ES1102 Reader Response: Double Edge of Globalization

In Nayan Chanda’s work, The Double Edge of Globalization, the author has explained the positive and negative effects of globalization by listing various concrete examples; it caused the global environmental deterioration by developing international trade around the world, on the other hand, it raised the public awareness of global environmental issues by connecting the world. Chanda has also highlighted the importance of collaborations among different governments in order to address the global environmental problems. I agree with Chanda’s that the collaborations among different governments is important to mitigate the global environmental deterioration.

Firstly, government in a nation plays an important role in regulating its people and society.  According to Chanda’s article, the reason for the multinational companies decline the global environment is the poor environmental policy in the countries where they have set up their corporations. Chanda has stated that “foreign-operated plants tended to pollute less than local peers”, this shows the local governments failed to implement appropriate solutions for the environment. If the government is willing to make a change, it can utilize its power to implement strict laws to restrict actions of environmental deterioration, such as deforestation, burning of coal, and so on.

Secondly, the collaboration among nations is able to generate more power and achieve bigger improvements on global environment. Although the pollution on environment may be caused by a nation, it can affect every nation around the world, because we are all sharing the same planet. One state only has limited power to make a change, if every state can take their responsibilities to mitigate the pollution and destruction on environment, it will lead to a big change. Chanda gives an example about the treaty of Kyoto Protoco, the United States has rejected to sign it and other nations have been ignored or betrayed its rules, as a result, there is little progress in reducing the global warming.

In conclusion, globalization has been blamed as a factor of causing environmental deterioration, however, I think it may be a scapegoat for the governments with poor and inefficient environmental policy, hence, the countries with better or advanced environmental policy should help the countries with poor environmental policy in order to work together to reduce the environmental destruction.