Consequences of resource insecurity
Resource insecurity can have wide-ranging consequences for economic development, environmental sustainability, social stability, and geopolitical relations.
Issues Caused by Resource Insecurity:
Economic Underdevelopment:
- When resource extraction is poorly managed, the resulting lack of economic growth can perpetuate poverty and hinder long-term development.
- The potential for resource-based industries to create jobs and economic opportunities may be undermined by mismanagement, corruption, and a lack of infrastructure.
Environmental Degradation:
- Excessive exploitation of natural resources without regard for sustainability often leads to deforestation, soil erosion, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
- This not only threatens the environment but also the communities that depend on healthy ecosystems for their livelihoods.
- Over-extraction of resources, such as minerals or freshwater, can lead to resource depletion, which impacts the long-term viability of ecosystems.
Geopolitical Conflicts:
- Countries and regions with valuable natural resources can face tensions over control and access, particularly when resources are finite or concentrated in specific areas.
- Resource nationalism can also arise when countries attempt to assert greater control over their resources, sometimes at the expense of international cooperation or fair trade practices.
Social Instability:
- Resource insecurity can lead to displacement, inequality, and violence, especially when the local population has little control over or benefit from resource extraction.
- This can exacerbate social tensions, deepen poverty, and increase migration from affected regions.
- Resource-driven conflicts often involve human rights abuses, such as forced labor, child labor, and exploitation, which further destabilize the affected societies.
Case study
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Resource Insecurity
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the most resource-rich countries in the world, with vast deposits of minerals like cobalt, copper, coltan, and diamonds.
- Despite its wealth of natural resources, the DRC faces severe resource insecurity, which has hindered its economic development, contributed to environmental degradation, and fueled geopolitical tensions and conflicts.
Issues of Resource Insecurity in the DRC:
Economic Underdevelopment:
- While the DRC is one of the world's top producers of cobalt (about 60% of global production), it remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with high levels of poverty and inequality.
- Mineral wealth has failed to translate into widespread economic prosperity due to corruption, mismanagement, and the absence of investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Environmental Degradation:
- Mining activities in the DRC, particularly artisanal mining, are often conducted without regard for environmental protection, leading to deforestation, water pollution and soil erosion.
Geopolitical Tensions and Conflict:
- The DRC has long been plagued by armed conflicts, which are fueled in part by the desire for control over the country’s mineral wealth.
- Armed groups and militias, including those in the Kivu region, have fought for control of mining areas and revenues from coltan and cobalt. These conflicts have displaced millions of people and led to widespread human rights abuses, including forced labor and child labor.
- The country’s resource wealth has attracted the attention of neighboring countries, such as Rwanda and Uganda, which have been implicated in supporting armed groups to exploit the DRC’s resources for their own benefit.
- The geopolitical competition over mineral resources, particularly cobalt and coltan, has also drawn international interest, with foreign governments and multinational corporations seeking to control access to these valuable materials.
Achieving Resource Security
Definition
Resource security
Resource security refers to the availability of natural resources in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of a population while ensuring long-term sustainability.
Ensuring resource security is crucial for the stability and prosperity of societies.
By adopting strategies that address consumption patterns, improve resource management, and incorporate innovative technologies, societies can enhance their resource security across various sectors, such as food, water, and energy.
Methods of Increasing Resource Security:
Food Security - Precision Agriculture:
Increasing Efficiency and Reducing Waste:
- Precision agriculture uses modern technology to optimize the use of resources such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides.
- It reduces overuse of resources, minimizes waste, and increases crop yields, contributing to more efficient food production.
Technological Shift:
- By adopting precision agriculture techniques, farmers can reduce water usage, increase crop productivity, and minimize the environmental impact of agriculture.
Example
- Israel is a pioneer in water-efficient agriculture, where it has applied technologies like drip irrigation to address water scarcity.
- By utilizing recycled water and precision farming, Israel has significantly increased food production while conserving water resources.
Water Security - Desalination Technology:
Increasing Supply and Reducing Reliance on Freshwater:
- Desalination technology, which converts seawater into freshwater, can significantly increase water supply in areas facing freshwater scarcity.
- This technological shift reduces dependence on natural freshwater resources, making water more secure in regions with limited access to fresh water.
Technological Shift:
- Advances in reverse osmosis and energy-efficient desalination technologies have lowered costs and improved the feasibility of large-scale desalination projects.
Example
- Singapore has invested heavily in desalination technology and water recycling (known as NEWater), increasing its water security.
- Singapore now meets a significant portion of its water needs from desalination and recycling, ensuring a consistent and reliable water supply even as demand grows.
