By: Zinah Alrubaye 12GA
Research Proposal
What is the Impact of Globalization on the Environment?
Introduction:
“Globalization will make our societies more creative and prosperous, but also more vulnerable” Lord Robertson. Globalization, as we all may know, is defined as a method by which companies
or other organizations expand their activities or gain influence globally. Its gain in momentum
was caused by worldwide communications being made easier by technical improvements,
socioeconomic, political, and environmental changes. Globalization has greatly influenced our
way of life by improving communication, expanding access to technology, and encouraging
creativity. Not only so, but it has initiated a new era of economic prosperity, opened up huge
development channels, and played a critical role in bringing people from all cultures together.
However, globalization has led to a variety of problems, the most notable of which being its
harmful impact on the environment. This research aims to explore the negative effects that
globalization has on the environment and its climate, which is important in order to raise
awareness on this matter and allow us to more easily propose solutions to combat such issues.
Literature Review:
One of the fundamental effects of globalization is that it exposes firms to new areas where they
may sell their products and obtain labor, raw materials, and components. As a result , finished
products are transported farther than ever before—potentially halfway around the world. Such
increased transport of goods correlates to an increase in gas emissions, as more fuel is used and
more greenhouse gas emissions are generated the further a product travels. According to research
done by “The International Transport Forum”, they predict that by 2050, transportation-related
CO2 emissions will rise by 16% (Oecd et al., 2021). Their research has demonstrated that these
emissions have a considerable negative influence on biodiversity in addition to contributing to
global pollution, climate change, and ocean acidification. Not only so, but global biodiversity is
being decreased as a result of rising greenhouse gas emissions, ocean acidification, deforestation
(and other types of habitat loss or destruction), climate change, and the introduction of invasive
species, all by which occur as a result of globalization. According to research performed by the
“World Wildlife Fund”, their most recent “Living Planet Report” illustrates that the population
sizes of all living things, including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles, have
plummeted by 68 percent since 1970 as a result of globalization (The 2022 Living Planet Report,
2022). Their results have also shown disproportionate levels of biodiversity loss in Latin
America and Africa, two fast expanding regions that are significant for international commerce,
particularly among fish, reptiles, and amphibians that are sensitive to the environment. With such
previous research performed on the effects of globalization, it can be clearly seen how the
environment has been harmed as a result. Although such results are important, more research
By: Zinah Alrubaye 12GA
needs to be performed to gain a larger understanding of how globalization has affected other
sectors of the environment, including its weather, climate, frequency of natural disasters, etc.
Research Question and Hypothesis:
This research aims to explore the negative impacts of globalization on the environment,
specifically regarding the climate. With that, it also aims to understand the ways in which it has
done so.
Objectives:
The advantages of this research are that by identifying the negative effects of globalization on the
environment’s weather and climate, we can target them and try to decrease them while still
hoping to maximize the advantages of globalization. In other words, by evaluating these
consequences, we can preserve the positive effects of globalization while reducing the harm to
the environment.
Methodology:
The primary technique that will be utilized in this study will involve reviewing prior studies to
determine if globalization has an effect on the environment’s climate or not. If it does, the study
will then focus on the ways in which it does so.
References:
Oecd, OECD., & International Transport Forum. (2021). ITF Transport Outlook 2021. OECD.
Stobierski, T. (2021, April 15). Effects of Globalization on the Environment. Business Insights
Blog. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/globalization-effects-on-environment
The 2022 Living Planet Report. (2022). WWF. https://livingplanet.panda.org/en-US/
Zhang, L. (2022a). Globalization, Green Economy and Environmental Challenges: State of the
Art Review for Practical Implications. Frontiers.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.870271/full
Zhang, L. (2022b). Globalization, Green Economy and Environmental Challenges: State of the
Art Review for Practical Implications. Frontiers.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.870271/full