Superpowers 9

Question 1

What is expected to happen to the number of affluent or middle class people in the future?

Answer 1

It is expected to rise significantly, especially in emerging countries such as the BRICSs.

The rise of the middle class will lead to increased resource consumption.

Question 2

As populations become richer, they start to use more resources. Name three examples of how this manifests.

Answer 2

• Bigger houses requiring more heating
• More appliances like washing machines and dishwashers
• More vehicles causing more pollution

Increased affluence leads to greater resource demands and environmental impacts.

Question 3

What is the impact of the rising middle class on food security?

Answer 3

There will be more demand for volume and variety of food types.

Land used for staple foods may be converted to produce meat and dairy, which are more expensive and environmentally taxing.

Question 4

By 2030, what percentage of places in India is estimated to face water scarcity?

Answer 4

60%

Water shortages could worsen food security due to droughts leading to crop failures and famine.

Question 5

What is the expected rise in oil demand by 2030?

Answer 5

30%

This increase may lead to higher prices and potential shortages, causing electricity blackouts.

Question 6

Countries with vast reserves of resources, like Russia, are likely to be in a good position. What will happen to countries that are not self-sufficient?

Answer 6

They will be left vulnerable to exploitation.

Resource security becomes a critical issue as demand increases.

Question 7

What is the impact of increased demand for rare earth minerals?

Answer 7

It leads to higher prices and potential shortages.

The demand for lithium-based batteries is particularly high, affecting the availability of basic metals like copper, tin, and platinum.

Question 8

True or false: Increased pressure on resources will likely decrease tensions between nations.

Answer 8

FALSE

Increased resource scarcity may heighten tensions between nations with excess resources and those in need.

Question 9

What is the trend in emissions of developed countries?

Answer 9

Reducing

Developed countries have decreased emissions after a period of industrialization.

Question 10

What is happening to emissions in developing and emerging nations?

Answer 10

Increasing significantly

This increase is a controversial issue in the context of global emissions.

Question 11

Why do some argue that developing nations should be allowed to increase emissions?

Answer 11

They are just entering the stage of industrialization

Developed countries had high emissions during their industrialization.

Question 12

What has contributed to the decrease in emissions in developed countries?

Answer 12

Outsourcing manufacturing to less-developed countries

This has led to pollution being effectively transferred to developing nations.

Question 13

What do some critics perceive in the EU’s and USA’s disapproval of developing countries’ emissions?

Answer 13

Reluctance to allow them to develop

This perspective highlights the political and ethical dimensions of climate change discussions.

Question 14

How have attitudes towards Climate Change shifted in recent years?

Answer 14

Many attitudes have shifted

These differences could increase political tensions and negatively impact the environment.

Question 15

True or false: The increase in emissions in developing countries is seen as a controversial issue.

Answer 15

TRUE

This controversy stems from the differing historical contexts of emissions between developed and developing nations.

Question 16

Since Donald Trump’s election, what environmental initiatives has America pulled out of?

Answer 16

Many environmental initiatives and programmes

This includes permission for oil drilling in Alaskan Refuge parks, contradicting previous protections.

Question 17

What is the EU’s approach to climate change?

Answer 17

Working towards policies and programmes to reduce emissions

This includes the development of wide-scale renewable energy production.

Question 18

In what year did China agree to work towards an emissions peak?

Answer 18

2014

China committed to these targets in 2016 and is the world’s largest investor in renewable energy.

Question 19

What percentage reduction in carbon emissions did Russia agree to under the 2015 Paris Climate Change agreement?

Answer 19

30% from 1990 levels

This agreement allows Russia to increase emissions while still being on target due to previous economic collapse.

Question 20

True or false: There are sanctions for countries that miss their emissions targets.

Answer 20

FALSE

There are no sanctions for countries that fail to meet their emissions targets.

Question 21

What are the spheres of contest in international relations?

Answer 21

Regions or property that governments compete over

This includes land ownership, borders, and islands with unclear ownership.

Question 22

What might make certain regions unclear in terms of land ownership?

Answer 22

• Untapped energy sources
• Opportunity for expansion
• Military strategic importance

These factors contribute to disputes over borders and islands.

Question 23

What is a challenge in protecting intellectual property?

Answer 23

Increasing counterfeiting and difficult classification of individual ideas

The question of how different an invention must be to be considered ‘new’ complicates protection.

Question 24

Why is patenting important for TNCs?

Answer 24

It provides a unique selling point crucial for profits

Patents help companies maintain a competitive edge in the market.

Question 25

In May 2018, which company was ordered to pay $539m to Apple for copying patented features?

Answer 25

Samsung ## Footnote This case highlights the legal battles over intellectual property rights.

Question 26

True or false: Companies with a patent must share their inventions with others.

Answer 26

FALSE ## Footnote Patents allow companies to keep their inventions private, leading to ethical dilemmas in situations like disease outbreaks.

Question 27

What ethical dilemma arises from companies holding **patents**?

Answer 27

Medical companies may not release antidotes during disease outbreaks ## Footnote This is due to the high costs of developing new medicines that would not be recouped if others sold similar products at lower prices.