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Collection of tracks for demonstrations
Globalisation and Sustainability
Brought to you by Assemble You.
It's time to work on YOU. So sit back and listen to practical, actionable advice to accelerate your progress.
Globalisation is typically defined “as the increased flow of goods, services, capital, people, and ideas across international boundaries.” This integration of economic, social, and cultural activities has resulted in the greater interconnectedness of people, cultures, and economies worldwide. Some significant benefits are associated with globalisation, such as increased trade, greater living standards and improved technology for some. But this is unfortunately not the full story, as it is also linked to adverse effects on the environment, society, and economic stability.
In this track, we will explore the connection between globalisation and sustainability and the need for global cooperation to combine the two concepts successfully. We will also examine how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can guide us towards a brighter, prosperous, and far more sustainable future.
Globalisation has enabled us to be more connected to one another than ever. The rapid increase in technological advancements and regional integration has led to the formation of advanced economies. Domestic businesses grow into international ones and further contribute to the spread of technologies. Core aspects of globalisation include increased international trade and cooperation. There is also the concept of ‘social globalisation’, meaning the transfer of ideas and information between countries. Our increasingly globalised world also brings about some well-documented negative effects. For instance, it has led to increased income inequality and substandard working conditions in some countries which produce goods for wealthier ones. As National Geographic reports, “The garment industry in Bangladesh, for instance, employs an estimated four million people, but the average worker earns less in a month than a U.S. worker earns in a day. In 2013, a textile factory building collapsed, killing more than 1,100 workers. Critics also suggest that employment opportunities for children in poor countries may increase negative impacts of child labor and lure children of poor families away from school.”
While globalisation can impact society in a mix of ways, its effect on the environment has been predominantly negative. One of the primary drivers of globalisation efforts is the fact that it opens businesses up to new markets in which they can operate, whether they are looking to sell goods or source labour and materials. Often these financial opportunities are seen as just too good to pass up. The upshot is that finished products travel farther than ever - sometimes even halfway around the globe. This transition from local production and consumption to a global scale means that fuel consumption has skyrocketed, resulting in a significantly greater level of greenhouse gas emissions being produced and released into the atmosphere. The studies and reports are conclusive: according to one report by the International Transport Forum, CO2 emissions are set to increase 16% by 2050 at current rates. There are also plenty of studies demonstrating that although sometimes globalisation can occasionally have short-term positive effects on the environment, over the medium to long term, it almost always results in environmental degradation.
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Naturally, for globalisation to succeed, there must be a reliable transportation infrastructure like roads and bridges. However, developing such infrastructure can lead to environmental issues such as pollution and the destruction of habitats. These fears also extend to marine environments, which are often delicate and prone to damage when contaminated. The more ships travelling by sea in our globalised world, the greater the chance for major oil spills or leaks. Plus, every shipping container or vessel presents a golden opportunity for a living organism – a plant, animal, or fungus – to travel to a new location and become an invasive species.
According to the World Wildlife Fund’s recent Living Planet Report published in 2022, the population sizes of all organisms – mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles – have decreased by nearly 70% since 1970. Two regions important to global trade, Latin America and Africa, have seen disproportionate levels of biodiversity loss. The general consensus is that globalisation and the issues it brings with it are the primary contributors to this worrying reduction in biodiversity.
A less spoken-about effect of globalisation is that it allows for ‘economic specialisation’, which tends to boost certain nations' productivity and efficiency. This is because when nations become comfortable in the knowledge that they can turn to specific trading partners for goods they don’t produce, they are free to focus instead on their economic strengths. The downside is that over-specialisation can often be a major threat to forest health and has been implicated in some serious environmental issues such as habitat loss, deforestation, and the overuse of precious natural resources. One of the most egregious examples is illegal deforestation in Brazil due to an increase in the country’s cattle ranching operations, which require significant land for grazing. A recent study found that up to 94% of Brazil’s deforestation and habitat destruction may be due to illegal activity.
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While many of globalisation’s environmental effects have been negative, its increase has resulted in greater environmental awareness worldwide. Enhanced connectivity and higher rates of international travel have made it easier for individuals to observe the devastating effects of deforestation, habitat loss, and climate change on the environment. This has also contributed to new laws, regulations, and processes which aim to limit negative effects.
Despite the fact that we have not yet succeeded in making globalisation a sustainable process, there are still many benefits that society has enjoyed because of it. Most notably, it has facilitated increased global cooperation designed to achieve sustainable development. Sustainable development requires a calculated balance between economic growth, social development, and environmental protection.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were drawn up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly. The SDGs are a collection of seventeen interlinked objectives designed to serve as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future”. They form a framework guiding global cooperation towards a more sustainable future, constituting a roadmap that addresses a list of prominent global issues. Topics covered include poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water, clean energy, decent work, and economic growth.
Achieving the SDGs requires a collective effort from all stakeholders. Governments must create policies and invest in programs that promote sustainable development, while businesses must adopt sustainable practices and integrate the SDGs into their operations. Society more generally plays a crucial role in advocating for change, raising awareness, and holding decision-makers accountable. Individuals can also make a difference by adopting sustainable lifestyles and supporting initiatives that align with the SDGs. The SDGs are not only a vision of a better world but a detailed action plan. They provide a framework for measuring progress and identifying areas where more work is needed.
This week, reflect on how your life has been impacted by globalisation. Think about where you live and work and the resources and information you have access to. Read up on one Sustainable Development Goal and examine how it links to our globalised world.
While globalisation has led to increased trade and higher living standards for some, it has also adversely affected the environment, society, and economic stability. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a roadmap for achieving a sustainable future through global cooperation and action. As individuals, we can make small changes in our daily lives to reduce our environmental impact, such as choosing sustainable products or limiting our energy usage. But ultimately, it is up to governments, businesses, and international organisations to come together and take bold action towards achieving a more sustainable and equitable future for all.