Entering a Resource-Shock World

[marmar]

from TomDispatch:




Entering a Resource-Shock World
How Resource Scarcity and Climate Change Could Produce a Global Explosion

By Michael T. Klare


Brace yourself. You may not be able to tell yet, but according to global experts and the U.S. intelligence community, the earth is already shifting under you. Whether you know it or not, you’re on a new planet, a resource-shock world of a sort humanity has never before experienced.

Two nightmare scenarios -- a global scarcity of vital resources and the onset of extreme climate change -- are already beginning to converge and in the coming decades are likely to produce a tidal wave of unrest, rebellion, competition, and conflict. Just what this tsunami of disaster will look like may, as yet, be hard to discern, but experts warn of “water wars” over contested river systems, global food riots sparked by soaring prices for life’s basics, mass migrations of climate refugees (with resulting anti-migrant violence), and the breakdown of social order or the collapse of states. At first, such mayhem is likely to arise largely in Africa, Central Asia, and other areas of the underdeveloped South, but in time all regions of the planet will be affected.

To appreciate the power of this encroaching catastrophe, it’s necessary to examine each of the forces that are combining to produce this future cataclysm.

Resource Shortages and Resource Wars

Start with one simple given: the prospect of future scarcities of vital natural resources, including energy, water, land, food, and critical minerals. This in itself would guarantee social unrest, geopolitical friction, and war. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175690/tomgram%3A_michael_klare%2C_the_coming_global_explosion/#more

[Gregorian]

1. What a confusing way to talk about population.

All of the land is still here. All of the water is still here. Although not as easy as it used to be to get at. What is actually changing is population.

No one wants to touch that though. I constantly get flamed for even bringing it up. Here, on DU of all liberal places. That's how taboo it is. But that's the issue. That's the problem. All of the rest is just symptom. At least the article does mention population in tangential ways.

I find it pathetic that we can't face something so serious.

[chervilant]

2. And, then, you have

those folk who believe that the big sky daddy has put the right amount of people on the planet, and all this talk about overpopulation is a nefarious plot to eliminate 90% of our species.

(For almost 25 years, I've told family and friends that we'll see catastrophic change in our lifetimes, based on my research and on Calhoun's work on overpopulation. AND, this global climate change brouhaha--yet another symptom--completely substantiates my contention.)

[ThomThom]

3. everyone in the world can't have what we in the US have

cars, big houses etc and we need to cut back
The world has limited resources and we are beginning to bump up against scarcity, precious minerals along with oil and water will be problematic. We need to stop filling landfills with valuable stuff and lower our expectations for new tech stuff. Sustainable agriculture is a must, all in conjunction with reduced population.