Differing Views on the Environment

Abstract

Environmental degradations occurred and are occurring everywhere, although they tend to vary with the economic system, the state of the economy, the geographic area, the climatic conditions, and the growth of the population – to cite just a few relevant factors. Moreover, theperception of environmental problems and theattitude towards the environment seem to depend critically on the state of the economy with consequences for tackling cross-border environmental issues. In this context, this chapter attempts to “take stock” of the environmental situation in various parts of the developed and the developing world. The survey includes the actions, or rather the reactions, regarding a more or less rigorous environmental regulation.In view of differing attitudes towards the environment, the challenges arising from a growing number ofglobal environmental problems still have to be mastered.