Man and environment

Part II

What are the major aspects and ways of solving this most complicated problem of the last third of the 20^th and the beginning of the 21^st century – the restoration of the unity between man and nature, the problem of turning the material production from a purely technical and social element into a biosocial one, into a means of the purposeful transformation of the biosphere?

A scientific understanding of the essence of the relation between society and nature, correct from the point of view of the world outlook and methodology, can serve as a general theoretical foundation for solving the ecological problem.

The majority of Western ideologists regard the ecological problem as one of the insoluble global problems of our time. Some of them evensay that human civilization will inevitably perish as a result of industrial, urban, vehicular, and demographic pollution of the environment and the depletion of non-renewable natural resources.

On the other hand, many Western scientists often reduce the whole environmental problem only to pollution. The solution of the environmental problem is interpreted rather as the protection of nature primarily against pollution caused by economic and demographic growth than as the optimization of the interaction between nature and society ensuring mankind’s social and economic progress.

Some countriesregard environmental protection as an organic condition for and an important component of solving key socioeconomic problems, steadily improving the people’s living standards. The rational utilization of resources and the conservation of nature are a matter of general state policy in these countries.

The Constitution of Ukraine not only formulates the necessity for the protection and scientific, rational utilization of the environment, but also entrusts the state with the task of realizing different measures on preserving a healthy environment.

All the problems concerning the interaction of man and nature are now of international importance. The pollution of the Ocean by one particular country affects fishing in other countries, often very far away. Pollutants coming from industrial centres in the Germany, Belgium and France filter down in Scandinavia or even Eastern Europe and affect forests and fish in ponds and lakes there.

The problem of “ Man and the Biosphere” can and must be solved by the efforts of all countries. Cooperation, long-term coordinated development plants for all countries, or joint solution of pressing global problems are possible only in the conditions of peace and detente.

It is clear that only disarmament can provide the means needed for the long-term programmes proposed and for the solution of global problems.

Reduce to - зводити до

Rather than - скоріше, ніж

Per se - лат. Само по собі

9.Find the correspondence:

1. ecological problem; global; detente; non-renewable resources; cooperation; optimization of the interrelation of society and nature

2. working or acting together for a common purpose; the problem of the interrelation of society and nature; the way and means of restoring equilibrium between society and nature; world-wide; natural rasources that cannot be renewed; relaxation of strained relations; especially between countries.

10.Using the text answer the question: “ What is the theoretical base for solving ecological problem?”