Western imperialism left a legacy of imbalance in the use of the world's resources. Poorer nations, pressed by rapid population growth and the desire to develop, and lacking sufficient management or technical skills, usually rejected calls from the wealthy countries to put the environment first.
西方殖民時期以來造成南、北半球國家資源使用不公，使得相對弱勢下的貧窮國家，因為缺乏管理與技術，無法有效利用資源，加上人口增加與緊迫的開發壓力，在歐美保育聲音頻頻催促下，不平與反彈聲音四起。