Word: third world
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...First, they should develop and support local scientific institutions that train professionals in conservation techniques. More money should flow into educational programs that alert people to the irreversible consequences of a loss of genetic diversity. An international, environmental version of the Peace Corps could spread conservation expertise to the Third World...
...reason is not so much the sheer numbers, though 40,000 babies die of starvation each day in Third World countries, but the reckless way in which humanity has treated its planetary host. Like the evil genies that flew from Pandora's box, technological advances have provided the means of upsetting nature's equilibrium, that intricate set of biological, physical and chemical interactions that make up the web of life. Starting at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, smokestacks have disgorged noxious gases into the atmosphere, factories have dumped toxic wastes into rivers and streams, automobiles have guzzled irreplaceable fossil...
Although developed countries waste the most energy, there are plenty of opportunities for conservation in the developing world, where energy-using equipment tends to be older and more inefficient. Third World conservation would not only help slow greenhouse warming but also let countries save money | by reducing dependence on energy imports. If the industrialized countries expect cooperation, though, they should make available at minimal cost the most advanced energy-saving technology, especially for power plants, and help finance the purchase...
Paralleling the U.N.'s efforts, multilateral financial institutions have a crucial role to play. The World Bank, which lends money for Third World development projects, was long criticized by environmental groups for backing large, ecologically unsound programs -- a cattle-raising scheme in Botswana that led to overgrazing, for example. During the past few years, however, the World Bank has been seeking to factor environmental concerns into its programs. One product of this new approach is an environmental action plan for Madagascar. The 20-year plan, which will be drawn up jointly with the World Wide Fund for Nature, aims...
...problem that can, and must, be solved. Third World countries do not have the technical or managerial expertise to deal with the complexities of nuclear power. They will be forced, at least for the foreseeable future, to rely primarily on environmentally harmful fossil fuels. That is going to put pressure on the developed world to produce increasing amounts of cheaper, safer nuclear power...