Are MNC at the heart of Environmental problems in Global south
Multi-national Corporations: Are they at the heart of many Environmental problems facing the Global South? ... However, it is unfair to say that only multinational corporations (hereafter referred to as MNCs) are the cause of environmental problems in the world. ... Sustainable development is a hot topic today in politics, law and environmental agencies. ... But in reality, what may seem like an immediate solution for a developing country to enter into the economic market, in the long term, can cause many environmental and socio economic problems. ... Most of Nigeria’s oil is found along the coastline of the Niger delta, which is a massive environmental issue as there is real concern of marine pollution from “spillage and blowouts”5. ... 6 This has serious implications to the standards of environmental codes of practice these companies employ, and to the standard of drinking and useable water for the people in the area. ... 7 Environmental problems also take place by the dumping of drill cuttings onto the ground which prevent any growth of plants, trees and destroy natural topsoil.8 Not only is there environmental degradation, but also the destruction of natural beauty of the area. Many of these environmental issues, as well as socio economic issues go unnoticed by the “overshadowing”9 of the so called success of the booming oil industry in the area. Governments in Nigeria put more investment into infrastructure to facilitate and attract MNCs; this means that almost no money is spent by the government on environmental protection through legislation or implementing environment agencies such as SEPA in the Scotland. A report released by “Essential action and Global Change” in January 2000 claimed that almost every large multinational oil company working in the Niger Delta, employed “ inadequate environmental standards, public health standards, human rights standards and relations with effected communities”10 Not only is there deep concern for the environmental damage these MNCs are causing in the Niger delta, but another great concern is the conflict between local people and local governments backed by MNCs. The constant sequence of corrupt government in Nigeria with the support and mutual backing from western civilization and the exploration and extraction of oil in the area, has led to extreme poverty and serious environmental degradation within the Niger Delta region. ... This is another account of environmental issues caused indirectly however, by MNCs. As demonstrated in the case of the Niger delta, MNCs can cause direct environmental problems through inadequate practices; however it is the long term, indirect effects of MNCs that also cause great concern for the future of the environment. Our world’s climate for example is under constant scrutiny with the ever increasing evidence pointing towards global warming. Some evidence suggests that MNCs generate 50% of the greenhouse gases causing global warming, which isn’t surprising when MNCs used to be the main producers in the world for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).