How Does Globalization Affect the Environment? Essay Example

The process of globalization appeared to be permanently growing today; it is significant to be aware of what its major factors are and how they impact the environment. As for this paper, the focus lies in arguing that although the process of world’s globalization undergoes a vast amount of criticism as well as skepticism, it is worth saying that the current situation proves the free trade to be absolutely risk-free from the perspective of its consumptive entity; to be precise, despite the numerous viewpoints of those criticizing the process of globalization, the issue of free trade is still not likely to instigate an environmental downward spiral.

The key field of globalization is the international economic framework (economy), i.e. international marketing. As a consequence of the financial globalization, the capital obtained the considerable flexibility, looking for the most appropriate and beneficial possibilities. The process of globalization has increased the impact of global markets on the performances of lending and borrowing by the citizens of various countries.  This process has resulted in the growth of the global network of financial establishments and corporations, and to basic alterations in their framework of the enterprise of flows of capital management. Simultaneously, the process of globalization influences the world, since the competition of national economic systems for credit stocks of capital, which are freely reallocated on the scale of the international economy, emerges to be tougher in new circumstances.

The notion of free trade incites the states to look for the new opportunities to enhance the investment interests of the internal economic system. As a result, this issue is extremely pressing; obviously, it is worth admitting that many environmental activists consider the issue of free trade as the threat for the whole mankind, since, in their view, the phenomenon of globalization can lead to “…catastrophic shortages of finite natural resources.” (Charles, 2004, p. 187) All in all, despite all the concerns that the opponents of the process of globalizations advance, one should become aware that today’s American lifestyle, which is much associated with the high consumption rates appears to demonstrate “… a remarkable drop in energy intensity during the past 50 years.” (Charles, 2004, p. 187) What it means is that the issue of modern-day free trade occurs to face serious rearrangements in terms of its core concept. The thing is that the problem of so-called unsustainability that many regard to be an integral part of globalization emerged to be of little topicality due to fundamental reinterpretation of the major constituents of free trade.

To conclude, it is necessary to make mention that the issue of globalization has nothing to do with the deterioration of environmental quality, it tends to encourage people to “…value environmental objectives such as safe drinking water, proper sewage disposal, and clean air.” (Charles, 2004, p. 188) Furthermore, it is necessary to become aware that skipping with the importance of the free trade cannot but negatively influence the economic development of a particular country, since disregarding the widely-acknowledged principles of collaboration is doomed to have dramatic consequences.  In view of many scholars, the fact that it corresponds to reality is beyond any doubts.

References

Charles, A. J. (2004). The Environmental Benefits of Globalisation: Rising Global Affluence

Is a Good Thing for Environmental Sustainability. Global Envision. Retrieved from http://www.globalenvision.org/library/1/645