Superpowers Flashcards
Superpowers resource demands
-consume lrg amounts often non-renewable
-increase avg incomes+ reduced lvls poverty last decade
-increase m/c 1.8bn (2009)->3.2bn (2020) bulk growth Asia drive consumption+ demand
(Most clear impact global warming China 29% CO2 emissions 2015, US 15%+ EU 10% disproportionate amount)
Superpowers resource demands water
- some emerging already supply problems India likely critical 2030 w 60% areas facing water scarcity
- concerns industrialising countries overuse available water (drinking, farming+ manufacturing) India farmers use solar powered pumps groundwater some states 3x faster replenished
- CC could make worse Cali forest fires w 90% chance decade long drought
- growing m/c increase consumption
Superpowers resources food (especially meat)
- pressure supply emerging as nutrition transition+ demand new types
- land once used staple food grains-> meat+ dairy products
- without new land, prices could increase squeezing poorest
- by 2030 avg Chinese consumer (growing m/c) similar income consumer EU/US 180m tonnes meat consumed/yr /80% production 2015
- Brazil food production increase 26% forest cleared+ land converted cattle ranching increase 10% (2nd largest exporter) more intense 15,000L water 1kg beef compared 1,250 kilo weight
- agri causes 8-18% greenhouse emissions
Superpowers resources energy
- global oil demand about 95m barrels/day 2015
- 2030 likely increase 30% coal+ gas demand
- meeting demand may-> increase price+/ supply shortages
- countries own domestic supplies (Russia+Brazil) likely stronger pos than those relying imports (India)
- oil spills significant damage physical environ 2010 BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded Gulf Mexico about 450L escaped polluting sea+ nearby coast
- increase car ownership greater supplies oil consumed w m/c consumption if 2030 avg consumer similar income EU/US 1bn cars China roads
M/c
Ppl w discretionary income globally defined annual income more $10,000
- spend this on consumer gds+ holidays
- more consumption food, water, electricity+ plastics (huge pressure)
- growing in emerging superpowers implications availability+cost key resources (rare earths, oil+ water) [+physical environ]
Future growth m/c consumption in emerging superpowers implications availability+ cost key resources RARE EARTH ELEMENTS
-increase wealth increase demand high tech gds many depend these elements
-water, acid+ electricity used separate ore from (usually carcinogenic) toxins
-CO’s depend on the est $5tn +CO’s mining with $4bn/yr
-processing 1 tonne can produce 2,000 tonnes toxic waste
(China 85% but restricting exports-> further mining around world)
Future growth m/c consumption in emerging superpowers implications availability+ cost key resources FOOD SUPPLY
- due growing pop+ awareness healthier diets, more food+ high fibre crops in demand- abs consequences
- soil degradation, eutrophication due excess chemicals (e.g. Green Revolution India) + increase methane form paddies (21x global warming effect CO2)
Future growth m/c consumption in emerging superpowers implications availability+ cost key resources WATER SUPPLY
- concerns emerging countries overusing water
- some groundwater stores Indi used 3x more than replenished
- worsened CC Cali 90% chance decade long drought+ forest fires
Tensions ME ongoing challenge superpowers+ emerging due complex geopolitical relations combined w supply vital energy resources POL
- creation Jew homeland state Israel 1948 buy pol unified Muslim ME opposition favouring Palestine but Israel actively supporting Palestinian military groups+US support Israel at all costs
- Iraq intervention 2003 UK+ US (only cos oil?)
- Afghan= unstable since Soviet invasion 1979+ 2002-2014 US+UK war led after 9/11 as ‘hid’ Islamic military groups (which used to fund)
- Russia view destabilisation ME caused Islamists may spread there Chechnya
Tensions ME ongoing challenge superpowers+ emerging due complex geopolitical relations combined w supply vital energy resources ECON
- SA 16% oil
- ME produced 1/3 oil (+lrg gas reserves) nearly 99% proven reserves under control 6 countries around Persian Gulf
- Qatar=oil rich largest GDP per capita $97,500 ME, S= Yemen lower ME $1,408
- oil+ gas pipelines long fought over- superpower rely security+ conflict threatens
Tensions ME ongoing challenge superpowers+ emerging due complex geopolitical relations combined w supply vital energy resources CULT
- many borders drawn by colonial powers didn’t reflect acc geography religious/ cult groups (most new so democracy weak religious+ ethnic allegiances)
- 56% Sunni Muslim, 36% Shia Muslim roughly in conflict each other Iraq
- Islamist uprisings (terrorists) al-Qaeda Arabian Peninsula ISIS Syria+Iraq+Taliban Afghan destabilising
Tensions ME ongoing challenge superpowers+ emerging due complex geopolitical relations combined w supply vital energy resources ENVIRON
- past conflicts often econ damage oil installations e.g. Iraq 2003s
- altho rich fossil fuels-regions short water+ farmland meaning territorial conflict over resources likely+ CC adds pressure -> Turkey critic Israeli govt policy but seller muc-needed water resources
Arctic= contested zone- over contested resources
- recent pol+ military tensions due increase accessible mineral wealth beneath+ new important transport routes from melting
- 7nat claims part Arctic e.g. 2007 Russia submarine planted titanium flag+ Denmark owns Greenland 2014 claim using UN Convention on Law of the Sea(Arctic Council) claim within 200m coastline+ owns 900,000km2 Arctic Ocean
Arctic= contested zone- responding to tensions w expression hard power
- Canada committed $3.5nn Arctic Defence
- Denmark creating Arctic military command+ response force
- Norway expanded navy
- Russia planting flag+ carries out arctic bomber patrols+ constant upgrades navy+ opening Soviet bases towards extensive defence+ rescue stretches N coast
Arctic=contested zone- will become more desirable over time
- CC thawing more each summer -> allows shipping travel over ‘top of the world’ 2014-71cargo ships compared 46-2012 (reduce distance+ time)
- USGS (US Geological Survey) est 1/8 untapped oil+1/4 gas but drilling Arctic= expensive+ needs high global oil+gas prices to be profitable
- but more thawing expose more mineral+ reserves
