9781422281246

jobs in developed countries , such as the United States and Canada, as corporations seek cheap labor in developing nations. A global economy also increases the likelihood that when a single nation experiences economic difficulties economies around the world suffer. Globalization can have a major impact on the environ- ment as well. As polluting industries grow, the demand for natural resources increases. Large corporations often take advantage of weak environmental regulations in developing nations that have abundant and much-needed natural resources. So the worldwide demand for natural resources is growing at an unprecedented rate, prompting concerns about depletion of these resources. In addition to worsening air pollution, as seen in China and elsewhere, another environmental issue is the global economy’s potential impact on sensitive ecosystems and bio- diversity , that is, the variety of life on the planet. Biodiversity is fundamental to human life. As an example, in 2006 beekeepers and scientists began to notice that the bee population was dying off at an alarming rate, which proved to be a long-term situation. In the United States, 30 percent of the overall bee population has disappeared and almost a third of all bee colonies have perished. In 2014, it was reported that 58 percent of the bee colonies in the province of Ontario, Canada did not survive the winter. Although extremely cold weather was one factor cited in the bees’ die-off, poisoning from pesticides was also named as a likely culprit. Beyond the production of honey, a favorite of humans

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The Global Economy and the Environment