Critical Threats to the Global Environment

Global warming and climate change are one of the greatest challenges to environmental
security. It is important to ensure that people across the world have access to fuel energy. Fuel
energy is important not only for the quality of life but also for economic development. Besides
fuel, globalization is also a critical element for economic development. However, there are
various forms of globalization, such as urbanization, military conflicts, energy insecurity, and
environmental destruction, that pose a threat to the global environment. Access to fuel and
globalization are two vital aspects of economic development. People across the world, in both
developing and developed nations, need fuel and key elements of globalization to lead a quality
life. However, the two pose serious threats to the environment. Fossil fuels and globalization are
serious risks to the global environment that should be prioritized to ensure that environmental
sustainability is achieved.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels make up to 80% of the total energy demand globally (Foster & Elzinga,
2022). The system of energy contributes up to two-thirds of the total carbon dioxide emitted into
the atmosphere today. A lot of biomass fuels being used today are on a small scale, and they are
used for cooking and heating. The fuels have been found to be highly inefficient and are a source
of air pollution, especially for indoor uses. They are prevalent in many developing countries. As
it stands, the use of renewable biomass is not sustainable and cannot thus be a preferable source
of energy. The current trends are dangerous to the environment. If nothing is done and the world
continues to over-rely on fossil fuels, emissions are predicted to rise to dangerous levels. It is
predicted that by 2050, energy demand, as well as emissions, will rise by double (Foster &

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Elzinga, 2022). Such emission levels will have a devastating effect on the global environment,
and this explains why the issue of fossil fuels is of priority and should be presented to the UN.
The combustion of fossil fuels is one of the leading human sources of climate pollution
from the emission of greenhouse gases. Reports show that human activities in the last decades
are responsible for global warming and the climate change currently being experienced across
the globe. Approximately 35 billion metric tonnes of CO2 are emitted primarily from human
activities (Foster & Elzinga, 2022). Greenhouse gases with the potential to alter the climate have
risen by 40% from 1990 to 2016 (Foster & Elzinga, 2022). A significant portion of these changes
can be attributed to an increase in carbon dioxide. In the United States alone, one-third of all
carbon emissions can be traced to the use of natural gas and coal for domestic purposes.
Countries across the world consume energy from fossil fuels. However, the consumption
levels differ significantly from one country to another, as shown in figure 1 below. While some
countries produce more fossil fuels, others have relatively low consumption levels. However,
since the world atmosphere is not partitioned, the countries share the global environment.
Emissions into the atmosphere affect the environment adversely (Martins et al., 2019). The
effects are, however, different. For instance, some countries near oceans may be affected by
increased floods and raised water levels. Those near mountains may be affected by melting ice
and glaciers, while countries in relatively dry regions may be affected by increased temperatures.
The effects may not be similar, but the implication is as human life and animals will be affected.

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Figure 1: Consumption of Fossil Fuels in select Countries across the World

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels

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Remarkably, governments in different countries across the world have committed to
environmental conservation. They are engaged in efforts to reduce their consumption of
greenhouse gases. The 2015 Paris Agreement brings together various governments who are
committed to saving the environment by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (Dimitrov,
2016). Mainly, the countries are committed to turning green and shifting away from the use of
non-renewable sources of energy towards renewable sources such as wind and solar energy.
There are also moves to electrify means of transport and reduce emissions. These are viable
initiatives that, if implemented consistently, will reduce the combustion of fossil fuels and
consequently the emission of greenhouse gases.
Several initiatives exist that the global community can implement to mitigate the effects
that the combustion of fossil fuels poses on the environment. The World Health Organization
(WHO) suggests several initiatives that can be implemented to save the global environment from
the dangers posed by the use of fossil fuels (Perera, 2018). The world should shift to the use of
clean modes of generating power. Some lifestyle changes would also be necessary. For instance,
instead of relying on the use of cars as a means of transport, especially for short distances with
towns ad cities, it is advisable that human beings cycle or walk. Additionally, instead of using
private cars for transport unnecessarily, humans should use public transport means as this
reduces the emissions significantly. Another alternative would be to turn to low-emission
vehicles and safer fuels such as those whose sulfur content is reduced.
Further, clean energy technologies can be adopted. For instance, instead of allowing
methane emitted from incinerators to rise into the atmosphere, it can be tapped and used as
biogas. The adoption of clean technologies can reduce the smokestack emitted from industries,
and this will help in protecting the global environment. When it comes to environmental

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protection, every act counts. Thus, the world may not progress from 80% consumption of energy
from fossil fuels, but it can reduce to 70% in two years and consequently to 30% may be by 2060
(Perera, 2018). The small concerted efforts will go a long way in protecting the environment if
consistently implemented. For instance, if more people embrace the use of renewable energy
sources such as solar, hydropower, and wind energy, then emission levels will be reduced
drastically.
Even as efforts are made to reduce emissions, there is growing concern over the already
emitted gases that lie in the atmosphere. This, added by the fact that the world is not stopping its
use of fossil fuels tomorrow r even in the next five years, makes it necessary to think about doing
something about the gases that are in the atmosphere. Through advancements such as those that
allow for carbon capture, emissions may be captured from the atmosphere and diverted into
underground storage (Jacobson, 2020). The gases may even be recycled before they can reach
the atmosphere in more dangerous forms. The main challenge is that such actions are capital
intensive and very costly, and this has limited its adoption. However, there is hope that as the
world moves towards being more technology savvy, then the cost might go down, leading to
wider adoption of the technology in many countries across the world.
Globalization
Over the last two centuries, globalization, led to growth in cities, has been experienced in
many countries across the world. Cities are sources of technology, and they fuel creativity, both
of which are key drivers of economic growth. Although cities make up only two percent of the
surface of the earth, they host more than fifty percent of the population across the world. For
example, cities dwellers in Europe take up a huge proportion of the region’s total population.
Statistics show that about 75% of the population in Europe resides in cities (Kovalčíková, 2014).

