(Core 4) Patterns in Resource Consumption Case Studies Flashcards
1
Q
Ecological Footprint MEDC
A
UK
- Total EF = 321,621,000 global hectares
- Per capita EF = 5.45 hectares
- UK residents are within the top 14% of the global population in terms of the size of their impact on the global environment
- EF = 3x land area of UK
- EF would need reducing 70% to be ecologically sustainable (reach fair Earthshare = 2hectares each)
2
Q
Ecological Footprint Region
A
Scotland
- 2001 EF = 27,082,915 ha or 5.35 ha per capita
- Direct energy = 18% EF (Domestic energy = 68% of this)
- Materials and waste = 38% EF
- Food = 29% EF (animal-based products 77%)
- Personal Transport = 11% EF (residents travelled 67,000 million km; car travel = 78%)
- Built land = 4% EF
- Water = 0.4% EF
3
Q
Local Scale Success: Footprint Reduction
A
Santa Monica (City near LA, California)
- elects representatives to local and state Gov that are willing to be leaders on environmental, social and economic issues (3 pillars of sustainability = city a sustainable development leader) - commitment to sustainability and political will/leadership = City of Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Program’s official adoption 1994
- Since 1990 reduction in energy component to EF (geothermal energy, reduction in natural gas and diesel fuel use) - 1990 EF 2,914sq miles or 9.7 ha per person, 2000 2,747sq miles or 9.3ha
- Increased recycling 1990s - per ton of glass, paper, plastic and metal recycled energy use reduced 50% - 62% recycling rate
- Solar powered electric vehicle changing stations, aggressive public transport promotions, city employee trip reduction programme
4
Q
Biocapacity (BC) vs. Ecological Footprint (EF) Examples
A
1. Australia EF = 6.8 global hectares per capita BC = 14.7 global hectares per capita Ecological Reserve = 7.9 Population = 22mn 2. USA EF = 8 global hectares per capita BC = 3.9 global hectares per capita Ecological Deficit = 4.1 Population = 313mn 3. China EF = 2.2 global hectares per capita BC = 1 global hectares per capita Ecological Deficit = 1.2 Population = 1.3bn 4. Bangladesh EF = 0.6 global hectares per capita BC = 0.2 global hectares per capita Ecological Deficit = 0.4 (EF exceeds BC 250% despite low consumption
5
Q
(neo-)Malthusian View 1
A
Haiti Mud Cakes
- Rural-Urban Migration: Port-au-Prince slums
- Food imported (poor agriculture) - bill leap 80% this year
- 2/3 live on less than 50p a day (rising food prices tough = expensive sellers move)
- Gov lifting emergency subsidies
- Mud cakes sell 1.3p each
- Children not at school and aid agencies strained
- Localised dairy jobs growing = £20mn milk import bill cut
6
Q
(neo-)Malthusian View 2
A
Sahel (soil erosion) - 200-600mm rail annually - famine, dust storms, resource conflict Causes: - Population growth 3% a year - Deforestation - Overgrazing (lost land: national parks, tourism and commercial farms) - Temp. increase (droughts) - Storms = water erosion
7
Q
(anti-Malthusian) Boserup View Case Study
A
Green Revolution (solution to food scarcity)
- High Yield Variety Seeds new strains
- more plants per area, less wind damage, shorter roots = fast uptake, more rice per plant
- prone to disease, hybrids, expensive, fertiliser use, increases development gap
8
Q
(anti-Malthusian) Boserup View Examples
A
- Price decline of natural resources e.g. petrol price declined long-term e.g. 1980-90 prices fell 18% copper, 40% chrome, 3% nickel, 72% tin, 57% tungsten
- Discoveries e.g. 1950 iron reserves globally 19bn tonnes, 1980 43bn
- Humans resourceful e.g. billiard balls made from ivory - demand increase = elephants scarce (breeding slower than demand) = look for substitutes = celluloid (plastic prototype a cheaper alternative)
9
Q
Energy Consumption - Oil
A
OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
- 12 countries - Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela
- Goal = determination of the best means for safeguarding the cartel’s interests
- pursues ensuring the stabilisation of prices of oil in international markets
- power has diminished since supplies found in Russia, North Sea and Gulf of Mexico and recent development of shale oil (fracking)
10
Q
Natural event = price fluctuations of oil
A
Hurricane Katrina
11
Q
Human events = price fluctuations of oil
A
