14. Patterns of resource consumption

Question 1

Ecological footprint

Answer 1

a sustainability indicator, which expresses the relationship between population and the natural environment. It sums the use of natural resources by a country’s population.

Question 2

Biocapacity

Answer 2

the capacity of an area or ecosystem to generate an ongoing supply of resources and to absorb its wastes.

Question 3

Global hectare

Answer 3

one global hectare (gha) is equivalent to one hectare of biologically productive space with world average productivity.

Question 4

Carbon footprint

Answer 4

‘the total set of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organisation, event or product’ (UK Carbon Trust 2008).

Question 5

Overshoot

Answer 5

occurs when humanity’s demand on nature exceeds the biosphere’s supply, or regenerative capacity.

Question 6

Resources

Answer 6

any aspect of the environment that can be used to meet human needs.

Question 7

Flow renewable resources

Answer 7

are resources that do not need regeneration, such as solar power.

Question 8

Resource depletion

Answer 8

the consumption of non-renewable, finite resources which will eventually lead to their exhaustion.

Question 9

Optimum population

Answer 9

the one that achieves a given aim in the most satisfactory way.

Question 10

Economic optimum

Answer 10

the level of population which, through the production of goods and services, provides the highest average standard of living.

Question 11

Underpopulated

Answer 11

when there are too few people in an area to use the resources available efficiently.

Question 12

Overpopulated

Answer 12

when there are too many people in an area relative to the resources and the level of technology available.

Question 13

Optimum rhythm of growth

Answer 13

the level of population growth that best utilises the resources and technology available. Improvements in the resource situation or’and technology are paralleled by more rapid population growth.

Question 14

Population pressure

Answer 14

when population per unit area exceeds the carrying capacity.

Question 15

Neo-Malthusians

Answer 15

also Malthusians; the pessimistic lobby who fear that population growth will outstrip resources leading to the consequences predicted by Thomas Malthus.

Question 16

Anti-Malthusians

Answer 16

also known as resource optimists; the optimists who argue that either population growth will slow well before the limits of resources are reached or that the ingenuity of mankind will solve resource problems when they arise.

Question 17

Green Revolution

Answer 17

the introduction of high-yielding seeds and modern agricultural techniques to developing countries.