Tomorrow : hopes and fears
France
In our biology and civic education lessons, we (all the 73 pupils from the 9th grade) have made research on the main topics that appeared in the results of the questionnaire : war and peace, technological progress and environmental questions. Each group has made a presentation in the class on a precise topic, and then we’ve made a debate. Our ideas and proposals are following (those proposals have been also sent to the different candidates to the vote for president ) :
| 1. War and peace |
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Since the end of the cold war, the world hasn't been more dangerous (as it is often said), but needs a better organisation and a real desire for peace. Most of the current conflicts are created by the inequality between rich and poor countries in the world, and the quest for power on economic resources (for instance oil in Iraq...). Political and religious reasons come in a second time. There's no civilization clash but economic wars !
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So, we want the UNO to get more power on countries to solve the international problems. That means a better and more democratic organization, with more power for the General Assembly (where all the countries are represented) and a reform of the Security Council (more countries, fewer possibilities for a single country to stop a common decision, limitation of the « veto power »). All the countries are equal and have the same right to take part in the common management of the world. |
The Massive Destruction Weapons are a real danger for the world. We want a global ban of chemical and bacteriological weapons and the complete destruction of all the existing stocks. Concerning the nuclear weapon, it's very important to avoid its development in other new countries and to forbid elaboration (and of course use) of little strategic nuclear bombs (« mininukes »). The final aim is that current nuclear powers (like France) begin to talk about a global nuclear disarming, even if nuclear weapon can be useful as a deterrent power.
| Nevertheless, army is still useful to protect the
national territory against any possible aggression. But we think that,
if French diplomacy has a peaceful attitude in the world, helping
other countries to develop themselves and avoid conflicts, there is no
reason to fear an immediate threat against our country. Against
terrorism, we need no special weapons, but to increase the
intelligence services, respecting scrupulously the democracy and the
human rights.
We would like to recreate in France a compulsory military service for all young people, girls and boys, for one or two month(s), with both exercises with weapons and civil/civic missions. |
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| 2. Technological development and citizenship |  |
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The world has known an amazing technological progress during the 20th century, especially in the means of transport (cars, trains and planes) and communications (TV, satellite, internet, handy…). Nowadays, mobile phones, computers (and video games) are something we can’t live without. The internet can be for instance a great media the citizens can use to get many informations (but there are also dangers we have to avoid, for example pornographic or racist web sites...).
In medicine, the progress is very fast too : new vaccines, artificial limbs and organs (heart) with an increasing part of electronic… All the progress done in order to save life and to improve the human life is of course welcome, but the citizens need a complete information to understand all the consequences and sometimes to make a choice.
For instance, we refuse absolutely the idea of reproductive human cloning, and we hope that therapeutic cloning will be soon useless, because of development of recent technologies that seem to give the same results (stem cells therapies).
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There is an important debate about G.M.O. (Genetically Modified Organism). The basic idea could have been good (a solution for hunger in the world), but we can see today that GMO are only produced by multinational firms in order to control the international trade of some products like corn, soy… It will increase the rule of industries from rich countries on the poor ones. Generally speaking, we don’t want that one could patent living species ; life has not to be a private property. Moreover, it’s a real threat for biodiversity, because GMO will quickly get mixed with natural varieties, and there is no proof it’s quite safe for human health. So, we could accept GMO only after long time tests (20 years ?) in laboratories only (and not in nature), and only if all the results of the tests are communicated to the citizens, and if a clear and very accurate information is given on the packaging. If such a moratorium, with all those conditions, is impossible (and we guess it is), we prefer a complete ban of GMO. This is the very example of a bad use of a possible good idea. |
In the same way, nanotechnology could give very interesting results (new materials with revolutionary properties, more ecological materials, new medicals with very specific action…), but one can fear other and more negative uses : population watch with microscopic cameras or chips… Citizens need a real information on the researches : what is really studied ? what is the goal ? has the product realized been tested ? are there any consequences on Human health ? could it be a danger for Human rights ?
What kind of energy for tomorrow ? If it’s not an actual ethic question, it’s a real debate. We know that in France 80% of our energy has a nuclear origin, so it’s impossible to stop quickly. But, most of the nuclear power stations are already very old and will have to be closed in the following years. So, we can try to improve the nuclear technology in order to make it more safe and clean (without long life radioactive scraps, that is the huge problem !), but we want in the same time (that is to say now, and very quickly) to allow now more money to the research for renewable energies. We need a real and global public financing for an ecological development. All kinds of new energies (wind, sun, hydro-electricity, biomass…) have very positive effects (renewable, no pollution…), but are for the moment a bit expensive, only because not yet enough developed. Nevertheless, none is able to take over from nuclear energy alone (there is no miracle !). So, we have to use all those energies together, mostly in many little structures.
| 3. Environment and health questions | |
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We have realized posters on very different topics : - acid rains |
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