Samsung Electronic

Executive Summary There are many ways specifically in innovation that Samsung is doing well. There is no doubt that they are one of the leaders in their industry. With so many products and product lines there many facets that Samsung is involved in maybe too many. There may need to be more focused. There is a large market that Samsung has but there is still more of the target group that can be reached. Green products have become more important to consumers however the approach to green technology Samsung is taking needs to be directed a different way.Samsung Distribution ChannelThe slowing of buying behavior in the U. S. and recession has made the need for entertainment important to everyone but included in this is the need to be financially savvy. This mindset is a gap that can be filled through marketing properly to the consumers sharing this mindset by purchasing Samsung electronics and staying home to save money essay writer in uk. Introduction Samsung has made many changes throu ghout the years to increase their market share and grow to be one of the top companies in electronics. There has been a growing focus on innovation and design.Samsung has done this by studying target markets in depth. They do this by study groups, creating innovative design labs and sending designers around the world to study museums and architecture. With the target market’s needs and expectations changing more focuses on green technology and the spending habits of consumers has changed. Samsung started with designing and creating simple electronics and now are in a variety of products outside of computers and televisions. This is a problem Samsung is facing is too many focuses instead of how they started in specializing in a few specific products.Samsung has done well in creating design centers across the world that can help study a specific localized target market but when you are designing for so many different target markets whose needs change based on region it can be v ery expensive. There are some generic products that can be made and sold worldwide but you are looking at a high expense for the company. Situation Analysis With the focus of Samsung products having the perfect feel and function, they are doing a great job of studying the needs and wants of the consumer.The innovation awards that have been won throughout the years show their focus and employees is spot on to where they need to be and with sales every year increasing, the current plan they is successful. The company is already aware of some problems and most are specific to products they are creating. Solar panels they are struggling with over supply and price erosion. Electronic batteries where there is such a small demand. Medical devices and biotech drugs face the same issue of having a large chance of competitors to enter the market. All of these things are associated with green technology.There problems are being created and could be avoided by focusing on making their current p roducts more â€Å"green† instead of creating new products. Reducing their carbon footprint is one way they can look at still being involved in the growing green industry. The recession has affected all businesses especially in the United States. The consumers buying entertainment items have decreased but this fact can also be an opportunity to Samsung. There is a way to focus on the costs of going out versus buying a nice 3D television or HD television and staying at home.With so many companies producing similar products the competition that Samsung faces can put a decline in market share within certain product categories. Samsung has the resources and ability to do what they want globally in every product category. The company seems to be willing to make changes and take risks despite the potential payoff or loss. With a large amount of revenue this will allow Samsung to test multiple options without it hurting their productivity and money flow. AlternativesOne alternative Samsung could do is limiting the locations of design centers. Currently the locations span the globe and for the president to be involved in every location would require traveling basically the entire time. To keep a more focused eye on productivity and keep the CEO connected and less reliant on managers and supervisors to relay information. Focus on making current product â€Å"green† from packaging to ways of transportation to export their products across the world. Some of the current products are not selling well and there is an oversupply.By taking focus away from those products this will help save money or use the current money being put in these investments to better use. Recommendations I would recommend Samsung doing a full financial and cost analysis on each product line and see what the top selling products are and make a list of all the products and their ranks in selling. I would suggest doing this annually so they are able to compare from year to year. With this information Samsung will be able to eliminate products that are wasting money and continue to improve and invest in innovation for the products that are selling well.Even taking away some the products that don’t sell well and focusing on the top sellers will help make Samsung be known for making specialized products. Instead of focusing on new green products limit the amount of new green innovation for now and focus on making the current products more â€Å"green†. In addition to narrowing focus on successful products there should be more meeting held to compare the target market research that happens at the many design centers across the world to verify similarities and differences within markets. This will help keep communication open and ideas flowing.If there is a need to continue the green technology product line there needs to be a slowing of production and very detailed account of what is selling from season to geographic location. If there is demand that start s to build then an increase of production would be suggested. In the United States, Samsung is the number one television brand. Although the country is in a recession there is still a large market and amount of money being spent on entertainment. Samsung should start a marketing campaign to show the value in making a large purchase such as a television and watching movies at home.There is no doubt that it is expensive to go to the movies. It is a reasonable idea that buying an HD television or even a 3D television can provide just as good if not better experience then going to the movies. Most of the older generations like to keep very standard electronics and do not need or desire electronics with all the bells and whistles that a younger generation would want. There is an opening to market to the baby boomer generation. These older generations have money and if their old televisions go out or they are want to keep in touch with family they will be looking for something that is sim ple and satisfies their needs.Making a simpler design that could be geared to the older generation is a market within the electronics industry that should be looked at. In addition there is a brand loyalty that is there with this older generation. Brand loyalty when it comes to electronics is becoming rarer with many consumers going with products that number one meet their cost requirement. There are so many competitors that offer similar products. Getting the consumer to keep buying your brand will continue to be a main goal for every company.

