Our lifestyles have an impact on the rest of the world. We have a moral duty to help the poorest people in the world as we move towards a new global society. Allowing international inequalities to grow could jeopardise social stability and sustainable development for all of us. 9.2 Poverty and the environment are intimately linked, particularly in developing countries. Attempts to deal with one must address the other.
Poor people are most vulnerable to environmental problems.
They often have no choice but to use natural resources on which their futures depend. They need growth to escape poverty, but this must be based on the sustainable use of environmental resources. Chapter 8 showed how the UK action on global environmental and resource issues is reinforced by specific action to help developing countries. Chapter 6 considered the role of trade in improving the livelihoods of the poor overseas. Many more live in conditions which people in this country would regard as unacceptable.