Introduction
The global society faces many challenges, some of which are localized, and others can impact every single Earth dweller. The two that pose the biggest threat are the rise in the ocean’s levels and poor countries remaining poor. Although only the first one appears to be related to the environment, the second issue is indirectly responsible for endangering it, as such states will continue using harmful technologies for various reasons. Many believe that the ocean level rise will only affect such places as Venice or coastline settlements. Meanwhile, no attempts are made to address the issue or relocate the endangered areas, which may have devastating consequences in the future. Both menaces will majorly destabilize the planet and impact its population, while also having an unlikely relationship. This paper will discuss the aggravating factors of the threats and humanity’s role in their development and suggest mitigating initiatives.
Contributing Factors
Poor countries continuing to be in the same position entails several negative consequences for the rest of the world. The first one is civil wars: states with a low per capita income tend to be associated with armed conflicts (Vestby, 1, p. 1). It can be argued that the relationship is misleading because such regions are peaceful nowadays. However, if the indicator is replaced with a strong traditional sector and a small relative labor productivity gap, the risk remains (Vestby, 1, p. 2). The violence may occur in several countries simultaneously, and victims are inevitable. Low-income countries are also vulnerable to climate change due to relying on agriculture and livestock and exhibiting high birth rates (Grace, 2, p. 479). Pregnant women are likely to experience stress because they still have labor responsibility or fear the shortage of resources (Grace, 2, p. 480). The situation may also lead to violence and interstate conflicts involving the international community. Lastly, poor countries will not change the current mode of production, which is associated with environmental degradation (Grunewald, 3, p. 250). Thus, at least factors make the threat particularly dangerous to the planet.
Although the ocean level rise is ultimately linked with the greenhouse effect, it presents an individual issue that is especially hazardous. What makes the threat dangerous is the effect on vulnerable populations and waste sites (Pickett, 4, p. 561). The former will be affected in several ways: their households are likely to be destroyed, the public transit system is prone to be damaged, and they may not be able to escape flooding (Pickett, 4, p. 561). Thus, the communities that already live below the sea level are significantly threatened by the issue. As for waste sites, their flooding will result in exposure to metals and petrochemical, adversely impacting the surrounding environment (Pickett, 4, p. 561). Furthermore, economic impacts from the infrastructural damage are anticipated, and public health concerns, which already exist, will only rise due to the release of chemicals (Pickett, 4, p. 561). Flora and fauna will also be affected, evident in habitat and nutrition loss, enforcing competition and increasing mortality (Pickett, 4, p. 561). Altogether, the ocean level rise will threaten vulnerable communities, biodiversity, and everyone in affected areas, forcing a migration deeper into the continent.
The geography of poor countries determines the combined danger of the two issues, as seen in the table built using The World Bank (5, 6).
According to the table, the highest concentration of poverty is in Africa (77% of all low-income countries, 12 of them having the majority of the population below the poverty line). Considering that the continent has many coastline states, the implications both threats will entail are significant. The described factors will double, as the countries will have to combat the consequences of poverty and the ocean level rise. The vulnerable communities mentioned while analyzing the latter’s effect may refer to the majority of the population, while migration deeper into the continent is likely to aggravate the existing conflict. Madagascar will be deprived of the option due to being an island. Furthermore, most Sub-Saharan states are surrounded by other poor countries, complicating relocation, as they are likely to suffer from the same predicament. The infrastructure in those states is in the process of being established (Page, 7, p. 176). If it is destroyed during flooding, the implications will be disastrous. Much depends on the international response, which is necessary, considering the two threats and the accompanying factors.
The Role of Human Activity
Human activity has an integral role in aggravating the two threats. Poor countries are not in such a position because they chose it; the existence of wealthy states generates the issue. Most developing states used to be or are still indebted to them, which almost always negatively impacts their economic growth and private investment (Siddique, 8, p. 4). They also tend to be post-colonial, and recovering from the past is difficult, despite the support from the former empires (Jedwab, 9, p. 269). For the majority of their history, such countries were exploited to enrich the conqueror, and the situation has not changed. The high-income states may move production to poorer territories because it is cheaper and prevents environmental damage to the native land (Li, 10, p. 2314). Conversely, the developing countries have to suffer the consequences, including low salaries, increased emissions, and environmental degradation (Grunewald, 3, p. 250). Another dangerous practice is natural extraction, performed either by the state or a wealthier counterpart and contributes to the same issues (Kwakwa, 11, p. 33). Thus, high-income countries are majorly responsible for poverty perpetuation, especially in former colonies.
The ocean level rise threat, as mentioned, is directly connected with the greenhouse effect. The phenomenon is caused by gas emissions, a result of human activity (Kweku, 12, p. 3). The most prominent one is carbon dioxide, which primarily comes from fossil fuels, although livestock and various fertilizers also generate methane and nitrous oxide, respectively (Kweku, 12, p. 6). They majorly contribute to the warming of the planet’s surface and higher temperatures (Kweku, 12, p. 6). In turn, ice sheets, especially those in Antarctica, and glaciers melt at a high rate, and the ocean level rises (DeConto, 13, p. 596). Most of the damage was done throughout the 20th and the 21st centuries, and such a short period in comparison to Earth’s and humanity’s history was sufficient to endanger both (DeConto, 13, p. 596). The ocean level rise may occur naturally due to tectonic events, but human activity made the event abnormal, increasing its threat (Simms, 14, p. 1571). During the Pliocene, Antarctic ice sheets were prone to melting, although the temperature was lower (DeConto, 13, p. 591). Overall, the natural phenomenon has become dangerous due to human activity.
