I know that among so many other issues, natural resource utilisation tends
to be overlooked. We don't lack products on supermarket shelves, after all.
But the world's population reached 7.4 billion in March (according to the
United Nations), and is on track to reach 11.2 billion by 2100. This means that
certain basic issues like food supply will become critical in the developed
world, let alone the developing world.
Adam Minter has a terrifying article in Bloomberg on overfishing in China,
and its political and resource implications. It's a textbook case of
over-utilisation, aggravated by a seemingly "rational" economic
policy (fisheries support) taken to irrational lengths through price and
subsidy distortions. It also includes a very explicit link to nationalism and
territorial ambitions.
The EU and US have been struggling with this issue for generations, but
neither has the population or development pressure that China has.
Back in 1990, we were studying the South China Sea and the Spratly Islands
as a textbook case of mining and politics in Geology class. Back then, the
Berlin wall had just fallen and apartheid was still in place.
This month, I'm reading that Vietnam is moving Israeli-made rocket
artillery to concealed positions in the Spratlys, that Japan is re-arming and
that the Philippines is negotiating new base agreements.
I wonder how far our enlightened but geriatric continent is prepared for
new major power conflicts, either in Asia, or on our own borders. Certainly, we
ignored Syria as long as we could, until it bit us in the ass. Then as soon as
the refugee inflow slowed, we ignored it some more.
And I wonder if just a fraction of the time we spend on ephemera like
Pokemon Go or how many medals "we won" in Rio were not better
invested preparing for more serious, even existential, challenges.
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-08-17/it-s-up-to-china-to-save-asia-s-oceans
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-vietnam-idUSKCN10K2NE
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/policy-budget/budget/2015/05/03/japan-us-guidelines-military-isr-cyber-industry/26691819/
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2016/03/21/us-plans-use-five-new-bases-philippines/82072138/
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