Discuss the ways that the consumption of resources by MEDCs have environmental, social and economic consequences in LEDCs.

Per person there is an over-consumption of resources in MEDCs and that this does have negative consequences for LEDCs.  The consumption (and exhaustion) of domestic resources or the demand for cheaper alternatives have been blamed for the exploitation of both physical and human resources in LEDCs.  Examples include: the distortion of LEDC internal markets and agrciultural production, resulting in rural poverty; deforestation that is encouraged by the demand for tropical hardwoods, in particular, and the change in land use to agriculture; land degradation following the introduction of agribusiness; pollution associated with mining and deforestation.