L2 - Global Inequalities in Supply and Demand

• the consumption of resources varies greatly throughout the world
• HICs generally consume more resources than LICs
• the problem we face is not that there are not enough resources but that they are unevenly distributed throughout the world
• as the wealth of the LICs increases, so does the demand for resources
• increase in population causes more demand and leads to more shortage of resources.
• as LICs and NEEs develop industrially and economically, their demand for resources has grown too, in china between 2003 and 2011 the energy consumption by 53%
• the average calorie consumption in a country such as the UK is 3200 per person, whereas somalia is only 1580 calories per person
• the areas that have the highest population growth, also have the highest levels of undernourishment
• the global supply of freshwater is limited and unequally distributed
• the water footprint of countries can be calculated to compare consumption. this is the amount of energy used in a day, for example showering or drinking from a tap. it also includes the water it takes to produce food, products, energy and even the water saved when products are recycled
• the global average water footprint is 1240 litres per person, in the USA it is 2483 litres per person, but in Bangladesh it is just 896 litres per person
• the water choropleth map shows areas that suffer from water scarcity and those that have water to spare
• the countries that have water, but not the money to access it is termed 'economic water scarcity', and includes places like sudan
• areas that dont have as much water due to the physical climatic conditions are termed as having 'physical water scarcity', this includes Saudi Arabia
• the richest 1 billion people in the world consume 50% of the worlds energy, whilst the poorest 1 billion consume only 4% of the worlds energy