5.4 The Environmental Impact of Global Growth


To what extent does globalization lead to sustainable prosperity for all people?

Human activities, including everyday actions such as driving a car, turning up the heat, powering a laptop, or flushing the toilet, all require energy and produce pollution. Industry requires even more energy and produces even more pollution. The greater the number of human beings on this planet, the greater the impact on the environment. However, we cannot just stop all human activity to prevent harm to the environment. We still must live and prosper. Is there a way to develop economically and reduce our impact on the environment?

What does this have to do with globalization?


The environment does not recognize political borders. If Canada produces large amounts of greenhouse gases, it does not affect Canadians only; it affects everyone regardless of where you live. If the Amazon rain forest is destroyed, it limits biodiversity for all and reduces the amount of carbon dioxide consumed (by trees), adding to global warming. If one nation dumps toxins into the ocean, it will poison the fish we eat. If a transnational corporation moves to a developing nation with few environmental laws, that pollution is emitted into the global atmosphere.

This political cartoon is courtesy of Clay Bennett at the Christian Science Monitor.
Think about the following questions:

  • Why has Mr. Bennett portrayed the Earth as a balloon?

  • Why is the man standing on the top dressed as an explorer?

  • What does the flag represent?

  • When the man drives in the stake for the flag, what will happen?

  • What do you think is the cartoonist's message?

  • What environmental perspective is he showing?

  • Do you think he agrees with that perspective?


Laws to protect the environment

Most nations of the world have set up many laws and policies to protect the environment and reduce pollution. However, the world community has recognized that local and national laws do not go far enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many of the laws created are not consistently applied, nor are they thorough enough to be effective.

Canada, for instance, has tried to address environmental impact, but the effectiveness of the approach has produced mixed results. In a study done in 2005 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Canada's progress or lack of progress on environmental issues was tracked over twenty years. The study examined twenty-five indicators such as air, water, energy, biodiversity, and agriculture. All the data used for the study came from independent sources and were verified by the Organization. Its findings for Canada showed that Canada's track record in applying its environmental laws was dismal. In fact, Canada ranked 28th out of 29 industrialized countries studied.

Canada was found to be one of the three worst countries in per capita production of greenhouse gases, emission of carbon monoxide, consumption of water, efficiency of energy, and volume of timber. Our industry is very inefficient, using far more energy to produce goods , while producing large amounts of pollution. We tend to use more energy than our industrial competitors, 33% more than the United States per unit of gross domestic product. At this time, our performance on most environmental indicators continues to worsen.

On the other hand, there have been some positive findings for Canada in the study. Canada has made some significant gains in reducing air pollution and improving local and municipal sewage and waste treatment, including strong recycling programs and energy efficiency. In addition, there has been a great increase in developing parks and green areas, which has helped air quality concerns.

So, Canada has made some significant gains at local levels with programs designed to lessen environmental impact, and there has been some improvement of air quality. However, on many other levels, Canada continues to fare poorly compared to other industrialized nations. While there are measures and laws in place to help address these concerns, they are applied in an inconsistent manner.