Environmental sustainability and policy formulation are two main branches of the environment which are concerned with finding solutions to the problems that are affecting the environment. There are so many environmental problems that are facing the globe today due to a number of reasons including the rapid process of urbanization that is taking place (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2008, chapter 14, p. 8). As a result of these factors and the far-reaching consequences, the environmental problems have become a global concern. Some of the major environmental problems that are affecting us include: global warming, deforestation, ozone depletion, hazardous waste management, water pollution, global warming, acid rain, air pollution, and smog. Plans have been designed and many international conventions have been held to curb the effects that are caused by the environmental problems (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2008, chapter 15, p. 13). Despite the fact that the causes of all these environmental problems are well known, finding their effective solutions remains an illusion to the environmentalists. This is because of a number of factors.
The culture of different people is one of the factors that make it difficult for the environmentalists to achieve solutions to some of the environmental problems. This is because there are some cultural practices of different parts of the globe that encourage harmful environmental practices. A good example involves the communities which practice wrong methods of farming, for instance, the burning of the farm waste before cultivation. Such a method of cultivation is harmful to the environment because it leads to air pollution (Slattery, 2009, p. 61).
A second contributing factor is the ignorance of the people. One very important fact that people forget is that the environment can live without man but man can never survive without the environment. Many campaigns for public education have been launched (Slattery, 2009, p. 46). However, few people put into action the lessons taught and the recommendations made. A good example is the need to plant more trees after deforestation. Many of the times people are advised to plant trees every time they cut them but this hardly ever happens. The lack of replacing cut down trees causes severe environmental problems which ultimately lead to climatic change, which is one of the most extensive environmental problems.
The increasing population in the world is another factor that hinders the efforts of environmental sustainability. This is because for these people to secure a settlement for themselves and their families, they have to clear off the marginalized and water catchment areas such as the water banks and forests. Besides these factors, the environmental policies and laws that are currently being used are not efficiently solving the environmental problems. This is because despite the fact that these policies are formulated, they are not always fully implemented by countries and this leads to environmental deterioration (Slattery, 2009, p. 32). The commitment of policy makers and governments to the implementation of policies and regulations is therefore important in addressing the environmental problems.
Lastly, technology advancement is another factor that hinders environmental sustainability. This is because as industrial sector advances, its negative effects on the environment also increase through increased air pollution. For instance, most of the causes of ozone depletion, air and water pollution are associated with industrial chemicals that are recklessly released in the air or water bodies. China for example, has been in the front line as a major cause of pollution in the world. This is evidenced by the high rate of greenhouse gases emitted by China’s industries which in turn pollutes the air and depletes the ozone layer. It is indeed stated that “China is the world’s second-largest producer of greenhouse gases and home to 16 of the world’s 20 cities with the worst air pollution,” (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2008, chapter 14, p. 9).
Reference List
- Cunningham, W., & Cunningham, M. (2008). Principles of environmental science: Inquiry & application (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
- Slattery, M. (2009). Principles of Environmental Science. London: Kendall Hunt.