Eco-Imperialism: Climate Change And The Environment

Eco-imperialism plays into the issue of climate change and the environment due to the delayed effects of climate change. The effects of climate change are caused primarily by the industrial north however these adverse effects are not being felt immediately by these nations. Approximately two-thirds of GHG emissions are from the United States, Europe, and Japan, of which these nations hold one-seventh of the population of the world and roughly half of total global wealth. This is indicative of the asymmetrical impacts and eco-imperialist nature of climate change due to economic globalization. The populations in developing countries, especially the poorer populations, “experience far worse consequences from climate change than the wealthy” and far more significantly than the populations in the industrialized global north. This creates incentives for the global north not to develop strict and effective climate change reduction policies current and focus on economic growth. This is evident through the ignoring of both climate change refugees and environmentally insecure nations hailing for change in environmental policy. The final environmental impact that demonstrates the eco-imperialist nature of economic globalization is the trade in toxic waste. The trade in toxic waste is a blaringly clear example of the eco-imperialist power that neo-colonial core states have over peripheral regions. The United States is responsible for over 80 percent of the world’s production of hazardous waste. The United States has yet to sign onto the Basel Convention on Trade in Hazardous Substances, an agreement designed to minimize the trans-national movement of these substances and promote the disposing of the wastes as near to its source as feasible. However, core states, like the U.S., have been disposing of toxic waste in countries that lack the necessary capacity to manage the toxic substances in an environmental and safe manner. The trade is toxic waste is a perfect example of the ideology spurred on by economic globalization of “not in my back yard” or NIMBY. The trade in toxic waste is not only a blaring example of eco-imperialism but also an issue of environmental degradation. Toxic waste pollutes …show more content…
The political debate over economic globalization is whether increasing economic activity leads to environmental degradation or if environmental problems are more readily addressed through economic growth. This debate surrounding economic globalization breaks down into three main points of discussion; climate change, free trade, and environmental international …show more content…
There are many implication of globalization with climate change. Economic globalization is propelling the global into irreversibly damaging human caused global warming. Sea levels are rising, biodiversity is dropping, and ecosystems are dissipating due to human caused climate change. On the one hand, political globalization allows for the nations of the world to come together and discuss the issue of climate change as a global issue and not on an intra-nation basis. On the other hand, economic growth is a top concern of individual nations as it appeals to consumers and producers, and voters and politicians alike. This conflicts with the necessary considerations needed for formulating and prioritizing GHG emission reduction policies. Climate change is an issue that requires the cooperation of all states in order to find a global solution. This is no easy task due to the “close relationship between natural resource use and economic growth”. Economic globalization has shifted states’ vested interests and priorities towards GDPs and economic