Importance of Tackling Pollution

The human species faces one of the most important challenges in its history: finding viable solutions to reduce air pollution. It must be taken into account that pollution is a reality that affects all kinds of circumstances and realities: human health, climate balance, water quality or the adaptation of animal species and vegetables to their different habitats.

In short, it is a problem that is related to the survival of the planet itself as a whole.

The progress that has been made is not enough

The scientific community has explained what are the foreseeable consequences of contamination. In this sense, the governments of the different countries know what could be done to solve the problems, but despite this, not all the necessary measures are adopted. In other words, it has already been done diagnosis of the disease but the definitive treatment to cure it has not yet been implemented. The international summits in Tokyo and Paris and the denunciation of institutions that defend the environment

They have served to make humanity aware of the problems of pollution. Awareness is an important step but it is not enough.

One of the keys to face the pollution problem is related to the current economic model

The current economy is based on three fundamental pillars: the unlimited exploitation of natural resources, the search for greater benefits at any price and the use of polluting energies.

Natural resources should be exploited with rational and sustainable criteria. This implies that it is not acceptable that the immediate benefit of an economic sector puts the future of the sector itself at risk. This is what happens with fishing, mining or forestry activities that obtain great benefits but end up destroying their source of income.

All business activity seeks the greatest possible benefit

This principle makes sense as long as the "anything goes" rule is not imposed. In other words, you have to generate wealth but without destroying it. This idea is embodied in what is currently called sustainable economy.

We need energy to develop an industrial activity, to cover our needs at home or to move around. Not all energy sources are the same, as some are highly polluting and harmful, while others are clean and do not generate collateral damage.

Images: Fotolia. Yuttagarn17 / Ernest