Author: Zaina Shalaby
The more developed a country is, the more resources are needed to sustain it. There are four key resources needed for sustainability: minerals, ores, fossil fuels, and biomass. Developed countries use around 16 tons of these resources per capita ( https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/decoupling-natural-resource-use-and-environmental-impacts-economic-growth ). In developing countries, people use around 3 tons of these resources per capita. The difference between these two figures is ridiculous. Developed countries consume resources faster than our Earth can produce them. At the rate we are consuming resources in both developed and developing countries, our world is already depleting sources like oil and gold. Some of the most developed countries in the world, including Switzerland and Norway, have found ways to reduce the use of natural resources. Switzerland, for example, uses its copious amounts of water for hydropower, which allows the agriculture in the entire country to flow smoothly and at the same time it saves resources that would have been used for other types of power. Furthermore, most of the energy needs in the county are fulfilled by hydropower and other renewable sources (https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-major-natural-resources-of-switzerland.html). Switzerland has also been able to implement the use of solar energy and nuclear energy recently. However, even the most environmentally friendly country in the world is not perfect. Switzerland actually uses a lot of electricity due to the several aluminum industries present in certain areas, so they are forced to import nuclear energy and petroleum. The presence of factories and industries is even damaging to some of the most developed countries in the world, so what will be their effect on the less developed countries like Niger and India?
Niger is the least environmentally friendly country in the world. Although they have many natural resources, they fail to protect them and leave their resources open to other countries. Niger has very large uranium reserves, but France found those reserves and almost completely depleted them. Currently, several companies mine for uranium in Niger, causing pollution and resource depletion. Aside from uranium, Niger used to have copious amounts of coal. However, Niger’s own government depleted around eighty-six percent of the coal in the country (https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-major-natural-resources-of-niger.html ). Many companies from developed countries were also attracted to Niger’s oil reserves, causing these companies to station a branch in Niger, increasing pollution and decreasing resources. It is clear that both developed and developing countries use too many resources However, developed countries are the reason behind most of the environmental issues faced today such as resource depletion due to taking advantage of the discovery of natural resources, pollution due to the factories stationed all around the world, and too much electricity use. Developed countries encroach on developing countries to use their resources, leaving those developing countries vulnerable to severe effects in the future when the resources run out and those developed countries find somewhere else to get their resources.
There are countless factors that affect humanity’s impact on the environment. As humans, we act without thinking of the consequences. We use the resources in our environment without thinking about what will happen in the long term. Humans are the reason this world is overpopulated, polluted, and more. We are the reason behind burning fossil fuels, deforestation, fires, and more. Furthermore, humans are partially responsible for the many extinctions throughout the ages.
Humans reproduce to survive and carry on their legacy. However, there comes a point where humans reproduce too much, which causes overpopulation. Overpopulation eventually means that the population has reached the carrying capacity of the Earth. Overpopulation also means that humans need more and more resources to sustain the population, causing a resource depletion. Not only do the natural resources take a hit from overpopulation, but natural forests get cut down to make more space (https://interestingengineering.com/10-ways-humans-impact-the-environment ). This damages ecosystems and messes with the oxygen levels in the atmosphere.
Along with overpopulation, humans are the main cause of air, water, and soil pollution. The United States alone produces 147 million metric tons of air pollution per year (https://interestingengineering.com/10-ways-humans-impact-the-environment ). Imagine that along with the rest of the world. Air pollution is a major issue in every country, but especially developing ones. Some countries are so polluted that there is a smog layer in the air. This obviously negatively impacts the environment and is almost irreversible at this point.
The most important and urgent issue that is a consequence of the actions of every country is global warming. Burning fossil fuels and deforestation are two of the main reasons global warming has been occuring, and these are both manmade things. The temperature on our planet has gone up and will continue to increase if we do not stop what we are doing. Global warming is not just a temperature problem, though. The rise in temperature effects many other aspects in the environment. For example, glaciers and any ice in the ocean will melt due to the rise in temperature. As a result, the ocean levels will rise, melting more ice. This positive feedback will eventually cause oceans to rise almost four feet by 2100 (https://interestingengineering.com/10-ways-humans-impact-the-environment ).
Governing agencies throughout most countries almost disregard scientific data unless it becomes alarming. They take into account the statistics, but not until it is too late. For example, the Paris Agreement was formed but did not take into account that the point of no return for our earth is fast approaching, and that most of the damage has already been done. It was only until scientists actually calculated a point of no return that everyone began to panic about the environment and how humans affect it. Governing agencies are no exception. They have only just now begun to realize that a change is in order, when it is almost too late.
References
Bada, Ferdinand. (2019, April 29). What Are The Major Natural Resources Of Switzerland?
Retrieved from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-major-natural-resources-of-switzerland.html
Decoupling Natural Resource Use and Environmental Impacts from Economic Growth. (n.d.). Retrieved September 4, 2019, from UN Environment website: https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/decoupling-natural-resource-use-and-environmental-impacts-economic-growth
Kiprop, Joseph. (2019, March 18). What Are The Major Natural Resources Of Niger?
Retrieved from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-major-natural-resources-of-niger.html
Loria, K. (2018, August 30). Scientists calculated a 'point of no return' for dealing with climate change — and time is running out. Retrieved September 4, 2019, from Business Insider website: https://www.businessinsider.com/global-warming-point-of-no-return-temperature-2018-8
10 Ways Humans Impact the Environment. (2016, April 6). Retrieved September 4, 2019, from Interesting Engineering website: https://interestingengineering.com/10-ways-humans-impact-the-environment
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