Globalization and the Environment

¶ … Environment and Economic Globalization

It is certain that as people we appraise the value of certain concepts and ideas in various manners, our perception of these many times are dependent on our culture, class, and social upbringing. For some it is of great importance to step outside their home in the morning and enjoy a breath fresh air. When they pass by a factory emitting CO2 emissions into the atmosphere they are disgusted. However, the people working inside that same factory are probably more concerned with being able to provide the means necessary for their household and family, than enjoying fresh air. Both individuals probably have a valid point-of-view. The regulation of environmental standards is an issue that has been steadily growing and causing political turmoil for several decades. Despite these challenges and differences in viewpoints, we must as a global community come together order correct difficulties that affect us all, like environmental pollution. Economic globalization drastically changed the world in both positive and negative ways. It has allowed countries to flourish both economically, educationally, medically and politically. It has however, also caused environmental depletion like deforestation, fossil fuel overuse, oil spills, water pollution and global warming.

Author Robert Harris provides a unique and informative perspective of some the challenges we face while trying to balance and weigh the benefits of economic globalization vs. The impact it has on our environment. In his article titled Consumption, Not CO2 Emissions, Reframing Perspectives of Climate Change and Sustainability, he discusses the need for a reassessment of perspectives regarding carbon dioxide emission produced by economic globalization and trade. Harris takes an interesting approach in relating to what he believes is greatly contributing to CO2 emissions. He believes that producing countries like China which are notorious pollutants are not solely to blame for the depletion of our environment. Harris instead believes the importing, wealthy and developed nations are also to blame because of their unquenchable desire for consumer goods. There are currently emission standards imposed by the United Nations Framework convention for Climate Control that countries have tried to agree upon. If countries are not able to meet these standards they can be penalized with tariffs or exclusions in trade agreements, in short they can suffer financially. It is difficult for developing countries that seek economic growth to abide by regulations while at the same time satisfying the demands of importing countries. Harris indicates that current economic globalization strategies if unchanged will undermine the progress towards reducing global CO2 emissions and its impact on climate change. Nations that produce international consumer goods follow the simple law of supply and demand, according to Harris recently, producing countries like China have begun to demand that the consumer countries also take partial responsibility for the emissions created. This seems like a reasonable approach considering that according to Harris "25% of China's CO2 emissions, for example, were dedicated to making goods for exports and consumption in other countries" (4). Harris also estimates that 23% of total global CO2 emissions were created due to international trade and consumer demand. This article describes the challenges that the international marketplace faces while trying to decide what is more important is it the success of our global economy? Or is it the saving of our environment? Harris calls for more consumption based accounting in order to create a more balanced, fair and appropriate environmental emission standards.

Due to its dedication to the export of international goods China has risen both politically and economically from once being a poor and feeble nation. It can also be said that America rose in the same manner during the industrial revolution in an era where there were no environmental regulations. So is it now far for Americans and other wealthy consumer countries to look down at countries who trying to develop economically? The answer to this question is complicated and predicated on where you stand economically, culturally and socially. Our international community is made up by more than 300 nations, within these nations there are multitudes of cultures. Within these cultures there are endless amounts of philosophical ideas, languages and approaches to life. It is important to note that every specific cultural group has different needs and wants. Here is where the problem begins in regards to issues like the economy and environmental preservation. Several different groups of people can be presented with the same issue or problem, and each come up with a totally different solution or totally different point-of-view. Economic globalization presents challenges and problems that are difficult to undertake and solve because of the many different variables involved with merging a multinational community. Sometimes people can find it difficult to agree on some of the most conventional and simple words, or most common concepts in life like family dynamics and structure. Kwame Anthony Appiah exemplifies these notions with accounts relative to his experience, in his book Cosmopolitans: Ethics in a World of Strangers. Appiah states "Our vocabulary of evaluation is enormously multifarious, some term -- "good" or "ought" are as philosophers often put it thin. They express approval but, their implication is otherwise pretty unconstrained" (46). Appiah shares with readers the somewhat unconventional family structure favored by his Akan society in African Ghana. He presents an example of how his family structure contrasts that of many western or European nations, particularly in regards to the responsibilities that fathers have for their children. For example in America and Europe we tend to agree that a father holds the responsibility to care for his child, this is not so in Akan society. In Akan society the father holds no immediate responsibility for his own children; he is the equivalent of an uncle to them. He instead is committed to caring for the children of his sister. In an increasingly diverse and competitive global community it becomes more difficult understand what is right and what is proper. Especially in regards to the environment and natural resources, Luis C. Rodriguez offers this opinion "the management of soils for carbon storage requires policies not only based on our knowledge of global drivers and change but also informed by a deep understanding of local land use and trends, recognition of the multiple functions of the landscape, property right systems, and expected behavioral systems of consumers" (1). So too, in the same manner we are challenged as an international community to understand our differences, desires and limitations and think critically about what is to be done in regards to concepts like globalization that affect billions of people. Harris also offers this as a conclusion to his article "The information derived from consumption based accounting, together with attention to physical and cultural needs will provide a framework for dialogues of sufficiency vs. conspicuous consumption" (9).