Are All Men Created Equal Essays

Are All Men Created Equal Essays Are All Men Created Equal Essay Are All Men Created Equal Essay Vanity Finley HST 230 Writing Assignment 2 The United States constitution proclaimed that all men are created equal. However, it would be more accurate to say that all white men are created equal. The goals of liberty, freedom, self-government and democratic rule seem to only affect the white man. African Americans can be used as one example of a minority group that demonstrates these goals were not meant for everyone; just for the white majority. Whites treated all minority groups with a great deal of inequality, especially the African Americans. This group of people was by no means treated as equal to white men. The goals of liberty, freedom, and self government were never part of their lives. They had no freedom because they were property. They had a master/owner and they were expected to do exactly as they were told. Freedom and liberty refer to the idea of not being controlled by an external force. It is not possible to be free if someone owns you and makes you do as they say. The textbook makes a good argument about the inequality of African Americans through the three-fifths compromise. According to this clause, African Americans count as three-fifths of a vote. Slave owners could turn in three-fifths of their total slave population for representation and apportionment of taxes. This clearly demonstrates how superior whites thought themselves to be. Slaves were only a little over half the worth of a white manâ„ ¢s vote. As if only counting as three-fifths of a person wasnâ„ ¢t bad enough, this clause was only made to satisfy white slave owners. If it had not been beneficial to slave owners, then the clause would never had came into being. The ideas of self-government and democratic rule were fitting to whites but not blacks. These two ideas are based on the belief that the people of a society should make the rules and govern the society. If society were strictly white, then these two ideas were real and alive. The upper class white men did make the rules and they were the people governing the country. However, African Americans had no say so in laws or policy, and they never held office. It they have no say so or no representation then how can it be assumed that they were self-governing One of the more obvious ways in which minorities were not treated equal can be found in Article 4, Section 2 of the Constitution. This article demonstrates how all minorities, not just African Americans, were treated as lesser people. This section confined citizenship to white property holding males. As for immigrants, only free white persons could become citizens. The white men who wrote the constitution believed n the ideas and goals of liberty, freedom, self-government, and democratic rule. However, these ideas only pertained to themselves. All minorities were excluded from these ideas and goals because it would interfere with the white men achieve the same goals. The white men stayed in government and on top of the social chain by treating minorities unjustly. White men enjoyed all of these ideas and goals, but minorities were never treated anywhere near equal during the period from 1776-1850.

Not Only in French

The Restrictive Only / Not Only in French There are two common French equivalents for the restrictive only in English: seulement and ne... que. These two terms mean essentially the same thing, but seulement is an adverb of quantity while ne... que is a negative adverb, so theyre used a bit differently Seulement: Only The simplest way to say only in French is with the adverb seulement, which can qualify a noun, verb, or clause.Jai seulement un livre.I have only one book. Il voit seulement les films à ©trangers.He only sees foreign movies. Note how the placement of seulement can change the meaning: Jai lu seulement deux pages pour te faire plaisir.I read only two pages to please you. (You didnt want  me to read more.) Jai lu deux pages seulement pour te faire plaisir.I read two pages only to please you. (I didnt feel like reading, but I did it for you.) Il veut seulement travailler la banque.He only wants to work at the bank. (He doesnt want to invest there). Il veut travailler seulement la banque.He wants to work only at the bank. (He doesnt want to work at the store). Ne... Que: Only in the Negative An equally common but slightly more complicated way to say only is with ne... que, which is used similarly to other negative adverbs: ne goes in front of the verb and que  usually follows it.Je nai quun livre.I have only one book.Il ne voit que les films à ©trangers.He sees only foreign movies.As with seulement, you can change the meaning by placing que directly in front of the word you want to qualify.Je nai lu que deux pages pour te faire plaisir.I read only two pages to please you.Je nai lu deux pages que pour te faire plaisir.I read two pages only to please you.Il ne veut que travailler la banque.He only wants to work at the bank.Il ne veut travailler qu la banque.He wants to work only at the bank.Note that indefinite and partitive articles do not change to de after ne... que, the way they do after other negative adverbs:Je nai quun livre.I have only one book.Il ne veut que des idà ©es.He only wants ideas, Hes just looking for some ideas. Negation: Not Only To say not only, you can negate ne... que into ne... pas que, which can stand alone or be followed by additional information: Je nai pas que 3 livres (jai 2 stylos aussi).I dont have only 3 books (I have 2 pens too)Il ny a pas que le travail (il faut vivre aussi).Work isnt all there is; Theres more [to life] than just work.Il nà ©tait pas quen retard....He wasnt just late (theres more to it than that). Seulement​ Seulement has two negatives. The first one, ne... pas seulement is pretty much interchangeable with ne... pas que.Je nai pas seulement 3 livres...I dont have only 3 books ...Il ny a pas seulement le travail....Work isnt all there is...Il nà ©tait pas seulement en retard....He wasnt just late... Non-Seulement The other negative,  non seulement, cannot be used in a stand-alone clause; it must be balanced with something like aussi, mais encore, etc.Il y a non seulement le travail  ; il faut vivre aussi.Work isnt all there is; you have to live too. Non seulement jai 3 livres, mais aussi 2 stylos.I dont have only 3 books, I have 2 pens too.Non seulement il à ©tait en retard, mais encore il à ©tait ivre.He was not only late, but drunk (too). Not only was he late, he was (also) drunk.

