This economic specialization often boosts productivity and efficiency. One oft-overlooked side effect of globalization is that it allows nations and geographical regions to focus on their economic strengths, content in knowing they can turn to trading partners for goods they don’t produce themselves. Invasive species: Every shipping container and vessel presents an opportunity for a living organism-from plants to animals to fungus-to hitch a ride to a new location where it can become invasive and grow without checks and balances that might be present in its natural environment.The more ships that travel by sea, the greater the chances for major oil spills or leaks that damage the delicate marine environment. It’s worth noting that approximately 70 percent of all freight is transported by ship, according to a report by the International Transport Forum. The development of such infrastructure can lead to issues including habitat loss and pollution. Habitat destruction: Transportation-especially when land-based-requires infrastructure like roads and bridges.
These emissions contribute to pollution, climate change, and ocean acidification around the world and have been shown to significantly impact biodiversity.