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Geography IB > Core Theme 4 - Patterns in Resource Consumption > Flashcards

Core Theme 4 - Patterns in Resource Consumption Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the earth’s biocapacity and how much are we living beyond it by?

A

The planet’s biocapacity is estimated at 1.9 hectares per person. Currently, we are using up 2.2 hectares per person

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2
Q

What will happen to the earth’s biocapacity if global population trends continue?

A

If global population trends continue, the ecological footprint available to each person would be reduced to 1.5 hectares per person by 2050.

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3
Q

What country has the highest ecological footprint?

A

The USA is the country with the largest ecological footprint (9.57 hectares).

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4
Q

What does the Living Planet Index measure?

A

The Living Planet Index measures trends in the earth’s biological diversity. Based on figures from 2005, the index states that global biodiversity has declined by nearly 1/3 since 1970.

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5
Q

What does the Living Planet Report (2008) say?

A
  • humans are using 30% more resources than earth can replenish each year, leading to deforestation, extinctions…
  • humans have an ecological debt of $4.5trillion
  • population + consumption growing faster than we can find technological solutions
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6
Q

What was Thomas Malthus’ ‘The Principle of Population’

A
  • In 1978, Thomas Malthus developed his theory ‘The Principle of Population’
  • Whilst resources only grow arithmetically, populations tend to grow exponentially
  • So there is a limited capacity to which the Earth can provide the resources to support a growing population
  • As population exceeds resources, a no. of preventative checks (e.g. reduced birth rate) or positive checks (inc. famine + war) keep the world pop. at sustainable level
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7
Q

What is the Neomalthusian ‘Limits to Growth Model’

A
  • Neomalthusian ‘Limits to Growth’ model was developed in the 1970s by the Club of Rome
  • It studied basic limiting factors to growth, inc. population and pollution
  • Whilst technology may have place in developing + increasing resource production, it too will only develop arithmetically + so not be able to keep up with an exponentially growing population
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8
Q

Drawbacks to the Neomalthusian ‘Limits to Growth Model’

A
  • Emphasises exponential growth but not the discovery of new resources
  • It doesn’t distinguish between different parts of the world (esp. important when comparing MEDCs+LEDCs)
  • Whilst LEDCs may have larger populations e.g. India, this doesn’t mean they consume more resources
  • Australia has very low pop. density but high resource consumption
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9
Q

What are Anti-Malthusian theories?

A
  • The Anti-Malthusian theories as developed by Esther Boserup stated that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’
  • When population grows, it puts pressure on food supply
  • Technological improvements + increased areas of farmland will enable the inc. the supply of resources to meet the demand
  • This may include technologies developed during the Green Revision, such as GM crops, that are able to withstand extreme conditions / grow more rapidly
  • Population then able to grow without any Malthusian checks
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10
Q

What was Boserup’s theory based on ?

A
  • The idea that people knew the techniques required by a more intensive system, and adopted them when the population grew
  • If knowledge were not available then the agricultural system would regulate the population size in a given area
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11
Q

What was Emile Durkheim’s theory of population?

A
  • an inc. in population density would lead to greater division of labour, allowing greater productivity (1893).
  • population pressure necessary to increase division of labour
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12
Q

There are three models of what might happen as a population growing exponentially approaches carrying capacity. What are they ?

A
  1. Rate of increase doesn’t change until ceiling is reached, at which point increase drops to zero (highly unlikely)
  2. S-curve
  3. J-curve
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13
Q

Optimum population

A

The number of people who, when working with all the available resources, will produce the highest per-capita return.

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14
Q

How to calculate standard of living

A

Standard of living =

(Natural resources x technology) / population

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15
Q

Give an example of an overpopulated country

A

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries, with over 1000 people per square km.

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16
Q

When does underpopulation occur ?

A

Underpopulation occurs when there are far more resources in an area than can be used by the people living there.

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17
Q

Give an example of an underpopulated country

A

Canada could theoretically double its population + still maintain its standard of living.

It can export its surplus food, energy + mineral resources. It has a high level of immigration.

It is possible that Canada’s standard of living would increase through increased production if population were to increase.

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18
Q

Reserves

A

Resources that are accessible + usable

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19
Q

Describe global oil production in 2009

A

In 2009 global oil production was 84 million barrels per day

8 producers (Saudi Arabia, US, Russia, Iran, China, Venezuela, Mexico, Norway) accounted for over 50% of global oil production

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20
Q

Describe global oil demand in 2010

A

In 2010 the global oil demand was 86 million barrels per day.

