Economic Development and Destruction of Forests - Essay Example

Economic Development and Destruction of Forests The economic development of the world and the ecological destruction of the world have both risen in parallel. When America was first discovered by explorers from the old world, it was covered in forests which were burnt away to make room for the development of roads, cities and agricultural land. The same process is being repeated in developing countries (MDCs) and the least developed countries (LDCs) of the world today. However, the destruction of these forests is having a severely negative impact on the world and new paths to development are being discussed which can help these nations progress in both economic and ecological terms. The research on the ecological situation of the world clearly shows that the largest and most significant causes of pollution are the industrial and commercial activities of humans. These activities are taking place at an accelerating rate in countries which are seeking to develop themselves into economic powers such as India and China. Whenever fossil fuels are used to drive automobiles, run industries or provide energy to offices and homes, a significant amount of harmful gasses are created which are released into the atmosphere. While a certain amount of atmospheric pollution can be controlled and nature has the magnificent ability to manage excess carbon dioxide (CO2), the present rate of creation of these compounds in developing countries is simply too much for nature to handle (Quammen, 1998). The deforestation of the world is certainly adding to the problem since different locations around the world in LDCs and MDCs are suffering from humans encroaching on forest regions. As India develops into the back office of the world, its Gir forest is being destroyed to make room for mango farms, peanut groves and lime quarries for the cement that is to be used in multistory offices in Mumbai and Bangalore. The UN reports that the rate of deforestation has only increased in the world since 15.4 million hectares per annum are being taken away from our forests. In South America alone, every year 6.2 million hectares of forest land is destroyed to make room for the population (Quammen, 1998). The situation has come to a point where 95% of the forest land of Brazil is gone and 92% of the forests of the Philippines are gone. Costa Rica was a country known for its biodiversity but she has also lost more than 90% of her forests. If the situation continues as it has in the past, by the middle of the present century, there would be no forests left in these developing countries except in protected zones and wildlife sanctuaries which are protected by armed guards who are hunting human loggers (Quammen, 1998). The method for preventing the ecological systems of the world from being destroyed is to simply stop the activities which are causing pollution. However, the economic development and the human development of these countries often demands more land for agriculture and more land for gathering natural resources. It is unthinkable to ask people to give up using cars or stop using air conditioners as well as heating equipment and in many cases, the forests which are being cleared in developing countries are being cleared for human needs which are thought to be far more important than animal concerns. Therefore, alternative sources of development as well as energy need to be provided for people in developed countries as well as those in developing countries (Abramowitz, 1998). Checks have to be created for preventing industrial pollution and increasing deforestation and the awareness of the situation has to be spread to the governments as well as the people of developing countries. If the situation is left unchecked, the end result of pollution and the acceleration of global warming could be catastrophic (Quammen, 1998). In this regard, Abramowitz (1998) gives a deeper examination of the situation which is fueling the destruction of the forests in LDCs and MDCs. She notes that the demand for the forest products has outstripped supply which adds to the process of illegal logging activities. However, the countries are not taking a long-term view of the situation since with the loss of their forests; they are also losing watershed areas and animal habitat as well as the protection of their climates. At the same time, Abramowitz (1998) notes that there are several steps which governments can take to reduce the destruction of their forests if not stop it altogether. The first of these is to have recycling programs which provide incentives for people to aid the government in its bid to protect the forests and reduce wasteful activities. The expansion of recycling programs would mean that less timber would be required and this would protect some forests or at least delay their plans of cutting down forests. Additionally, the process of protecting and saving forests can also be used in economic terms since forestry as a business can be promoted by the government to help farmers who have land that cannot support other crops. Governments can also be brought into consortiums and groups of exporters who promote their products as coming from protected rainforests or protected forest regions. These consortiums could operate through international controls with regard to the Climate Change Convention or the Biodiversity Convention which lets people around the world have a new relationship with their national forest reserves (Abramowitz, 1998). These recommendations appear to be far more acceptable to MDCs such as India or Brazil but they might find difficulty in getting support from many of the LDCs who are more focused on other social issues including mere survival. For instance, it would be difficult to find support for growing forests in Sudan where day to day survival is a big issue for many Sudanese. In such countries, development, peace and even the cessation of violence become bigger issues than the protection of forest reserves. Of course there are also bright signs in the shape of countries such as Honduras. As reported by Youth (1998), environmental issues are very important for the government and it has adopted a number of laws which are seeking to conserve the forests of the country. The government is also looking for outside assistance for the further development of its forest resources and might become one of the conservation leaders of the South Americas. Environmental awareness in Honduras has come at the right time since it provides hope to other countries in the region that there is still much to save where much has been lost. The way the country has gone about protecting its natural heritage is nothing surprising since it follows a particular formula for the creation as well as the application of the laws to protect its forests. The laws are progressive, planned and their application is strict as well as fair. However, forest protection also comes with sociological developments such as a commitment to Planned Parenthood, sustainable agriculture and the provision of improved basic health services for the needy (Youth, 1998). This gives us all a cause to believe that if it can be done in Honduras, it can be done in other countries which need such development pathways. Many LDCs and MDCs have a high level of bio-diversity but small budgets to spend on the environment (Youth, 1998). It seems that they can learn a lesson from Honduras since the preservation of a countries forests is the preservation of a nation’s biological identity. Instead of looking at forests as an encroachment on cultivable land, the people of those countries should be made to understand how forests form a part of their society and have as much right to exist as the cities. Word Count: 1,317 Works Cited Abramowitz, J. 1998, Taking A Stand, Cultivating a New Relationship with the World’s Forests, Worldwatch. Youth, H. 1998, Green Awakening in a Poor Country, Worldwatch. Quammen, D. 1998, Planet of Weeds, Harpers. Read More