Discover published sets by community

Resource scarcity refers to the shortage of resources that are essential for human survival and economic activity. It can lead to increased prices, competition for scarce resources, and potentially conflict.

Water scarcity can be caused by overconsumption, pollution, climate change, and inefficient agriculture practices. It leads to droughts, crop failure, and inadequate clean drinking water.

Resource scarcity, especially of water and arable land, can negatively impact food production. It can cause malnutrition, hunger, and social unrest as the population struggles to access a stable food supply.

The tragedy of the commons describes a situation where individuals, acting independently and rationally according to their self-interest, behave contrary to the common good by depleting a shared resource.

Malthusianism is based on the theory that population growth will outpace agricultural production, leading to widespread scarcity and famine. It encourages population control to prevent resource depletion.

Sustainable development involves meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It seeks a balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity.

Economic allocation refers to how resources are distributed and used in an economy. It can be influenced by market forces, government policies, and social norms.

Renewable resources can be replenished naturally over time, such as sunlight, wind or water. Non-renewable resources, like fossil fuels and minerals, are finite and can be exhausted.

Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of extraction of petroleum is reached, after which the rate of production is expected to decline, leading to potential energy crises.

Resource substitution is the process of replacing a scarce or depleted resource with another that is more abundant or renewable, such as substituting fossil fuels with renewable energy sources.

Virtual water refers to the volume of water used to produce a commodity. Importing goods from areas where water is abundant can help regions with water scarcity manage their own scarce water resources more effectively.

The energy-water nexus refers to the interdependence between energy production and water resources. Power plants need water for cooling, while water supply systems require energy. Scarcity in one can impact the other.

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of CO2. Reducing it is essential for mitigating climate change.

The Environmental Kuznets Curve proposes that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental degradation and economic development. Initially, pollution rises with economic growth but eventually declines as society demands cleaner environments.

An ecological footprint measures the amount of natural resources individuals or groups demand compared to what the Earth can regenerate. It's used to assess the sustainability of lifestyle and consumption patterns.

Land degradation is the decline in land quality caused by human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable agricultural practices, leading to reduced agricultural productivity and biodiversity loss.

Mineral depletion occurs when the extraction of minerals exceeds their natural replenishment rates. It can lead to scarcity of certain minerals, driving up prices and hastening the search for alternatives.

Biofuels are derived from biomass and can lead to resource scarcity when they compete with food crops for land and water, potentially exacerbating food insecurity.

Desertification is the persistent degradation of dryland ecosystems by human activities and variations in climate. It's a form of land degradation that reduces agricultural productivity and biodiversity.

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. It emphasizes reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products.

Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans gain from functioning ecosystems, such as pollination, water filtration, and carbon sequestration. Scarcity can disrupt these services, harming human well-being.

Life Cycle Analysis is a technique to assess the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product's life, from raw material extraction to disposal, which helps in managing resource use better.

Global commons are resource domains or areas that lie outside of the political reach of any one nation-state. They include the high seas, the atmosphere, Antarctica, and outer space, and are subject to international law and resource scarcity issues.

The resource curse is a paradoxical situation where countries with an abundance of natural resources tend to experience less economic growth and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer resources.