L1- Overconsumption

Question 1

what is the anthropocene

Answer 1

human activities are pushing the earths system (especially climate) beyond range of natural variation

• this is increasing the risks of dangerous climate change outside the “safe operating space for humanity”

concept sees human as a global geophysical force in the earth system, equivalent to the forces of nature, this term has become a cultural emblem beyond the sciences for humanities impact on the planet

Question 2

what is the evidence for the Anthropocene

Answer 2

• last 100 years temperature exceeds the natural holocene range
• GHG are well beyond Holocene range, such as CO2 natural range is 180-280 ppm, currently 420 ish
• the cause of this is associated with economic growth seen in 19/20th century due to industrialisation

Question 3

what are the deeper roots of anthropocene

Answer 3

human impacts has grown over time

1- ancient fire and hunting
2- origins and spread of agriculture
3- European colonisation ( resource consumption)
4- industrial revolution (increased fossil fuel)
5- great acceleration / economic globalisation

Question 4

why does human history matter

Answer 4

attribution ( what are the causes)
mitigation (what is needed to address problems)
responsibility (who should lead mitigation efforts)

Question 5

what is the British industrial revolution

Answer 5

-fossil fuel-driven machines replaces -human/animal labour
-transition from rural agriculture to industrial manufacturing economies
-migration into cities = urbanisation
-improved sanitation and healthcare led to population growth

industrialisation using fossil fuels has been integral to economic development across the world

Question 6

what has “post-development” in HICS mean for service of jobs

• effects on CO2 emissions

Answer 6

development in todays rich countries are transitioning to a service-based economy over a manufacturing or agricultural service

has led to a significant decrease of co2 emissions, it peaked around 1960s, and is now on downward trajectory

Question 7

what is change of electricity grid of UK

Answer 7

massive change in electricity grid

• coal is now tiny fraction of emissions (1% of electricity), now majority of fossil fuels is gas, less emissions per unit of energy (34.2% of electricity), wind is now 30% of electricity

Question 8

what is current co2 emissions per capita in India

Answer 8

emissions increasing in India, but per capita is around 1.5 tonnes of co2 per capita

currently UK is around 5 tonnes co2 per capita

Question 9

who has contributed most to global CO2 emissions

Answer 9

early industrialised nations contribute most to the cumulative total

Namerica + europe + japan + australia = 66% of total cumulative co2.

Question 10

what is the great acceleration

Answer 10

• caused after WW2 by todays wealthy countries
  -rapid economic growth built on, cheap fossil fuels (particularly oil), abundant natural resources, global expansion of farmland

= capitalist world economic system (“capitalocene” more apt?)

Question 11

what is link between energy consumption and wealth

Answer 11

inherent link
-46% of wealth controlled by richest 0.7%
-97% of wealth controlled by richest 30%
- household wealth more then 10,000 (inc 92% of british households)

wealthiest 1% are responsible for co2 emissions equivalent to those of the poorest 66%, on average, person in the US emits more CO2 in 4 days then someone in poorest countries (eg uganda) emit over a whole year

Question 12

what does urbanisation do to per capita energy consumption

Answer 12

urbanisation increase per capita energy consumption, urbanisation is a relatively recent phenomenon linked to industrialisation, around 6/10 people currently line in cities

urbanisation -> economic productivity -> energy and natural resource consumption

Question 13

what is economic globalisation

Answer 13

unequal distribution of wealth around the world causes power imbalances that operate through global trade

power imbalances may have parallels with colonial power relations, in which case they may be described as neo-colonial

Question 14

what is global trade

Answer 14

value of world merchandise exports- 260-x greater in 2016 then in 1948 (15 trillion v 59 billion)

global supply and production chains mean that consumption in one country may lead to environmental impacts in another

change in recent decades, global manufacturing has shifted from western countries to China, more recently to less developed countries to the global south

Question 15

what is the environmental impacts embodies in international trade

Answer 15

10-70% of global environment impacts occur at a distance from the consumption that cause harm

increases impacts overall, since production in less developed nations to be more ecologically intensive
international trade:
20-33% of global co2 emissions
70% of coal exploitation
62-64% of global metal ore extractions
24-68% of global raw material extraction
21-37% of land use
10-30% of global surface and rainwater use

Question 16

why does complexity of global supply make conservation difficult

Answer 16

complexity of global supply chains makes it difficult to mitigate environmental damage from manufacturing

• mitigation achieved via regulation by governments of production and manufacturing

Changes are catalysed by consumer actions and pressure groups

Question 17

Does china import or export CO2 emissions

Answer 17

-Western countries (eu or N america) import CO2 emissions
- china is a net exporter of co2 emissions, emissions embodies in chinese trade exceed emissions form japan or Germany
-china has coal-based energy and high emissions per unit economic value
- however, emissions are focused in particular provinces and industry sectors
- targeted policies could therefore drastically reduce them

Question 18

trend in china export emissions?

Answer 18

peaked in 2008, and net fall since financial crisis, encouraging but risk of “carbon leakage” via export production moving to other countries such as vietnam or Bangladesh

Question 19

what is china belt and road initiative

Answer 19

chinese investment in infastructure to promote economic connections with other nations, especially eurasia and africa

projects include roads, railways, telecoms, energy pipelines and ports, (revives the ancient trade routes of the silk road by land and sea)

nations envolved in this account for 50% of global CO2 emissions and 92% increase in last 20 yrs, there is carbon leakage from china and india, to SE asia, west asia and Africa