Energy Security - Renewable Energy Transition:
Increasing Supply and Reducing Dependency on Fossil Fuels:
- The shift towards renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power increases energy security by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels, such as oil and gas.
- These renewable resources are abundant, sustainable, and locally available, making them an ideal solution for securing long-term energy supplies.
Technological Shift:
- With the advancements in solar photovoltaics, wind turbines, and energy storage technologies, countries can generate energy from renewable sources and store excess energy for later use, reducing their dependency on fossil fuel imports.
- Smart grids and distributed energy systems can help optimize energy consumption and ensure a stable and efficient supply of electricity.
Example
- Denmark has successfully transitioned to renewable energy sources, particularly wind energy.
- The country produces more than 40% of its electricity from wind power and has plans to be carbon-neutral by 2050.
- This energy security strategy has helped Denmark reduce its reliance on imported energy and address climate change.
Theory of Knowledge
- How do cultural values and economic priorities influence decisions about resource security?
- For example, why might one society prioritize renewable energy while another focuses on fossil fuels?
Economic Globalization and Its Impact on Resource Security
While globalization can increase the supply of resources, it may also reduce national resource security, particularly when countries become reliant on imports for critical resources.
This interconnectedness can lead to vulnerabilities in resource supply, environmental degradation, and geopolitical risks.
Impacts of Economic Globalization on Resource Security
Food Security
Increased Interdependence and Vulnerabilities:
- Global trade allows countries to access a wider variety of food products at lower prices, increasing food availability.
- However, it also makes countries more dependent on global supply chains, which can be disrupted by economic fluctuations, climate change, or geopolitical tensions.
Example
- Countries like Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) import a significant portion of their food, which exposes them to risks if supply chains are disrupted.
- In 2008, a global food crisis led to price hikes, and countries that heavily depend on food imports were severely affected.
Water Security
Cross-Border Water Sources and Competition:
- Globalization can exacerbate water insecurity in regions where shared water resources are critical for agriculture and industry.
- International trade in water-intensive crops, such as rice and cotton, can put strain on shared water basins, leading to conflicts between countries.
Example
- The Indus River Basin spans several countries, including India and Pakistan.
- Over-extraction of water for agriculture in these countries, combined with climate change, has led to severe water shortages and tensions between the two nations.
Energy Security:
Dependency on Global Energy Markets:
- Globalization has led to an increase in energy trade, with countries relying on international markets for oil, gas, and other energy resources.
- While this can provide access to cheaper energy, it can also reduce national energy security, especially when geopolitical tensions or supply disruptions occur.
Example
- The European Union (EU) relies heavily on Russia for natural gas imports, which exposes it to risks if geopolitical tensions arise.
- The Nord Stream 2 pipeline controversy highlighted Europe's energy vulnerability, as tensions between Russia and Western countries could threaten the EU's energy security.
- Conversely, Norway has leveraged globalization to become a leading energy exporter, particularly in natural gas, providing a stable energy source for Europe while boosting its own economy.
Application of Skills: Investigating the Use of a Resource (Inorganic Fertilizer)
To explore how economic globalization affects the use of a resource, such as inorganic fertilizer, let's investigate its usage in India and Brazil, two contrasting countries in terms of agricultural practices and economic integration.
Secondary Data Sources:
- Our World in Data: Provides global statistics on fertilizer use.
- Gapminder: Offers insights into economic and agricultural indicators.
- World Bank: Contains data on fertilizer consumption and agricultural productivity.
Data Comparison:
India:
- India, a major agricultural country, relies heavily on inorganic fertilizers to maintain soil fertility and support its large-scale farming sector.
- However, the over-reliance on chemical fertilizers has led to soil degradation, water pollution, and health risks.
- Fertilizer consumption has been increasing over the years, driven by the need to support crop production for both domestic consumption and export.
Brazil:
- Brazil, another agricultural giant, also uses significant amounts of inorganic fertilizers, especially for crops like soybeans, corn, and sugarcane.
- Brazil's increased fertilizer consumption has been linked to its position as a major exporter of agricultural products, and it faces similar environmental challenges related to fertilizer use, such as nutrient runoff and water pollution.
Graphical Analysis:
- A line graph could show the yearly fertilizer consumption in both countries, highlighting trends over time.
- A bar graph could compare fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in India vs. Brazil to illustrate how resource use correlates with agricultural productivity.
Statistical Tests:
- Correlation Analysis: To test if fertilizer use is positively correlated with agricultural productivity (measured by crop yield per hectare) in both countries.
- ANOVA (Analysis of Variance): To compare the mean fertilizer use between India and Brazil and assess if there are statistically significant differences in their use of inorganic fertilizers.
