Economic globalization can increase access to natural resources through trade, but it also makes countries interdependent and may reduce national resource security. Disruption in one exporting country can affect prices, production, and access elsewhere.
Level and syllabus: HL only, Subtopic 7.1, Natural resources: uses and management.
The Mechanism
Resource security is the ability of a society to ensure the long-term availability of sufficient natural resources to meet demand. Globalization links countries through trade, investment, transport, and supply chains.
Resource-rich countries can export natural capital, while importers meet demand without sufficient domestic reserves. This improves resource availability, but import dependence exposes countries to political, economic, and environmental disruption.
| Effect | Mechanism and consequence |
|---|---|
| Increased supply | Imports improve access to resources scarce domestically. |
| Interdependence | Exporters need revenue; importers need continued production and transport. |
| Reduced national security | Conflict, sanctions, disasters, or transport failures interrupt supplies. |
| Environmental displacement | Extraction damage occurs in exporting states while benefits flow elsewhere. |
| Price exposure | Global supply or demand changes can rapidly raise prices. |
European dependence on Russian natural gas illustrates this interdependence. After Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, reduced supplies and political conflict contributed to higher prices and energy insecurity across Europe. Governments diversified suppliers, expanded renewable energy, improved efficiency, and increased storage to strengthen resilience.
A common misconception is that international trade automatically improves resource security. It can improve availability, but security also requires affordability, reliability, sustainability, and diversified supply chains. Environmental justice matters because exporting communities may bear extraction damage while distant consumers gain benefits.
Exam Technique
For an explain question, give the causal chain: globalization increases trade; trade increases import dependence; dependence creates vulnerability to external disruption. For evaluate, balance improved access against reduced national control, use a named example, and reach a supported conclusion about long-term resource security.