Concept Caching: Bicycle Use and Production in China

From our Concept Caching image cache that hopes to promote student spatial awareness by relating specific features on the Earth’s surface with their visual character and GPS coordinates. Through the site photographs and GPS coordinates demonstrate core concepts in geography.  Images are “cached” for viewing by core concept and by region.  Images are certainly useful for introducing visual content to students in all Geography classes.

In the post Geography Directions: The Dilemma of Global Energy, the connections between global energy security and climate change policy are approached from a geographic perspective.  One of these connections is found in China, where there are larger societal changes happening as major transportation modes are shifting from bicycles to cars as more and more middle class Chinese are able to afford them.  This has real implications for the demands on global energy and the resulting relationship with climate change.  It will be development questions such as this that will be the sticking point for agreements on climate change policy.

Geography Directions: The Dilemma of Global Energy

From our Geography Directions site reviewing Wiley-Blackwell’s Geography Compass review journal covering the entire discipline.  Keep up with cutting edge academic geography.  These articles may be useful for introducing students to the discipline or may be appropriate for upper division Geography classes.

A recent article in the December Geographical Journal by Michael Bradshaw entitled “Global energy dilemmas: a geographical
perspective”, examines the relationship between global energy security and climate change policy. With growing concerns about the sustainability of the future supply of hydrocarbons and the fact that they are the single largest source of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, decarbonising the way energy is produced is a key component of climate change policy. The central proposition of the paper is that as the world faces a global energy dilemma can we have a secure, reliable and affordable supply of energy and at the same time, manage the changeover to a low-carbon energy system? The paper considers the present-day challenges to global energy security, and focuses on the possibility that future oil production might not be able to meet demand. It also looks at how the dangers of climate change are forcing us to rethink the meaning of energy security such that a low-carbon energy revolution is now called for. In addition, the paper explains that while the developed world is principally responsible for the anthropogenic carbon emissions in the atmosphere, a global shift in energy demand is underway and over the next 20 years it is the developing world that will contribute an ever-increasing amount of global emissions. The article also looks at global energy relationships explaining how the processes of globalisation are the driving force behind the shift in energy demand and carbon emissions. Finally, Bradshaw explains how the global energy quandary plays itself out in different ways across the globe.

Shedding further light on the future of fossil fuels, a report published in the same month by Deloitte’s Global Energy & Resources group, “The Oil and Gas Reality Check 2011, a look at 10 of the top issues facing the oil sector” analyses the oil and gas trends and issues for the coming year. The issues range from deepwater drilling, where the next alternative energy source will be found and the growing influence of Asia on the industry. According to the report it is estimated that oil and gas will continue to constitute the world’s primary energy supply for the next 25 years. It explains how Asia’s share in the growth in demand for hydrocarbons has risen substantially while that of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries and the European Union has declined. This shift has been caused by high rates of economic growth and increasing populations in many Asian countries. Simultaneously, up to three billion people in developing nations will have bought cars and adopted middle class consumption patterns by 2030. This suggests that more fossil fuels will be needed despite the fact that alternative forms of energy such as wind and solar have grown rapidly. In the meantime oil and gas producers feel they are a bridge to the new energy economy.

By Paulette Cully

To view the original article please visit the Geography Directions Blog.

Concept Caching: Silver Mining–Potosi, Bolivia

From our Concept Caching image cache that hopes to promote student spatial awareness by relating specific features on the Earth’s surface with their visual character and GPS coordinates. Through the site photographs and GPS coordinates demonstrate core concepts in geography.  Images are “cached” for viewing by core concept and by region.  Images are certainly useful for introducing visual content to students in all Geography classes.

Global demand for minerals, like copper, silver, iron, uranium, and others, drives mining industries in all world regions.  The conditions of miners varies greatly from country to country.  Regardless the technology or safety regulations in  national contexts, mining is ultimately a very dangerous endeavor.  As described in the post, Globalization of Rescue: the case of the 33 Chilean Miners, the rescue effort associated with the 33 Chilean miners illustrated the global networks that came together to make the rescue possible, but it also illustrated the dangerous conditions of mining and raised important questions for the future of the industry.

