Resource exploitation and management

1. Background and definitions

In this section,you will need to understand:

1. How to define and categorise “resources”.

2. How to describe and explain the links between renewable and non- renewable resources .

3. How to identify the factors which control resource exploitation.

4. Supply and Demand; a Case study of North Sea oil and natural gas resources.

5. The concept of Carrying Capacity and the Earth as a Closed System

6. The reasons for the adoption of Reduce, Re-use ,Recycle policies.

What is a resource? … a means of supplying a want

…..stock that can be drawn upon …a country’s collective means for support and

defence ie something useful for people and countries

What are Natural resources?On land……..trees, plants and animals, soil and

mineralsOn continental shelf ( under sea)…..fish stocks,

minerals, oil and natural gas.

A Resource is also defined as the “ skill in devising expedients ,practical integrity,

quick wit” ie the resourcefulness of a person.The population of a country are also a

resource. Both natural and human resources are inextricably

linked… without human resourcefulness and the development of technology, natural resources

cannot be exploited!

Naturally renewable resources will exist independent of human life….. however

Commonest classification of resources is between renewable and non- renewable resources.

Most non – renewable resources are fossil fuels and certain minerals. They took millions of years to form and once used cannot be replaced within a human life scale. They are finite.

Some renewable resources may become “ non- renewable” due to human mis-use and abuse eg

Fish stocks overfished to extinction

Soil degraded to point of desertification

Water table lowered to become irreversibly saline

City air polluted with carbon monoxide to produce smog.

The issue?

Obviously more of the earth’s biological resources need to be more carefully conserved

and managed if they are to regenerate and provide new supplies for future generations.

The issue here is that of SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

IeIf we develop and exploit resources today we

should do so in the knowledge that the resource base is left in the same or an improved

state for future generations.

A case study of world forest depletion…timber resources unsustainably managed.

1.Can you identify the countries where forests are being depleted?

2. Why is this happening? 3. How can this be controlled?

How else can resources be classified?

Some resources that have already been obtained from the land or sea but are not yet required are stockpiled ready to use

in the future.These materials are said to be held

in stock.

Other resources that have been left untouched are held in reserve.

This means their existence and extent are known so they can be obtained when required.

These are sometimes left undeveloped because they may be located in

i) politically unstable countries eg Iraq orii) inhospitable , inaccessible locations eg Antarctica

What factors control resource exploitation?

•Availability in large quantities

•Cheapness

•Easy to obtain

•Quality of resource

•Close to point of need

What factors change the situation?

•Improvements in technology

•Changes in economic climate

•Increasing demand

Identify the types of industries and likely locations shown on the

following pictures……

Oil production

World Oil Production

On a world map base name and plot the top

10 oil producers as columns, to scale.

Scale;

Case study – North Sea oil and gasNatural gas and oil reserves were known about for a long time before they were commercially viable to exploit. It had been just too costly and too difficult to drill into the sea bed and extract them.

But, events in the 1970’s changed the situation.

1. There was a huge increase in the price of oil worldwide

2. There was a shortage in Europe where demand exceeded supply

3. New technology allowed resources to be exploited.

4. Giant “ Forties “ field opened up in Oct 1970

5. Costs in human terms (loss of life) and excessive finances(budget far greater than NASA space programme! ) continually in balance.

SUPPLY

•Quantity

•Quality

•Ease of obtaining it

•Level of technology

•Location

•Political instability

DEMAND

•Price

•Need

•Availability of alternative supplies

of the same

•Availability of substitutes

How long will a resource be exploited?

The issues…..

• This is a complex balance, and rarely so simplistic that exploitation ceases when resource is physically exhausted.

• Costs tend to increase as resource diminishes so point is reached where its extraction is not commercially viable.

• Company will then invest in new locations or new substitute resources.

Only a significant price rise or extreme shortage will make it profitable to return to original deposits. Eg BP..huge reserves of Canadian oil sands…may consider refining if profitable.

The Earth as a Closed system.

There is a finite limit to the global stocks of all resources.

“Life expectancies” for selected minerals are calculated on the basis of known reserves.

It is only a “snap –shot” in time as new reserves are being discovered and others are exhausted.

Life expectancies for certain minerals.

Coal 230 Natural gas 62

Oil 41 Copper 534

Zinc 56 Silver 26

Tin 55 Gold 30

Lead 47

Display these statistics as a graph and research the names

of the top 3 producing countries where each is found.

Will there be sufficient resources to satisfy world population needs ?

• When animal populations are studied, the natural environments upon which they depend have resource limits, referred to as “ Carrying Capacity”

• If this is exceeded then nature takes its course and breeding is reduced due to food shortages. i.e.the population is brought into balance with the resources available

• Human population is unique in that they can increase “ carrying capacity” by technological advance. They can also swap resources from resource-rich to resource poor areas of the world.

Carrying capacity illustrated….

If the C.C. is exceeded = nature takes its course & breeding is reduced due to food shortages. i.e.the population is brought into balance with the resources available

The human population is unique in that it can increase “ carrying capacity” by technological advance. It can also swap resources from resource-rich to resource poor areas of the world.

A new agenda…

The 3 “R’s”?• Although finite, the life expectancy of some

minerals can be extended in times of rising population by adopting the policy of “Reduce, Re-use and Recycle”.

• This can be achieved at a variety of scales from individuals turning off lights to industries installing efficient heating systems.

• Governments can help by awarding grants for roof insulation, double glazing etc and legislating to improve building standards.

• Materials and resources can be recycled, such as water via sophisticated treatment plants and from separated household collections, including “green waste”

Are we succeeding…..?

Waste management

• Use the data in the table below to construct a world choropleth map showing the annual waste per person.(equivalent in kg per person.)

• Name the countries and produce a clear key.

USA 721 SWITZERLAND 441AUSTRALIA 690 JAPAN 411NEW ZEALAND 662 SWEDEN 374FINLAND 624 GERMANY 360CANADA 601 GB 348NETHERLANDS 497 ITALY 348NORWAY 472 BELGIUM343DENMARK 460 FRANCE 328

SPAIN 322

Now describe and explain the pattern displayed.

Case study; Surrey waste management

• Using p 255-256 in Bowen or the handout provided, complete questions 1,2 and 3 as set out below.

• 1.Describe and explain how the Surrey Waste management company’s plans for the county meet criteria and targets laid down by the Government’s “ A way with Waste” strategy.

• 2. Using the information produce 2 tables showing the advantages and disadvantages of the proposals for the environment and for local residents.

• 3.What additional objections of the residents have not been answered by the Surrey Management group?