The role of humans in proliferating the two threats should not be underestimated, despite the fact that the second one regularly occurred in the planet’s history. Believing that it is natural that poor countries exist or assuming that only coastline regions will be affected by the ocean level rise may contribute to their danger as much as the actual activities. Individual people and organizations, especially those with many resources and sufficient influence, aggravate the threats, although they still can be associated with a particular country. For instance, such companies as Nestle exploit West African countries, taking advantage of their poverty and perpetuating it, and are involved in deforestation, which is partially responsible for the ocean level rise (Coppa, 15, p. 262). Similar examples are common and continue to aggravate the situation, requiring an immediate response. Even charity institutions and philanthropists with the best intentions regarding poor countries only cause more damage, as they either promote wealth concentration or benefit from it, contributing to inequality (Morvaridi, 16, p. 157). It is impossible to control everyone engaged with low-income states, so the global community should develop a solid solution.
Mitigating Strategies
Many strategies have been implemented to help low-income countries, and certain patterns suggest which should be continued. The most effective tool is to maintain their economic growth, although it can be challenging due to internal factors (Page, 7, p. 176). Other alternatives include direct cash and service provision, although they are suitable only as short-term solutions (Page, 7, p. 176). The international community may choose to invest in strengthening a country’s institutions and infrastructure, which is the surest path to economic growth (Page, 7, p. 177). However, foreign aid often bypasses the government, believing it to be corrupt, and while the worries can be justified, non-state organizations and actors do not contribute to the eradication of poverty (Page, 7, p. 177). Thus, international support should target both the private and the public spheres and overcome such challenges as the absence of will and insufficient capacity (Page, 7, p. 188). Consequently, a low-income country will have state-run service delivery and sustainable infrastructure after successful investment (Page, 7, p. 195). Thus, purposeful aid may facilitate economic growth and help the most vulnerable in poor states.
Many approaches to the threat of the ocean level rise exist, and they attempt to combat the issue directly, operating on the assumption that the greenhouse effect cannot be reverted. A potential solution is recreating past tidal regimes, which may save wetlands from flooding (Sadat-Noori, 17). They are considered the key to mitigating the effects of the ocean level rise, so preventing them from being damaged eliminates the need for implementing other measures (Pickett, 4, p. 561). Wetlands perform absorptive and filtering functions, which are instrumental in reducing damage from waste spillages occurring after flooding (Pickett, 4, p. 563). The Tidal Replicate Method is useful for protecting entire ecosystems, as it operates by simulating tidal conditions (Sadat-Noori, 17). Another solution is land raising, which is an adaptation technique and involves the use of sea walls as defenses (Brown, 18). Lastly, such a seemingly unfeasible project as glacial geoengineering can be used to slow warm streams, prevent shelves from moving, and reduce the amount of water below ice sheets (Moore, 19, p. 304). Thus, numerous strategies are worth considering for combating the ocean level rise
Unfortunately, the measures described above are only suitable for high-income countries, which can invest in long-term projects and afford expensive defensive techniques. Even land raising, while considered economically viable, may protect small island countries from flooding, so Madagascar, for example, will not benefit from the strategy (Brown, 18). Consequently, while facing the threat, low-income states have no choice but to rely on investments, and whether they will be distributed fairly is questionable. Thus, a complex strategy should address the following points: greenhouse gas emissions, infrastructure, and barebones anti-flooding techniques. As explored previously, most African states are vulnerable to flooding and responsible for climate change. Therefore, they will have to build protective constructions and reduce industrial waste while improving the overall infrastructure. An individual approach is necessary, as each low-income country has unique circumstances and different sets of issues to address. The desired outcome is financial independence for such states, which will allow them to protect themselves against the ocean level rise unconditionally, meaning that they should not be in debt after saving lives. The desired international support is mindful of local features and has a country’s best interests at heart.
Conclusion
The two threats discussed in the paper, the ocean level rise and poor countries remaining poor, are particularly dangerous for the global community. The first one will immediately affect coastline countries, which constitute the majority, and cause chaos among the rest, not to mention the environmental damage. The second issue will involve other states due to potential armed conflicts and natural degradation. Moreover, both are inherently connected because low-income countries will be the first to suffer the consequences of the ocean level rise, leading to many victims if nothing is done. Some may study the global poverty chart and notice that it is on the decline, choosing to ignore the threat. However, the African states will remain in a uniquely perilous condition that should be addressed before the worst predictions become a reality. The suggested strategies are not ultimately, but they consider the immediate needs of poor countries, which deserve to be fulfilled promptly.
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