Historical Human Caused Environmental Disasters
When thinking about environmental disasters, we typically think of the effects of the whims of Mother Nature from Tsunamis to Tornadoes to Hurricanes that devastate communities for decades in rebuilding. However, many more environmental disasters that came out of human accidents have caused deeper devastation for generations from toxins, radioactive material, oil, and the climate change that affects suburban towns to large islands because of increasing the probability of inclement weather. In 2020, it's irresponsible to think that the amount and intensity of wildfires, droughts, tropical storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, dust bowls, tsunamis, and the like are separate from the effects that humans have on their environment and the ensuing climate change that is eradicating the habitable parts of planet Earth. Below are just some of the many manmade environmental disasters that have been especially pronounced after the World War II and the advent of the Nuclear Revolution with the increased amount of technologies and the rapid increase in environmental pollutants.
*Click on pictures for more description on the event
Montreal and Kyoto Protocols
Despite most of the web pages focusing on the issues and events happening in the United States, the environmental crisis we are experiencing is global. On the International Relations level, the liberal policies implemented in institutions such as the UN are necessary to create the norms and ideas that determine the actions that nations are expected to take to halt climate change. The United States and its people are not a separate entity from the environment, but rather are part of the fabric of the environment as is the other 7 billion people on the planet. We all have a responsibility to the planet so the agreements that nations come to terms to to help quell the climate crisis are one of the main if not the largest stepping stone for any change to occur.
MOntreal ProtocolThe Montreal Protocol (1987) is the only multilateral agreement that every country on Earth has agreed to. The agreement set stipulations on Ozone Depleting Chemicals most widely used CFCs. The ozone layer protects Earth from the intensity of Ultraviolet rays of the sun. The Montreal Protocol is championed as an incredibly successful worldwide collaboration to better the world's environment and an example of global institutions setting norms and regulations for all countries to follow.
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Kytoto ProtocolThe Kyoto Protocol (1997) has not been so successful. Its goal was for countries to diminish their greenhouse gas emissions as they contribute to the rising levels of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere and the ensuing climate change that is devastating the environment as we know it. However, the abatement targets are set at very individual levels since industrialized countries such as the US and China are the main producers of Green House Gas Emissions. The protocol has been largely unsuccessful as many countries have put their short term economics over the costs of abating. (UNFCCC)
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Coronavirus
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Around the world, the explicitly seen increase in air quality due to the state mandated quarantines was very apparent. News coverage was everywhere on how the lack of human movement with the virus has once again brought out the chirping birds and reduced the industrial smog in areas like LA and Beijing. However, with the recent reopening of nations, levels of pollution are back where they were and rising even more. The problem with viewing the lack of human movement as the reason that pollution was down is problematic because we view humans and their function as mutually exclusive with a clean environment. Humans are part of the fabric of nature and can take steps to reducing their global carbon footprint. Coronavirus however has exposed even more wasteful tendencies and countries have been very slow to deal with the evolving and rapid increases in their own GHG emissions. The article to the right from National Geographic delves deeper into the issue and is worth an investigative read.
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"Workers in Kyiv, Ukraine, dispose of used medical masks and gloves by burning them in an incinerator" Credit: VOLODYMYR TARASOV, UKRINFORM/BARCROFT MEDI/GETTY IMAGES/ NatGeo
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