The Effects of Globalization on the Environment

8/12/2019 The Effects of Globalization on the Environment

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carried out across national borders. The process of globalisation has significanteconomic, business and social implications.

Lets look at two more definitions of globalisation: First, from the OCED

The geographic dispersion of industrial and service activities, for example research anddevelopment, sourcing of inputs, production and distribution, and the cross-bordernetworking of companies, for example through joint ventures and the sharing of assets

And here from the International Monetary Fund:

The process through which an increasingly free flow of ideas, people, goods, servicesand capital leads to the integration of economies and societies

Globalisation is perhaps best thought of as a process that results in some significantchanges for markets and businesses to address: for example

An expansion of trade in goods and services between countries An increase in transfers of financial capital across national boundaries includingforeign direct investment (FDI) by multi-national companies and the investments bysovereign wealth funds The internationalisation of products and services and the development of globalbrands Shifts in production and consumption e.g. the expansion of outsourcing andoffshoring of production and support services Increased levels of labour migration The entry of countries into the global trading system including China and the former

countries of the Soviet bloc

A key result of globalisation is the increasing inter-dependence of economies. Forexample:

Most of the worlds countries are dependent on each other for the ir macroeconomichealth Many of the newly industrialising countries are winning a growing share of world tradeand their economies are growing faster than in richer developed nations All countries have been affected by the credit crunch and decline in world trade, butmany emerging market countries have slowed down rather than fall into a full-blown

recession.


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The Environment and Globalization

Fears that globalization necessarily hurts the environment are notwell-founded. A survey reveals little statistical evidence, on averageacross countries, that openness to international trade underminesnational attempts at environmental regulation through a race to thebottom' effect. If anything, favorable gains from trade' effectsdominate on average, for measures of air pollution such as SO2concentrations. Perceptions that WTO panel rulings have interferedwith the ability of individual countries to pursue environmental goalsare also poorly informed. Recent rulings have in fact confirmed thatcountries can enact environmental measures, even if they affect tradeand even if they concern others' Processes and Production Methods(PPMs), provided the measures do not discriminate among producercountries. People care about both the environment and the economy.As real incomes rise, their demand for environmental quality rises.This translates into environmental progress under the right conditions-- democracy, effective regulation, and externalities that are largelyconfined within national borders and are therefore amenable tonational regulation. Increasingly, however, environmental problemsspill across borders. Global externalities include climate change andozone depletion. Economic growth alone will not address suchproblems, in a system where each country acts individually, due tothe free rider problem. Multilateral institutions are needed, andnational sovereignty is the obstacle, not the other way around.


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The effects of globalization on the environment

Globalisation has had a positive impact on the environment to some extent but there are still

some crucial negative impacts of globalization in play. The negative impacts are mainly export-

orientated destruction on the environment whilst the positive impacts are increase awareness

and multinational corporations research into eco-friendly technology.The main positive impact

that globalisation has on the environment are that there is improvements in the use of resources

and awareness and that due to globalisation research is being conducted that creates greener

technology. Globalisation has assisted in improving the use of resources and saving the

environment by promoting growth through development, improving education and incomes.

These questions have arisen mainly as a result of increased economic integration, but globalization has

also meant an important conceptual change in the way we think about the environment. Many of us

now see environmental problems as being of international concern, not just national interestsuch as

protection of the oceans and the atmosphere from pollution. The environment is now considered the

common heritage of mankind, and environmental problems are increasingly the subject of

international efforts because of their cross-border effects and the impossibility that just one or a few

nations can solve these problems on their own .

The main negative impact of globalisation on the environment is the impact of export-orientated

destruction. The overuse of natural resources due to increased demand and also the removal of

ecosystems due to population growth have had a large negative impact on the

environment. Deforestation whether it is for an increase in demand or for expansion is causinga loss of biological diversity on the planet. Globalisation has also had a negative impact on the

environment through global warming which is due to greenhouse gas emissions which are

caused by a growth of industrialisation in the developing world and by a heavy reliance on fossil

fuels. Carbon release into the atmosphere which has caused global warming has resulted in

increases of sea levels as ice sheets and glaciers melt which has an extensive impact on

biodiversity and weather systems.

In the case of globalization the negative impacts on the environment far out weigh the positives.

Globalisation has a positive impact on the environment because it causes increased awareness

and encourages multinational corporations to take steps in protecting the environment. The

negative impacts of globalisation are mainly based around export-orientated destruction but also

on carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.


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The green house effect:

While the greenhouse effect is an essential

environmental prerequisite for life on Earth, there really can be too much of a good thing.

The problems begin when human activities distort and accelerate the natural process by

creating

more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than are necessary to warm the planet to an ideal

temperature.

Burning natural gas, coal and oil -including gasoline for automobile engines-raises the

level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Some farming practices and land-use changes increase the levels of methane and nitrous

oxide.

Many factories produce long-lasting industrial gases that do not occur naturally, yet

contribute significantly to the enhanced greenhouse effect and global warming that is

currently under way.

Deforestation also contributes to global warming. Treesuse carbon dioxide and give off

oxygen in its place, which helps to create the optimal balance of gases in the atmosphere. As

more forests are logged for timber or cut down to make way for farming, however, there are

fewer trees to perform this critical function.

Population growth is another factor in global warming, because as more people use fossil

fuels for heat, transportation and manufacturing the level of greenhouse gases continues to

increase. As more farming occurs to feed millions of new people, more greenhouse gases

enter the atmosphere.


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Can globalisation reduce pollution in developing countries?

A recent study has analysed the impact on pollution-efficiency of

different forms of linksbetween developed and developing

countries. Developing countries receive environmental benefits byimporting goods from more pollution-efficient countries, but not by

exporting theirgoods, from inward foreign direct investment (FDI)

or from telecommunications linkages.

