Poverty contributes to environmental degradation.Discuss - Essay Example

n which are often related to the altered global atmospheric condition such as global warming or the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), shortages of freshwater supply, biodiversity losses, enormous land degradation like deforestation, and the depletion of fisheries and agricultural resources also significantly increases. (McMichael, Patz, & Kovats, 1998; Flood, 1997) Most economists believe that global poverty arises from the widening of gap between the rich and the poor. Among the few well-know economic concepts that could explain the increase of inequality in terms of income distribution and work opportunities are capitalism and globalization.

Under a capitalized economy, business people in general gather a group of laborers in exchange with minimum wage. Since businessmen could earn a large sum of profit out of the lower income population, the gap between the rich and the poor increases over time. The same theory applies with globalization except that rich businessmen aim to maximize their wealth by hiring low-income individuals living in developing countries. degradation. Not only does the use of modern technologies such as industrial machines, motor vehicles, and airplanes contribute to the increase in air and water pollution which could seriously damage not only the water ecology but also the atmosphere, forest, and land resources.

As part of determining the relationship between poverty and environmental degradation, the student will first discuss the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources followed by identifying and analyzing the major factors that causes serious damage towards the environment. Based on these factors, the student will examine and thoroughly discuss whether or not poverty contributes to environmental degradation. When it comes to maintaining a well-balanced ecological sustainability, we need to know that there will always be a trade-offs between the utilization of our environmental and natural resources with the