 | Diversity, Globalization, and the Ways of Nature (IDRC, 1995, 234 p.) |
 |  | (introduction...) |
| | Acknowledgments |
| | Foreword |
|  | 1. Introduction |
| | Globalization and the ways of nature |
| | The new globalization processes |
| | 2. Global trends and their effects on the environment |
| | The information revolution |
| | Development of global financial markets |
| | Development of more effective transportation networks |
| | Movement of people |
| | Globalization and the unequal distribution of wealth |
| | International migration |
| | The development of free markets |
| | 3. Planet-wide deterioration |
| | (introduction...) |
| | Our sister planet |
| | The unusual, oxygenated planet |
| | The paradox of ozone |
| | Oceans can be degraded too |
| | The rivers are becoming muddy |
| | Overshooting |
| | 4. Forests under attack |
| | (introduction...) |
| | Deforestation in the 20th century |
| | Rain-forest environments |
| | Temperate forests |
| | 5. Grasslands |
| | Savannas |
| | The temperate grasslands |
| | Modifying grassland ecosystems |
| | Environmental balance in grassland ecosystems |
| | 6. Aquatic ecosystems |
| | Extractive exploitation |
| | The future of fish production |
| | 7. Managing planetary thirst |
| | Some basic facts |
| | Water supply and options |
| | The demand side of the issue |
| | Water issues throughout the world |
| | 8. Protecting air quality |
| | (introduction...) |
| | Air and its principal contaminants |
| | Processes of contamination in industrial and urban areas |
| | Current and future trends |
| | 9. Clean energy for planetary survival |
| | (introduction...) |
| | The industrial revolution |
| | The use of hydroelectricity |
| | The age of petroleum |
| | Nuclear power |
| | The clean options |
| | 10. Africa in the 21st Century: Sunrise or sunset? |
| | (introduction...) |
| | The causes of poverty |
| | Historical causes of the current situation |
| | Wars are environmentally unfriendly |
| | Evolution of environmental management in Africa |
| | Old and new development models |
| | 11. Latin America and the Caribbean: A history of environmental degradation |
| | (introduction...) |
| | Indigenous cultures |
| | The colonial period |
| | Exploitation of natural resources after independence |
| | Effects of globalization on the environment |
| | The maquiladora phenomenon |
| | 12. The urban environmental challenge |
| | The development of modern cities |
| | Large cities in the Third World |
| | The megacities of today |
| | 13. Diversity and human survival |
| | (introduction...) |
| | Documenting diversity |
| | Resources for the future |
| | Diversity of living systems |
| | Causes and effects of the loss of natural diversity |
| | Diversity and culture |
| | Restoring what is lost |
| | Biodiversity and research |
| | 14. Strategies for the future |
| | (introduction...) |
| | Decentralize decision-making |
| | People value their environment |
| | Problems and responsibilities are global |
| | Bibliography |
Large cities in the Third World
Developing countries are experiencing a replay of the industrial experience. The largest Third World cities have welcomed many of the polluting industries that were moving out of developed countries. The large metallurgy factories, automobile-making complexes, chemical industries of various kinds, large tanneries, and many other pillars of the industrial age have begun to sprout up all over the world in Sao Paulo, Seoul, Mexico City, Cairo, Bombay, Manila, Djakarta, and many other metropolises.
Whereas the populations of London and New York, the largest megacities of the past, have stabilized, Third World cities are still growing: Mexico City has 20 million people; Sao Paulo, 18 million; Shanghai, Cairo, Bombay, and Calcutta, 15 million each; Seoul and Buenos Aires, 12 million; Manila, Bangkok, Djakarta, and Rio de Janeiro, 10 million. The list is not complete. According to the old industrial standard, London, Paris, and Frankfurt have fallen behind - but have they? Perhaps, the population of cities only measures their degree of unsustainability. Perhaps, the higher ranking cities are the ones with less time to change direction.
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