CORE - unit 3: global resource consumption and security ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡ ˖

Resource Consumption

The level of resources needed or used by a society

Sustainable Development

Development that “meets the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.”

Extreme poverty

when a person’s income is too low for basic human needs to be met, potentially resulting in hunger and homelessness.

Absolute poverty

When a person makes less than $1.90 daily.

Relative poverty

When a person’s income is too low to maintain the average standard of living in a given society.

New Global Middle Class (NGMC)

Globally the middle class is defined as people with discretionary income. They can spend this on consumer goods and, at the upper end private healthcare, holidays and even cars.

a. On average they earn an income of $3,650 and $36,500 per annum.

b. Or people earning $10,000 per annum.

Fragile Middle Class

Globally, there are 2 billion people who have escaped poverty but have yet to join the so called NGMC. This category of income earners have come out of poverty but can easily slip back into it if care is not taken. This is often referred to as the Lower Middle Class.

Ecological footprint

The theoretical measurement of the amount of land and water a population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its waste under prevailing technology. It examines the theoretical relationship between population size and resource consumption.

Biocapacity

The capacity of an area to provide resources and absorb wastes. When the area’s ecological footprint exceeds its bio-capacity, an ecological deficit occurs.

Ecological Debtor

A country whose ecological footprint is higher than its bio-capacity.

Ecological Creditor

A country whose ecological footprint is lower than its bio-capacity.

Global Hectare

The measurement of bio-capacity and ecological footprint.

Carbon footprint

'The total quantity of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, organization, event, product or nation, expressed in units of tons of carbon emitted’.

Water security

When all people at all times, have sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable-quality water for sustaining livelihoods, well-being and development.

Safe drinking water

Same potable drinking water. This is water that is free of impurities, pollutants and bacteria and is thus safe to drink

Physical water scarcity

When physical access to water is limited such that water consumption exceeds 60% of the usable water supply. This is when the demand for water exceeds the supply of water

Economic water scarcity:

When a population lacks the supply of water even though it is available as it is not accessible due to economic reasons. This may be due to a lack of the necessary monetary needs to utilize an adequate source of water.

Water stress

When the per capita water supply is less than 1700 cubic meters or when the demand for water exceeds the supply at a given period of time. Or when the demand for water exceeds the supply for a given period leading to water shortage.

Water footprint

The volume of freshwater an individual uses directly and in the production of the goods and services that the person consumes. There are two kinds of water footprints. Internal water footprint: This is the volume of water used from domestic water resources.

External water footprint

The volume of water used in other countries to produce goods and services which are imported and consumed by the population of the country.

'Grey’ water

Water that has already been used for another purpose that can be used again.

Embedded water (virtual water or water footprint)

A measure of the amount of water needed in the production and transport to the market of food and commodities.

Energy mix

The number of hydrocarbons, nuclear energy and renewable energy sources that are needed and used by a country.

The water-food-energy (WFE) “nexus”

The complex interrelationships that exist between water, food, and energy resources. Understanding this nexus is essential for managing natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Water security

Access to safe drinking water and sanitation, both of which have recently become a human right.

Energy security

Access to clean, reliable and affordable energy services for cooking and heating, lighting, communications and productive uses” and “uninterrupted physical availability [of energy] at a price which is affordable, while respecting environment concerns”.

Food security

Availability and access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet the dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Pessimistic views on resource consumption trends

Thomas Malthus

1766-1834. Born near Guildford, in England.

Occupation: Priest, Demographer, Economist

Wrote ‘An Essay on the Principle of Population’ first published in 1798.

Whether the principles of Malthus 200 years ago have any relevance to the modern world is debatable.

At the time of writing his essay, the population of the United Kingdom was approximately 10 million.

Believes:

Food is necessary for human existence and population growth

The effects of these two unequal powers must be kept equal

Since humans tend not to voluntarily limit their population size, “preventive checks” must be used to control population growth.

Positive checks (Malthus)

(increased death rate) were ways to reduce population growth by events like famine, disease, and war. Natural disasters will increase mortality rates or reduce life expectancy. He included poor sanitation in this category of checks, noting that this could give rise to the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, as well as reduce people’s immune systems

Negative checks (Malthus)

(decreased birth rate), are checks used to limit population growth. According to Malthus, these checks include:

abstinence before marriage,

postponement of marriage,

abstinence within marriage which lowered the fertility rate.

The Club of Rome

If present growth trends in world population continue and if associated industrialization, pollution, food production and resource depletion continue unchanged, the limits to growth on this planet will be reached by 2070. The most probable result will be a sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity.

Optimistic approach of resource consumption trends

Esther Boserup

Boserup suggested that the more people there are, the more hands there are to work. She argued that as the population increases, more pressure is placed on the existing agricultural system, which stimulates invention. The changes in technology allow for improved crop strains and increased yields. Demographic pressure (population density) promotes innovation and higher productivity in the use of land (irrigation, weeding, crop intensification, better seeds) and labour (tools, better techniques). In short, Boserup saw an increase in population as an impetus for intensive agriculture.

Julian Simon

Resources needed to support the population are becoming more abundant, not scarcer. Simon’s main idea was that there is no limit to the number of people the resources available can support; rather a large population size was necessary as humans are capable of using their imagination to find solutions to their problems.

Balanced approach

Balanced views have been suggested as strategies for sustainably managing natural resources, including conservation and preservation of resources and government policies aimed at protecting the consumption of natural resources.

Conservation (Balanced approach)

refers to the process of protecting and managing a resource in such a way that it will not be degraded or damaged.

Preservation (Balanced approach)

refers to maintaining resources in their present condition, in areas not encroached by humans.

Resource stewardship

An approach to resource management which views humans as ‘caretakers’ of the natural world

The Circular Economy

a regenerative economic system that works in closed loops to minimize resource inputs, waste, emissions and energy leakage. Cutting down on the use of finite (or non-renewable) resources to reduce waste, whilst encouraging the use of renewable energy sources.

Technical materials

Including fossil fuels, plastics and metals are finite and cannot be renewed.

Biological materials

Includes cotton, food and water, can be absorbed into the ecosystem by biological processes.

Linear economy

a system in which people buy a product, use it, and then throw it away