2C - Resource Security - Case Studies Flashcards
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Location
3
The Canadian tar sounds rival the conventional oil in Saudi Arabia and unconventional heavy oils in Venezuela as the largest proven reserves of oil in the world.
The portion of land which is currently mined is around 5000km2
They underlie 140,000 km2 of boreal forest, an area that is approximately the size of the state of Florida.
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Background figures
1
More than a million barrels of crude oil flow out of Alberta’s oil sand plants every day
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Environmental Impacts
The process itself
2
Extracting the bitumen from the sand is an extremely dirty process
The technology used is a hot-water-based separation process that requires large quantities of water + energy
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Environmental Impacts
Location of the process
2
Around 4 tonnes of material has to be removed to produce each barrel of bitumen
Before strip-mining begins, the boreal forest is clear felled, rivers and streams have to be diverted, and wetlands drained.
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Environmental Impacts
Climate Change - global scale
3
The mining and upgrading procedure releases at least three times the carbon dioxide emissions of conventional oil production
The single largest industrial contributor in North America to climate change
Ironically, the effects of increased temperatures caused by CO2 emissions can be seen visibly within the melting of the Athabasca Glacier upstream in Jasper National Park
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Environmental Impacts
Water abstraction and pollution
5
Current operations are permitted to withdraw 350 million m3/year - equivalent to the amount used by a city of 2 million people
Water over extraction poses a threat to the sustainability of fish populations in the Athabasca River and also to the Peace-Athabasca Delta, the largest boreal delta on earth - and a world heritage site
6 barrels of tailings to each barrel of bitumen
Liquid tailings contain toxic metals - poisonous to aquatic organisms and mammals.
For each barrel of oil produced, 5 barrels of water are used in extraction
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Environmental Impacts
Loss of forests and wildlife habitats
3
Planned tar sand development projects are expected to see at least 5000km2 of forest cleared
Canada’s boreal forest is globally significant - representing 25% of the worlds intact forests
Considered to be the cause of the second-fastest rate of deforestation after the Amazon
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Environmental Impacts
Air Quality
2
Criteria Air Contaminants are the most common pollutants released by heavy industry .
These are all emitted in large volumes by tar sand operations and they affect human health and contribute to acid rain
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Impacts on humans
3
Human health in many communities has taken significant turn for the worse - risk of cancer is 10x higher
Production has led to many serious social issues throughout Alberta, from housing problems to the vast expansion of temporary foreign worker programmes that exploit so-called “non-citizens”
Water abstraction and pollution of the Athabasca River also jeopardises subsistence and commercial fishing by local aborigines.
Athabasca Tar Sands Case Study:
Cumulative impacts and reclamation
3
Pipeline infrastructure to refineries and to supertanker ports crosses the continent to all 3 major oceans
Very little of the area directly affected by mining operations has been reclaimed and tailings ponds are expected to grow.
UNEP identified the tar sands as one of the 100 global hotspots for environmental degradation.
3 Gorges Dam:
Background
3
Building of the dam started after a number of floods in the Yangtze drainage basin over the preceding years
Construction work was completed in 2006, but it was not until 2011 that the final turbines were fully functional.
One of the most fiercely debated reservoir creation schemes in the world
Intentions of the 3 Gorges Dam
Reduce the risk of flooding for a growing population downstream.
Generate hydroelectric power and diversify China’s energy mix from a dependence on coal.
Make China more energy secure.
Fuel economic growth between Shanghai and the rapidly expanding city of Chongqing – estimated population of 35 million
3 Gorges Dam:
Benefits - general
Has been and will continue to be a beacon of China’s economic and technological prowess, as well as a popular domestic and international tourist attraction
3 Gorges Dam:
Benefits
Economic
3
During the 7-day spring holiday in January 2012, more than 565,000 tourists visited Yichang city, bringing in 192 million yuan in tourism-related revenues.
Opened up a niche market in Yangtze river cruises
Enables large container ships, to travel between Shanghai and Chongqing, fuelling Chongqing’s development
3 Gorges Dam:
Benefits
Environment
3
The shift from burning more than 30 million tons of coal every year to generating hydroelectric power is an example of China faith in HEP and its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint
So far it has achieved its main objective in reducing flood risk for the 100 million vulnerable downstream communities.
The turbines generated 100 billion kWh of electricity in 2011 alone.
3 Gorges Dam:
Benefits
Social
1
Many of the settlements created to rehouse people displaced are better built, have greater access to infrastructure, and improved provision of key services
3 Gorges Dam:
Costs
Social
4
1.3 million people have been relocated under the government ‘near and distant’ resettlement policy
In total, 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1350 villages have been submerged, along with many sacred cultural landmarks, lots of good quality farmland, and small businesses.
However, most of the favorable farmland was already occupied, so displaced people were given the most marginal land with steeper slopes and poorer soils.
Jobs that were promised have not materialised.
3 Gorges Dam:
Costs
Environmental
4
Interrupted fish migration and altered the river’s chemical balance, temperature, and flow velocity.
Environmentalists believe the dam has driven the Chinese river dolphin to extinction.
Sewage treatment works have not yet been built and raw sewage from the rapidly developing upstream cities is allowed to float downstream and out to sea.
Much of the sewage becomes trapped behind the dam where it damages the local biodiversity and causes water pollution.