Core - Resources Flashcards

Question

Explain one reason why oil consumption per person over the last 20 years has: increased in some middle-income countries.

Answer 1

Growth of wealth of the middle class leads to increased use of/demand for cars . OR industrialisation = factories need powering.

Answer 2

1. Water may become polluted by heavy metals from dump sites. 2. Jobs are created extracting precious metals from electronic components.

Answer 3

Space, flat land, number hours of sunlight.

Answer 4

1. Nuclear power plant accidents could release radiation which can cause considerable damage to wildlife and humans. 2. High construction and decommissioning costs - there may be cheaper alternatives e.g. availabel renewable like solar.

Answer 5

1. Improving sanitation so that clean water is accessible for all. 2. Using sustainable practices e.g. rainwater harvesting / using grey water. 3. Changing diets, such as eating less meat – decrease water used to keep livestock. 4.Desalination plants/purification systems – increase the quality of water available. 5. Increase agricultural efficiency/sustainable agriculture – water-saving irrigation

Answer 6

With improved wealth more industrial growth has occurred increasing China's demand for raw materials with poverty reduction millions of Chinese now have greater spending power and so demand for domestic goods and services increases impacting on resources.

Answer 7

Ecological footprint is a measure of the amount of land and resources an individual, or place consumes in supporting itself. It combines the impact of water use, energy use, land area use and material use . It's often quantified in number of hectares required to support an individual, which can be increased by the world's population to show how many worlds would required support the individual if everyone consumed that amount resources.

Answer 8

1. A growing reliance on fatty foods and fast food has led to rising rates of obesity, not only in developed countries like the USA but also in many middle income countries. This change in lifestyle food leads to a shortage in nutritious food. Prices of convenience food falls and the prices of healthier foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables increases. 2. One impact on the availability of food concerns the growing consumption of meat in middle income countries. Rates of meat consumption have increased in seven fold since 1980 in China. This requires farm conversion to animal feeds such as soya on a massive scale and a loss of production in staple yields such as rice, corn and wheat.

Answer 9

The emergence of the "new global middle class" refers to the many millions of people in the world that have been lifted out of poverty in the last 30-40 years. Regions such as East Asia and South Asia have more than halved their poverty levels. This change has been brought about mainly by rapid economic growth and industrialization. Stable governments have enabled investor confidence leading to FDI. In addition, government investment in education and a greater openness to the global market, especially in China and other South East Asian economies has created a large group of people with increased consumer spending power.

Answer 10

Energy 1: Wind energy is of growing importance to the energy mix of countries wishing to reduce their carbon emissions, which are known cause of climate change. Wind turbines offer some countries such as th UK to capitalize on the natural advantages of wind found at offshore sites and upland regions. Although wind energy can be unreliable if the wind does not blow, it offers great potential, provided the storage of this energy can be improved. Energy 2: Solar cell technology such photovoltaic cells are of increasing importance in the push towards renewables. They are increasingly falling in cost to the point that they are also most as price competitive as conventional fossil energies. In addition there is significant room for further technology innovation in the future where greater efficiencies can be achieved.

Answer 11

In China there is a clear tension between energy security and water security. This is evident China's large scale dam projects in the Mekong. China has several dam project and two megadam projects known as the Mekong Cascade. It has potential to generate 15000 MW of energy. However to maintain its economic growth, its heavily industrialized northern cities also require water. Diversion of water to satisfy this demand is likely to threaten the viability of hydroelectric power from the Mekong Cascade.

Answer 12

Energy production in the Tana Delta in Kenya seems to be threatened by population growth and pressure on land resources. The potential capacity of the 5 dams currently built in the region, which produces half of Kenya's current energy needs is only at 44% capacity. One of the pressures for this is the falling water inputs due to conflicting resource demands. Upstream pressure such as deforestation for farming leads to disruptions to the hydrological cycle and furthermore to water storage and river inputs.

Answer 13

Mekong River flows through 6 Asian countries and is vital source of water for energy, livelihoods and food production. In total there are 11 major hydroelectric dams and 120 tributary damseither constructed or planned for construction. The restriction of water downstream impacts lower Mekong nations, such as Vietnam. At times of El Nino, drought conditions are experienced, the dams exacerbate water security issues. This is leading increased salinization and failure of rice crop yields.

Answer 14

In the Tana Delta in Kenya there are major plans for energy. Two major projects include two dams which provide for more than half of the country's energy needs. A second project is to convert more than 20,000 square hectares over to sugar production for biofuel export. The impacts of this are felt by disappearing rivers and reduced water quality for rural subsistence farmers. In this case national interests for energy exceed the needs of inhabitants of the Delta leading to conflict.

Answer 15

Energy is a vital component of a developed and industrialized economy and therefore it is of huge geopolitical importance. In order to sustainably manage its industrial output and domestic energy demand there is a need for energy security. This way, future economic growth and demand-changes can be foreseen and planned for. Source regions, such as the Middle East are of huge geo-strategic importance to countries like the US and Russia, securing safe production and supply routes is therefore a priority. Domestic production of oil and gas, both fossil fuels, remains a national priority for resource rich countries despite the known impacts they have for climate change. For the USA this has meant huge capital investments into shale gas fracking, which now accounts for about 30% of its energy mix and 94% of it natural gas use, providing it with energy independence. In addition, oil and gas exports for Russia represented 68% of its export revenues in 2013. This economic dependence has led to Russia's militarization of the Arctic beyond that of all other Arctic nations combined. Its influence over energy supplies to Europe is also a geopolitical tool over the region, which provides it with leverage over European policy. Therefore energy security can be seen as a critical factor in many countries' foreign policies.

