Land Use and Resources

World Population Change

 Looks at the present and addresses land use for now  Says resources should be extracted now so that we can see the economic benefit in the short term  Urban areas are zoned using this model assigning uses to land  Topocide-killing off landscape to build new one The Economic Land Use Model

 Sees time in terms of generations  Resources can be used but not depleted  Taking something from the land and replacing it with something else  crop rotation, forestry (on a side note— Russia with ¼ of world’s forest cover and 20% of world’s forest resources!),, Sustainability Land Use Model

 Perceives time in terms of an ecosystems lifespan  Can be thousands of years  Suggests we can use the land but leave it in its natural state  Building can occur on the landscape—walking paths, shelters, camping structures  They must be designed not to overwhelm landscape  Allows humans to use land but not alter its natural state  National park system, town parks, forest preserves Environmental Land Use Model

 Time is perceived as forever and immeasurable  Environment has been around since earth began and must be protected at all costs  Landscape cannot be altered in any way because it’s sacred  Will often go to great lengths to protect  Environmental terrorism/native Americans and other indigenous peoples Preservationist Land Use Model

House near Seattle built near a stream that was home to endangered salmon.

 Land use models are used in everything from farming to urban growth planning and shape much of the landscape that we see today

 Ecotourism—using natural beauty to promote tourism and generated funds to preserve the economy  Problems?  Debt-for-nature swap—forgiveness of debt in exchange for setting aside land for conservation and preservation  Tragedy of the Commons-humans will do what is best for them despite what is best for the common good (William Forster Lloyd/Garrett Hardin) Land Use Issues

Why are resources being depleted?  MDCs are striving to maintain their current standards of living while LDCs are striving to improve theirs  Many resources that are used most commonly are non-renewable  As energy resources deplete, many consumers will pay higher prices rather than conserve the resources

U.S. Energy Consumption Fig. 14-1: U.S. energy consumption grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, but the rate of growth has slowed since then. Energy from petroleum and natural gas have grown more rapidly than coal, especially since the 1960s.

Energy Resources Historically, humans relied on animate power, power supplied by themselves or an animal; they also relied on biomass fuel such as wood, plant, or animal material Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have begun to rely on inanimate power, power supplied by machines. Another result is the use of coal instead of wood as the leading energy source. Machines require energy stored in resources such as coal, oil, gas or uranium.

Fossil Fuels Fossil fuel is the residue of plants and animals that were buried millions of years ago. As they settled intense pressure and chemical reactions transformed them into the fossil fuels we use today: coal, petroleum and natural gas. Two characteristics that cause concern are: – The supply is finite – Distribution around the globe is uneven

Renewable vs. Non Renewable Resources Renewable resources are replaced continually, or at least within a human life- span. Includes solar energy, hydroelectric, geothermal fusion, and wind. Has unlimited supply and is not depleted when used. Nonrenewable resources cannot be renewed for practical purposes. Fossil Fuels and nuclear energy are examples.

Finiteness of Fossil Fuels  We face an energy problem, in part, because we are rapidly using fossil fuels.  What will have to change if we run out?  There are alternatives but they will likely be more expensive, less convenient, and interrupt our daily lives and cause hardship.

Remaining supply No one knows how much is left! Amount remaining in a reserve that has discovered is called a proven reserve. – Proven reserves can be measured with reasonable accuracy: 1.3 trillion barrels of petroleum, 175 cubic meters of natural gas, and 1 quadrillion metric tons of coal – Petroleum usage 26 billion barrels a year increasing +1% each year – Without an increase, 50 years left. 60 years of natural gas and 175 years of coal

Potential Reserves  Potential reserves are reserves that have yet to be discovered  Often they involve difficulties extracting. Ex. Oil on ocean floor,  tar sandstones (Canada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado), oil shale, problems?

Outlook for World Petroleum Production (to 2030) Fig. 14-2: As production from current proven reserves declines, other petroleum sources are likely to be developed.

Uneven Distribution  Coal forms in tropical locations but because of movement of continents those zones are relocated in mid-latitude regions.  China extracts 40% of world’s coal, US 20%, Remainder is India, Russia, Australia and South Africa, US has most proven reserves  Oil and natural gas formed from deposits on the sea floor. Some are still on sea floor, especially the North Sea & Persian Gulf  5 Middle Eastern countries have 60% of oil reserves, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and UAE; Venezuela and Mexico also have proven reserves. Canada is thought to have 14% behind Saudi 20%  US produces 10% of world’s oil but accounts for only 2% of proven reserves

Coal Production in China A coal cart in Bagon village, Sichuan Province, China.

The Alaska Pipeline The Alaska pipeline transports petroleum from northern Alaska.

 Over the course of history, MDCs have mostly have dominated production of world’s fossil fuels  This is changing. Europe has closed most coal mines. The US has lots of coal but is rapidly exhausting oil and natural gas. Japan never had resources.  Most proven reserves are in a few Asian countries (mostly China), the Middle East and former Soviet republics  Division of these resources between LDCs and MDCs as well as among LDCs is a critical issue.

Petroleum Production, 2004 Fig. 14-4a: Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the U.S. are the world’s largest petroleum producers.