7 countries (US, Japan, China, Germany, Russia, Italy, France) accounted for over 50% of global demand

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21
Q

What is a country’s oil demand influenced by ?

A
  • Population size
  • level of development
  • state of world economy (shown by 2008-09 banking crisis + economic recession)
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22
Q

Why did countries become so dependent on oil ?

A

Oil was considered a cheap fuel and many countries became dependent on it. However, as a result of the oil price rise in 1973 many countries had to reassess their energy policy

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23
Q

The geopolitical implications of Middle East oil

A
  • Although invasion of Iraq by US and UK was about democracy, many have suggested it was about securing reliable sources of oil
  • the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) strongly influences price of crude oil + this has increased its economic + political power
  • it has also increased dependency of all other regions on Middle East
24
Q

Countries that depend on the Middle East for their oil need to:

A
  • help ensure political stability in the Middle East
  • maintain good political links with the Middle East
  • involve the Middle East in economic cooperation
25
Q

Peak oil production

A

The year in which the world or an individual oil-producing country reaches its highest level of production, with declining production thereafter

26
Q

When will global peak oil occur ?

A
  • The International Energy Agency suggested that global peak oil would occur between 2013 and 2037.
  • the US Geological Survey suggests that it will occur in 2059
27
Q

Why has energy insecurity risen ?

A
  • increased demand, esp. by NICs
  • decreased reserves as supplies are used up
  • countries like Russia have ‘flexed their economic muscle’ in response to decreasing resources in Middle East
  • terrorist activities e.g. Iraq
28
Q

Energy security

A

A country’s ability to secure all its energy needs

29
Q

Energy insecurity

A

A lack of security over energy supplies

30
Q

Why are the days of ‘easy’ oil over ?

A
  • energy groups used to rely on easily exploited shallow waters of Gulf of Mexico or politically friendly areas of Middle East
  • as these wells begin to run dry, industry forced to exploit more expensive + more physically or politically demanding areas
31
Q

Case Study: OPEC - an oil cartel // WHAT IS IT ?

A
  • OPEC was established in 1960 to counter oil price cuts by American + European oil companies.
  • Founder nations included Iran + Iraq
  • By agreeing to restrict supply, members of OPEC were able to force up world oil price during 1970s, thereby increasing revenue
32
Q

Case Study: OPEC - an oil cartel // WHY HASN’T WEALTH DECREASED AS OIL SUPPLIES DECREASE

A
  • in 1979 OPEC countries produced 65% of world petroleum, but only 36% by 2007
  • but revenues from oil have allowed member countries to invest in and diversify their economies, so generate wealth
33
Q

Case Study: Deepwater Horizon disaster // WHAT HAPPENED

A
  • largest spill in US history
  • in April 2010 an explosion ripped through the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, 80km off the Louisiana coast
  • 2 days later the rig sank, with oil pouring out into the sea at a rate of up to 62,000 barrels a day
34
Q

Case Study: Deepwater Horizon disaster // IMPACTS

A
  • 11 people killed
  • ban on fishing in water threatened local industry
  • tourism declined
  • fish stocks harmed + productivity decreased
  • oils entered wetlands slowing recovery
  • seabirds, turtles, dolphins… found dead
35
Q

Why might the overall effect of Deepwater Horizon be less than Exxon Valdez Oil Spill?

A

Since the oil entered warm waters, organisms in the water helped to breakdown the oil. The overall effect may be less than Exxon Valdez Oil spill in 1989 which happened in colder water.

36
Q

Case Study: Deepwater Horizon disaster // RELIEF EFFORTS + ECONOMIC COSTS

A
  • the government asked for $20 billion in damages from BP and BP’s share price fell
  • dispersants were used to break up the oil slick, but BP was ordered by US government to limit their use, as they could cause even more damage to marine life
  • by the time the well was capped (July 2010) about 4.9billion barrels of crude oil had been released into the sea
37
Q

Tidal power // what is it?

A
  • The movement of tides drives turbines.

- A tidal barrage (a kind of dam) is built across estuaries, forcing water through gaps.

38
Q

Tidal power // advantages?

A
  • no finite resources involved
  • ideal for an island such as the UK
  • potential to generate a lot of energy
39
Q

Tidal power // disadvantages?

A
  • high cost of development
  • limited number of suitable sites
  • environmental damage to estuarine sites
40
Q

Nuclear power // what is it?

