One reason critics oppose globalization is that it:
a. has positive impacts on world trade
b. has negative impacts on the environment
c. concentrates wealth in the poorest countries
d. has negative impacts on political stability
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is:
b. has negative impacts on the environment
Explanation:
Globalization refers to the increasing interconnectedness and integration of economies, cultures, and populations across the world through trade, communication, technology, and movement of people. While globalization has many positive effects, such as boosting world trade, spreading technology, and encouraging cultural exchange, it also faces significant criticism, particularly regarding its environmental consequences.
Critics of globalization often argue that it exacerbates environmental degradation. Here’s why:
- Increased Resource Consumption: Globalization promotes economic growth and industrial expansion in many countries, which leads to increased consumption of natural resources like fossil fuels, minerals, water, and forests. This overexploitation contributes to resource depletion and environmental imbalance.
- Pollution and Carbon Emissions: The global transport of goods by ships, planes, and trucks results in substantial greenhouse gas emissions. Factories operating in different countries to meet global demand often produce high levels of pollution, contributing to climate change, air and water pollution, and biodiversity loss.
- Weakening of Environmental Regulations: In the pursuit of attracting foreign investments, some countries may relax environmental protections to lower production costs. This regulatory “race to the bottom” means that multinational corporations might exploit countries with lax environmental laws, worsening pollution and habitat destruction.
- Loss of Biodiversity: Expanding agricultural production, deforestation, and industrialization fueled by global demand can destroy natural habitats, threatening wildlife and leading to loss of biodiversity.
Other options in the question are less accurate as reasons critics oppose globalization:
- Option (a), “has positive impacts on world trade,” is actually a benefit of globalization, not a reason for opposition.
- Option (c), “concentrates wealth in the poorest countries,” is incorrect because critics argue globalization tends to concentrate wealth in wealthier countries or among elites, often widening inequality rather than helping the poorest.
- Option (d), “has negative impacts on political stability,” can be a concern but is not as widely cited or direct a reason as environmental issues. Political instability is more complex and can be influenced by many factors beyond globalization.
Therefore, the environmental impact remains one of the most prominent and widely discussed reasons critics oppose globalization.