TYPES OF TOPOLOGICAL SPACES AND THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS Research Paper

TYPES OF TOPOLOGICAL SPACES AND THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS - Research Paper Example Indeed, the nature is chaotic and therefore the ‘good mathematics’ is not always sufficient. Topology is a branch of mathematics that deals with the study of spaces and shapes. Certainly, the human mind is suited for a two dimensional space. Consequently, it more difficult to study spaces of higher orders hence, the need to apply abstract tools. The beauty about mathematics is mathematicians avoid natural problems, instead they create and solve problems to represents the natural world. Therefore, much of the work done on topology is an artificial creation that resembles real world problem. Topology has significant applications in other branch of mathematics such as geometry and algebra. Major mathematical problems that can be solved using topology include continuity, connectedness, and  boundary. The interesting aspect of topology is not the development of mathematical solutions, but how different mathematician approach a topology problem. This has led to the developme nt of different topologies namely T1 – T4. This paper explores the different types of topology and their relationships. Definition 1.1. Let be a set and a collection of subsets of such that the following properties hold. I. The empty set and the space II. If , then III. If for , then The collection is referred to as a topology on and the pair is referred to as a topological space. ... However, this definition does not endow a topological space with ‘nice’ properties similar to those found in metric spaces. For example in a metric space, every convergent sequence always converges to a unique limit. However, this is not necessarily true in topological spaces. To recover these properties, we need to supply enough open sets to the space. Thus, separation axioms classify topological spaces according to their sufficiency in open sets. Definition 2.2. A topological space is called a T0- space if for every two distinct points there exist an open set such that i. p lies in U and q does not lie in U. ii. q lies in U and p does not lie in U. Definition 2.3. T1 (Frechet) A topological space is called a T1- space if for every pair of points there exists such that Definition 2.4. T2 (Hausdorff) A topological space is called a T2-space or Hausdorff if for every pair of points there exists open sets such that, and. Definition 2.5. T3 (Regular) A T1 is called a T3 or a regular space if for every point and a closed set with there exists open sets such that and and. Definition 2.6. T3  1/2 (Completely Regular or Tychonoff) A T1 – space is called completely regular or Tychnoff if for every point and a closed set with there exist a continuous function such that and. Definition 2.7. T4 (Normal) A T1 – space is a T4 space if for every pair of disjoint closed sets A and B , there exists open sets such that , and . Remark 2.1 All T1 spaces are T0 but the converse is not true The discreet topology is T0 but not T1 All completely regular spaces are also T3 Every metric space is T4 Theorem 2.1. In any Hausdorff space, sequences have at most one limit It follows that every finite set is a T2 space is

GENETIC VARIATION IN B-TYPE NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE PATHWAY AFFECTS BNP Research Proposal - 1

GENETIC VARIATION IN B-TYPE NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE PATHWAY AFFECTS BNP LEVEL in the diagnosis of Heart failure - Research Proposal Example To help establish the outcomes, the study will be embedded on extracting DNA samples from 80 patients undergoing elective cardiac catheterization and analyzing with exclusion done on patients with elevated troponin. This will be driven by a detailed data collection including laboratory, standard demographic, catheterization and echocardiographic data. The Genotype will be evaluated at 19 loci on five BNP’s pathway relevant genes (Knowles, Erickson, Guy et al, 2003). To access the incremental influence of the genetic variants, the researcher will employ the Multivariate linear regression of logBNP model adjusted for clinical variables. The proposal will thus try to help properly incorporate the use of NPs to improve the levels of accuracy with respect to decisions made in an emergency setting to curb the missed incidence of diagnostic failures for HF. This will be measured by reduced cases of fatigue, dyspnea, and fluid retention that are all predisposing factors to HF based on cardiac dysfunction hence presenting difficulties in diagnosing HF. The missed incidence are hence strongly correlate to highly significant mortality increases, presenting the need for designing effective diagnostic tools with higher degrees of specification and sensitivity that if employed, can help weed out the increased cases of HF missed diagnose s and particularly, in the busy Heart failure is characterized by its typical but non-specific symptoms like fatigue, dyspnea and fluid retention caused by dysfunction of cardiac which present daunting challenges for diagnosis of HF culminating into increased missed incidence hence higher mortality rates. For this reason, the topic has captured the attention of various researchers to help design effective mechanism and approaches that can be used during diagnosis to detect this catastrophic cardiovascular disease quickly and accurately. For instance, to gauge the potentiality of NPs in augmenting the clinical judgment and/or standard

Visual Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visual Analysis - Essay Example However, a tiger soon mauls him as they wander about the jungle, leaving the woman alone. The initial parts of the storyline depict a confused woman left alone too face all the horrors of the jungle. The directors employ visuals to take the audience through the stages of struggles for survival up to a point where the woman realizes the power within her to be the master of the jungle. As such, one can conduct a visual analysis of the music video using thesis statement that human beings are the masters of their environments as long as they are ready to overcome their challenges. A visual analysis of the music video confirms this assertion as shall be indicated below. To begin with, a visual analysis of the music video reveals a lot about the woman and her interaction with the jungle. The directors used color, shape and line to bring out her turmoil. As one may see (Roar 00:00:55), a visual analysis of the music video depicts the woman as scared, confused and as in torment. The form and shape of her face reveals a reaction to something scary. She is either screaming or completely disoriented about something. Use shape and form also reveals that spiders are attacking her. This gives her creeps and sends cold chills up her spine. One may also observe that the use of color and background light have also been employed to bring out the situation in this context as Patterson (48) observes in visual analysis. Use of fading dark colors in the background confirms that she is out by herself in the jungle at night. Such an understanding enables the audience to put themselves in her situation and possibly comprehend her reactions. It also serves as a precursor to the later development in other scenes. Color and light are very instrumental in sending a message about the sub-theme depicted, which is fear on this case. Such visuals are critical for various analyses as Block (79) indicates. However, she starts to be acquainted with the world around her as depicted in this caption . In this scene, one may observe that the woman is now starting to be acquainted with the jungle. At scene 00:02:27, a visual analysis of the music video now depicts the woman in a different way. The directors have contrasted this scene with the previous ones where the woman was in total shock and fear. The use of warm colors with cool green colors in the background now brings out the woman as quite comfortable in her environment. She has made clothing from leaves and other branches. Shape has been used to bring out a calm and confident face while color values and tone confirm that she is better than before. She comes out as an emerging champion as far as adapting to an environment is concerned. He apparent ease with herself and confidence as she swings on a presumably huge hanging root of a tree may be taken to imply her progress in mastering her environment. Another visual feature that the music video employs is space. Although the woman in the music video has mastered her environ ment quite well, the reality is that she is all alone with the animals in the jungle. She wishes to be home. When she stand on a branch and sends a shout-out to her animal friends, one may say that she is also trying to find out if some help could be forthcoming (Roar 00:02:40). A visual analysis reveals an empty space on her sides and in front of her. This is the space of separation after the air crash that has seen her as the only survivor in the thick jungle. Like in many visual depictions, the directors have

Oil and Global Warming in Saudi Arabia Essay Example for Free

Oil and Global Warming in Saudi Arabia Essay Oil has been identified as a very important resource; it provides a lot of significant benefits to mankind. It is used for numerous purposes such as transportation, heating, electricity production, and industrial applications. It has a high energy density which makes it an efficient fuel source plus the fact that it is fairly easy to transport and store. Its versatility is of great importance, and this is proven by being by most valuable commodity in world trade (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003,). According to Doyle, it is estimated that two billion dollars switch hands in petroleum transactions, making it the world’s first trillion dollar industry (cited in O’Rourke Connolly, 2003). Oil is very profitable for corporations as well as for governments since oil taxes generate a lot of income. Oil is important for the national economic viability of Saudi Arabia as it accounts for more than 80 percent of total national exports. Other countries that are dependent on the oil business are Libya, Kuwait, Iran, and Venezuela (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003). Environmental Effects of Oil Oil transport, refining, exploration, drilling, and extraction have had negative effects on the environment, but much attention has recently been focused on the negative environmental impacts of the use of oil. It is widely believed that burning fossil fuels contribute to global warming since carbon dioxide, an abundant greenhouse gas, is produced as oil is burned. Findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicate that around three quarters of total carbon dioxide emissions come from fossil fuel use (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003). To be able to fully understand the how oil use affects global warming, it is necessary to get a clear understanding of the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon. Imagine a greenhouse and that is just how the greenhouse effect works. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, and ozone trap heat thereby slowing its escape from the atmosphere. The dramatic increase in the release of greenhouse gases has brought about an abnormal increase in the average world temperature already estimated at around 1 percent at the turn of the century. However, without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would be too cold to sustain the currently thriving ecosystems (West, 2008b). Due to the fact that oil is a widely used resource and that oil produces significant amounts of carbon dioxide as it â€Å"generates roughly 30 percent more carbon dioxide from every unit of energy produced,† it can be inferred that dependence on oil has extensively contributed to global warming (Barry Frankland, 2001, p. 362). Importance of Oil to Saudi Arabia In all parts of the world, oil is considered as an important resource especially in modern life. â€Å"Any measures to reduce oil consumption were hampered by powerful opposition of certain governments and inter-governmental organizations† (Barry Frankland, 2001, p. 362). Oil is particularly of great importance especially to members of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) since it constitutes a great part of the income of member countries. Saudi Arabia is a member of the OPEC including Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. Saudi Arabia may be considered as the most important oil producer since it produces large amounts of oil as it accounts for 13 percent of the world’s total oil output. It makes up 35 percent of the OPEC’s total oil production in 1991. Saudi Arabia has also been identified as the â€Å"swing producer† of oil since it has the capacity to affect the level of supply and demand as well as affect international oil prices. Oil is important to Saudi Arabian economy as figures in 1991 pointed out that oil accounted for 73 percent of the country’s revenues. 90 percent of total oil exports in 1991 come from Saudi Aramco (Country Studies). However, data from Beyond Petroleum Statistical Review of World Energy shows that despite the knowledge of the implication of oil in global warming, the consumption still increased—the 3163. 5 million tonnes consumed in 1992 jumped to 3462. 4 in 1999 (Beyond Petroleum, 2008). Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change Despite the great number of proponents pointing to global warming as a real environmental threat, Idso and Idso (2008) indicate that it is â€Å"highly unlikely† that increases in carbon dioxide emissions will lead to global warming. They cited numerous arguments that would disestablish the link between the global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. They primarily indicated that there is a â€Å"weak short-term correlation† between carbon dioxide and temperature increase. Thus, the emissions may not be the likely cause of any warming that is being experienced or will be experienced. Even as both temperature and carbon dioxide emissions have increased, this does not necessarily mean that the two are interrelated. To identify a clear causal relationship, the presumed cause must precede the presumed effect. Several cycles of increase and decrease must also be present in order to make a concrete judgment that the two factors indeed affect each other. They also indicated that â€Å"a strong negative climatic feedback† will prevent any catastrophic warming from manifesting. These play a major role in the planet’s climate system but are totally ignored by scientists lobbying for the existence of global warming. They cited numerous other factors that would disprove the existence of global warming. II. Saudi Arabia The Oil Industry The Saudi Arabia landscape is characterized by the presence of several multi-million dollars worth of infrastructure created to support the oil production capability of the country. These infrastructures are costly investments made by different companies. The effort to contain the emission of carbon dioxide from oil manufacturing and processing sources has different impacts, particularly in economics. Another â€Å"important issue concerns taxes and duties on oil products consumed in oil-importing countries as well as environmental taxes and duties on emissions of carbon dioxide, aimed at curbing oil demand and potentially harming oil exporters’ revenues† (Noreng, 2006, p. 16). Oil production felt a decline. In 2002, daily oil production in Saudi Arabia was 8,928 thousand barrels, and this steadily climbed to 11,114 thousand barrels in 2005. However, this dropped to 10,853 and 10,413 thousand barrels in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Last year, Saudi Arabia’s total oil output dropped by 440,000 barrels per day and is the largest decline in the world last year. In addition, the whole of the Middle East produced 25,176 thousand barrels daily in 2007. The Middle East is also the world’s largest oil producer and holds the highest share in the world’s remaining oil reserves at 21. 3 percent with 264. 2 thousand million barrels. In measuring oil consumption, Saudi Arabia does not consume as much with 2,154 thousand barrels daily. The United States is the largest oil consumer with a consumption rate 20,698 thousand barrels per day (Beyond Petroleum [BP], 2008). Saudi Aramco and the Environment Saudi Aramco or Arabian-American Oil Company, which is based in Saudi Arabia, is the world largest oil company. It produces the most quantity of oil and also leads the count with its oil reserves. It has 102 oil and gas fields within its grasp as of the middle part of 2007. Its oil reserves amount to 259. 9 billion barrels and it produces 8. 9 million barrels per day. Its oil exports for the year 2006 amount to 2,541,692,569 barrels (Country Studies, 2008). Saudi Aramco has unveiled that it would help fight global warming through cutting carbon dioxide emission in the oil and gas business. Experts indicated that persuading Saudi Aramco to fight against global warming is a big step forward since it is the world’s largest oil producer. Saudi Aramco president and Chief Executive Officer Abdallah Jum’ah told a panel from 163 nations in a meeting in Germany about expanding the Kyoto Protocol that â€Å"the petroleum industry should actively engage in policy debate on climate change as well as play an active role in developing and implementing carbon management technologies† (Hammond, 2006, n. p. ). He clearly indicated that national oil players such as Saudi Aramco can make great contributions in forwarding anti-climate change efforts. During the meeting, Robert Socolow from Princeton University also indicated that 40 percent of the increase in carbon dioxide emissions comes from the oil industry. He also indicated that the oil industry is the major cause of global warming. Aramco officials also stated that research and development effort have already leaned towards removing or reducing carbon dioxide omissions coming from oil (Hammond, 2006). Saudi Aramco has expressed that it cares for the environment such that it has an Environment Protection Department that provides leadership on environmental issues and its operations are always environmentally responsible. Saudi Aramco considers the environment as a basic responsibility and a company commitment. The company has developed a variety of operational requirement that give consideration to environmental impacts such as â€Å"sanitary codes, project environmental assessments, air and water quality standards, occupational health regulations, hazardous material communication guidelines, waste management procedures, and vital oil spill contingency plans† (Saudi Aramco, 2008). The Environmental Impacts of Oil Oil has always been an environmental issue. From searching for oil, refining it and until its usage, it is always regarded as an environmental threat. Oil exploration and drilling are the first phases in the oil life cycle. It is also referred to as the â€Å"upstream phase† (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003, p. 593). Drilling and extracting oil affect the natural ecosystems, human health, as well as local cultures. It does not matter if the drilling is on-shore or off-shore; the effects are just the same. The physical modifications in the environment caused by oil exploration, drilling, and extraction are so devastating that they could be more harmful than a large oil spill. The more devastating effects of these are â€Å"deforestation, ecosystem destruction, chemical contamination of land and water, long-term harm to animal populations (particularly to migratory birds and marine mammals), human health, safety risks for neighboring communities and oil industry workers, and displacement of indigenous communities† (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003, p. 593-594). Oil exploration requires heavy equipment, and moving these equipment results in deforestation and erosion. Mobile rigs used for temporary drillings can reach weights of over two million pounds. On the other hand, drillings make use of large amounts of water and also contaminate it in the process. It is released afterwards which leads to the contamination of land. Exploration and extraction have also been known to produce large volumes of drilling wastes and associated wastes. In addition, oil processes make use of a waste pit where chemicals and other wastes from the oil process are being dumped. Exposure of these oil pits is a threat to aquifers as well as to animals and birds. They can mistake the pits for water holes, therefore engorging themselves in chemical waste. Exploration, drilling, and extraction also lead to a variety of health risks for humans. These risks may arise from radioactive materials that have surfaced from drilling as well as the bioaccumulation of oil, mercury, and other hazardous elements in animals that are consumed by humans (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003). Oil