution People may be prevented from owning unlawful weapons and drugs The public is protected against unsafe structures Helps to encourage people to really improve standards so they will not be prosecuted for committing a criminal offence