Thought Cards Economic Development Economic Development should enjoy higher priority than should advance with Environment Protection Environment Protection Thought Card 1 Thought Card 2 Taking care of millions of people who are We have already wasted and destroyed vast starving is more important than saving natural amounts of natural resources, and in so doing resources, most of are renewable have put earth at risk. We must preserve the anyway. We cannot expect developing nations earth for our children and grandchildren. In to share the green concerns of developed any case, poverty and environmental damage countries when they are faced with dire are often linked. Destroying the rainforest poverty and a constant battle for survival. gives native peoples nowhere to go except urban slums. Polluted water can lead to crop failures. Climate change will turn fertile fields into desert and flood coastal areas where hundreds of millions live. Developing countries have to choose sustainable development if they want a future for their people. Thought Card 3 Thought Card 4 The industrialized emphasis on green No one to stop economic progress that issues holds back developing countries. could give millions better lives. But we must Because this is seen as interference in their insist on sustainable development that affairs, it also contributes to a greater division combines environmental care, social justice between the First and Third worlds. Many also and economic growth. *The Earth cannot believe it is a deliberate attempt to stop support unrestricted growth. Companies in possible economic competitors. After all, the developed countries already have higher costs USA and EU already put high tariffs (import of production because of rules to protect the taxes) on products made cheaply in environment. It is unfair if they then see their developing countries (e.g. canned tomatoes, prices undercut by goods produced cheaply in shoes) which could be sold in America or developing countries at the cost of great Europe. By limiting the development of pollution. profitable but polluting industries like steel or oil refineries we are forcing nations to remain economically backward. Thought Card 5 Thought Card 6 Economic development is vital for meeting the Unchecked population growth has a negative basic needs of the growing populations of impact on any nation, as well as on the whole developing countries. If we do not allow them planet. Both the poverty and the to industrialize, these nations will have to environmental problems of sub-Saharan Africa
Thought Cards Economic Development should enjoy higher priority than Environment Protection Economic Development should advance with Environment Protection Thought Card 1 Taking care of millions of people who are starving is more important than saving natural resources, most of are renewable anyway. We cannot expect developing nations to share the green concerns of developed countries when they are faced with dire poverty and a constant battle for survival. Thought Card 2 We have already wasted and destroyed vast amounts of natural resources, and in so doing have put earth at risk. We must preserve the earth for our children and grandchildren. In any case, poverty and environmental damage are often linked. Destroying the rainforest gives native peoples nowhere to go except urban slums. Polluted water can lead to crop failures. Climate change will turn fertile fields into desert and flood coastal areas where hundreds of millions live. Developing countries have to choose sustainable development if they want a future for their people. Thought Card 3 The industrialized emphasis on green issues holds back developing countries. Because this is seen as interference in their affairs, it also contributes to a greater division between the First and Third worlds. Many also believe it is a deliberate attempt to stop possible economic competitors. After all, the USA and EU already put high tariffs (import taxes) on products made cheaply in developing countries (e.g. canned tomatoes, shoes) which could be sold in America or Europe. By limiting the development of profitable but polluting industries like steel or oil refineries we are forcing nations to remain economically backward. Thought Card 4 No one to stop economic progress that could give millions better lives. But we must insist on sustainable development that combines environmental care, social justice and economic growth. *The Earth cannot support unrestricted growth. Companies in developed countries already have higher costs of production because of rules to protect the environment. It is unfair if they then see their prices undercut by goods produced cheaply in developing countries at the cost of great pollution. Thought Card 5 Economic development is vital for meeting the basic needs of the growing populations of developing countries. If we do not allow them to industrialize, these nations will have to Thought Card 6 Unchecked population growth has a negative impact on any nation, as well as on the whole planet. Both the poverty and the environmental problems of sub-Saharan Africa
20160722_EE4_ENG_NP.docx