Environmental Impacts of Global Flows (DP IB Geography) : Revision Note

Jacque Cartwright

Written by: Jacque Cartwright

Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett

Updated on

Localised Pollution

  • Localised pollution is confined to one particular area and is usually due to specific activities or processes

  • Trade and the transportation of goods between countries have increased due to globalisation

  • This flow of goods has led some countries to experience localised pollution in the form of:

    • Point-source pollution arising from a specific, identifiable origin, such as

      • A manufacturer releases waste into nearby waters or pollutants into the air

    • Non-point source pollution is from scattered or diffused pollution sources, making it challenging to trace to a specific origin

      • For example, runoff from agricultural land sprayed with pesticides

    • Urban centres suffer:

      • Air pollution due to transport congestion and industrial emissions

      • Poor water quality from untreated sewage, industrial discharges, and storm water runoffs in overpopulated cities (particularly developing ones) is common

      • Overpopulated cities, along with high consumption patterns, generate high levels of waste, which are often disposed of unsustainably

Shipping Pollution

  • The shipping industry is an important economic sector that has contributed to more than 80% of global trade throughout history

  • Shipping is the most energy-efficient way to move large volumes of cargo

  • Billions of containers of solid, liquid and dry bulk cargo are moved annually across the world's oceans

  • This improves the economy and availability of food, raw materials, etc. for many countries

  • But the shipping industry accounts for between 2 and 3% of global CO2 emissions and could be as much as 17% by 2050 if left unregulated

Forms of shipping pollution

  • Air pollution

    • Like all forms of transport, ships burn fossil fuels and create air pollution

    • Globally, the shipping industry’s total share of emissions per year is:

      • Greenhouse gases: 2.9%

      • Nitrogen oxides (NOx): 19%

      • Sulphur oxides (SOx): 9%

      • In comparison to Canada's total annual emissions of just 1.5%

  • Noise pollution

    • The large propellers of ships create underwater noise that can travel long distances

    • Marine species that rely on sound for their communication, feeding and orientation can be harmed

    • Continuous on-board noise is harmful to human health

  • Discharge

    • Shipping contributes significantly to global CO2 emissions

      • Although individual ships are an efficient form of transport, the large numbers of vessels operating globally counteract this

    • Accidental oil leaks from tanker accidents

    • Chemical pollution from deliberate discharge of waste into the sea

    • Dumping of waste water and materials into the sea decreases water quality, negatively impacts marine environments

      • Black water contains urine and faeces, and oily bilge water

      • Bilge water is usually treated to meet international regulations for release into the environment; however, not every ship does this

      • Grey water comes from ships’ accommodation areas, including the sink, shower, laundry, and galley

  • Pollution in ports

    • Ships arriving in port may not be able to berth and have to wait at anchor

    • Ships will continue to run engines and generators, emitting pollution into the atmosphere and water and contributing to acidification of coastal waters

  • Invasive species

    • The discharge of water into the oceans can introduce non-native marine species to an area

    • Cargo can carry non-native species and transport them around the world

The impact of global flows

  • The overall effect of pollution is increased along major shipping routes and concentrated locally in ports

  • This has led to concentrated ocean acidification, which has consequences on marine life in general

The Carbon Footprint of Flows

  • A carbon footprint is simply the total amount of greenhouse gases produced by individuals, organisations or countries

  • It is usually measured in terms of the amount of CO2 produced

  • The flow of goods, people and food around the world has implications on the global carbon footprint

Flows of food

  • Modern food systems have long supply chains that bring huge environmental impacts with them

    • The transport of food over long-distances increases fuel consumption and the food's carbon footprint

    • Maintaining perishable items in chilled storage for extended periods consumes significant energy

    • Methods like canning or freeze-drying, although they prolong shelf life, are energy-intensive

    • Mechanised farming, high fertiliser use, and large-scale monocultures increase emissions

    • Farming, especially cattle and rice, contributes large amounts of methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas

Flows of goods

  • From raw materials to finished products, the flow of goods usually spans continents

  • Each stage of the process adds to the carbon footprint

  • The stages are:

    • Manufacturing

      • Factories, particularly heavy industries, produce large amounts of CO2

      • Extracting and processing raw materials, such as metals, contributes to emissions

    • Packaging

      • Plastic is light and durable, but it is a petroleum product with a high carbon footprint

      • Excessive packaging (particularly non-recyclable plastics) end up in landfills, contributing to environmental pollution

    • Transport

      • Transporting goods by air has the largest carbon footprint, followed by road travel, and finally sea travel

      • The longer goods travel, the larger the carbon footprint

Flows of people

  • Globalisation has contributed to the movement of people, either as economic migrants or tourists

  • This movement has increases global CO2 emissions

  • Movement usually involves transport and the greater the distance, the larger the footprint

    • Tourist hotspots suffer a rise in transport emissions

    • Tourists consume more resources, from water to energy, compared to local users

    • Legal migrants have higher carbon footprints than illegal migrants, as they move all their possessions from one place to another, whereas illegal migrants move or own very little

  • Flows of people to urban areas increases the demand on resources and, therefore, the carbon footprint increases

    • Expanding cities need more energy-intensive infrastructure, increasing carbon emissions

    • Densely populated areas strain local resources, which can lead to unsustainable extraction elsewhere

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Jacque Cartwright

Author: Jacque Cartwright

Expertise: Geography Content Creator

Jacque graduated from the Open University with a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography before doing her PGCE with the University of St David’s, Swansea. Teaching is her passion and has taught across a wide range of specifications – GCSE/IGCSE and IB but particularly loves teaching the A-level Geography. For the past 5 years Jacque has been teaching online for international schools, and she knows what is needed to get the top scores on those pesky geography exams.

Bridgette Barrett

Reviewer: Bridgette Barrett

Expertise: Geography Lead

After graduating with a degree in Geography, Bridgette completed a PGCE over 25 years ago. She later gained an MA Learning, Technology and Education from the University of Nottingham focussing on online learning. At a time when the study of geography has never been more important, Bridgette is passionate about creating content which supports students in achieving their potential in geography and builds their confidence.

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