Globalization of Rescue: the case of the 33 Chilean Miners

Many South American economies are overly dependent on commodities, or raw materials for export, for their national incomes.  This dependency is useful for economic growth in the short-term, but is questionable for sustaining economic growth long-term.  Commodities are not only non-renewable, expensive to invest in, risky for both people and the environment, but they can also be volatile, where prices can roller coaster over time. The World Bank estimates that in Chile commodities account for over three-quarters of all exports and of these commodities, copper clearly dominates.  Copper is in high global demand in Brazil, China, India and Russia, where it is used for many things like electronics, cars, batteries, and more.  Chile has the world’s largest reserves that are extracted as a mineral ore from deep underground mines.  Mining of any kind of mineral is incredibly dangerous: mine shafts, or tunnels, can cave in; others can explode with an unsafe build up of gases; and others can poison the surrounding environment.

Chile’s main copper mines are found in the northern arid Atacama Desert region.  This is where the 69 day saga of the 33 Chilean miners took place.  A copper and gold mine in Copiapó collapsed trapping the 33 miners 2,300 feet or half-a-mile below the surface.  Trapped for 17 days before being discovered, the miners had to ration limited food, water, and hope.  Once they were found to be alive, the waiting game begun before they were able to be rescued.  Early on, it was estimated to take around 5 months to reach the miners by drilling down to the ventilation chamber where they were trapped.  From the outset, the rescue was an international effort.  Chile’s president appealed to Peru, the United States, Canada and Australia (all with significant mining sectors) for their mining expertise.  In preparing for a long confinement, the American space agency, NASA, advised the Chilean government about the psychological state of the miners.  To help mitigate their emotional tensions, the miners were sent down anti-depressants, a small television and psychologist-approved movies, like The Mask.  However, when the miners requested “comforts” like beer, wine and cigarettes, they were denied or sent nicotine gum instead.

Due to the already dangerous conditions of the mine, new strategies were needed to drill the rescue shaft and design the rescue capsule.  BBC News offers a remarkable collection of images and animations detailing the three rescue drilling plans and the rescue pod’s ascent.  NASA engineers helped to design the rescue pod that was then built by the Chilean navy.  Seven other American-based firms also aided the effort by supplying drilling machinery, providing free shipping for equipment, creating special safety vests, and donating socks and sunglasses. Such globalized cooperation and “innovation” led a writer for the Wall Street Journal to declare that: “Capitalism saved the miners.”

While awaiting the actual rescue, the world watched intently.  An interesting microcosm of reporters, politicians, well-wishers and even clowns were encamped at the surface entrance of the mine, dubbed Camp Hope.  On the day of the rescue, people from all over the world tuned in live to watch each miner get hoisted up in the capsule.  Following the last miner to reach the surface, relief, joy and congratulations were echoed from global public figures like President Obama and the Pope, to everyday people like Japanese school teachers, émigré Chileans, and social networkers.  Some global news sources sought serious lessons from the event: some called for the overhaul of mining safety rules; others called for no más underground mining; and others cynically looked at their own mining industry and questioned if there would have been such a “happy ending” there.  Regardless, these miners are certainly being treated to a “happy ending” with all manner of gifts, including: money; vacations to Europe, Israel, and the United States; iPods; and even stripteases.  And this is not to mention the Hollywood offers for movie rights, book deals and television appearances.

As the world was focused on the rescued miners in the limelight, the mundane tragedies of other Chilean miners continued to play out.  Camp Hope has turned into a protest site.  When the owners of the mine declared bankruptcy and closed the mine, they dismissed 300 miners without any severance pay.  These protesters, who live in impoverished shantytowns declared: “we are trapped at the surface,” and perhaps this will be the lasting, yet overlooked message that stays when the limelight fades.

Concept Caching: Muslim women in Sanaa, Yemen

From our Concept Caching image cache that hopes to promote student spatial awareness by relating specific features on the Earth’s surface with their visual character and GPS coordinates. Through the site photographs and GPS coordinates demonstrate core concepts in geography.  Images are “cached” for viewing by core concept and by region.  Images are certainly useful for introducing visual content to students in all Geography classes.

