Environmental Issues

Environmental Scarcity

Homer-Dixon defines environmental scarcity as “scarcity of renewable resources such as cropland, forests, river water, and fish stocks” (p. 8). There are three types of environmental stress or scarcity. Supply scarcity results when an existing resource is depleted, such as when deforestation reduces the availability of lumber for fuel and shelter. Demand for the resource remains the same, but there is less of it to go around. The second type is demand scarcity.

This occurs when the resource stock remains static, but the population relying on the resource increases, through either higher levels of growth or migration. Supply of the resource remains the same, but it must be split into smaller pieces to accommodate everyone. The third type of scarcity results when the distribution of the resource is not equal. Supply or demand may remain unchanged, but groups may have unequal access to the resource, creating a system of haves and have-nots.

Environmental scarcity can result from several different factors. Changes in the environment can lead to degradation of an existing resource. For example, global warming could lead to rising sea levels, creating soil erosion and flooding that reduces the supply of resources in an area. Alternatively, high levels of population growth, as commonly found in developing countries, can increase demand pressures on local agricultural yields or fish stocks. Finally, government policies can create unequal access to resources, with certain groups being favored over others. The Israeli government, for example, routinely allowed Israeli settlers greater access than Arab settlers to scarce water resources in the West Bank settlements.

Social Pressures

Environmental scarcity can negatively impact social relations and economic development, which can increase tensions between states and groups and create conditions ripe for conflict. Scholars note four social pressures in particular that can lead to conflict: reduced agricultural production, economic decline, population displacement, and disruption of normal patterns of social relations (Homer-Dixon, 91).

Reduced Agricultural Production

Reduced agricultural production could result from numerous environmental changes, such as deforestation, increased runoff, soil erosion, and flooding from climate change. Agricultural land located in low-lying regions such as Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to the more intense storms and flooding expected of climate change. Indeed, changes in precipitation and insect migration patterns could have devastating impacts on agricultural yields. Likewise, deforestation practices accelerate erosion, leaving fertile lands vulnerable to flooding during seasons of high precipitation. It is unclear whether technological developments will be able to ensure continued increases in agricultural yields when resources are faced with these kinds of environmental changes. In developing countries in particular, agriculture is a large share of the economy and the key to economic growth, and the impact of reduced production would be profoundly felt.

Economic Decline

A second social effect of environmental scarcity is centered on economic development. Economic decline can result from numerous environmental changes, such as environmental disasters from climate change, deforestation practices hurting river trade and decreasing fuel wood, the loss of fish stocks, and increased pollution's increasing the prevalence of human disease. Overall economic development may be constrained by these ...