Environmental Sustainability and Globalization




Environmental sustainability is a global issue and thus interconnected relations between
countries is vital in achieving goals of keeping our environment sustainable. Globalization is key
in helping our environment and gaining awareness to the individual, industrial, and governmental
actions that are hurting our world. Countries, developed and emerging, must work together to
save our planet. The economic growth of Western, developed countries is often at the expense of
environmental sustainability. In addition, countries who aim to follow economic growth models
with high consumption and industrialization come into conflict with countries who are focused
on environmental growth and neglect the efforts of developing nations. Thus, “if developed
countries do not make significant and absolute reductions in their emissions there will be a
progressively smaller carbon space available to accommodate the development needs of
developing countries.”
From the federal level of the U.S. government, I would start by rejoining the Paris
Climate Agreement. Global pacts such as the Paris Climate Accord go far beyond environmental
concerns, and affect a states’ relations and global reputation. In order to reinstate peace between
other countries, joining the climate accord as the nation’s largest consumer will help US relations
and put the world’s environmental well-being before our country’s economic growth. I would
also put the Environmental Protection Agency in the hands of someone who is not an ally of
burning fossil fuels and the rebirth of coal industries. I would develop federal plans that allow
rich nations like the US to provide funding for poorer ones; much like the Paris Climate Accord’s
agreement that “‘developed’ nations will continue to help developing countries with the costs of
going green, and the costs of coping with the effects of climate change.” As a country, we need
to acknowledge the reality of climate change and work harder to reduce consumption, waste, and
industrial actions that hurt our planet.


Sources

Comments

Mr. Roddy said…
Karen, This is such an important topic. How would countries that want to lead in this endeavor encourage other countries to join, especially those vital to sustainability?
September 26, 2018 at 2:33 PM
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