FACTORS AMOUNTING TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IN GHANA.

 

 

Environmental pollution is one of the major problems most countries in the world are confronted with. The havoc it wrecks on human health seemed to be unbearable. Environmental pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment and making it harmful to support the survival of living organisms. This perilous phenomenon can be attributed to several factors which includes: industrialization, population growth, and globalization.

A society’s advancement largely depends on how well it is industrialized. An industrialized society creates the avenue for employment and also boosts the gross domestic product of its economy.  However, the blessing that is associated with industrialization also comes along with a corresponding dangers that threatens human health .Industrial activities such as petroleum –based energy generation, set in motion the widespread usage of fossil fuel (oil, gas, coal). The emission of poisonous substances into the atmosphere pollutes the environment and brings human life under threat.

 

 

 

Besides, population growth is another major factor of environmental pollution. The high spiralling of population growth as a result of lack of family planning measures and high fertility rate inflates the demand for goods and services. Actors in the agricultural sector in their bid to feed the growing population, clear lands and indiscriminately cut down trees along river banks. This activity exposes the land and water bodies to the direct heat of the sun leading to environmental degradation. Besides, the indiscriminate disposal of liquid and solid waste substances especially into water bodies, contributes immensely to environmental pollution.

Directly linked to the above, is globalization. Globalization is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments of different nations which is facilitated by information technology. Globalization has become an effective facilitator of environmental degradation .This stems from the fact that most developing countries have flexible environmental laws. The flexibility of environmental laws coupled with the availability of cheap labour induce developed countries to move their facilities to such pollution havens rather than to work in more regulated markets.

In a nut shell, the quality of human health, depends on the quality of the environment in which we live. It therefor necessary to protect it from pollution.

by: Nkansah Noah.