SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY,

UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

IEA 519 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

ESSAY

PREPARED BY:
FAZILLAH BINTI KHAZALI

(S-IM0069/20)

LECTURER’S NAME:
DR MARK HARRIS ZUKNIK
 Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the conflict between uncontrolled
capitalism and the betterment of the country, market-based climate change solutions
that do not work, and overexploitation of the earth’s natural resources for the sake of
maximising profits are all contributing to an increase in global warming and climate
change (Upadhyay, 2017). The sustainability of the earth’s natural resources is
critical for dealing with the threat of climate change and human survival. This is
because natural resource utilisation is related to all three sustainability facets: social
justice, environmental health, and economic growth (Bansard & Schröder, 2021).
However, we are seeing a natural resource grab by wealthy countries, richer people
within developing countries and private sector companies (Christian Aid, 2012). This
situation is making the tiny group of the wealthiest people get richer, and the world
poorest will bear the brunt of the consequences (OXFAM, 2021).

The rise and expansion of capitalism have made it the dominant economic
system outscoring socialism and communism (Klusener, 2017). During the capitalist
age, global population, consumption and production have grown unprecedentedly
through the exploitation of natural resources, lifting millions of people worldwide out
of absolute poverty (King, 2021). However, overexploitation of the natural resources
caused by a tiny group of the rich capitalist is making people and ecosystems
worldwide more susceptible to extreme and unpredictable weather, endangering
lives and livelihoods. The emergence of neoliberalism ideology exacerbates the
situation because its policies foster class-based economic inequality and a disregard
for human welfare (Longley, 2021). Neoliberalism was responsible for the financial
catastrophe, environmental devastation, and even the ascent of Donald Trump.

Climate change’s environmental and health impacts severely affect human

rights and social justice, disproportionately affecting low-income countries and
impoverished individuals in high-income countries (Levy & Patz, 2015). An increase
in sea level, a temperature rise, and weather extremes, including floods in some
places and droughts in others, are some of the environmental impacts of climate
change (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2022). Droughts and floods,
as well as other associated environmental circumstances, are anticipated to harm
the ability to generate sufficient food to feed the world's fast-expanding population
(Matthew Makinde et al., 2017). Because of this, food insecurity, especially for the
poor in low-income nations, is likely to worsen. Human rights also are at risk,
including the right to life, access to clean water, health care and safe housing. Those
most at risk include the poor, women and children, people with chronic diseases and
disabilities, those living in climate-vulnerable regions, and workers exposed to
extreme heat or weather variability.

The promotion of international trade is largely based on the assumption that

such trade links benefit all parties economically (Feenstra, 2015). However, unequal
trade patterns perpetuate global socioeconomic disparities and impede socio-
environmental sustainability by shifting environmental burdens to poorer nations
(Wiedmann & Lenzen, 2018). This can be seen through the significant disparities
between countries regarding GHG emissions (Levy & Patz, 2015). Low-income
countries, which create the fewest GHGs, are more adversely affected by climate
change than high-income countries, which produce more GHGs but are less directly
impacted (World Bank, 2014). Low-income nations are also less able to cope with
the effects of global warming due to their economies’ limited ability to absorb the
costs of doing so. This is what the theory of ecologically unequal exchange proposed
(Dorninger et al., 2021).

To deal with the rapidly expanding crisis, green growth policies were
promoted as less harmful to the environment (Althouse et al., 2020). In theory, the
green growth policies could accelerate economic growth and benefit employment,
sustainability, and even global equality (Altenberg & Assmann, 2017). Therefore,
increasing economic growth is universally regarded as a good thing that can help
improve a country’s social and environmental sustainability (Pollin, 2019). In
contrast, research showed that green growth policies are an overarching goal, and
different strategies are needed to prevent global warming over 1.5°C or 2°C (Hickel
& Kallis, 2020). According to Prof Wiedmann, while technology can help us consume
more efficiently, such as saving energy and resources, these technological
improvements cannot keep pace with our ever-increasing consumption levels
(University of New South Wales, 2020). Moreover, if our existing economic structure
and population growth continue, we will not be able to attain environmental
sustainability in both high and low-income countries (Cumming & Von Cramon-
Taubadel, 2018).
 Pursuing economic growth at the expense of the environment is no longer an
option (Harvey, 2019). Climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies required
to protect human society must also be intended to protect human rights, promote
social injustice, and avoid creating new or exacerbating existing problems for
vulnerable communities (Levy & Patz, 2015). It is time for another revolution in food
production and consumption, according to Tim Searchinger, an expert from
Princeton University and the World Resources Institute (Fiona Harvey, 2019). We
urgently require global action against industrial farming to avoid a global catastrophe

(Zee, 2017). Organic farming is the most obvious alternative to industrialised

intensive farming in the developed world (Harvey, 2019). To address climate change,
biodiversity loss, and pollution, our luxurious lifestyles and excessive consumption
must undergo structural change. The COVID-19 epidemic was an example that
demonstrated that strong and sustained adjustments in human activity could reduce
carbon emissions over the long term (Ray et al., 2022).

(979 words)

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