| Summary: | Currently several environmental problems face both industrialized and developing
nations. These include (1) chemical pollution, (2) climate change, (3) resource and
energy depletion, and (4) the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. While often
addressed separately, all four of these environmental problems are related to advancing
industrialization, population growth, and the globalization of production and
commerce. Societies that produce and consume more also tend to deplete more natural
resources, create more pollution, produce more greenhouse gases, and have a
relatively greater adverse impact on the ecosystem. In addition, the interconnectedness
of nations through globalization has produced ‘‘lock-in’’ of, and dependence
on, a particular development model. We believe that this model needs thoughtful
reexamination.
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