Environmental Degradation Linked to Trade and Transport
- Imagine standing on a pristine beach, only to find it littered with plastic waste and oil slicks.
- Or consider a bustling city where smog chokes the air, fueled by emissions from global trade and transport.
- These are stark reminders of the environmental costs (externalities) of our interconnected world.
Externalities: Unintended Consequences Caused Indirectly
- Externalities are unintended consequences experienced by unrelated third parties, community/society or the environment.
- Externalities can be both positive or negative, but in case of environmental externalities of global interactions they tend to be exclusively negative.
- Depending on the type of externality, some can just have local impacts on the surrounding communities and places whereas others can have much bigger impacts covering whole countries or even the globe.
Localized Pollution: A Hidden Cost of Global Trade
Oil Spills: Catastrophic and Long-Lasting
- Oil spills are one of the most visible and devastating forms of pollution linked to trade.
- They occur when oil is accidentally released on land or into the ocean during extraction or transportation.
British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010)
- In 2010, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, releasing nearly 5 million barrels of oil. It was the largest accidental oil spill in history.
The spill caused:
- Marine Damage: Destruction of habitats for fish, birds, and marine mammals.
- Economic Losses: Billions of dollars lost in tourism and fishing industries, as well as over 65 Billion paid by BP as governmental fines, civil penalties, and environmental restoration fund.
- Long-Term Effects: Oil residues persist in the ecosystem, affecting reproduction and growth of marine species.
Oil spills can take decades to fully clean up, and their impacts often extend far beyond the immediate area.
Ballast Water Contamination: An Invisible Threat
- Ships use ballast water for stability, but when discharged, it can introduce invasive species and pollutants into new environments.
- This disrupts local ecosystems and threatens biodiversity.
The zebra mussel, introduced to North America through ballast water, has caused millions of dollars in damage by clogging water intake systems.
Emissions from Cargo Ships: A Silent Polluter
- Cargo ships emit significant amounts of $SO_2$, $NO_x$, and particulate matter (PM) contributing to:
- Air Pollution: Harmful to human health, especially in port cities.
- Ocean Acidification: $SO_2$ and $NO_x$ increase the acidity of oceans, harming coral reefs and marine life.
Shipping emissions are often concentrated along major routes and in choke points, such as the Suez Canal or the Strait of Malacca.
Carbon Footprints: The Global Impact of Trade and Transport
Food Miles: The Hidden Cost of Your Meal
- Food miles refer to the distance food travels from production to consumption.