Petroleum Reserves Fig. 14-4b: The majority of the world’s known petroleum reserves are in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has largest known reserves. Canada may have the second largest reserves when the oil sands of western Canada are included.

Consumption of Fossil Fuels  Global pattern likely to change  Currently, with about ¼ of the, MDCs consumer ¾ of the world’s energy  This high energy consumption supports lifestyle rich in food, goods, services, comfort, education and travel.  Two geographic consequences in the future:  Oil usage expected to rise 50% in the next decade and coal and natural gas are expected to double (China already #2 behind US)  Because MDCs consume more than we produce, must import from LDCs. US and Western Europe already import more than half and Japan 90%. MDCs will face greater competition for the world’s resources

Control of World Petroleum  US and Western European transnational corporations exploited Middle Eastern oil and sold to MDCs for low prices paying Middle Eastern governments only small percentage  Policies changed during the 70s; foreign owned fields were either nationalized or more tightly controlled and prices were controlled by governments

Enter OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)  Created in 1960 by several LDCs  OPEC’s Arab members were angered by US support for Israel in 1973 war with Egypt, Jordan and Syria  In refused to sell petroleum to nations supporting Israel  Gasoline supplies dwindled  OPEC lifted boycott in 1974 but then raised petroleum prices dramatically affected US industry  OPEC lost influence with internal conflict

U.S. Oil Imports, 1973 & 2005 Fig. 14-8: U.S. oil imports increased from about 30% to over 40% of consumption between 1973 and Total consumption also increased 50% over the period.

 1970s crisis  Lower prices continuing through 80s to all time lows during much of the 90s because of efficiency  Low gas prices encouraged return to gas guzzlers  High prices in the wake of 9/11 and wars in Middle East along with higher demand in LDCs, especially China

U.S. Gas Lines, 1973 The OPEC oil embargo in 1973 led to long gas lines at American gas stations.

U.S. Gasoline Prices, Fig. 14-7: When adjusted for inflation, the price of gasoline has been around $1.50 for most of the last 50 years, with the exception of the early 1980s and the last few years.

Non-Renewable Petro substitutes  Natural Gas—Iran and Russia have the most reserves, difficult to transport except with pipelines making oceans a problem, liquid natural gas can be shipped, cleaner than coal, oil;  Coal—air pollution, mine safety, land subsidence, must be transported usually by barge, train, or truck (irony?), Scrubbers, mine safety improvements

Natural Gas Production Fig. 14-5a: Russia, the U.S. and Canada are the world’s largest natural gas producers.

Natural Gas Reserves Fig. 14-5b: Russia has the world’s largest natural gas reserves. Iran and other Mid- Eastern countries have large reserves, but the U.S. has relatively little.

Coal Production, 2004 Fig. 14-3a: China and the U.S. are the world’s largest coal producers. Little coal is produced in most of Africa, the Middle East, and some of Latin America.

Coal Reserves Fig. 14-3b: The U.S., Russia, China, and India have the largest proven reserves of coal.

Nuclear Energy  Distribution—France and Lithuania (3/4), Belgium, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slavakia (1/2), US, Japan and a few other European countries 1/5;  1/6 is of world’s energy nuclear

Nuclear Power Production Fig. 14-9a: Nuclear power as a percent of total electricity. Several European countries as well as South Korea rely most heavily on nuclear power.

Advantages and disadvantages  A large amount of energy is released from a small amount of material in the process known as fission where atoms are split in a controlled environment  1 KG of enriched uranium contains 2 million times the energy of 1KG coal  Problems: potential accidents—runaway reactions overheat the reactor causing meltdown and small steam explosions, releases radioactive material  Example: Chernobyl in USSR and Japan

Waste  Fission produces radioactive waste which stays radioactive for many years; must be isolated for several thousand years  Still no permanent storage solution  NIMBY

Bomb Material  Can be used in warfare if enriched  US and Russia have several thousand  China, France and UK several hundred  India and Pakistan several dozend and North Korea a handful  Israel suspected

Limited Uranium reserves  Uranium reserves are limited—70 years at current use  ¼ in Australia, 1/6 Kazakhstan  Breeder reactor turns uranium into a renewable resource by generating plutonium  Plutonium more dangerous  Easier to fashion into bombs

Uranium Reserves Fig. 14-9b: Uranium reserves are widely distributed. Australia and Kazakhstan have the largest known reserves.

High Cost  Plants cost several billion to build because of safety measures  Uranium mined in one place, refined in another and used in another  Future has been hurt by high risk and cost

Nuclear Power in the U.S., 2005 Fig : Location of current nuclear power plants in the U.S. and nuclear power as a percent of total electricity in U.S. states.

Mineral Resources  Primarily found in China and Australia, also US  Minerals only worth their demand  Nonmetallic—examples phosphorous, potassium—are primarily used as fertilizers

Mineral Production Fig : Production of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and non-metallic minerals. Australia and China are leading producers of several important minerals.

Metallic  Ferrous—metals such as iron ore that are used in the production of steel; iron ore most important, but others used to alloy with iron, examples—titanium, chromium, manganese  Nonferrous—metals used to make products other than iron, examples— aluminum, lead, precious metals