Jollibe Strategy

DOLIENTE, Monneth M.

BSHM-3

CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CRISES

a. `Too many people'

Accompanying the development of the environmental crisis has been an explosive growth of the world's human population. At the beginning of the 20th century there were 1.6 billion people, by mid-century there were 2.5 billion, in 1987 the world's population passed five billion and by 2000 it will reach six billion. The increase in the past 40 years has equalled the total increase over the four million years from the first appearance of humankind until 1950. According to United Nations projections, the next 40 years (to 2030) will bring a further increase to 10 billion. Of the additional 5 billion, the UN estimates that 4.75 billion — 95 per cent — will be in the world's poorest countries.

Unsurprisingly, many Western ecologists blame the environmental crisis on this rapid growth in world population, which by placing increasing demands on scarce resources is degrading the global ecosystem.

B. `Technological development'

All explanations of the ecological crisis contain some reference to technology. This is understandable as humanity interacts with nature through the technical means of production. But it is wrong to regard technological development as the main enemy of the environment. It is true that many technological processes and new types of production have sharply intensified pollution in the industrialised countries. On the other hand, the same technological progress creates many opportunities to prevent environmental pollution through efficient waste treatment processes and more efficient use of inputs.

b. Nature, humanity and labour

Of course, plants and animals change the natural environment unintentionally while human beings alter it deliberately through labour directed toward the satisfaction of their preconceived needs. Human beings, Karl Marx wrote, only "begin to distinguish themselves from animals as soon as they begin to produce their means of subsistence".95...