Answer 16

Food security in Laos is directly effected by water and energy demands along the Mekong. Water can and is often held back behind two hydroelectric mega-dam projects in China. Laos is the least developed downstream nation with 65% living in rural areas and is densely populated in farming communities alongside the fertile banks of the Mekong. However due to unpredictable water releases from China their fields, crops and livelihoods can washed away, causing loss of livelihoods and increasing hunger.

Answer 17

Conflicts of water access in the Tana Delta Kenya threatens the food security of many thousands of people. The government is involved in different schemes such as energy production and cash crops for biofuel export. These require water diversion and irrigation which restricts water levels within the Delta. At times of drought conflicts over water access needed for both pastoral farmers with herds and arable farmers erupts. Scarce water resources are a vital for food security for both conflicting groups in the region.

Answer 18

Some countries such as the UK adopt a reliance on landfill disposal of waste, with limited waste recycled. Land fill can be considered unsustainable as it is part of linear system of disposal rather than circular economy approach that includes recycling, up-cycling and reusing. Landfill is also environmentally damaging both in the physical environment and in terms of polluting local water courses and air quality.

Answer 19

Another example of unsustainable practice concerns the export of ewaste to developing and emerging economies. This export often under label of second hand goods ends up too often as toxic landfill in countries such as Ghana. In addition, people are exposed to toxic gases and water due to the unregulated methods of extracted valuable metals and components from exported ewaste.

Answer 20

Pessimistic -Thomas Malthus first observed in the late 18th century that population growth was outstripping food production growth. He envisaged pessimistic outcomes. One where either the world took extreme measures to control population growth or alternatively we would face what he termed 'positive checks', thing like famine.

Answer 21

Optimistic - Esther Bosrup proved an alternative optimistic perspective, whereby when forced to make changes due to environmental and resources pressures, world governments will find a way. This idea sees necessity as the trigger for technology innovation.

Answer 22

Pessimistic -The Club of Rome, comprised of eminent researchers suggest that we face Malthusian disasters in regard to our current rates of resource consumption. The Club of Rome suggest that population growth, with its resource consumption will outstrip the availability and supply of resources that in turn will lead eventually lead to environmental collapse and economic shocks.

Answer 23

Bjorn Lomborg, who leads the think tank, Environmental Assessment Group and who is climate change skeptic advocates an approach in line with Bosrup. He suggests that we invest in long term research and solution to environmental problems. These ideas are also supported by Julian Simon who suggest resource problems will be solved by price and investment in technology solutions.

Answer 24

One application of the circular economy in the EU can be seen in the organization Bundles. This company works with washing machines and tumble driers. Rather than selling these products they collaborate with Miele to lease them alongside a smart energy monitor that can inform the user on how to save energy use. All repairs and returns this way stay with the manufacturer and so at the end of their lifespan components can be recycled or products can be upcycled allowing for a circular use of resources rather than a linear wasteful use.

Answer 25

A second application of circular economy can be seen in the vertical-farming company Verticrop in Vancouver. They use hydroponic technology to grow vegetables and herbs in greenhouse rooftops, with the aim of producing some 70 tons of leafy vegetables per year. The company targets yields up to 20 times higher than normal (field) production volumes, with fewer resources—only 8% of normal water as well as no strong herbicides or pesticides. The vertical farms are much nearer urban centres, so they promote local sourcing and the supply of fresher food. The shorter transportation distances reduce costs, energy consumption and carbon footprint.

Answer 26

An approach to resource management which views humans as 'caretakers' of the natural world. Indigenous Amazonians are the model caretakers.

Answer 27

*Population growth can be managed with sensible conservation strategies for natural resources. *Good governance is essential for resource stewardship. For example -Carbon capture, improved solar power. *Stewardship approach combines conservation & preservation strategies. It sees humans becoming the ‘caretaker’ of the natural world. *Conservation – efficient & non-wasteful use of natural resources, so we do not deprive our descendants. *Preservation – views nature & wilderness as something bets left apart from human commerce – National Parks & ‘re-wilding’ strategies.

Answer 28

1. Antarctic Treaty - protected from territorial claims & exploitation of resources. Only scientific research allowed. 2. MPAs - Marine Protected areas in the Ocean or National Parks e.g. Yellowstone in USA. 3. US Dept for Agriculture - offer resource stewardship evaluation to farmers - ratings given on soil management, water management, habitats, air..farmers can see where doing well and where need improve. Offer support to make changes. 4. TNCs aligning to SDGs e.g. Inbev Leuven.

Answer 29

The supply of water can have significant impacts on the availability of food as crops will be unable to grow Other possibilities: * Interaction between food and energy - energy essential for various agricultural activities pumping water for irrigation/making fertilizers/food processing/transport OR crops for biofuels sugarcane processed to ethanol

Answer 30

Embedded water use refers to the water used in the production processes of goods and services. Not just general consumption of water Improved technology over time has led to more sustainable methods in industry, using less water in products * Consumer behaviour (could increase or decrease the use). consumption of water intensive products such as meat/dairy/cotton * Environmental concern for water security/water footprinting (decrease) individuals understand the impacts of their water consumption * Rise in meat consumption (increase) westernization of diets * Global trade (increase or decrease) globalization has increased trade in goods with embedded water

Answer 31

Implementing circular economy principles can be expensive and therefore unlikely to be utilised in LICs as much where they may have other priorities/upfront costs are high e.g. machinery/sustainable energy. Other possibilities: * It can be difficult to measure progress and success the level/rate of implementation is not known . * Lack of certain technologies], e.g. for recycling and repurposing materials, may not yet be advanced enough to fully support a circular economy.

Core - Resources Flashcards

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