Ecological Dimension of Globalization - Essay Example

?Ecological Dimension of Globalization Introduction: In recent times the key word in the major growth and development process all across the world is‘Globalization’. With more and more opening up of economies, the process of cross border trade activities is taking place, helping organizations to grow beyond the boundary. Venturing into a new nation drives a company to integrate the cultural characteristics, and the government rules and regulations. Thus it creates a major integration of cultures around the globe. Globalization influences the economic, the political, the social as well as the ecological balance. Even the companies around the world have realized this that the long term growth depends on saving the natural resources and utilize them properly such that the ecological balance is maintained throughout. In recent times the ecological perspective of globalization has a major contribution to the growth and development of a nation and has therefore raised the most significant concern centering on globalization. Ecological Globalization: Buckley observes that the ecosystems take into account the admixing of substances through transmission of air particles, movement of water body and movement and migration of the animals and the people around the globe. All these form major routes of connectivity in the ecosystems. There is a single atmosphere connecting the globe. The transportation of gases, minerals, even the biodegradable materials cause a great deal of harm to the natural environment. This causes a particular phenomenon called ‘greenlash’ which is caused when transformations in the environment bounded in a smaller area have an astonishing effect in broader areas. The heavy draught in 1930 had a severe effect on the farmers across Midwest of U.S. The dearth of crops led to soil erosion and degradation and it caused powerful dust storms. This huge blow of dusty winds resulted in the so-called ‘infamous Dust Bowl’, which degraded the quality of air and affected the health patterns of the public at large throughout the country. Due to increasing Globalization taking place, there has been an inadvertent introduction of harmful species and pathogens like fire ants from South America and the SARS virus being transported from China, which could have an overwhelming effect on the society at large. Sources revealed that the USA currently allocates about $120 billion per year to eradicate the harmful species causing a lot of harm. So proper diagnosis of the ecosystem will help in unearthing the unknown movement of the harmful species and thus could save the ecology. Buckley suggests provision of information regarding processes that encircle a larger area of time and space and also proper analysis of the processes that cover the genomic and expand to continental from every bit to decades. Moreover understanding the social and behavioral patterns of the human movements in scientific models and unleashing the connectivity patterns among the ecosystems will provide a lot of help to gauge accurate predictions of any future ecological transformation. (Buckley) Study of a Physicist group on Carbon dioxide capturing from air: Rudolf observes that in the recent times some of the greatest minds have been thinking over the issue of reducing the threat emanating from the climatic change that has preoccupied the world, thanks to the effect of Globalization, which although has helped in making the bigger world a smaller place, but has contributed to ecological imbalance. In recent times with greater globalization and technological advancement the pollution in air has increased manifold. So the eminent experts are now considering a newer and effective vision of capturing carbon dioxide from air. This concept has undergone major difference with pulling out carbon dioxide from the reactors and coal-based plants before the gas makes its entry into the air. But doubts have been raised in serious terms whether the project of capturing carbon dioxide from air is economically viable as pulling out 1 ton of Carbon dioxide from air costs around $600 a ton compared to $80 dollar a ton from a typical coal based plant. The major constraint is the very less density of carbon dioxide in air compared to other large emitter or coal-based plants. Considering a coal plant it has been observed that the flue gas occupies roughly 10% carbon dioxide, on the other hand the density of Carbon dioxide in air is only a meager four-hundredth percent. Although it seems to be a longer plan to be implemented considering the proper technology and mainly the cost, which at a point seems a little less economically viable, however it is rather premature to forgo the technology so easily. According to the news article by Rudolf (2011), capturing carbon dioxide makes sense only when the entire electronic infrastructure required for pulling off carbon dioxide from the power plants is decarbonized. The process of capturing carbon dioxide has started making serious leaps in recent times. But spending on proper research and project cost around billions of dollars and also require legal modalities to be satisfied before being approved by the Senate. On the other hand capturing carbon from the surrounding environment is much modest requiring just ten millions of dollars. Moreover the captured carbon dioxide can be applied in the process of producing feedstocks required for making bio-fuels as is made from algae. So if the process of trapping carbon dioxide from air seems economically viable then it would be easy to enter into fuel business in a mega way. (Rudolf) Kyoto Treaty to reduce Global warming: Vedantam praises the introduction of the ‘Kyoto Treaty’ that has been developed in the mission to reduce global warming after a long time of dramatic controversies and harangues promoted by the entry and exits of United States and Russia. Those who favor the Treaty observe that greatest advantage however is symbolic and the real impact seems to be intangible. The Treaty however has been formulated to reduce the impact of global warming linked to the