The Green Timberwolf

The Effects Pollution has on Developing Countries

Blogged by: Madison

Photo from: Guardian, The. "Toxic E-Waste." N.p., n.d. Web. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fglobal-development%2F2013%2Fdec%2F14%2Ftoxic-ewaste-illegal-dumping-developing-countries>

The Problem:

Recent studies have shown that twenty percent of the total cause of disease in the developing world is due to environmental pollution. This initially means that as much as one fifth of diseases in the developing world are caused by air pollution.

When this is combined with malnutrition and lack of health care the effects are devastating. The people that are most at risk for this spread of disease are located in South East Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa which are responsible for almost one quarter of the world's population today. This number is too large to be ignored or taken lightly, which is why actions should be taken to train the people living in developing countries to become more educated on the effects of pollution and how to safely remove it. The people living in these countries are unaware of the effects that pollution has until it is unfortunately too late and nothing can be done for them. Lack of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene causes seven percent of death and disease around the world. And unlike developed countries they do not have the education or the health care to deal with these problems and to support the people of their country when the effects of the pollution there turn irreversible. However, the costs of pollution to developing countries are so large, it is a lot to deal with for them such as: destabilized economies, local, political instability, escalating public health costs, lost productivity, damage to

ecosystems, and an enormous amount of problems passed down to future generations. And if these future generations are not properly educated on the effects of pollution and how to stop it from spreading within their country, the problem will not go away.

Basu, Paroma. "Third World Bears Brunt of Global Warming Impacts." Third World Bears Brunt of Global Warming Impacts. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2015. <http://www.news.wisc.edu/11878>.

This map of the world clearly displays that the largest amount of greenhouse

gas emissions come from the Western side of the world, where these developed

countries are somewhat equipped to deal with it. Unlike developing countries who are not. 

Other than lack of education and a stable economy the effects of pollution on developing 

countries is constantly increasing because of the constant rebuilding that they have to do. 

Developing countries have to deal with rebuilding after wars, famines, natural disasters, and 

cleaning up after all of these incidents. So unfortunately protecting the environment and 

cleaning up on pollution is not on the top of the list for developing countries. Although, with the 

guidance of developing countries cleaning up the environment for countries similar to South 

East Asia and Africa. It would be largely more possible and positive for the environment and 

millions of lives not only within developing countries, but around the world.

Works Cited:

"The Hidden Tragedy of Africa's HIV Crisis." New Scientist 195.2612 (2007): 6-9. The Hidden Tragedy. Web.