Throughout Maine, young persons including students in high schools, colleges, and universities are now participating in an essay contest that challenges them to come up with global solutions to global problems. These problems include climate change, pandemics, loss of biodiversity, poverty, and disparities in wealth, hunger/famine, and uncontrolled migration.
The need for global solutions has grown dramatically since World War II and becomes more pressing with each passing day as global problems continue to be dealt with in piecemeal, short-term, and otherwise inadequate ways. A tripling of population since WWII and the demands it places on natural resources, together with weak environmental laws, is severely damaging the world’s life-support system with predicted dire consequences. In short, global problems need global solutions ASAP.
Is the strengthening of multilateral treaties a promising path toward solutions? Is reforming and strengthening the United Nations likely to provide these solutions? Would a democratic world federation of nations, as now partially in place on a smaller scale in the European Union be possible and likely to provide the needed solutions? These are some of the challenging questions facing contestants in the essay contest.
The contest is sponsored by the Maine Chapter of Citizens for Global Solutions (globalsolutions.org). Essay contestants must be less than 30 years old, and their essays no longer than 1,500 words. The deadline for submission is Nov. 15. Winner prizes are first $500, second $300, and third $200. For details including rules and how to enter the contest contact sldavis@maine.edu.