Global resource consumption and security

Question 1

Ecological footprint

Answer 1

the impact of a person or community on the environment, and the amount of land required to assimilate their waste. (measured in global hectares gha)

Question 2

Biocapacity

Answer 2

The land and water to provide
resources for humanity.

Question 3

Energy security

Answer 3

Access to reliable and affordable energy sources for cooking, heating, lighting and communications.

Question 4

Food security

Answer 4

The access to nutritious food to meet the dietary needs for a healthy life.

Question 5

Nexus

Answer 5

The interdependence between water, food and energy

Question 6

Embedded or virtual water

Answer 6

The hidden flow of water in food or other commodities that are traded from one place to another.

Question 7

Water security

Answer 7

Access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Question 8

Bioproductive land

Answer 8

• land area required to produce crops
• use of these land types is calculated separately

Question 9

energy land

Answer 9

an equal amount of land that would be required to support renewable energy instead of non-renewable energy

Question 10

Overshoot day

Answer 10

the date when humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year (in terms of natural resources).

Question 11

Multicropping

Answer 11

Practice of growing many crops together in the same field.

Question 12

high-yielding varieties

Answer 12

Higher-yielding seeds (HYV) refer to those that produce large quantities of crops, including rice and wheat.

Question 13

renewable energy

Answer 13

A resource that has a theoretically unlimited supply and is not depleted when used by humans.

Question 14

Replenishable Natural Capital

Answer 14

Is nonliving but is dependent on the solar “engine” for renewal. Examples are the atmosphere, fertile soils and groundwater.

Question 15

Composting

Answer 15

a process that allows the organic material in waste to be decomposed and reintroduced into the soil.

Question 16

Malthusian Theory

Answer 16

focuses on how the exponential growth of a population can outpace linear growth of the food supply and lead to social degradation and disorder

Question 17

Underpopulation

Answer 17

circumstances of too few people to sufficiently develop the resources of a country

Question 18

poverty threshold

Answer 18

an income level below what is needed to support a household

Question 19

Water surplus

Answer 19

This exists where water supply is greater than demand.

Question 20

Water deficit

Answer 20

This exists where water demand is greater than supply.

Question 21

bioproductive sea

Answer 21

sea area required to provide fish and seafood

Question 22

Non-renewable energy

Answer 22

A source of energy that has a finite supply capable of being exhausted

Question 23

Incineration

Answer 23

The process of burning waste materials to reduce volume and mass, sometimes to generate electricity or heat

Question 24

e-waste

Answer 24

discarded electronic equipment such as computers, cell phones, television sets, etc.

Question 25

Boserup Hypothesis

Answer 25

Theory on agricultural intensification and how population change drives the intensity of agricultural production.

Question 26

Limits to Growth Model

Answer 26

a graph that examines the long-term trends of population, agriculture, natural resources, industry, and pollution

Question 27

Neo-Malthusians

Answer 27

group who built on Malthus’ theory and suggested that people wouldn’t just starve for lack of food, but would have wars about food and other scarce resources

Question 28

Tragedy of the Commons

Answer 28

situation in which people acting individually and in their own interest use up limited resources, creating disaster for the entire community

Question 29

Overpopulation

Answer 29

The number of people in an area exceeds the capacity of the environment to support life at a decent standard of living.

Question 30

Resource Stewardship

Answer 30

the careful and responsible management of resources under one’s control.

Question 31

Circular Economy

Answer 31

The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible.

Question 32

Sustainable Development Goals

Answer 32

17 goals adopted by the UN in 2015 to reduce disparities between developed and developing countries by 2030

Question 33

absolute poverty

Answer 33

a level of poverty that no family should be expected to live below

Question 34

relative poverty

Answer 34

circumstances in which people cannot afford actively to participate in society and benefit from the activities and experiences that most people take for granted.