increase in carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. The treaty was first formulated in Kyoto, Japan. The number of countries bounded by the Treaty consists of 141 countries and it checks emissions from 35 highly industrialized countries. However Australia and USA was completely against the acceptance of the Treaty citing the concern of setback in the economy and it also appeared discriminatory considering industrialized nations like India and China escaping the limit levels. Moreover countries like Japan and many other European Unions would not be able to reach their targets and would buy credits mainly from Russia many of whose industrial plants had been closed since the economic downturn of 1990. On the other hand the Bush Administration’s proposal of making voluntary emission checks and to set up cleaner technology would generate positive results for USA as much as the European nations would gain from the Kyoto set up. There had been several controversies between USA and Australia and the rest of the world. The impact of rising global temperature has a severe effect on the agricultural land and is also harming the coastal regions and the health conditions of public at large. Owing to Global warming there is jeopardy of melting ice abnormally thereby increasing the sea levels, which may cause floods in the coastal regions. Moreover the fluctuation in the ocean temperature could result in abnormally cooling of the European countries by making disruptions in the Gulf Stream and this could result in spreading tropical disease like malaria into different areas. So the Kyoto Accord would facilitate investment in cleaner technologies and selling credits to affluent and developed nations. As the Treaty made the European Nations was determined to reduce emissions to 8%, lower than the 1990 levels; Japan and Canada needed a cut of about 6% and Russia which entered only three months before was fixed to reduce emission to the 1990 level. But USA thinks that it could cause a job reduction of 5 million and expenditure of $400 billion annually. The countries bounded under the Kyoto believe that the rich countries should make a serious commitment of making emission reduction between 2008 and 2012 before the developing countries start making their efforts. (Vedantam) Clean Water a basic Human right: The Christian Science Monitor observes that with globalization’s effect on climatic change and with increase in the population, there is a growing scarcity in fresh water worldwide. But this has been a problem worldwide and is required to arouse collectively the public sector interests and also to generate public ownership resources and consider the issue in legal terms involving the right to water. Reports suggest that about 30 countries have separate legal bodies, each of which looks after the issue of individual access to cleaner water. In the recent times it has become a concern of almost everybody to clearly look after the issue of security of this basic human right. Many big Governmental officials as well as Non-Governmental organizations are making deliberate meetings at different places to challenge the toughest issue of individual’s right to cleaner and safer water. Highly industrial growth oriented and highly urbanized country like China is facing serious problem of providing water to its huge population. Rising demand for water has led China to divert water from streams and rivers to meet the demand. Estimation revealed that about 1 billion people across the globe suffer access to cleaner water and the situation could even turn grimmer if not confronted properly at this instant. In South Africa the constitution framed in 1966 provides guaranty for sufficient access to cleaner and safer water. The South African Courts have even made a statement that each and every individual must have an access to 6000 liters of water in each month. (Schleifer) Killian throws some light on the recent legal action being taken against Coca Cola for the contamination of the ground water body with heavy metals. Residents are complaining against the reduction in the value of the property and also the hazards being linked to it like different health issues causing kidney and nervous system disorders. In response to these allegations, Coca Cola took effective steps for the remedy of this problem by providing bottle water for free to about 20 residents throughout the year safeguarding against precaution. (Killian) Therefore, it can be said that the ecological perspective of globalization seems to be the most significant component, which has drawn attention at international levels. It is not possible to reap optimum economic, political and social gains from globalization unless the ecological sustainability is ensured in the long run. As even these days different organizations are taking up Corporate Social responsibility approach for saving the environment and ecology. Although companies have to forgo some financial profits and provide for safety and security of the environment and ecology and make investments for the growth and development of the society, this would ultimately help in creating brand image in the long run. References 1. Buckley, Christine, Ecological Globalization, EUREKALERT, 2008. May 13, 2011: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-06/esoa-eg052908.php. 2. Rudolf, John C. Physicist Group’s Study Raises Doubts on Capturing Carbon Dioxide From Air, NEWYORKTIMES, 2011, May 13, 2011:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/science/earth/10carbon.html?_r=1&ref=earth 3. Vedantam, Shankar. Kyoto Treaty Takes Effect Today, WASHINGTONPOST, 2005. May 13, 2011: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27318-2005Feb15.html 4. Schleifer, Yigal. Is access to clean water a basic human right?, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, 2009. May 13, 2011: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2009/0319/p06s01-woeu.html 5. Chris, Killian. “Coca-Cola Sued for Groundwater Pollution in Michigan”, India Resource Center, 2010, May 13, 2011: http://www.indiaresource.org/news/2010/1020.html. Read More