Reader's Response- The Double Age of Globalisation

In his article "The double edge of globalisation", Nayan Chandra suggests that there are many factors contributing to the environmental challenges we are facing today. Although many blame globalisation, author points out that other factors such as poor world governance and  increased consumerism that are the root of the problem.

In paragraph 7, author mentioned that heightened consumerism has brought about environmental issues. This statement is accurate and can be further explained by the increased affiliation between countries and growing world population. As supported by Reuters in 2013, there is also a growth in global income levels and purchasing powers of consumers which is why consumers are able to afford greater quantities. This propels the expansion of demand for raw resources to generate the respective products desired by the world. Hence, such excessive lost in natural resources like non-renewable energy and iron ores emerges environmental complications.

However, this statement can also be flawed due to a bias basis of comparison. In the past, before globalisation gave rise to increased global awareness through media communication improvements, it could be that information had not been made as readily available as it is today. Hence, details available for  study on population size, total consumption may not match to reality. As such, this would mean that the ratio of consumerism levels to population had always been about constant, only with increased movement and exchange of goods around the world now as a result of globalisation.

All in all, the article had pointed promptly that the globalisation phenomenon should not be blamed solely of causing issues in the environment. Rather, it is a channel whereby many irresponsible human activities occur in great scales.

References:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/23/ca-linear-technology-idUSnBw236556a+100+BSW20130723

http://ezinearticles.com/?Different-Types-Of-Data-Communication-Media&id=6601652

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1874521/

The Double Edge of Globalisation Summary (Final Draft)

Today, globalisation has brought about communication improvements that allowed protesters to promote their stand and transmit environmental news quickly across all borders. The redundant efforts of blaming international firms of being the cause of environmental problems, should be diverted to promote international long term growth, pollution and environmental controls.

The concern of globalisation causing environment problems is not valid unless it means magnified world trade or the misuse of foreign production sites of international firms in countries with little execution of environmental legislation. It has been discovered that the latter might not be true as transnational companies tend to be more environmentally-friendly over local companies and are inclined to invest because of large markets. Studies have also shown that about a fifth of the total world carbon emission is a result of deforestation for agricultural and trade purposes.

Some comment that globalisation does not merely expedite but becomes a passage for other factors to cause greater scale of forest clearing. With globalisation comes higher consumption, in turn millions of acres of forest were cleared, especially since national and international leaders have not successfully encouraged environmental protection. Prime producers have a growing demand for resources from countries to meet the multiplying global food demand. To provide this, increased energy burning causes both land and water pollution worldwide. On top of that, many have became victims of floods due to increased temperatures. Evidently there exists a correlation between non-environmental economic growth, heightened trade and industrialisation.

Air pollution is another consequence that can potentially lead to acid rain elsewhere in the globe. It is appalling how advanced technologies are not able to function as a tool of aid to overcome these problems in such situations. Worst, despite the chance of preventing these problems with global efforts, there seem to be no urgency to tackle the increasing temperatures. Enforcement by nations that signed the Kyoto Protocol is not persistent and USA, topping the greenhouse gases emitter list, declined to sign the protocol too.

The recent improvements in  communication media has made the world a more interconnected place as information can be disseminated efficiently worldwide. This increases the world awareness of matters concerning environment. It is internationally known that global warming could possibly contract world economy, promote social and monetary destruction equivalent to the ones in the World Wars and Great Depression.

Affiliation between countries is so extensive now that isolated countries can cause a massive problem associated to global health in the long-run. United Nations has demonstrated an incapability to confront the world's troubles. Nonetheless, the world's key leaders' impotency and unwillingness to lead UN is essentially the essence of the problem. Had it been otherwise, the consequences of globalisation could be avoided.

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The Double Edge of Globalisation Summary Draft

Instead of blaming international firms for causing climate differences, deforestation and not being environmental-friendly, protesters should attempt to promote international long term growth, pollution and environmental controls. Many factors contribute to these problems such as globalisation and consumerism. Today, communication improvements not only allow protesters to transmit environmental news quickly across all borders but become a platform to present their ideas worldwide. Ironically, this platform protesters are using is a result of globalisation.

The concern of globalisation causing environment problems is not valid unless it meant magnified world trade or the misuse of foreign production sites of international firms in countries with little execution of environmental legislation. It has been discovered that the latter might not be true as transnational companies tend to be more environmentally-friendly over local companies and are inclined to invest because of large markets. Studies have also shown that about a fifth of the total world carbon emission is a result of deforestation for agricultural and trade purposes.

 

Some comment that globalisation does not merely expedite but becomes a passage for other factors to greater scale of forest clearing. With globalisation comes higher consumption, in turn more clearing of forests are done. National and international leaders have not successfully encouraged environmental protection. Millions of acres of land have been cleared to meet the world's food demand. Prime producers of the world like China have a growing demand for resources from countries like Brazil to meet the multiplying global food demand. The problems here arise as increasing number of forests are cleared and that  land and water pollutions are incurred worldwide to provide this. Burning of energy in China has polluted other parts of the globe too.  

With recent improvements in  communication media, the world has became a more interconnected place as information can be disseminated efficiently worldwide. This increases the world awareness of matters concerning environment. The world knows that global warming could possibly dwindle world economy and lead social and monetary destruction equivalent to the World Wars and Great Depression. On top of that, many has became victims of floods due to increased temperatures. Evidently there exist a correlation between non-environmental economic growth, heightened trade and industrialisation.

Furthermore, greater pollution is the consequence of increased trade and consumerism.  Not only does this include land and water pollution but also air that can potentially lead to acid rain elsewhere in the globe. It is appalling how the advanced technologies are not able to be a tool of aid to overcome these problems in such situations. Worst, in spite of the probable chance of preventing the problems with world effort, there seem to be no urgency to tackle the increasing temperatures. Enforcement by nations that signed the Kyoto Protocol is not persistent and USA, topping the greenhouse gases emitter list, declined sign the protocol too.

Affiliation between countries is so extensive now that standing solitary can cause a massive problem associated to the world's health in the long-run. UN demonstrates an incapability to confront the world's troubles. Nonetheless, the world's key leaders' impotency and unwillingness to lead UN is essentially the essence of the problem. Had it been otherwise, the consequences of globalisation could be avoided.