It is argued that governments should enforce the responsibility on the population to protect their surrounding environment. This essay partially agrees with the statement. While this would be more cost-effective and encourage community engagement to adopt customized eco-friendly practices, I believe official measures are needed to address more complex environmental issues.
It is clear that encouraging individuals to take ownership of their living areas would foster a sense of community pride and lead them to develop solutions to tackle specific environmental problems in their surroundings. For example, in coastal areas, community collaborative efforts are required to collect waste off the shore, eliminating the need for governmental intervention for cleanup projects. In addition, this approach could raise public awareness of the importance of environmental conservation, resulting in long-term cultural shifts toward sustainability. All of these consequently would reduce the economic burden on public finance, which authorities could invest in other development programs instead of resolving such problems that can be done by public-driven endeavors.
On the other hand, governments must take accountability to combat some environmental issues that locals cannot afford due to the lack of budget and knowledge. For instance, air pollution does not only result from individuals’ daily activities like driving private cars but mostly from industry. Therefore, strict regulations and green schemes must be implemented on a broader level to lessen pollution from the manufacturing processes, such as sustainable waste management or monitoring carbon emissions. Furthermore, poaching and illegal logging significantly contribute to deforestation and biodiversity loss in natural areas, which dwellers lack the power to cope with. Such occasions demand authorities to take preventive actions to curb these activities by punishing delinquents and preventing any further damage.
In conclusion, although grassroots movements are necessary to preserve the local environment effectively, I think governments should also be accountable in more complicated situations.