Spill Threat In order for oil to be delivered to different parts of the world, oil transport is necessary, and the main mode of oil transport is through oil tankers. However, moving oil using pipelines is becoming vastly popular. Oil currently accounts for half of all sea cargo and oil pipelines now spread more compared to railroads. Oil transport has also led to an environmental threat known as oil spills. Large oil spills receive much attention particularly because of media coverage; however, small cumulative spills go undocumented and measuring the amount of oil spillage from these proves to be significant. Accidents have been known to occur at all segments of transport as well as at each point of transfer. Also, since the 1960s, at least one large-scale oil spill has been documented every year (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003). Ocean transport of crude oil and petroleum products accounted for 3,000 gallons spilled per billion ton-miles in 1983 and nearly 8,000 gallons per billion ton-miles in 1984. Pipeline spills contributed less than 100 gallons per billion ton-miles for both years. (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003, p. 599) Oil spills have also been known to occur during extractions. A 2002 estimate by the National Academy of Sciences indicated that 38,000 tons of petroleum hydrocarbons from oil and gas operations were released into the world’s oceans (O’Rourke Connolly, 2003, p. 595). Saudi Aramco Oil Spill Contingency Plan Saudi Aramco has always been responsible in handling oil spills such that it has developed a contingency plan against to help counter oil spills. Saudi Aramco’s first focus on handling oil spills is being self-sufficient. It â€Å"built specialized oil spill recovery and containment vessels, and purchased equipment and materials to combat spills† (Zaindin, 1996, p. 2). In 1989, it even designated a committee to review and assess the anti-oil spill capabilities of the company. The task force made recommendations which were called the Global Oil Spill Contingency Plan which (1) â€Å"establish[ed] an oil spill policy for [the company’s] worldwide operations,† (2) â€Å"direct[ed] Saudi Aramco and its affiliates to join major cooperatives and assign[ed] regional responsibility for oil spills† and (3) â€Å"require[d] the development, implementation, and maintenance of regional and owned tanker oil spill plans† (Zaindin, 1996, p. 2-3). Saudi Aramco has also established an Oil Spill Committee in 1990 and this committee instituted a policy for the prevention and cleanup of oil spills resulting from the company’s operations. The Global Oil Spill Coordination Group was created to put into action and coordinate company activities that address the oil spills. If an oil spill takes place, a Regional Oil Spill Coordinator cleans the oil spill with the aid of an Oil Spill Response Team. The director takes care of the spill and is responsible for safe and efficient control, cleanup operations, disposal, restoration, as well as documentation processes. The response team is always ready as they receive special regular trainings (Zaindin, 1996, p. 3-4). Equipment that could effectively handle small to medium-sized oil spills have been stationed at the vicinity of the Red Sea and in case of any large oil spills, additional resources will be brought to immediately address the threat. Saudi Aramco has also inked ties with organizations that provide cooperative assistance in case of oil spill, namely, the Oil Spill Response (OSR) Ltd. based in England, Clean Caribbean Cooperative (CCC), Marine Preservation Association (MPA), Marine Industry Repsonse Group (MIRG), and the Gulf Area Oil Companies Mutual Aid Organization (GAOCMAO) (Zaindin, 1996, p. 4). III. Involvement Saudi Arabia and Japan Saudi Arabia has been involved in a lot of international treaties. One of these treaties was signed with Japan when both countries, among other things, acknowledged the importance of the stability of the world oil market as well as the importance of adopting security measures against global warming (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2007). Both sides reaffirmed the importance of the stability of the world oil market. The Japanese side expressed its appreciation and understanding for the Saudi Arabias balanced oil policy, which is a secure and reliable source for providing oil supplies to the international markets in general, and to the Japanese market in particular†¦while stressing the significance to further promote bilateral cooperation in energy, based upon mutually complementary relationship between Saudi Arabia, with its largest hydrocarbon resource in the world, and Japan, with its advanced energy-related technologies. The Saudi side expressed its intention to continue to assure stable oil supply to Japan, and the Japanese side expressed its appreciation for this (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2007). Both sides [also] decided that the international community should adopt appropriate measures against a possible global warming, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as stated in the international agreements on climate change. In this regard, the Japanese side expressed its willingness to develop its cooperation in both levels of government and private sectors to promote the clean development mechanism (CDM) that contributes to combating the possible global warming as well as achieving sustainable developments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of the roles of the private sectors in both countries for promoting CDM projects (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2007). Saudi Arabia should use the power of the law, as well as submit to the rule of international law, in order for efforts versus global warming to be successful. â€Å"Law plays an important role in environmental protection at both the international and the national levels† (Chopra, Leemans, Kumar, 2005, p. 41). However, a drawback to this concept is the fact that Saudi Arabia itself shows signs of not being fully amenable to the stipulations of several international agreements and international laws on global warming. â€Å"Some OPEC countries (e. g. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) also opposed the FCCC (Framework Convention on Climate Change) for fear of its potential impact on the price of crude oil† (Alexander Fairbridge, 1999, p. 637). The Clean Air Act and Addressing Global Warming The Clean Air Act is a law that has been passed by some countries in a hope to control air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Numerous developed countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have adopted such laws and even some third world countries have done so. Saudi Arabia has yet to adopt such a law. In the United States, the Clean Air Act is a federal law which means that its coverage spans the whole country and it has been an effective tool in regulating greenhouse gas emissions. