Human geography exam: (Superpowers + Globalisation + HHR) Flashcards
What is the UN Security Council?
Council set up by Roosevelt
Now 5 permanent members (USA, Russia, France, UK, China), all have veto power
It is the primary global mechanism for maintaining international peace + security and the aim is to intervene if a conflict occurs
How does the UN security council play a role in global action and promote stability?
- can vote to intervene in certain situations e.g. blocked vote by 2 members into airstrikes during the Syrian civil war
many actions they can take including:
-> applying enforcement measures, arms embargoes, financial penalties, severing diplomatic relations and economic sanctions to countries deemed as a threat - MOST SEVERE: ‘all means necessary’ by multinational forces
What are the potential limits of the Security Council?
- too big
- bureaucratic
- expensive
- slow decision making
- those elected have more to do with attracting votes rather than who is most appropriate
- veto power limits morals and intervention
therefore undermines the ‘collective security’ principle that was set out originally
How do superpowers contribute to global warming?
Why are their emissions so large?
The US have historically been the largest emitters of Carbon dioxide
China is now overtaking as the top
Europe are also large polluters (especially the UK and Germany) and have large ecological footprints
- have to maintain a large economy, military with global reach and sustain a wealthy population
Why do superpowers have a high demand in resources?
What are some examples?
- reducing inequality and rising wealth leads to higher consumption of energy, food
- In China, rising demands for bigger houses and consumer goods suck in global energy and mineral resources
- China and Brazil: high meat consumption
- USA: high water consumption due to agriculture exports
How does resource demand lead to environmental degradation?
- consumption of coal and fossil fuels is leading to poor urban air quality in emerging cities aswell as increasing car consumption
- huge forest loss in south America
- water scarcity because freshwater is used for human consumption -> can then lead to food shortages if desertification occurs and less water is available for farming and irrigation
- > leads to income poverty, water scarcity also heightens gender inequality as it affects sanitation for girls in particular, leading to maternal mortality rates spiralling, women worse affected by lack of water for farming as many of them grow crops
- food scarcity can lead to instability, if the population falls into civil unrest and riots
- high levels of manufacturing output translates into harmful pollution for the citizens of the country and can contribute to a large proportion of deaths e.g. India no.1, China no.2 in the world
What are the 3 main UN Climate Change conferences?
Kyoto 1997 : first main one
Paris 2015: the aim was to keep global temperature rise this century below 2 degrees C (China and Russia agreed, Trump pulled out when he was in power)
Marrakesh 2016: demonstrate that Paris agreement was being implemented, focus put on least developed countries
Why are there differences in the willingness to act? (USA, China, Russia, EU)
CHINA: heavy investment into renewables and diversification of their energy mix
- focused more on solar power
- keen to create a lasting image, wants to be seen as leading the way
- largest contributor of carbon emissions so no agreements can work unless they’re on board
- use other countries to pollute (AFRICA)
USA: lack of belief spurred in American Citizens around the validity of the idea of climate change due to Trump
- Make America great again, pulled out the Paris agreement
- continue environmental damage as their domestic industry is the most important and jobs need to be supported
- have invested in solar power
EU: the most willing to act
- leaders in carbon reducing initatives
- any initiatives they implement are split across all countries within the agreement which reduces the impact on their economies
- renewables and changed energy mix, providing incentives to businesses like grants to reduce their pollution
RUSSIA: willingness to act because of the state of their economy
- agreed to Paris, criticism over they have met agreements but do they support them?
- contribution to reducing emissions (35% after promising 30%) due to economic crash + industry reduction, not genuine care?
How have China’s actions changed over recent years? What are the positive examples and current problems still?
- have been known to have poor air quality in cities: 3 of 74 cities meet own air quality standards
- have the worlds second-highest number of pollution-related deaths (after India)
- coal still accounted for 60% of energy mix in 2016, 5% solar
+ now Beijing declaration was presented at the COP21
+ 2019: world’s largest consumer of solar power
+ solar power capacity expected to grow to double that of the USA in 2024
+ coal expected to fall to 40% by 2040 (60% previously)
+ started collecting an environmental tax to help fund policies
+ 2020: set to launch worlds largest carbon trading scheme that was pledged ahead of Paris 2015, overtake that of the EU
How will a rising middle class affect the availability and cost of Rare earth metals? Environmental impacts?
- demand due to technology, dependent on these elements, they have high value for companies
- 80-90% of global production is in China, raises possibility of shortages
- electricity/water used in extraction to separate ores, toxic waste created, contaminates ponds
- forced labour concerns in some mines e.g. Congo children
How will a rising middle class affect the availability and cost of Food? Environmental impacts?
