Question

Why do you feel developing countries struggle with environmental pollution worse than developed countries?

Answer 1

One of the many environmental problems facing the world today is pollution. In developed countries, the effect of pollution is more serious, leading to ill health, deaths and disabilities of millions of people annually. The tools and technology for the battle against pollution are available to developing countries. Efforts have been made to mitigate emissions as a result of the health threats and the possible effects of climate change. However, while this may be simple for developed countries, stopping pollution will undermine the economic growth and competitiveness of developing countries that depend on natural resources to sustain their economies. Significant economic growth and development have been accomplished by developing countries and they can afford to focus on environmental targets because basic living needs have been accomplished.

Countries need to make choices between often conflicting goals at every stage and at every level of development. Achieve and sustain economic growth and poverty reduction.

The perception of energy poverty in these regions is related to the high level of income and non-income poverty in the regions. These countries would, in their effort to develop and boost the living conditions of their people, opt for the objectives of economic development and cheap energy for all. This will contribute to contamination and deterioration of the environment. Moreover, access to energy is important, at a lower price, to make industries competitive in developed countries and to contribute to economic growth , job creation and development. Ensuring access to energy for the population and enhancing the competitiveness of local industries may require the provision of energy through energy subsidies at lower prices. This would promote over-consumption of electricity, waste and inefficiency, as well as contamination of the atmosphere from fuel.

The majority of developing countries , especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, rely heavily on natural resources for income and foreign exchange.

Funds produced from the mining of natural resources such as coal , oil and gas, agricultural and forestry resources, gold , copper, etc., are driving these economies. Those resources also rely on the livelihood of the masses. However, environmental contamination and depletion are the result of the exploitation and production of some of these resources. For example , major land, water and air pollution has been caused by oil exploration and the activities of multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. However, oil exploration and development will continue to be a predominant economic operation for Nigeria to maintain its current economic growth direction and sustain its quest for poverty reduction. This is the case for a number of other developed nations as well.

The Environmental Kuznet Curve has proven the inevitability of emissions in developing countries.

The EKC is a hypothesised connexion between environmental degradation indicators and per capita income. According to the theory, at the early stages of economic development, environmental pollution and deterioration rise, peak and reverse in such a way that the environment improves at high income levels. This is focused on the fact that industrialization and economic development are needed by developed countries and they prefer to consume cheaper resources. Developing countries will need to build roads and railroads and develop large infrastructure to encourage economic development. These operations, which are required at the starting stage of economic growth, are substantially energy-intensive.

It is not necessary to overemphasise the essential role of industrialization in the growth process of developed countries. In order for developing countries to experience inclusive and pro-poor soil, systemic transformation from small-scale agriculture to industrialization is required.

However, industrialization involves large use of energy resources which could lead to pollution and environmental degradation. If China had cared about pollution at the initial stage of development, China would not have achieved the remarkable economic growth and development it has reported in recent years. Other developed economies, such as the OECD, often concentrate on environmental protection after achieving significant growth and change in their citizens' living standards. With a strong emphasis on investment and industrialization, the Chinese economic model is energyintensive and is being adopted by a number of developing countries.

Conclusion

In their search for sustainable development and poverty reduction, developing countries are required to place economic growth, energy for all, and industrialization at the forefront of their agendas before addressing environmental concerns. Forcing developing countries, such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, to follow environmental targets, in particular reducing CO2 emissions, would therefore need considerable diplomatic, technical and financial support from developed countries and the international community to offset the economic losses associated with pollution reduction.