Our planet is increasingly globalized. We call globalization to the interdependence process between different countries of the world that unites the different markets, societies and cultures that give the world an increasingly global character, whose central axis are the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
However, globalization has effects on technology, ecology and culture, among more aspects. Next, in ecology, we focus on analyzing How globalization affects ecology.
What does globalization influence ecology and the environment?
The diverse Damages to the environment have been increasing since The industrial revolutionderived from economic, social and political progress, although it is not the same in all areas of the planet and have varied over time. There are studies that show that some environmental problems such as the quality of the waters or the levels of some pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide, have increased with economic development and since the industrial revolution took place. Other problems that have also increased are the waste production and CO2 emissions or carbon dioxide, main greenhouse gas.
This seems to be based on the consumption of resources increases with prosperity. Since the planet’s resources are not unlimited, some have been replaced throughout history, such as the use of wood with coal and other fuels, such as nuclear energy.
How to negatively affect globalization to ecology
In international markets, there is each time one Greater consumption of energy resourceswhich increase emissions of polluting substances. Some of these pollutants contribute to global warming and Climate changegenerating global effects that negatively affect the lives of millions of species.
Many less developed countries overexploit their resources to deal with demand or even pay external debts, which can lead to the depletion of resources. Some examples are deforestation or overexploitation of fish banks or overfishing. This has its consequences at the level of the environment and for different species.
Costs are also reduced in environmental security. For example, there are transnational companies that place their factories in countries where labor is much cheaper and much less strict environmental laws. With this they manage to reduce their production costs, but at the expense of harm the environment and ecologyseriously damaging the species that inhabit these areas and the whole of the planet.
Negative consequences of globalization in ecology and the environment
In addition to what is commented in the previous section, others of the negative effects of globalization on the planet And, therefore, directly in ecology and the environment, they are the following:
- Reduction of the ozone layer.
- Increase in the greenhouse effect.
- Defeat of polar caps.
- Sea level flood.
- Marine desalination.
- Death of fish and other marine beings.
- Forest destruction.
- Desertification
- Water pollution.
- Deterioration of ecosystems.
- Loss of biodiversity.
- Soil pollution.
Examples of how globalization to ecology and the environment affects negatively
Although there are some global effects, such as climate change, many do not occur homogeneously throughout the planet. It is the most industrialized and developed countries that generate worse effects.
It is estimated that since 1970, up to 50% of fresh water ecosystems in the world such as rivers, lakes or wetlands have been lost, up to a third of marine ecosystems has deteriorated, the forest surface has decreased by up to 10% worldwide and energy consumption globally has increased by up to 70%, that is, We have lost at least 1/3 of planet Earth in these last 30 years.
Possible solutions for the negative effects of globalization on the planet
There are some ideas for stop the harmful effects of globalization on the planetlike the following:
Environmental Education
It consists of designing activities and talks to raise awareness of the population About the effects of their actions on the environment and what they can do to reduce these impacts. The bad thing is that carrying out these activities usually depends on the degree of development of the country. Environmental education is very important, above all, in young people or even children.
Common regulations
To fight these effects, it is necessary for countries to adopt common legislation and mandatory compliance with issues that affect the environment. This is being implemented in the countries of the European Union, where for 20 years we have been working to achieve a common European directive, but in the poorest countries it is difficult for these initiatives to be carried out. An example is the circular economy, which is promoted from Brussels and which aims to manufacture sustainable products, taking into account The ecodesignenergy efficiency or waste efforts.
If you want to read more articles similar to How globalization affects ecologywe recommend that you enter our category of other ecology.
