Final answer:
The causes of environmental degradation include the exploitation of resources like oil and gas, mining, pollution, and intensive agriculture. Globalization and high demands of feeding a large population contribute to habitat destruction. There are ongoing debates about how to address these issues, which also feature concerns from low-income countries in international environmental cleanup discussions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Causes of Environmental Degradation:The content loaded debates over environmental degradation pinpoint several key causes. Among these are the exploitation of natural resources, such as oil and gas extraction, which can lead to oil spills, polluting freshwater supplies and ecosystems. Similarly, mining activities can devastate the land through the extensive removal of earth. Contributing to the degradation are pollution, habitat loss, and ecosystems destruction with insufficient preventative measures.Agriculture, particularly on a global scale, is the primary driver of habitat destruction. The demands of feeding over 7 billion people have put significant pressures on ecosystems. Moreover, globalization has led to a shift in environmental degradation drivers in developing nations, promoting intensive agriculture and industrial activities.
Debates persist regarding the direction for addressing environmental crisis, oscillating between calls for enhanced global environmental protection and critiques of welfare policies that some argue perpetuate poverty. Discussions about inequality and distribution of wealth, as exhibited by movements like Occupy Wall Street, relate indirectly to environmental issues as they affect consumption patterns and hence resource exploitation. Lastly, international discussions on environmental cleanup often involve arguments from low-income countries, who may request support to manage the disproportionate effects of global environmental problems on their economies.