| Environmental Sustainability Writing Exercises |
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| Student Handouts > World History > Modern Global Issues> Modern Global Issues Worksheets |
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Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences.
1. Describe the struggle by societies to balance economic development with protection of the environment. Societies around the world face the challenge of promoting economic development while protecting the environment. Industrial growth, urbanization, and resource extraction often lead to pollution, deforestation, and climate change. At the same time, environmental regulations can slow economic progress or increase costs. The struggle lies in finding sustainable solutions—like green energy, responsible farming, and conservation—that support both prosperity and long-term ecological health for future generations. 2. Why might developing nations resent the pollution controls urged on them by developed nations? Developing nations often resent pollution controls urged by developed countries because these demands can seem hypocritical—wealthy nations industrialized without restrictions, causing much of today's climate crisis, yet now limit poorer nations' growth. Strict environmental regulations may slow economic development, perpetuate inequality, and ignore historical responsibility. Many argue developed nations should provide greater financial and technological support to offset these burdens, rather than imposing one-size-fits-all rules that disadvantage emerging economies. 3. Explain how and why the developed world puts a strain on the world's resources. The developed world strains global resources through excessive consumption, industrial production, and high-carbon lifestyles. With only 16% of the population, high-income countries account for 74% of global GDP and disproportionately consume energy, water, and raw materials. Their reliance on fossil fuels, meat-heavy diets, and disposable consumer goods drives deforestation, pollution, and climate change. This overconsumption—coupled with outsourcing resource-intensive production to developing nations—creates ecological debts that threaten planetary boundaries and exacerbate global inequality. Click here to print this sheet of short-answer essay questions (PDF file). Answers will vary. |
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| Student Handouts > World History > Modern Global Issues> Modern Global Issues Worksheets |
