Kyoto, 19 Feb. High biodiversity – a blessing or a curse?
If you look carefully at a map of the world, you won’t fail to notice that the tropical belt around the equator, which have unrivalled biodiversity, is also the poverty belt. Exceptionally high biodiversity is synonymous with poverty.
What an irony. Extremely high biodiversity, hence abundant food year round and rich in resources, equal to underdeveloped status and high incidence of poverty. Many of the world’s killer diseases also originate from this green belt.
All the developed countries are temperate countries. With 4 seasons, one of which is bitterly cold. If you do not plan carefully for the winter, you could easily perish. In fact, in the old days, you would surely perish if you are not ready for the winter. All the great civilizations of history are in harsh climate.
The tropics. Not even one tropical country is developed (except city states such as Singapore which do not depend on bioresources).
Why are tropical countries underdeveloped? I can offer three possible explanations currently:
1. The sun energy is highest at the tropical belt, giving rise to the exceptionally high biodiversity. Hence, foods are plentiful year round. The lack of pressure to look for and stash food result in lower productivity, lower initiatives, which in turn translate to ‘underdeveloped’;
2. The warm (sometimes hot and humid) condition of the tropics is not ideal. People of such climate are lulled into sleepy stupor. Ever felt that way going from an air-conditioned conference hall then out in the full blast of the sun when in the tropics? Or from a warmed room into the full blast of winter outside when in a temperate part of world? Thinking is sharper when in the cold. When warm and cozy, maybe the brain is lulled into sleepy stupor;
3. The harsh climate of the temperate regions, which change four times a year keep its inhabitants always planning ahead to survive and make the most of the winter, spring, summer and autumn. Life keeps changing. People must adapt and keep looking for new ways to be one step ahead of the elements. In contrast, life is timeless in the tropical regions – it is hot, humid and green all year round.
What do you think?