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Cities have continued to grow at a rapid rate. New technologies in cities have continued to attract
people as close proximity to these regions ten to have good returns. However, this has come at a
very high cost as urbanization pressures pose a grave danger to the global environment.
Globalization creates new challenges as cities are prepared for development. Urban
environmental pollution and degradation of natural resources threaten the environment.
Urbanization leads to human-caused damage to the environment. People cut down trees to build
roads and expand settlement areas. Urban initiatives aimed at expanding the cities to expand
more people affect the environment negatively (Kovalčíková, 2014). Some of these include
excessive crowding and indoor air pollution. Urban areas are also associated with inadequate
sanitation facilities as the population tends to grow exponentially. Waste disposal management is
an issue in overcrowded areas, and air pollution poses a great hazard to human health and the
environment as well.
Globalization has changed modes of production across the world. Various modes are
linked to environmental degradation. The expansion and growth of urbanization are a direct
product of globalization. The adverse effects associated with this advancement make it an issue
worth presenting to the UN as the global environment is at risk. Globalization is not on its own
an objective of humanity. It is a result of societal development. When humans adopt new
approaches, systems, and ways of doing things, they create opportunities on the one hand and
risks and vulnerabilities on the other (Kovalčíková, 2014).
Globalization has opened world trade and made it easier to sell goods and human
services. Products travel almost half the globe from their production site. This leads to increased
emissions. More fuel is consumed in transporting the goods, and this leads to emissions which
can cause ocean acidification, pollution, and climate change. The world’s biodiversity is also

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adversely affected. Habitat destruction to pave the way for transportation has become common
with globalization. More goods need to be transported, and humans have cleared land to create
room for the construction of bridges ad roads. In some instances, goods are transported by sea,
and this creates more opportunities for oil spills which are dangerous to marine life. Water
vessels also create opportunities for species to be transported to a new location. This leads t
invasive species which grow freely without the checks available in their natural habitat. This can
have adverse effects on the ecosystem of the species’ new location. It is evident that globalization
has affected and continues to affect the environment in more ways than humans would ever have
predicted.
Globalization creates a scenario where nations focus only on goods that they have
economic strengths in producing because they can always import what they do not have. While
this is great, it often leads to economic speciation, which has been proven to cause serious threats
and issues to the environment (He et al., 2018). A good example is the case of illegal
deforestation in Brazil, which has become very rampant to create space for cattle ranches (Levy
et al., 2018). The operation requires large portions of and hence necessitates deforestation.
Southeast Asia has had a problem of overfishing which has led to oceanic pollution and a
significant decline in fish populations. Another example is having countries over depend on cash
crops such as coffee, and this has led to habitat loss. These are examples of ways in which the
environment has been adversely affected as a result of international trade. Globalization,
therefore, is a threat to environmental security across the globe.
Globalization is a human-caused occurrence. Its effects on the global environment are
therefore directly caused by humans. Therefore, the effects of globalization on the environment
can be addressed by having the people concerned enlightened or educated about their effects on

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the environment. Environmental education is one of the ways to address the effects of
globalization on the environment. Education will help people become more aware of the impact
of their actions on the environment. Education will help ensure that people understand how
environmental systems work and how they can adopt a more responsible attitude towards
environmental conservation. According to Ardoin et al. (2020), environmental education (EE)
refers to a process that fosters public awareness concerning the environment and how their
attitude, knowledge, skills, and commitment can help conserve the environment. The emphasis is
on that individual as well as a collective effort is needed in protecting the environment.
Conclusion
Overall, the global environment is under threat from the widespread combustion of fossil
fuels and the effects of globalization. Data has shown that most countries across the world are
still heavily dependent on fossil fuels. While reducing fossil fuels to zero levels may not be
feasible at the moment, consistent efforts can be made to reduce consumption. Additionally,
reliance on renewable energy would viably reduce the combustion of fossil fuels and help
conserve the global environment. Another threat to the environment is globalization which is a
cyclical process that is irreversible in nature. Globalization has a profound effect on the
environment across the globe. It is necessary on the one hand and dangerous on the other.
Countries across the world rely largely on globalization for economic development and
advancements in other aspects of life. However, globalization is leading to environmental
destruction, and the world over is affected. The point of consensus, however, is that the global
environment must be protected at all costs to control and eventually stop climate change and
global warming. A balance can be reached by educating people on the impact that their actions
have on the environment. Governments can also decongest urban areas by decentralizing social

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amenities and ensuring that people in rural areas do not feel the pressure to move to urban areas
because the quality of life does not differ in both.

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References

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