A
  • Radioactive minerals such as uranium are mined.
  • Electricity is generated from the energy that is released when the atoms of these minerals are split (by nuclear fission) in nuclear reactors.
41
Q

Nuclear power // advantages?

A
  • Cheap, reliable, abundant source of energy
    production
  • Raw materials are relatively cheap and can last quite a long time.
42
Q

Nuclear power // disadvantages?

A
  • Costs of construction and decommissioning are very expensive
  • Nuclear waste is highly toxic, and needs to be safely stored for hundreds or thousands of years
43
Q

Geothermal power // what is it?

A
  • In volcanic regions it is possible to use the natural heat of the earth.
  • Cold water is pumped under ground and comes out as steam.
  • Steam can be used for heating or to power turbines creating electricity.
44
Q

Geothermal power // advantages?

A
  • potentially infinite energy supply.
  • used successfully in some countries, such as New Zealand and Iceland.
  • reduces pressure on fossil fuels
45
Q

Geothermal power // disadvantages?

A
  • Can be expensive to set up and only works in areas of volcanic activity.
  • Geothermal and volcanic activity might calm down, leaving power stations redundant
46
Q

Three Gorges Dam // what is it and why was it built?

A
  • mega-dam on Yangtse River, China
  • 2.3km wide, 185m high, took 15 years to build
  • built in response to seasonal flooding thats killed 100s of thousands of people
  • A flood in 1998 killed over 3,500 people, left 13M homeless and caused billions of dollars of damage.
47
Q

Three Gorges Dam // positive economic impacts

A
  • dam aids the navigability of the Yangtze by making it slower and deepening the channel, increasing trade capacity of river
  • reduce China’s dependency on coal so it doesn’t spend so much on mining or importing
  • generated thousands of jobs, both in construction + in industrial development
  • reduced flooding reduces infrastructural damage
  • generate to 18,000 megawatts of energy
48
Q

Three Gorges Dam // negative economic impacts

A
  • reduced flooding reduces fertility of agricultural land on Yangtze’s floodplain, reducing agricultural yield
  • the dam cost $70 billion
49
Q

Three Gorges Dam // positive social impacts

A

Very few positive social impacts

  • reduces deaths from flooding
  • for many people living in poverty who were displaced, the new homes they were given represented a substantial step up in terms of quality and living standards
50
Q

Three Gorges Dam // negative social impacts

A
  • Over 1.2 million people were required to leave their homes
  • people who refused to leave were forcibly removed from their homes.
  • The reservoir flooded 13 cities and hundreds of villages
  • Many of those that were relocated lived on less than $1/day and were simple farmers who lacked any sort of skills
  • When they were moved to the new cities, they struggled to find work as there were relatively few agricultural jobs and they had no training for other sorts of jobs
  • The land that was flooded was home to hundreds of cultural relics, archaeological sites and family burial grounds
51
Q

Three Gorges Dam // positive environmental impacts

A

The dam may supply up to 5% of China’s power and will result in millions of tonnes of coal not being burnt.

52
Q

Three Gorges Dam // negative environmental impacts

A
  • Yangtze River transports lots of sediment now blocked behind dam. Result in gradual destruction of Yangtze’s delta and increased erosion downstream
  • Blocked sediment alters the chemical composition of water upstream from dam. Leading to a reduction in biodiversity and the potential extinctions of some species
  • Increased landslides + seismic instability
53
Q

Case study: harnessing the Sahara for Europe

A
  • according to European Commission’s Institute for Energy, just 0.3% of light falling on Sahara would meet all of Europe’s energy needs
  • scientists calling for creation of huge solar farms
  • sunlight in this area is more intense
  • solar panels in northern Africa could generate 3x more energy than similar panels in northern Europe
54
Q

Why is dumping of waste + old equipment an increasing problem?

A
  • increased standard of living so more goods to dispose
  • increased cost of landfill
  • more goods e.g TVs, computers classed as hazardous + subject to restrictions on how they should be disposed
55
Q

Waste imports in China // computers

A
  • old PCs are often shipped to China for recycling of small quantities of copper, gold and silver
  • PCs are placed in acid to strip metals (highly damaging to environment and to workers)
56
Q

Waste imports in China // plastic and paper

A
  • 1/3 of the UK’s waste plastic + paper is exported to China each year
  • low wages + large workforce mean this waste can be sorted much more cheaply in China, despite distance it has to be transported

Geography IB (8 decks)

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