As you can see, it's the economic powerhouses and industrialized countries that are the biggest emitters of pollution. Since the map's creation, areas such as China, Turkey, India and Latin America have only continued to grow. This growth, though it might've improved economic production, has put more pressure on the environment. Now imagine if Africa were to join global economy and pull itself out of poverty, the ecological impacts would be detrimental, and perhaps, futile. Though this is yet to happen, our ecological situation is already unsustainable as is. As the Human race grows in numbers and in productivity, our earth unfortunately doesn't. Realizing this, we ask the question: What should be done? It seems that we must choose between rapid economic development or slowing (with the possibility of halting) progress in favor of preserving our earth.
Yet looking at the issue further, we come to realize there is no need to choose between the two. Instead, we need to preach and practice moderation and sustainability. Only through moderate and controlled growth will we be able to enjoy a clean environment alongside a thriving economy. China is one of the largest polluters because it, like the U.S. did in the early 19th century (except with 1 billion people, yikes!), is going through industrialization and is not exactly concerned with efficiency of production and the pollution it emits; however, an effort is being made. After feeling the harmful effects of pollution in its own country, it has chosen to plan its economic growth and make a better effort to monitor pollution. It's simple: the more efforts that are made by all of the countries of the world to monitor growth and production, the better our chances for survival in the future.
As for the more developed countries such as the US, its our responsibility to research and implement new greener forms of technology. Though the transition to becoming more green might at first hurt economic progress, as the interview explains, it eventually will pay off in the long run and perhaps end up benefiting the economy in the end. The unfortunate thing about the situation is many countries reluctance to make an effort. Until they are effecting directly by ecological deterioration, not enough will be done in order to prevent the destruction of our environment. And unless the world can come together and all agree that preserving the earth on which they live is important enough to act, our doom seems imminent.
