Unit 3: Sovereignty of Ocean Resoucres Flashcards
What does sovereignty mean?
Ownership
What is the ocean floor a source of?
Both mineral and fossil fuels
Why is the demand for these resource’s increasing?
The growing global population - growing affluent urban populations living in an ever-increasing technical world is driving up the demand for key mineral resoucres.
Why is increasing attention being paid to the oceans and where new abundant reserves may exist?
As easy-to-access land-based resource’s are being exhausted
What are polymetallic nodules?
Lumps containing lots of metals
What new products are driving the increasing demand for Nickel, Manganese and Cobalt?
> rechargeable batteries - lithium-ion batteries
for mobile phones, laptops, electric cars
What is the area rich in polymetallic deposits between Hawaii and Mexico called?
Clarion-clipperton zone (CCZ) - largest abundance of these nodules
Which department of the United Nations issues exploratory licences to companies who wish to explore the seabed for minerals in international waters?
International seabed Authority (isa)
Why do many scientists have concerns over mining the sea floor on an industrial scale?
Mining could be environmentally devasting - don’t fully understand the seabed ecosystem.
What are some arguments FOR seafloor mining?
> Smaller amounts of nodules need to be extracted as they are almost 100% pure so only small areas will be affected
Mining on land disrupts precious landscapes such as Indonesian forests
electric cars and tech is a way to reduce oil and lower co2 emissions
reduces child labour such as in the demographic republic
What are some arguments AGANIST seafloor mining?
> inevitable loss of biodiversity - permanent - slow recovery rates
little is know about the seabed - could be destroying tings that could potentially be beneficial medically
nodules are not renewable
mining could release stored carbon into the atmosphere
destroys habitats - Casper octopus lays eggs on nodules
there are other alternatives to reduce emissions - cars can be run of H2 - hydrogen is the most abundant element
billions of lithium-ion batteries which could be recycled
What is recoverable oil and gas?
Its often found in shallow waters, often associated with the continental shelf and therefore within a country’s EEZ
How does the distribution of recoverable oil and gas in the oceans lead to unequal economic development opportunities?
landlocked countries have a huge disadvantage
What are some key facts about ‘The Falklands War April to June 1982: A war Over oil?’?
> located in the South Pacific, 200 mile of the east coast of Argentina.
over time Argentina, Spain, France and the UK have fought over these islands
Since the 1840s they had been British overseas territory, however in 1982 they were invaded by Argentina, sparking the Falkland’s war, in which over 900 people lost their lives.
thought to be up to 60 billion barrels of oil under its seabed
since 2010, licences have been issued by Britain for oil companies to carry out exploratory drilling to determine the quantity and quality of oil
in 2010 the Argentine government protested to the UN to stop future drilling in the waters it still claims are theirs.
Should the UK enable commercial oil exploration of the oil reserves around the Falklands?
No as we are trying to change to a more sustainable use of fuel and it would start a conflict with Argentina
What have in recent years become a point of tension between China and other nations?
The Spratly islands in the South China Sea which are actually coral reefs.
Most of the Spratly islands are in the EEZ’s of which nations?
Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
China claims the largest portion of territory of the Spratly Islands by quoting what?
‘Nine Dash Line’
What are some controversial islands claimed by China?
Fiery cross reef
Subi reef
Johnson reef
Mischief reef
What is China doing to these islands?
Pumping sand sucked from sea floor onto coral reefs to build them up
Why is the South China Sea strategically and economically important?
> important global shipping route - 30% of the worlds shipping trade
incredibly rich in natural resources
11 billion barrels of oil
190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas
10% of the worlds fish stocks/fisheries
Summarise the ruling and outcome of the court decision in the trial at the International Court at the Hague in 2016
> In favour of the Philippines
China are in the wrong and illegal and they need to stop encroaching on the Philippine’s EEZ - they dismissed the ruling
How could the political tension in this region escalate in the future?
If China declares war on Taiwan or Philippines the USA will protect them.
