changing perceptions

A belief exists that there is an injustice in that poorer countries because they feel the costs of pollution and they don’t have the financial resources to combat those issues. It is shown in the first reading that poorer developing world countries can reduce pollution with help from government aid but also a lot of it from them which shows strength. Countries like the United States, Western European nations and Japan have all made significant strides in reducing the carbons emissions from their nations; nations in Eastern Europe and places such as India haven’t been able to do so. This is because they don’t have the money, and resources to organize environmental efforts. An example of that would be the lack of emissions standards that allow big corporations to pollute; there were no emission standards in India when the Bhopal disaster occurred. Developing nations are in some ways puppets to larger corporations because they are what employs people and driving the industrialized economy’s; saying no to them would be like cutting an umbilical cord. Some nations have used ways to reduce pollution without spending a lot of money. In Mexico City, the President of Mexico ordered to shut down oil refineries on the outskirts of the city. Driving will be restricted on certain days; this method is innovative in that it requires little capital to implement it. Another city in a developing country is Cubatao in Brazil, which reduced its total emissions by close to 3/4ths in 5 years. This shows that developing countries can help reduce pollution and even though they are receiving help, a lot of it is from them, and that shows they have some legs to stand on. With collaboration from developed nations and strong leadership, it is possible to change the negative effects of pollution in developing countries.