GLOBALIZATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – THE NEED FOR STRONGER INTEGRATION AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA

The rapid expansion of economic integration (an important driver of globalization) led to the need of synchronizing national level policies on a variety of issues. One of the areas that require coordination is our fragile surrounding environment. This paper argues that central to this initiative is the need for international cooperation. The study is mainly based on theo-retical and conceptual arguments which explore the multifaceted relationship between globalization and sustainable development (the core objective of the paper). We will firstly demonstrate the ways in which globalization affects the environment, then debate upon the encountered challenges (relying mainly on the need for cooperation) and finally discuss and recommend collective global action as a solution to maximize the opportunities globalization posits to sustainable development. The authors will also rely on practical examples and data to offer consistency to the debate.globalization; sustainable development; integration; inter-national cooperation; environment