The environment and climate change - SUPERPOWERS

Question 1

Commodity definition

Answer 1

A raw material of primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold

Question 2

Who has the largest share commodity?

Answer 2

• China.
• They are the largest consumer and produce or aluminium and iron core. Commodity demand growth in china represented between 80% - 100% of global consumption cross major commodity markets.

Question 3

Name 7 Extraction of commodities

Answer 3

• Air and noise pollution
• Water pollution
• Energy
• Transport
• Fracking ( unconventional energy)
• Deforestation for agricultural uses
• Production of plastic uses a lot of crude oil

Question 4

Rise in middle class

Answer 4

• Demand in emerging countries increases meaning an increase in middle class
• increase in population
• increase in wealth- global middle class expected to increase from 2 billion in 2012 to 5 billion by 2030.

Question 5

Demand increase for four primary commodities:

Answer 5

• Rare earths - 80-90% of global rare earth production is in China. This raises the possibility of shortages due to resource nationalism. Rare earth metals (e.g. Scandium, Yttrium and Terbium) are widely used in electronic, medical and laser devices.
  ● Food - as China and India develop there will be increased demand for stable grains (wheat, rice). Demand for meat, dairy
  products and sugar will also rise as these countries transition to ‘Western’ diets.
  ● Oil - in 2015 the USA used 19 million barrels of oil per day, China 12 million and India 4 million. Indian and Chinese
  demand could reach American levels.
  ● Water - In the USA and EU washing machines, dishwashers, a daily bath/shower and swimming pools are common( not for emerging countries)

Question 6

What is the measurement for the environmental impact of superpowers?

Answer 6

Climate change performance index

Question 7

What are key points due to the distribution of CO2 emissions worldwide?

Answer 7

• China is the Centre of global trading and the largest commodity supplier so masses amount of CO2 released
• Emerging countries have a rise in middle class so demand increases leading to high demand of commodities such as food etc.

Question 8

China points evidence

Answer 8

• 90% of groundwater contaminated
• 1.2 million premature deaths a year
  -1/2 population no access to water
• Their pollution is 7x worse that WHO standards