- as India/China develop, increased demand for stable food grains (Wheat and Rice), demand for meat, dairy and sugar due to transition towards ‘western diets’
- rice consumption higher by 50% in Africa, also USA/EU due to immigration, increased awareness of fibre-based diet
- green revolution in India, caused soil degradation. eutrophication
How will a rising middle class affect the availability and cost of Oil? Environmental impacts?
- diminishing availability increasing pressure for extraction in rural areas
- Demand increasing due to India/China and the ‘oil age’ as we are dependent on it for transport/plastic
- burning contributed to CC, extraction requires higher energy, often leakages, ecosystem damage
How will a growing middle class affect the physical environment?
> more mining, oil drilling and deforestation to access raw materials
increased carbon emissions from higher consumption + more factories
problems disposing of consumer waste in landfill sites
more use of water, so more polluted wastewater
How will a rising middle class affect the availability and cost of Water? Environmental impacts?
- overused for drinking and agriculture of stable grains
- demand has risen because of demand for fruits, veg, nuts due to the priority of healthy diets for many
- middle class use more water, pools, goods
- water table dropping, subsistence has occurred
What are some of the main reasons why China has invested in Africa?
- alliances and voting power
- has China well-positioned to profit from future African development
- tied aid and debt traps allow for Frank’s dependency model
- infrastructure allows Chinese goods to be moved into wider Africa
- solid base of raw materials for China: 1/3rd of FDI accounts for mining investments
- > this allows China to strengthen its future economy
- part of their Belt and Road Initiative
Key facts and figures for China’s investment in KENYA?
2018- $232 million outflows
China views Kenya as a gateway to the East African region and the focal point for trade
- upgrading railways, 3.2 billion line opened in 2017 between Mombasa port and Nairobi (then further extended this)
allows China to unlock trade with landlocked countries nearby like Sudan
but…. The railway line was controversial as passed through Nairobi’s national park
Kenya has become 5th most indebted African country, total public debt is 61% of its GDP
Key facts and figures for China’s investment in DJIBOUTI?
China views Djibouti as a strategic location as it lies at the entrance of the Red Sea where 10% of oil exports + 20% of goods pass through the strait (project power abroad)
- financed and built Africa’s biggest port and a railway
- investing in undersea cables
- their political stability has increased, they see it as helping them towards their goal of becoming an economic/trading hub
- want to create an FTZ (created 200,000 jobs)
- China has also built the first overseas military base near the port so the army can overlook the maritime checkpoints in the Gulf of Aden
but… for China, conflict with other bases in the area e.g. 15 mins from USA base, if China were to take complete control of the port near the base then this could affect supplies to US military
What are the opportunities + threats for China of giving investment?
(SEEP)
OPPS:
- leakages flow back to China
- can dump their products into Africa and spread their Eastern culture through influx of their population/work ethic
- Access resources
- can use ports to increase political and military reach: foothold for PLAN activities
- reinforces their image as a development partner, stronger African alliances for voting power in IGOS (Africa’s vote on SCS issues and Taiwan)
THREATS:
- their economy may become reliant on exports to Africa, they have been self sufficient for so long that this is risky if trade were to change, or Africa were to develop
- could create a negative image if it is not managed correctly
What are the opportunities and threats for Africa of receiving investment?
(SEEP)
OPPS:
- Chinese imports help to improve livelihoods of poor due to affordability with weak purchasing power: (can be 75% cheaper than equivalent imports and 50% than local)
better infrastructure for pop, cross country migration, tourism, this will help Africa develop trade flows
Africa has a new trading partner and alliance, they are helped in reaching their geopolitical strategy: greater connectivity
THREATS:
- hostilities between workers, feels like neo-colonialist behaviour, discrimination against natives, local businesses and people undercut for profits + work (threat of Chinese monopolies arising)
- China may intensify deindustrialisation processes as cheap imports erode domestic industries, infrastructure focused on exporting rather than internal production/intra trading
- environmental damage: illegal deforestation in Mozambique, oil spills linked to China’s oil wells in Angola, China moving highest polluting industries to Africa e.g. South African steel plant
- dept trap diplomacy - dependency created, encourages corruption, indoctrinated to support CPC
How has the geopolitical influence of the Asian region increased over time?
Economically the centre of gravity has shifted towards Asia
China and India have grown in power, and China has cast the Asian influence over other continents like Africa
will become the most populous continent by 2050 and the largest GDP
could have more members on the UN security council in the future
What issues have arisen in the Asian region as a result of the rising economic importance of the area?
