Key Concept

• High-income countries (HICs) tend to shift polluting industries to developing countries (lower-income nations and newly industrialized countries), which often results in significant pollution and health impacts.

• Due to lenient environmental regulations, these developing nations are more vulnerable to pollution. This allows wealthier nations to effectively 'export' their pollution.

Real-world example: The disastrous Bhopal gas leak in 1984 by the American-owned Union Carbide company. This incident in India resulted in thousands of deaths due to the release of toxic gas from its pesticide plant.

Key Concept

• "Agro-industrialization" refers to large-scale, intensive, high-input, high-output farming driven by advancements in technology, communications, and the need for cheap food.

• Agro-industrialization has increased food production but has also caused environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution, land erosion, and loss of biodiversity.

Real-world example: After World War II, farmers were encouraged to intensify production and adopt labour-saving technologies. This shift has had significant environmental impacts.

Key Concept

• Intensive farming methods, which are favored for the production of large, uniform batches of produce, involve the heavy use of synthetic chemicals and practices that degrade land and impact animal welfare.

• These farming methods contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

Real-world example: In the UK, the environmental cost of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from farming is estimated to exceed £1.1 billion annually.

Key Concept

• The global food industry heavily relies on transportation, making food supplies vulnerable, inefficient, and unsustainable.

• To be transported long distances, food must be processed, packaged, or chemically preserved, adding to the environmental impact.

Real-world example: Transporting blueberries from New Zealand to the UK generates carbon emissions equivalent to boiling a kettle 268 times!