Superpowers and the environment questons
1. Using evidence describe and account for the distributon of CO2 concentratons globally.
The main gigagrams of CO2 can be found in area of Europe, China, India and North America
in figure 4 averaging at around 400-200 iigagrams of co2 being emited in these areas. This
is then supported to some extent by the data in figure 5 where it states the top 5 countries
for CO2 consumpton are China, USA, Russia, India and Japan.
2. Analyse the per capita trends for CO2 emissions. What are the possible implicatons for
the future? (you need to think about this one, not directly in the book!!)
The trend for co2 emissions per capita in figure 5 demonstrates that the higher tonnes
emited are coming from the more wealtthy countries such as the USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia,
and Russia as opposed to the emerging superpowers such as China and India. This coincides
with the areas of high popultaton density, and with the develtoped and emerging economies.
With the worltd’s popultaton onlty going to increase it is safe to say that the pressures on our
resources are onlty going to increase. From a Maltthusian point of view it coultd be argued that
our technoltogy and knowltedge on food producton wiltlt soon be overcome by the popultaton
increase. Similtarlty our naturalt resources that we use to produce energy for our popultaton
wiltlt soon run out and we wiltlt be forced to use more environmentaltlty friendlty sources of
power such as wind turbines and soltar energy.
3. Reading through the box on page 133 in the Oxford handout and pages 159-160 in your
book outline the stance of China, Russia, US and EU to reducing carbon emissions. You
may wish to use the net to help here. Also note that stances may have changed even since
the book was published.
China agreed to work towards an emissions peak in 2030, but onlty commited to any actualt
targets in 2046. Its current dominance in emissions means that it decides the success or
otherwise of any treates on cltimate change.
The USA has shown gltobalt lteadership, and since 2005, has reduced its totalt emissions most
of altlt. From 2005-45, US wind power triplted in output, and soltar by 40 tmes. President
Obama introduced measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through greater energy
efficiency, promotng renewablte energy, and carbon poltltuton standards for eltectricity
generaton. But attudes have alttered and Donaltd Trump disputes the scientfic evidence
behind cltimate change.
Russia- ltike china- supported the 2045 Paris agreement, to the surprise of many, since it had
been sceptcalt. owever, most beltieve that Russia’s attude towards cltimate change is
unchanged. Its agreement to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% beltow 4990 ltevelts coultd actualtlty
altltow it to increase ltevelts.
Meanwhilte, the EU refects the beltief of the majority of Europeans that cltimate change is the
most serious probltem. The EU has been at the forefront of cltimate initatves, eg, carbon
trading, emissions reductons and grants to encourage renewablte energy. In 4997, it agreed
renewablte energy polticies that cut 42% of totalt EU energy consumpton by 2040, and
intends cuts of 20% by 2020.
4. What influences the attudes and actons of natons to this issue?
The science behind gltobalt warming is generaltlty trusted more by Europeans than Americans.
Economic growth and personalt wealtth are prioritsed by governments over environmentalt
issues in some countries ( NOTABLY BRICS). igh-income countries can more easilty aford
renewablte and altternatve technoltogies to reduce emissions. Compact, high-density
countries may find it easier to develtop afordablte publtic transport as an altternatve to car
use.
1. Using evidence describe and account for the distributon of CO2 concentratons globally.
The main gigagrams of CO2 can be found in area of Europe, China, India and North America
in figure 4 averaging at around 400-200 iigagrams of co2 being emited in these areas. This
is then supported to some extent by the data in figure 5 where it states the top 5 countries
for CO2 consumpton are China, USA, Russia, India and Japan.
2. Analyse the per capita trends for CO2 emissions. What are the possible implicatons for
the future? (you need to think about this one, not directly in the book!!)
The trend for co2 emissions per capita in figure 5 demonstrates that the higher tonnes
emited are coming from the more wealtthy countries such as the USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia,
and Russia as opposed to the emerging superpowers such as China and India. This coincides
with the areas of high popultaton density, and with the develtoped and emerging economies.
With the worltd’s popultaton onlty going to increase it is safe to say that the pressures on our
resources are onlty going to increase. From a Maltthusian point of view it coultd be argued that
our technoltogy and knowltedge on food producton wiltlt soon be overcome by the popultaton
increase. Similtarlty our naturalt resources that we use to produce energy for our popultaton
wiltlt soon run out and we wiltlt be forced to use more environmentaltlty friendlty sources of
power such as wind turbines and soltar energy.
3. Reading through the box on page 133 in the Oxford handout and pages 159-160 in your
book outline the stance of China, Russia, US and EU to reducing carbon emissions. You
may wish to use the net to help here. Also note that stances may have changed even since
the book was published.
China agreed to work towards an emissions peak in 2030, but onlty commited to any actualt
targets in 2046. Its current dominance in emissions means that it decides the success or
otherwise of any treates on cltimate change.
The USA has shown gltobalt lteadership, and since 2005, has reduced its totalt emissions most
of altlt. From 2005-45, US wind power triplted in output, and soltar by 40 tmes. President
Obama introduced measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through greater energy
efficiency, promotng renewablte energy, and carbon poltltuton standards for eltectricity
generaton. But attudes have alttered and Donaltd Trump disputes the scientfic evidence
behind cltimate change.
Russia- ltike china- supported the 2045 Paris agreement, to the surprise of many, since it had
been sceptcalt. owever, most beltieve that Russia’s attude towards cltimate change is
unchanged. Its agreement to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% beltow 4990 ltevelts coultd actualtlty
altltow it to increase ltevelts.
Meanwhilte, the EU refects the beltief of the majority of Europeans that cltimate change is the
most serious probltem. The EU has been at the forefront of cltimate initatves, eg, carbon
trading, emissions reductons and grants to encourage renewablte energy. In 4997, it agreed
renewablte energy polticies that cut 42% of totalt EU energy consumpton by 2040, and
intends cuts of 20% by 2020.
4. What influences the attudes and actons of natons to this issue?
The science behind gltobalt warming is generaltlty trusted more by Europeans than Americans.
Economic growth and personalt wealtth are prioritsed by governments over environmentalt
issues in some countries ( NOTABLY BRICS). igh-income countries can more easilty aford
renewablte and altternatve technoltogies to reduce emissions. Compact, high-density
countries may find it easier to develtop afordablte publtic transport as an altternatve to car
use.