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) plays a crucial role in regulating processes regarding the law such as setting limits on certain air pollutants. The Clean Air Act which resulted in reduced air pollution has improved human health as well as the status of the environment. Since 1970, the six common air pollutants have been reduced to 50 percent while air toxics from large industries including oil refineries have been reduced by 70 percent. Additionally, new cars are 90 percent cleaner and are expected to be a lot cleaner in the future. Ozone depleting chemicals such as CFC’s have also ceased production. This all happened while the economy prospered and energy and vehicle use increased (EPA, 2008). The same benefits could possibly be reaped if Saudi Arabia would adopt the same policies. The 2007 Climate Change Performance Index indicated that Saudi Arabia is at the bottom of the list when it comes to addressing global warming followed by the United States, China and Malaysia. Sweden, Britain and Denmark were identified as the countries that have been doing the most to prevent further global warming. Nevertheless, the report indicated that what Sweden, Britain and Denmark are doing are not enough to prevent further climate change. IV. Organizations Different organizations and alliances take part in addressing global warming, like the Kyoto Protocol and the WTO. While Saudi Arabia is an active international player, it is not always in agreement with the rest of the group. Referring to the act of non compliance to the Protocol’s instituted policies, Grosse (2005) stated that â€Å"Saudi Arabia has been among the non-Annex I countries that have been particular to the Protocol† (p. 155). â€Å"The issue of subsidies favoring the coal, nuclear renewables sector has been raised by Saudi Arabia in the WTOs Committee on Trade and Environment,† according to Yamin and Depledge (2004, p. 256), in reaction to the WTO policies. The Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol is one doctrine that binds nations that have ratified it to help fight against global warming by reducing their emissions of six greenhouse gases, namely, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, HFC’s and PFC’s. It was instituted in Kyoto, Japan on December 1997 and was opened for ratification on March 16 of the succeeding year. The main goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 5. 2 percent below the 1990 greenhouse gas emission levels from 2008 to 2012. Countries that have bound themselves to the protocol must adopt certain policies and strategies in order to meet the specified emission targets. However, the protocol has been subject to a lot of debate because it exempts developing countries, such as China and India as well as Saudi Arabia, from having emissions cuts. The United States refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol because of the exemption of the developing countries. US President George W. Bush also stated that they will not sign the protocol because it does not bind developing countries and that it would be harmful to the US economy (West, 2008a). Late in 2004, the government of Saudi Arabia has approved of the Kyoto Protocol, but being a developing country, Saudi Arabia is not bound to adopt any cuts on greenhouse emissions although it is expected that the Saudi Arabian government will suffer huge financial losses as the developed countries approve the protocol. According to Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi, the government will have accumulated losses amounting to $19 billion by 2010 because of the policies that the developed nations will adopt in order to reduce their emissions to meet the specified targets (Planet Ark, 2004). Carbon Capture and Storage Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is one approach that scientists are looking at which could probably help mitigate global warming. It has been regarded that CCS will reduce the costs associated with mitigating climate change as well as provide flexibility in attaining greenhouse gas reduction goals. CCS makes use of new technology. It collects and concentrates the carbon dioxide produced in industrial and energy related sources and transports it to a storage location where it will be kept away from the atmosphere. This would allow the use of fossil fuels such as oil with a minimum level of greenhouse emissions (Metz, Davidson, de Coninck, Loos, Meyer, 2005). Geological storage is one form of CCS. It is done by injecting carbon dioxide in dense form into rock formations underground. Porous rock formations have great potential in storing carbon dioxide. Such rock formations may include those that previously hold oil and natural gas. This kind of carbon storage is already being used in three industrial sites, namely, the Sleipnir Project in the North Sea, the Weyburn Project in Canada and the In Salah Project based in Nigeria. Moreover, 30 megatons of carbon dioxide per year is injected for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). This is mostly in Texas and the United States. This system of carbon capture and storage makes use of almost the same technology used for the exploration and production of gas (Metz, et al. , 2005). Geological storage may however be associated with some risks. Leakage from stored carbon dioxide may provide certain risks which are classified as either global risks or local risks. Global risk is identified as the release of carbon dioxide which will have significant effects on global warming. On the other hand, carbon dioxide leakage may also expose humans, ecosystems and groundwater to certain risks. These are the local risks (Metz, et al. , 2005). Annex 1 shows an overview of geological storage. Annex 1: Overview of Geological Storage Another type of carbon storage is ocean storage. It is done by injecting captured carbon dioxide at depths of greater than 1,000 m. under the ocean. This would isolate the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for centuries. Consequently, the stored carbon dioxide will become part of the global carbon cycle. However, just like geological storage, ocean storage also has certain risks such that it can cause a great deal of harm. Studies have indicated that animals have been found with reduced rates of calcification, reproduction, growth, circulatory oxygen supply and mobility, and even an increased mortality rate. Annex 2 shows detailed information on Ocean Storage (Metz, et al. , 2005). Annex 2: Overview of Ocean Storage Mineral carbonation and industrial use is yet another form of carbon capture and storage. Mineral carbonation makes use of converting carbon dioxide into solid inorganic carbonates through some form of chemical reaction. Mineral carbonation is actually a natural earthly process called â€Å"weathering† but human intervention needs to hasten this process since it is too slow to become a viable carbon storage system. Industrial use involves using carbon dioxide â€Å"directly or as a feedstock for production of various carbon-containing chemicals† (IPCC, __, p. 39). Industrial