Question

How does poverty in developing countries affect the environment?

Answer 1

There is substantial variation in this answer that is related to context, but generally speaking, countries with extreme poverty are unable to prioritize environmental protections.

Explanation:

There is substantial variation in this answer that is related to context, but generally speaking, countries with extreme poverty are unable to prioritize environmental protections.

If homelessness, hunger, and unemployment rates are all high, countries often focus on initiatives designed to reduce these rates. The focus is on creating jobs, building affordable housing, feeding everyone, providing access to clean drinking water, and so forth. These are the types of goals that are typically given the highest priority.

This is not to say that the environment will automatically suffer. Environmental protections may remain exactly the same. They can also be weakened or strengthened depending on the context. Decreasing poverty and protecting the environment are not mutually exclusive.

For example, efforts to combat poverty could focus on investing in renewable energy, creating new jobs. Or reducing reliance on international agricultural imports could be a goal, which could mean increasing agricultural efforts within the country, which could lower hunger rates but contribute to habitat destruction. Yet, it is possible to increase agricultural efforts, producing more food and creating jobs, while sustainably caring for the environment. It is all very context-specific.

That said, countries with lower poverty rates tend to be more environmentally friendly. The same is true for countries with long or recent conflicts. You can read more about this issue in Scientific American's article on the top and bottom countries for the environment.

Answer 2

One effect is deforestation.

Explanation:

Many countries that are poor rely on wood as energy for cooking. The cutting down of trees, bushes and other sources of food result in the deforestation of the environment. t

Richer countries have sources of energy for such as natural gas and electricity. Electricity can be produced by solar, hydroelectric and other sources that do not affect the environment.

In Swaziland where I worked as a volunteer most families used wood as the source of energy for cooking and heat. This resulted in the almost complete deforestation of the land.