1. a) What does an R/P ratio of 60 mean?
b) Describe two ways in which the R/P ratio can go up.
c) Describe two ways in which it can go down.
d) Why do you think the idea of R/P ratios is not well known by the general public?
2. Why does it not make sense to apply the idea of R/P ratios to renewable resources?
3. What factors should we consider when we try to balance the need to provide jobs, grow our economy, and increase exports with the need to protect our resources for future use?
4. How might governments, companies, and advocacy groups influence future development of non-renewable resources?
5. Environmentalists argue that we are finding new reserves of oil, gas, and minerals, but at considerable costs. What two very different types of costs are they talking about?
1.
a) An R/P ratio of 60 means that at the current rate of production, there are enough reserves to last for 60 years.
b) The R/P ratio can go up by discovering new reserves or by implementing more efficient extraction techniques.
c) The R/P ratio can go down through increased consumption, depletion of existing reserves, or disruptions in production due to factors like geopolitical conflicts.
d) The idea of R/P ratios may not be well known by the general public because it is a complex concept that involves understanding geological data, production rates, and global energy markets. Additionally, it may not be widely discussed in mainstream media or education systems.
2. It does not make sense to apply the idea of R/P ratios to renewable resources because renewable resources by definition are continuously replenishing, so they do not have a finite reserve that can be depleted.
3. When balancing the need for economic growth with resource protection, factors to consider include sustainable resource management practices, investing in renewable energy sources, promoting innovation and efficiency in resource use, implementing regulations and policies that protect natural resources, and considering the long-term impacts of resource extraction on ecosystems and communities.
4. Governments, companies, and advocacy groups can influence the future development of non-renewable resources by implementing regulations and incentives for sustainable resource management, promoting renewable energy sources, investing in research and development of green technologies, raising awareness about the environmental and social impacts of resource extraction, and collaborating on international agreements to address global resource challenges.
5. Environmentalists argue that finding new reserves of oil, gas, and minerals comes at considerable costs, including environmental degradation such as deforestation, habitat destruction, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, there are social costs such as displacement of indigenous communities, conflicts over resource extraction, and health impacts on workers and local populations.