Globalisation can help spread the positive effects of

environmentally friendly technologies and practices from

developed to developing countries. This can reduce pollution in

developing countries through, for example, importing greenertechnologies or developing better environmental regulations and

standards. However, there is debate about how far it is possible to

generalise the positive impacts of globalisation on helping

developing countries become more pollution-efficient, that is to

generate fewer emissions relative to gross domestic product

(GDP).In this study, the researchers explored four different forms

of transnational linkages: imports of machinery and manufacturedgoods, exports of machinery and manufactured goods, inward

foreign direct investment (FDI) (all sectors) and

telecommunications (specifically telephone calls).The effects that

these linkages had on lowering domestic carbon dioxide (CO2)

and sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions in developing countries

were examined using statistical techniques. These techniques

allowed the researchers to capture the degree of linkage between

developing countries and all other countries, as well as the level

ofenvironmental-efficiency in the other countries to which

developing countries are connected.


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The results suggest that imports of machinery and manufactured

goods from countries that are more pollution-efficient

have a significant and positive effect on domestic pollution-

efficiency for CO2 and SO2. Put differently, if a developing

country imports goods from a more environmentally-efficient

country, their overall emissions relative to GDP tend to be

lower. This may be because products from the developed world

tend to be more energy-efficient.

On the other hand, exports of machinery and manufactured goods

from developing countries to countries with higher

levels of CO2 or SO2-efficiency do not appear to improve

domestic CO2 or SO2-efficiency for the exporting country.

This may be because developing countries typically export low-value goods.

Inward FDI is often thought to influence environmental

performance through transnational corporations investing in

developing countries using the latest environmentally-efficient

technologies. However, this study found that FDI from

countries with higher levels of pollution-efficiencies does not

reduce CO2 and SO2 pollution-efficiency in developing


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countries. This contrasts with previous studies which have

suggested that inward FDI from more pollution-efficient

countries produces higher levels of CO2-efficiency in developing

countries. Different methods of study may partly

explain these differences in results. The study suggest that the

methods used and assumptions made by different

researchers when investigating globalisation can significantly

affect the interpretation of the impacts of globalisation on

global environmental change.


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Environmental technology:(envirotech), green technology (greentech) or cleantechnology (cleantech) is the application of one or more ofenvironmental science,green

chemistry,environmental monitoring and electronic devices to monitor, model and

conserve thenatural environment and resources, and to curb the negative impacts of

human involvement. The term is also used to describe sustainable energy generation

technologies such asphotovoltaics,wind turbines,bioreactors,etc.Sustainabledevelopment is the core of environmental technologies. The term environmental

technologies is also used to describe a class of electronic devices that can promote

sustainable management of resources.

Recycling

Renewable energy

Renewable energy isenergy that can be replenished easily. For years we have

been using sources like wood, sun, water, etc. for means for producing energy.Energy that can be produced by natural objects like wood, sun, wind, etc. is

considered to be renewable.[2]

Water purification

Water purification:The whole idea/concept of having dirt/germ/pollution free

water flowing throughout the environment. Many other phenomena lead from this

concept of purification of water. Water pollution is the main enemy of this

concept, and various campaigns and activists have been organized around the

world to help purify water.[3]

Air purification

Air purification: Basic and common green plants can be grown indoors to keep

air fresh because all plants remove CO2and convert it intooxygen.The best
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_sciencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_chemistryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_chemistryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_monitoringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_environmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioreactorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_technology#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_technology#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_technology#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_purificationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_technology#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_technology#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_technology#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reverse_osmosis_desalination_plant.JPGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_technology#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_purificationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_technology#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_developmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioreactorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_environmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_monitoringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_chemistryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_chemistryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_science


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examples are:Dypsis lutescens,Sansevieria trifasciata,andEpipremnum

aureum.

Sewage treatmentSewage treatment is conceptually similar to water purification. Sewage

treatments are very important as they purify water per levels of its pollution. The

more polluted water is not used for anything, and the least polluted water is

supplied to places where water is used affluently. It may lead to various other

concepts of environmental protection, sustainability etc.

Environmental remediation

Environmental remediation is the removal of pollutants or contaminants for thegeneral protection of the environment. This is accomplished by various chemical,

biological, and bulk movements. (encyclopedia of medical concepts)

Solid waste management

Net Zero Court zero emission s off ice bui lding p rototype inSt. Louis, Missour i

Solid waste management is the purification, consumption, reuse, disposal and

treatment ofsolid waste that is undertaken by the government or the ruling

bodies of a city/town.

eGain forecasting:

Egain forecasting is a method using forecasting technology to predict the

futureweather's impact on a building By adjusting the heat based on the weather

forecast, the system eliminates redundant use of heat, thus reducing the energy

consumption and the emission ofgreenhouse gases.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dypsis_lutescenshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sansevieria_trifasciatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epipremnum_aureumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epipremnum_aureumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewage_treatmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_remediationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis,_Missourihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_waste_managementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_wastehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weatherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Net_Zero_Court.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weatherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_wastehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_waste_managementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis,_Missourihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_remediationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewage_treatmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epipremnum_aureumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epipremnum_aureumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sansevieria_trifasciatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dypsis_lutescens


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Energy conservation

Energy conservation is the utilization of devices that require smaller amounts of

energy in order to reduce the consumption of electricity. Reducing the use of

electricity causes less fossil fuels to be burned to provide that electricity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_conservationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_conservation


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Worked by:Rigels PashollariAndrea ThakaRasheila RrokoDoris Gjata

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The Effects of Globalization on the Environment