It is hard to believe but the global economic recession might have a slight silver lining, at least from the point of view of the environment. The economic collapse has wreaked havoc on the lives of thousands. And like other global disasters, the reach of this one also has been wide. Not only the developing world but also the advanced nations are reeling under this crisis.
In the face of the doom and misery spread by the worldwide financial downturn, it seems contrarian to claim any benefit from this event. But the economic collapse has led to a decrease in consumer spending, which in turn has decreased the production of various goods. As consumers refuse to partake in any shopping, industries around the world have had to cut down on their production schedules. As a result, the greenhouse gas emissions of these industries have fallen. For the first time in many years, industrial regions are showing a negative growth in greenhouse gas emissions. This is a direct fallout of the economic recession.
The recession however is not the solution to climate change. Countries and especially developed nations need to continue funding research in low-carbon technologies and encouraging and investing clean technologies. Moreover, the poorer countries of the world still require monetary support in order to move away from a fossil fuel based economy to a more eco-friendly ones. The onus still remains on the richer nations to support the developing world in finding solutions to fight global change especially as these nations are likely to be the most adversely affected from the effects of climate change.
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