Final answer:
To reduce world poverty, strategies involving equitable resource distribution are key, intersecting closely with environmental science. In global discussions, low-income countries contend that they face different challenges in environmental clean-up, often citing historical and financial inequities. A balance is needed to avoid a 'race to the bottom' while enhancing environmental standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
Strategies for reducing world poverty are inherently linked to environmental science because environmental degradation disproportionately affects the poorest communities. Strategies include using technology to improve resource utilization, changing behaviors to minimize consumption and population growth, and redistributing resources fairly. Of these options, distributing resources more equitably would address both poverty and environmental issues by ensuring that all have access to the means for sustainable living.
When discussing global environmental clean-up, low-income countries often argue that they should not bear the same burden as wealthier nations for several reasons, including their limited role in causing historical pollution and their lesser capacity to invest in expensive clean technologies. There is a risk of a "race to the bottom" scenario, where countries might lower environmental standards to attract investment, leading to poorer global environmental outcomes. Hence, it is crucial to frame global environmental policies in a way that acknowledges the need for improved environmental standards in low-income countries without exacerbating their poverty.