According to the post Geography Directions: No More Water by 2025? the Northern Yemeni city of Sanaa is at an extreme risk of water scarcity as its fresh water sources, already limited, are increasingly stressed by the combination of its arid environment, lack of freshwater hydro-geography, and growing population demands.  What will become of this UNESCO World Heritage site when all the water is gone?

Geography Directions: No More Water by 2025?

From our Geography Directions site reviewing Wiley-Blackwell’s Geography Compass review journal covering the entire discipline.  Keep up with cutting edge academic geography.  These articles may be useful for introducing students to the discipline or may be appropriate for upper division Geography classes.

Experts are warning that Yemenis living in the capital city, Sana’a, may no longer have access to water by 2025. Like many Middle Eastern countries, Yemen is an arid country that faces a problem of water scarcity*. Rain and groundwater are the main sources of water in Yemen since there are no rivers in the country. A recent New York Times article reports that if water management does not improve, it may lead to massive population displacement as well as job losses and declining incomes. These conclusions are based on a preliminary study produced by the consulting firm McKinsey and Company at the request of the Yemeni government.

Demand for water in Yemen has greatly increased over the past decades, due to a fast growing population that has doubled since 1975, and to the prevalence of the cultivation of qat, a mildly narcotic leaf that generates more income than other cash crops. Yemeni farms use about 90 percent of the country’s water. Thousands of wells have been drilled illegally to irrigate crops, and the growing need for water and inadequate irrigation techniques have resulted in the depletion of Yemen’s aquifers, with groundwater being extracted faster than it can be replenished by natural discharge. This has led to migration from rural to urban areas, as streams dry up and people can no longer farm on their land. It is important to note that Yemen is a major food importer, with around 90 percent of its food coming from abroad.

There have been different campaigns to educate Yemenis about sustainable water management options at the individual level, like the one in the video presented here, and the creation of Rowyan, a national mascot to encourage water conservation. Several projects related to sustainable water management in Sana’a and at the national level are being funded by international organisations and the EU, and water rationing is being carried out in most of the major cities.

A Geography Compass paper by Hassan et al. (2010) provides insights into the challenges and opportunities related to water management in an arid Arab country. Although the politics, geography and level of water scarcity differ, a comparative approach could be taken to draw parallels between scenarios in Palestine and Yemen. For readers who prefer a more theoretical approach to the sustainability of water use, another Geography Compass paper by Hauhs and Graefe (2009) presents perspectives from the social and natural sciences, and shows how both of these approaches can be combined to facilitate discussions amongst water managers with different backgrounds.

*Water scarce countries are defined by the World Bank as those that have less than 1,000 m3 of renewable internal freshwater resources available per capita in a year. Yemen is estimated to have about 200 m3 of water per capita, which is 3 percent of the global average of 6,750 m3.

By Magali Bonne-Moreau

To view the original article please visit the Geography Directions Blog.

Survivor Islands

As I wrote last week on my EarthView blog, the Tokelau archipelago enjoyed a brief moment of  global media attention as three of its teens were rescued after a record 50 days lost at sea. Tokelau is a self-administering territory of New Zealand comprising three atolls spread over 100 kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, close to a thousand kilometers northeast of Fiji. Although the territorial waters of Tokelau extend over tens of thousands of square kilometers, its 1500 residents share lands that measure a total of only 12 square kilometers, divided among many islets that ring the lagoons of the three atolls.

This week, many of the world’s small islands are hoping to draw attention to a more important survival story. Members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) are attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, where the group is receiving an award from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Low-lying island and coastal states have been among the leaders in focusing attention on the threat of climate change.

Although it is not a member of AOSIS, the topography of Tokelau exemplifies the special circumstances that have moved these states and territories to the center of the climate debate. The highest elevation among the islands of Tokelau is just 5 meters above sea level, with most of its land found at elevations of only 3 meters. With a total land area of just 12 kilometers, and no land more than a few hundred meters from the Pacific Ocean, even modest rises in sea level threaten the safety of residents, the security of their properties, and the very survival of the territory.

