It is often argued that politicians have a greater responsibility in addressing global environmental issues than individuals. In my opinion, I partly agree with this view that the role of politicians in such problems is important but individuals still play an indispensable part in environmental protection.
On the one hand, there are two main reasons why politicians are primarily responsible for the prevention of worldwide environmental problems. Firstly, the governing bodies have power to create and enforce laws such as banning plastic products and imposing carbon taxes. In turn, they can promote sustainable practices and raise the awareness of each citizen. For example, in Japan, since the government enacted the regulation of extra charges for the use of plastic bags in supermarkets, Japanese have mostly switched to using cloth bags when shopping for groceries. Another reason is that serious global issues such as climate change, deforestation and ocean pollution require political actions, which individuals alone can not solve. In fact, the governments have international influence and resources to implement policies on a large scale and invest in conservation projects.
On the other hand, the collective effort of each individual still makes a great contribution to environmental protection. To begin with, personal actions such as recycling, planting trees or using public transportation can make a big change to the surrounding environment. If millions of people join forces to adopt more such sustainable habits, difficulties in dealing with environmental degradation will be reduced. In addition, the public has a significant influence on governments and corporations. By choosing sustainable products and supporting green policies, individuals can drive governmental actions and push the businesses towards sustainability.
In conclusion, I reaffirm that while politicians have a major role in tackling global environmental problems, public contributions are also essential. The collaboration between governments and the individuals is crucial for a long-term environmental solution.