- issues over the SCS and navies
- China and India are very conflicting Asian nations:
political tensions as they are ideological opposites, borders are shared and disputed as they have the world’s longest land border incl. the Himalayas - issues over Chinas BRI
- India and Pakistan have a tense relationship, China has invested 54 billion into its economic corridor (CPEC)
- rivals between India and China’s space missions and are competing to build infrastructure along the border, source of clashes
- China and Taiwan: don’t recognize it as an independent country, have put sanctions on them
- Issues over water: China have damned the upper Mekong, SNTP involves taking water from the Tibetan Plateau
Why is the Middle East viewed as so important?
- connects East and West
- historical importance for trading
- important for the USA as these countries are resource-rich and they do not want the whole area to fall to communism
- important due to the terrorist group origins that remain there (ISIS are a splinter group)
- many people are being displaced which is affecting Europe (move through Turkey)
Where have the tensions in the Middle East come from?
Tensions have come from the mix and views of cultures that exist as the Middle East became a melting pot
conflicts arose after WW1 when France/UK redrew the lines and distributed land to different ethnic groups
-> certain groups felt neglected, left in poverty and so started to protest leading to military intervention to stop an Arab spring
-> they demanded an end to Assad’s regime
Failings during the Syrian Civil war?
The UN Security Council failed to prevent and then respond due to deadlock of the council’s veto powers in 2016 when they tried to introduce a ceasefire for humanitarian access
-> highlighted the limits of global governance mechanisms in complex situations
USA have failed as they could apply more pressure and withdraw their support of a proxy war through stopping arms supply and forcing Russia to do the same
What happened in Aleppo during the Syrian conflict?
Struggle for power in the city as the main part was occupied by Assad’s forces, whilst the Eastern by rebels who refused to give up
Airstrikes backed by Russia to cut supplies and force a siege, cutting remaining rebels + civilians off from supplies
- Assad dropped bombs on his own people, children subject to chemical weapon
- December 2016: Assad’s siege was successful, troops streamed into Eastern Aleppo and there were reports of massacres underway
- the events here broke the Geneva convention law of war (civilians should not be harmed etc.) leading to the West becoming interested
Russia + China vetoed the bombings by NATO
Who is fighting in the Syrian conflict and who are they supported by?
Assad/govt. forces, Kurdish Rojava, Rebels, Islamic state
SYRIAN FORCES are backed by Russia, Iran, Iraq (as they have similar ideologies to Assad)
KURDS want to control their own northern territory and protect it from ISIS and so see conflict as a chance to claim their land (Turkey are worried about this threat to their border)
REBELS are backed by the USA, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar who provide training and weapons
ISIS want to spread their ideology
Therefore, A PROXY WAR
What is the G20 and what is their role?
20 wealthiest countries (19 countries + the EU) hold 85% of global GDP
not an organisation, but an ‘informal forum’
- summits take place once or twice a year
used to tackle and discuss a range of topics
the political leaders of each country are involved, and national representatives
their opinion carries considerable political weight
- they make resolutions but then have individual responsibility to implement these
Repeated criticisms include: elite club, undemocratic, exclude other countries, favours the wealthy and large corporations, want to maximise profit, status symbol
What are emerging markets and their characteristics?
- average lower income per capita
- fast growth helped by population growth, ports, natural environment allowing them to outperform others
- still room for growth and room to diversify
- high volatility
BRICs: What are the Main 3 Strengths of Brazil?
Economic = regionally important as produces half of South America's GDP (Sao Paulo car manufacturing) Military = few threats to security so it can spend relatively little on national defence (lived peacefully since the Paraguayan war) Environmental = most biologically diverse country in the world, harbouring 10-15% of world's total biota, 40% of world's tropical forests
BRICs: What are the Main 3 factors holding Brazil back?
Political = less politically stable, corruption in govt., protests every year since 2013, societal divisions + simmering tensions Economic = relies on primary products for exports rather than manufacturing (no added value) Environmental = climate change, deforestation, Amazon irreversible die off could occur
BRICs: What are the Main 3 Strengths of Russia?
Political = strong leader and stable govt. creates hard power Military = 4th largest military budget in the world Environmental = high range of climates, lots of crop production
BRICs: What are the Main 3 factors holding Russia back?
Cultural = used to have a geostrategic location, this is now irrelevant and they have a bad, communist image Economic = Western sanctions on Russia have caused inflation Demographic = population has been declining since 1990s, Putin struggling