Melting polar ice and the thermal expansion of ocean waters is leading to an increase in mean sea level. In addition to the permanent loss of land to rising seas, storm surges associated with hurricanes and typhoons are likely to threaten much greater proportions of low-lying islands, if they build on levels that are even a meter or two higher than current levels.

Concept Caching: Moscow

From our Concept Caching image cache that hopes to promote student spatial awareness by relating specific features on the Earth’s surface with their visual character and GPS coordinates. Through the site photographs and GPS coordinates demonstrate core concepts in geography.  Images are “cached” for viewing by core concept and by region.  Images are certainly useful for introducing visual content to students in all Geography classes.

Moscow has long been the center of Russian politics, whether it was the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, or the Russian state of today.  In fact, Russian governments and politicians are often referred to simply as Moscow.  As mentioned in the post A Russian re-turn?, there seems to some political momentum among the former territories of the Russian Empire and of the former Soviet Republics to make a re-turn back toward Moscow since their abrupt Western turns made in the 1990s.

A Russian re-turn?

Russia has been a significant global and Eurasian presence for much longer than many contemporary Western perspectives give credit to.  This may be because the Russian Realm has existed, and at times prospered, as ideologically distinct from the rest of the world system.  Some historical similarities aside (like, colonialism, imperialism, and empire), autocracy and communism separate this ideological set from the democratic and capitalist nearly everywhere else.  The subtle power of memory and history has begun to reassert themselves as some of the former Soviet territories and Republics reverse their primary political associations from west to east.  Yet, what is seen as a contemporary “turn to Russia” today would not be so much a “turn”, but perhaps a “re”-turn for some Eastern European states.

A brief look at Russian historical and territorial geography provides an insight into the recurring, although contentious, allegiance and memory across, now “independent,” territorial borders.  The ties that unite places like Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian core, are quite deep-rooted as they define significant parts of the shared “historical heartland” between these Slavic peoples.  Such memories are often revisited earnestly, despite their temporal distance of thousands of years back.  In more recent memory, the legacy of the Soviet system and its tenuous, federal “union” of diverse nationalities have also left an imprint.  The cultural organization of the Soviet system represented a fine line between political subordinance and cultural independence.   In the early 1990s, the appeal of cultural and political independence certainly won out.  However, the Soviet political and economic system, although globally judged as a failure, was somewhat a success on the ground as it provided a tangible safety net for people.  Communist-style support is now missed as capitalist alternatives have proven uneven and ultimately dissatisfactory.  In terms of global alliances, even former Republics that made the quickest turn to the West, are now rethinking such strategies as they find themselves increasingly peripheralized in complicated Western supra-national systems.  This geopolitical disillusionment has found a new opportunity as the Russian state has recently been making its own global resurgence, riding the wave of favorable global energy prices, reasserting its “need” for autocratic-style democracy, and reemerging as a global power in this multipolar world.

The strongest return has been that of Ukraine.  In 2004, the Orange Revolution was hoped to bring democracy and stronger ties to Europe.  However, since then, disenchantment has reigned and in February 2010 a pro-Moscow president was elected.  President Viktor Yanukovich ingratiated Ukraine with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, negotiating and signing some significant treaties and agreements that will have lasting effects.  This “re-turn” was not unilaterally endorsed, and some of the most comical political machinations resulted during the Ukrainian Parliament’s debate over these treaties.  Going even a step further, the new pro-Russian government is also rewriting its history books and erasing references to the pro-democracy interlude of the Orange Revolution.

In Latvia, economic troubles have contributed to the near return to Russian influence.  Historically, Latvia was one of the three Baltic States that declared their independence from the Soviet Union and made the quickest about face turn to the West.  However, following a recent economic collapse which associated blame with the West, the country nearly turned power over to a political party that is backed by the significant ethnic Russian population, itself a legacy of Soviet Russification.   Interestingly, there is an increasingly Latvian contingent that seems to view Russia as a lesser evil than Western Europe.

As Russia reemerges on the world political stage, there may be more former satellites that choose to return to its influence.  Especially as economic and governing politics in the European Union become increasingly uneven and contentious, perhaps even the most unexpected reversals may take place.