use makes use of chemical and biological processes wherein carbon dioxide is utilized as a reactant. The industrial use of carbon dioxide can help keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere by instead diverting it into a â€Å"carbon chemical pool†, but this measure will only be of great benefit to preventing climate change if there is a significant amount of carbon dioxide taken away from the atmosphere. Refer to Annex 3 for more detailed information (Metz, et al. , 2005). Annex 3: Mineral Carbonation and Industrial Use Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have expressed support with the development of this technology. Norway also demonstrated great interest with Carbon Capture and Storage technology. Norwegian Oil and Energy Minister Aaslaug Haga has requested the support of the Saudi Arabian government in the development of CCS to which Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi responded eagerly. Dagens Naeringsliv quoted al Naimi saying that â€Å"both Saudi Arabia and Norway are concerned about the environment and want to reduce emissions with all possible means. CO2 capture and storage is an excellent way to reduce emissions† (Acher, 2008, n. p. ). These countries want carbon capture technology included in the Clean Development Mechanism so that industrialized countries can cooperate to help advance this technology (Acher, 2008). According to the European Technology Platform on Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants, it is the lack of funding which impales research on carbon capture which then limits its potential (Kanter, 2008). The King of Saudi Arabia announced that the Saudi Arabian government will shell out 300 million USD for research on climate change, and this includes Carbon Capture and Storage technology. Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates also made an assurance that each of them will be giving $150 million each tom support the Saudi Arabian endeavor (OPEC, 2007). Saudi Arabia shelling out that huge an amount of money for climate change research would indicate that the kingdom is now giving attention to climate change. The World Trade Organization Saudi Arabia is now also a part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has recently signed a bilateral trade agreement with the United States. The trade agreement came at a good time since Saudi Arabian imports have experienced a decline. The WTO has become a sign of respect and acceptance for Saudi Arabia particularly because it is the only GCC country and the largest oil producer (Zahid, 2005). Saudi Arabia initially did not join GATT, the WTO’s predecessor global trade agreement because oil, its sole export at the time, was not part of GATT (still not part of WTO). Later, as the Kingdom developed its downstream oil and petrochemical capacity, joining WTO became a key imperative in order to protect its exports from inordinate tariffs by mature, high-cost producer countries. (Zahid, 2005) For new aspirants at the WTO, rules may be harsh such that they will need to sign bilateral agreements with any member country that requests it, and the terms will have to be extended to other member countries. Afterwards, a multilateral agreement should be inked with all member countries before being admitted into the WTO (Zahid, 2005). According to Zahid, the WTO had some negative impacts on Saudi Arabia but the WTO may be likened to a medicine. â€Å"It is painful to swallow but it eventually makes you better† (Zahid, 2005, n. p. ). In the short term, the WTO will hurt Saudi Arabia, but in the long run, the Saudi Arabian economy will prosper because of the WTO such that there will be increased transparency, protection of copyrights, rule of law, and foreign investment. Saudi Arabia’s exports will also have access to WTO member countries (Zahid, 2005). The full impact of WTO will be a long and unfolding story for the country. We still need to know the details of the final agreement. WTO has given other countries long implementation periods and many exceptions. Also, we have to see what the final Saudi offer is in terms of tariffs, sectors, binding rates, etc. With this report, we start a series on what the WTO means for Saudi Arabia. (Zahid, 2005) On one point of view, it is regarded that the WTO can enforce better greenhouse gas reductions compared to the Kyoto Protocol. Peter Franklin of the Guardian proposes the: Negotiat[ion of] a successor to Kyoto and then let the WTO enforce it. Nations that failed to meet their carbon targets would have a proportionate tariff slapped on their imports. Such a system could even be used to deal with countries that refused to sign up to the new agreement. The WTO would unilaterally impose a target on each non-signatory nation, with their excess carbon emissions and consequent penalties being assessed in absentia. The export-led economies of China, India and other key Kyoto absentees would be particularly susceptible to such pressure (Franklin, 2006). The Kyoto Protocol has no fangs and this could be filled in by the WTO as those who do not approve of reducing greenhouse targets will have to suffer some consequences from the WTO. This could however be treated as a disrespect to a country’s sovereignty. In the long run, since the WTO would attract more foreign investment, foreign investments will also be encouraged in developing alternative, renewable energy solutions in Saudi Arabia. Consequently, CCS can thrive from a commercial point of view as the awareness of climate change would trigger interest in forwarding this technology for economic gains. The WTO system encourages a good government, which in turn will help in framing policies for increased participation in anti-climate change efforts. V. Problems and Solutions The planet’s worsening climate condition is partly the doing of the industrial cities in Saudi Arabia, from where carbon dioxide emissions from oil manufacturing and processing come from. The investment of Saudi Arabia in finding solutions for the problems posed by global warming is research and resources. Countries like Saudi Arabia allocate funds for studies. It focuses its studies on oil-related aspects of global warming management. It is important for countries to sponsor studies so that they can get first hand information about global warming and its implications. â€Å"Nations should foster the continued development of these epistemic communities not only to stimulate new avenues of research, but also to help create greater opportunities for consensus building and coordinated action† (Lee, 1995, p. 14). In reducing carbon dioxide emissions coming from oil, there are a variety of methods that could be adopted. One is eliminating subsidies to prevent increase in consumption levels. Simply saving up on energy use can help alleviate greenhouse emissions. Resorting to renewable energy sources provides great potential in dealing with this environmental threat since these renewable energy sources produce no amount of emissions whatsoever. For countries like Saud