Fuel consumption has been established as one of the key contributors to rising environmental pollution. Because of this, some people argue that raising energy prices would be an effective way to protect the environment. In this essay, 1 am going to argue that such a policy is futile because it does not address the underlying causes of pollution and other measures are needed.
Advocates of increasing fuel costs may argue that in doing so governments may discourage citizens from using personal vehicles, thereby reducing fuel consumption and making the environment cleaner. Consumers, especially in developing countries, are generally price-conscious, and thus the exorbitant fuel prices may gear them towards cheaper and more eco-friendly modes of transport like walking or mass transit. However, such reasoning is flawed, because car exhausts are only one of the many causes of pollution. Factories' discharge of effluents contaminates water sources, and deforestation is the main culprit behind land degradation. Adjusting energy prices would have little or no impact on these phenomena, and therefore the view that higher costs of fuel can effectively solve global environmental problems should be rejected.
Instead of intervening in the energy market, governments should adopt more viable solutions to curb environmental pollution. First of all, stricter punishments must be administered on individuals and companies who do harm to the environment. Prison sentences may be given to people participating in illegal logging, and factories must be fined for releasing excessive toxic gases into the atmosphere. These steps ought to be carried out in tandem with educating the public about the poor state of the environment. Once people are conscious of the detrimental impacts that they have on the air quality or the water sources, they would be galvanized into action and start to actively protect the environment.
In conclusion, I would contend that a scheme to raise fuel costs may not bring about the desired effect, and therefore other steps to mitigate environmental issues should be considered.
Fuel
consumption has
been established
as one of the key contributors to rising
environmental
pollution
.
Because of this
,
some
people
argue that raising energy prices would be an effective way to protect the
environment
. In this essay, 1 am going to argue that such a policy is futile
because
it does not address the underlying causes of
pollution
and other measures
are needed
.
Advocates of increasing
fuel
costs may argue that in doing
so
governments
may discourage citizens from using personal vehicles, thereby reducing
fuel
consumption and making the
environment
cleaner. Consumers,
especially
in
developing countries
, are
generally
price-conscious, and
thus
the exorbitant
fuel
prices may gear them towards cheaper and more eco-friendly modes of transport like walking or mass transit.
However
, such reasoning
is flawed
,
because
car exhausts are
only
one of the
many
causes of
pollution
. Factories' discharge of effluents contaminates water sources, and deforestation is the main culprit behind land degradation. Adjusting energy prices would have
little
or no impact on these phenomena, and
therefore
the view that higher costs of
fuel
can
effectively
solve global
environmental
problems should
be rejected
.
Instead
of intervening in the energy market,
governments
should adopt more viable solutions to curb
environmental
pollution
.
First of all
, stricter punishments
must
be administered
on individuals and
companies
who do harm to the
environment
. Prison sentences may be
given
to
people
participating in illegal logging, and factories
must
be fined
for releasing excessive toxic gases into the atmosphere. These steps ought to
be carried
out in tandem with educating the public about the poor state of the
environment
. Once
people
are conscious of the detrimental impacts that they have on the air quality or the water sources, they would
be galvanized
into action and
start
to
actively
protect the environment.
In conclusion
, I would contend that a scheme to raise
fuel
costs may not bring about the desired effect, and
therefore
other steps to mitigate
environmental
issues should
be considered
.