Global Resource Consumption and Security Flashcards
What is the trend of the size of the middle class?
Extreme poverty: <$1.25 per day, 1.9 billion 1990 → 830 mil in 2015
Middle class: $4+ per day, growing globally
Middle class important for economic sales of goods
Not guaranteed economic safety, risk of unemployment esp for informal
Top incomes continue to grow as there are more millionaires
Middle class will grow (esp in China and India)
Bottom incomes start to shrink as middle class grows
Describe case study: economic growth in Vietnam
Since 1990: economic growth +6% per year (LIC → MIC)
Competitive with China because it’s cheaper, younger population
Government has series of 5-year plans to guide development; spends money on education; trade partnerships
What is an ecological footprint?
Hypothetical area of land required to fulfill resource needs and assimilate waste
Measured in global hectares (gha)
Model for monitoring env impact, comparing groups and countries
UN estimates needing 2 earths for wanted resources by 2030
Calculation includes (very simplified):
Bioproductive land and sea (currently used for consumption
Energy land: land to produce all energy sustainably
Built land: used for development
Biodiversity land: support non-humans
Non-productive land: like deserts, subtracted from total
How do ecological footprints vary in HICs and LICs?
LICs tend to be lower because less disposable income = fewer used resources and more recycled resources
HICs have more meat in diet → larger land area + higher emissions
How will water availability change in the future?
More people + hydroelectric → higher demand
Sub-Saharan Africa and dry places + other areas will have more scarcity
HICs generally maintaining / increasing water intake via agriculture / manufactured products and land grabs
What factors increase pressure to manage water?
Population growth
Growing middle class
Growing tourism / recreation (golf, pools)
Urbanization (sanitation)
Climate change
What is virtual water?
Water transferred between countries via exported goods
“Outsource” water by not producing (food, flowers, etc) internally
Describe patterns in Iand availability and food consumption
Caloric intake increases with wealth to a certain point
Transition from cereals to varied diet with meat, dairy, veggies
Demand generally increasing, but food growth rates generally falling
Ways to increase crop production:
Extensification (expand area)
Multicropping (harvest 2+ crops per year)
Intensification (high-yield or GMO)
Describe trends in availability and consumption of energy
1985 - 2003: energy security, now insecurity from increased consumption, decreased stores, natural disasters, terrorism, war
Best to diversify sources
Countries dependent on Middle East have to maintain links, stability, co-op in region
Could been incentive to conserve / alternate forms
What are types of energy sources?
Non-renewable: coal, gas, oil, nuclear
Relatively cheap for now, deliverable across distance
Unsustainable, contribute to climate change, risk for disaster
Nuclear is low-emission, efficient, but risk of accident and waste issue, uranium scarcity
Renewable: solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, tidal, biomass
Usable on small or large scale, sustainable, inevitable
Car-culture and politics + price limit widespread use currently
What is the water-food-energy nexus?
Links and dependency between the two sectors; security is having safe, adequate, clean, and accessible for each
Water used for agriculture and energy production
Food policies effect water and energy use
Energy required for extraction, transportation of water and agriculture uses 30% of energy
Nexus approach uses all 3 sectors when looking at problems and solutions on all scales
What are examples of how climate change will influence the nexus?
Water efficiency → available for agriculture and energy
Drought-tolerant crops → reduced water demand
Renewable energy → reduced emissions, reduced water demand for cooling
Describe case study: nexus perspective from the Hindu Kush Himalayan region
Demand on resources from pop growth, urbanization, industrialization, climate change
Upstream / downstream linkages for potential impacts
Growing water stress → access water even with varying supply → possible water-borne ills
Per capital arable land decline → limited crop area expansion → competing food, energy land
Hydropower limited from landslides → restricted adaptation → energy diversification
What are some strategies to dispose of solid domestic waste?
Types of SDW: wood, plastic, metal, paper, etc
Rich countries and cities produce the most waste
Disposal types: recycle, reduce / reuse, compost, landfill, incineration
Management options:
Reduce amount (producers and consumers consider packaging and lifespan)
Reuse (bring-back programs, refurbish, donate)
Recover value (recycle, compost, incinerate for energy)
Landfill
What is e-waste?
Electronic devices illegally dumped in developing countries
Contain toxins for people end env
Lack of recycling prevents new technology for future development
Guiyu, China, is e-waste capital; > $75 mil per year; elevated lead poison, cancer, miscarries
