(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
