The effects of projected energy consumption on world politics and economics
What must first be understood is that population density as well as the industrial infrastructure within a given country directly affects the consumption of electricity. The greater the population density within a country the higher the likelihood is of larger factory complexes existing in a certain area which directly contributes to the rising rate in energy consumption. Unfortunately, the largest suppliers of energy in most countries have been fossil fuel power plants.
They have been a reliable and proven form of energy production however the sheer amount of carbon dioxide emissions that have been linked to their usage are cited as being one of the primary causes of global warming. With energy consumption expected to increase within the coming decades, this would require countries to supplement their current energy infrastructure. The inherent problem with this is that the fuel source of the most widely used type of power plant is oil and coal which are finite resources. As energy demands grow so too will the demand for such resources, the inherent problem with this is that the price of finite resources continues to increase over time as demand grows.
There will eventually come a time where the world will have to deal with the dwindling supply of fossil fuels and the after-effects they cause on the environment (Running dry, 2007). Based on this it can be expected that a shift will start wherein global governments will start to pour resources into renewable energy technologies to supplement their energy infrastructure. What this means for the global economy is the start of a trend leaning towards recycling and environmental stewardship creating new product markets that specialize solely in environmentally sustainable goods and practices.
Restoring ecosystems degraded by human activity
Ecosystems in general act as filters so to speak of the environment, various cities in China, Japan, the U.S., and the Philippines include certain ecosystems into city planning documents since such systems act as “lungs” for the city. With the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the air as a result of human activities, there is a definite need to help resolve this issue by continuing to develop and expand present day ecosystems to control the excess levels of CO2.
Ecosystems that have been degraded by human activity need to be restored to their former glory lest humanity pays the price for such actions. Evidence of landslides in China, the Philippines, and several South American countries show the result of unmitigated environmental deterioration. Several ecosystems within those areas had the function of acting as reservoirs for rainwater and to keep the ground stable (Gaskil, 2008).
Once they disappeared there was nothing to hinder the water from eroding the surrounding land and cause landslides. Such occurrences are but a small example of what can happen should damaged ecosystems be left in their current state. In terms of who should pay for the reconstruction of ecosystems, local and national governments should be the ones to take care of it using taxes to help revive dead or dying ecosystems within a general area.
References
Gaskill, M. (2008). Restoring Louisiana’s Broken Eco Systems. National Wildlife, 46(5), 33-37. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Running Dry. (2007). Atlantic Monthly (10727825), 299(3), 33. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.