Divergent Thinking on Resource Consumption (DP IB Geography)
Revision Note
Pessimistic Viewpoints about Resource Consumption
There are different views regarding resource consumption and population growth
These views are:
Pessimistic: population growth will occur faster than the resources available
Optimistic: resources will expand to meet the demand due to technology and invention
Balanced: conservation and good governance will ensure resources can meet the increasing demand
Pessimistic views on population growth
Malthus
Thomas Malthus proposed his theory in 1798
At this time, agricultural production was restricted as new developments in agriculture were limited
A pessimistic view of the relationship between population and resources (specifically food) states:
Population growth is increasing at a faster rate than food supply
Population grows at a geometric rate (2,4,6,8,...)
Food production grows at an arithmetic rate (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.)
This means that there will be times when there is not enough food to sustain the population
As a result, there will be a Malthusian catastrophe—famine, disease or war
These are known as positive checks as they increase the death rate
When people do not have sufficient food, they are more likely to become ill or contract diseases and fertility rates will fall. It will also increase the risk of war and conflict
Alternatively, negative (preventative) checks can be implemented, as recommended by Malthus
These aim to decrease the birth rate before the crisis point is reached
These limiting factors maintain the balance between population and resources
Malthus's predictions were incorrect as they came before much of the technological developments which have enabled food supply to increase
Neo-Malthusians
Neo-Malthusians today base their views on Malthus' theory. They argue that:
Humans have now used most of the available agricultural land
The amount of fertile land is declining
Food prices are increasing
The population continues to increase
They suggest that famines are one example of how Malthusian theory has proven to be correct
Neo-Malthusians argue that population control is essential in avoiding a Malthusian catastrophe
The Club of Rome
One group of academics, the 'Club of Rome', published 'Limits to Growth' in 1972. The report suggested
With the rate of population growth, positive checks on population would occur in the near future
That humans would soon exceed the carrying capacity of the Earth
The Club of Rome suggested that:
Population checks should be introduced to reduce the birth rate and conserve resources
Food supplies would decrease from 2000
Rapid resource depletion would occur from 2000
Optimistic Viewpoints on Resource Consumption
Ester Boserup
A Danish economist, Ester Boserup, put forward her theory regarding population growth in 1965
In her optimistic view of the relationship between population and resources (specifically food), she stated that:
Population growth will stimulate developments in technology to increase food production
More efficient resources will be discovered/used
Renewable resources will replace non-renewable
Julian Simon
In the 1980s, Simon's theory argued that the human mind will always solve the problem of scarce resources
Resources will never run out because:
Technological innovation will reduce the scarcity of raw materials and decrease their cost
Food and water quality will improve
Were pessimists or optimists right?
During the 1800s and 1900s, food production increased faster than population growth
This increase in food production was the result of:
More intensive farming - yields increased due to irrigation, crop rotation, fertilisers and selective breeding
Increasing areas of land were cultivated
Technological improvements - greater use of machines means areas can be cultivated and harvested more efficiently, development of high yield varieties, mechanised milking increases milk yields
For developed countries, an increase in imported foods also ensured that food supplies were greater than population growth
Balanced Views on Resource Consumption
The future challenges relating to resource consumption include
Climate change
Water, energy and food nexus
Continued population increase
Changing population structure
Increasing development
Technological developments
All of these will affect whether there will be sufficient food for the population
A balanced approach
This approach aims to:
Conserve resources to ensure less reliance on technological innovations to provide sufficient food
Examine ways to address the inequality of food consumption so that food resources are shared more equally around the world
Encourage governments and organisations to adopt a stewardship approach to reducing waste and inefficient use of resources
What is stewardship?
Stewardship combines conservation and preservation
Conservation is the efficient use of resources with minimum waste
It recognises that the use of resources should ensure that future generations can meet their needs
Preservation focuses on setting aside areas to reduce or completely ban the commercial use of land and exploitation of resources
Optimum population
Careful management of population and resources is needed to ensure a balance
Countries aim to achieve a perfect balance between population and resources, known as optimum population
An imbalance between population and resources leads to overpopulation or underpopulation
Examiner Tip
Remember that places are constantly changing, meaning that the concept of optimum population is difficult for a place to achieve for any significant length of time.
Carrying capacity
The maximum stable population size that an environment can support is known as the carrying capacity
The size of the Earth’s carrying capacity is determined by:
Size of the population
Level of resource consumption
Technological innovation
Level of wealth
If resources are consumed at sustainable rates, a larger population may be supported
Countries going through industrialisation tend to consume and waste resources at unsustainable levels, which leads to a lower carrying capacity
Technological innovation can either lead to:
Increases in the supply of resources such as energy and minerals, lowering carrying capacity
OR
Improved resource use efficiency and a higher carrying capacity
Wealthier countries usually have a larger carrying capacity than poorer countries because:
They export waste to poorer countries
They import products from poorer countries
This means that although poorer countries use fewer resources, they are supporting the resource use of richer countries
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