The world history of pollution

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The world history of the environment

Workers face high costs from emissions cuts-unions

Introduction to news item by Kim Scipes, 12 December 1997. A number of major trade union organizations in the so-called advanced capitalist countries feel that global efforts to curtail greenhouse gas emissions could cost millions of jobs. The issue should not be couched in terms of either/or.

Entire world polluted, Canadian scientists report

By Jeffrey Jones, Reuters, [14 October 1998]. Pesticides and other toxic chemicals used in agriculture and industry are polluting every place on Earth. Organochlorine compounds travel through the atmosphere from where they were used and fall onto mountains with rain and snow as the air became cooler.

Lead Poisons Crumbling Third World Cities

By Frederick Noronha, ENS, 18 January 1999. Experts from around the world are to meet in Bangalore in early February to study one of the world’s most widespread environmental pollutants affecting two-thirds of the world’s children in urban environments—lead.

No teeth for laws against cross-border dumping

Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, The Star Online (Malaysia), Wednesday 25 Feburary 1998. The convention not effective enough in curbing illegal toxic-waste trafficking or tackling government-approved export dealings.

Europe Demands Clean Computers

By Louise Knapp, 5 May 1999. A storm is brewing between environmental groups and the electronics industry over a proposed European Commission directive requiring the phase-out of toxic materials used in electronics manufacturing.

UNCTAD promotes toxic waste dumping in Asia

From James Williams, Greenpace, 11 February 2000. UNCTAD has a professed mission to assist less industrialized countries to progress sustainably, but promotes hazardous waste dumping to Asia and to other less industrialized regions by encouraging them to open boarders to toxic exports from rich countries.