7.6C Future growth in emerging superpowers

• -> Global consumption has increased due to growing wealth particularly in emerging countries which leads to increased disposable income

  -> It is estimated that by 2050 global demand for:

  • Water will be 1.6 times greater
  • Energy will be 1.8 times greater
  • Mineral resources will be more than 2 times greater
• -> The global middle class is increasing and is predicted to reach 5.3 billion by 2030

  • The population in Asia will account for almost 90% of this increase
  • Over 43% of the global middle class will live in either India or China.
  • -> Middle class spending is predicted to almost double by in the 13 years between 2017-2030
  • In 2017 it was $37 trillion by 2030 it may reach $64 trillion

  
• -> The increased wealth will be spent on products such as washing machines, phones, cars, wider variety of food. In turn this will increase the demand for:

  • Energy for industry and domestic use
  • Water for agriculture
  • Rare minerals for making the products
• -> Impacts of increased consumption and resource include:

  • Water pollution
  • Air pollution
  • Soil contamination
  • Visual pollution
  • Deforestation