- 1973 Oil Crisis = members OPEC proclaimed oil embargo in response to US decision to re-supply Israeli military during Yom Kippur War = quadrupling of oil price
- 1990 oil price shock = price increase after Iraqi invasion of Kuwait August - prices rose $21 a barrel July to $28 august, $46 mid-october
12
Q
Production and Consumption of Oil Examples
A
Production: - Russia = 10,053,800 bbl/day - Saudi Arabia = 9,693,200 bbl/day - USA = 7,441,200 bbl/day - China = 4,372,000 bbl/day Consumption: - USA = 18,840,000 bbl/day - China = 9,790,000 bbl/day - Russia = 3,196,000 bbl/day
13
Q
Attempts to diversify energy suppliers
A
Lithuania completed a Liquefied Natural Gas terminal 2014 to break monopoly of Russian gas (ensure independence in energy/ energy security)
14
Q
Oil and Conflict
A
Oil alleged to be essential to the Gulf War (US/UK invasion about freedom and democracy but oil significant)
15
Q
Oil and International Relations
A
USA and Venezuela
- Venezuela sells oil to USA but threatened to cut them if Colombia (USA allied neighbour) attacked Venezuela (due to allegations Venezuela gives haven to Colombian rebels
- Would badly impact Venezuela Gov. as depends on oil sales (USA top buyer)
- Colombia not threatened military so threat to USA likely to show not stand for aggression
- Chavez (Venezuela President) cut off diplomatic relations with Colombia after evidence shown for Colombian rebel camps in Venezuela
16
Q
Oil and geopolitical stance now and future
A
USA
- oil prices could go up in 2017 (political transitions in USA one factor) - Trump into office amongst instabilities with Russia/Syria (uncertainty about foreign and security policy - North American oil production potential to mitigate this
- USA shale production buried peak oil, balanced supply with demand, increase 2017
- Trump clear on oil - not impose new regulations that would curtail how and where companies can drill for oil (although much state level)
- US producers will add market stability - US shale oil production from $79 to $48 per barrel
- 2014 - OPEC produced more = plummeting prices curtained N American oil investments
17
Q
Environmental Impacts of Changing Oil
A
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Gulf of Mexico
- largest offshore spill US impact
- Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion = spill from sea floor oil gusher
- April 2010
- fires for 36 hours
- coral reefs affected - blocked sunlight / chemical pollution
- spill impossible to contain
- oil gushed out 3 months, 4.9mn barrels, 30yrs to recover
- 9 species dolphin at risk
- Migrating birds (50,000 brown pelicans) use beaches rest stops = contamination risk
- tourism + fishing damaged
- anthracene levels x2 accepted (toxic)
- cancer-forming carcinogens (human health risk)
- 8 US national parks at risk; 400+ animal species; 1,200 fish species
- 13 died, 17 injured
- Nov 2012 11,000km2 Gulf closed
- 20% bluefin tuna killed
- Nov 2012 6,800+ animals dead
- bioaccumulation / magnification e.g. whale sharks feed on plankton
- Nov 2012 BP plead guilty
- BP $4.525bn fines (ongoing)
- BP 4yrs Gov monitoring safety practices + ethics + temp ban from new contracts w/US Gov
- 675 US clams + oysters + 75% US shrimp normally produced risk contamination
18
Q
Fracking 1
A
UK
- suggest trillions cubic feet shale gas beneath UK - reserves found esp N England
- Gov believe could contribute to energy needs/security (electricity at half co2 emissions) + thousands new jobs + reduce bills
- Downing Street said fast-track Shale gas planning applications - Labour called moratorium until sure safe - Govs. Scotland, Wales, N Ireland oppose fracking until research environmental impact
- Shale gas test drilling = earthquake 1.5, 2.2 Blackpool
- Fracking uses huge amounts water + carcinogenic chemicals may contaminate groundwater
19
Q
Fracking 2
A
USA
- 16% wells spill annually
- 6,600 releases wells 10yr period in 4 states (67% North Dakota - largest 100,000 litres)
- contamination, risk water supplies + human health
- 6,648 spills 2005-2014
- North Dakota 4,453 incidents (spill over 42 US gallons reported, 210 gallons Colorado + New Mexico)
20
Q
Dam
A
Three Gorges Dam, China
- Yangtze River
- Reservoir discharges over 700km3 water annually
- Dam 26 turbines + generates up to 18,000MW annually
- Advantages: reduce oil dependency, national pride (produces 50% more next biggest dam), protect 10mn+ residents from flooding, improved navigation (boats now reach upstream Chongqing), created jobs construction, tourist destination + leisure opportunities, reservoir store water
- Disadvantages: sedimentation, increased river traffic, Yangtze river dolphin extinction, seismically active region, reduced discharge/velocity downstream, 1.3mn+ relocated, fertile land loss, $70bn build, archeological treasures drowned, deforestation, flooding downstream still
21
Q
Conservation Strategies: Plastic Bags
A
- 800,000 tonnes plastic bags used Eu annually; 4bn+ bags thrown away year
- Pacific Ocean ‘plastic soup’ over 15,000,000km2
Complete Ban
- Italy banned non-biodegradable bags
- Bangladesh banned thin bags (clogging drainage system = flooding Bangladesh)
- Rwanda banned all bags
- Tanzania banned ultra-thin bags
- UAE banned all except oxo-biodegradables
- UK use rose 5% 2010 after 4yrs decline - Friends of Earth in favour as long as doesn’t increase wealth disparities
- US local laws - city of LA no ban, LA county does
Bag Tax
- Republic Ireland charge 12p bag = 95% reduction plastic bag litter + within year 90% shoppers using life-long bags
- levy changes according to no. bags used
- by 2007 raised 75m euros from levy = Environment Fund
- Wales, N Ireland 5p levy
- Wales threatens shops give free bags w/ £5,000 fine
Paper Bags
- Many used US due to powerful wood pulp industry
- biodegradable in landfill but higher carbon footprint
Biodegradable Bags
- European commission considering intro. better labelling
22
Q
Conservation Strategies: Recycling Policies in a named area
A
Tunbridge Wells (Borough Council)
- Green bins = general household waste + non-recyclable - no space = black sack collection service
- Brown bins = food waste, green garden waste + paper - no space = Hessian sacks
- Green recycling boxes = one plastic, cartons, cans, foil; one paper + cardboard
- Bins collected from properties; extra waste North Farm Waste Recycling Centre; residents take glass recycling sites (glass colour separated)
- High littering local areas + prevent need process separation = saving energy + money
23
Q
Conservation Strategies: Resource Substitution
A
Biofuels substitute for petroleum-based aviation fuels
- Biofuels release CO2 but growing plants absorbs comparable amount gas
- Issues: loss biodiversity, food crops price driven up, not sustainable + distraction according to environmentalists, (Greenpeace argued Virgin airline should focus on halting airport expansion instead using biofuels), more likely freeze high altitudes
24
Q
Conservation Strategies: Efficiency in Housing
A
BedZED UK
- Social housing development London
- Built w/ heat efficient, recycled / reclaimed materials
- own combined heat + power fed by wood waste
- double glazing = reduced window heat loss 50%
- loft + wall insulation cuts loss 33%
- low energy light bulbs, energy efficient appliances
- 33% less water, emits 40% less carbon
- CHP failed 2005, Reed beds filtering waste water for use in toilets + gardens out of order 7 months, expensive, carbon neutral hard to achieve (most drive cars - car sharing scheme)
- Typical UK lifestyle carbon footprint = 6.19, BedZED conventional = 4.35, BedZED ideal = 1.9
25
Q
Conservation Strategies: International 1
A
Kyoto Protocol 1997 (Japan)
- ways to manage climate change / achieve environmental sustainability
- reduce fossil fuel consumption
- by 2012 every country reduce carbon emissions 5% below levels 1990; Eu countries 8% (EU countries hit quota by 2012)
- China exempt as developing - US not ratify for this reason
- carbon credits to trade emissions (ensure global reduction doesn’t matter who) - countries producing more quota buy from ones don’t e.g. Iceland sell
26
Q
Conservation Strategies: International 2
A
Paris Agreement
- Paris Climate Conference Dec 2015 - 195 countries adopted legally binding global climate deal
- Agreed meet every 5yrs set more ambitious targets - track progress
- non-party stakeholders invited to support efforts
- EU taking steps implement targets reduce emissions 40% by 2030 (forefront of efforts)
- Reduce emissions - keep increase global average temp below 2oc above pre-industrialisation levels; limit increase to 1.5oc
- strengthen societies ability to deal w/ climate change impacts, international support/ developed help developing
