China's endless hunger for resources
Yesterday, the Kyoto Treaty came into force, and the US and Australia were among the few nations that haven't ratified the agreement. The US was, for a long time, seen as the country that consumes most the the world's resources - unfair, considering its share in the total world population.
However, China's hunger for resources is going to change even this. Washington-based research institute Earth Policy Institute says that "Although the United States has long consumed the lion's share of the world's resources, this situation is changing fast as the Chinese economy surges ahead, overtaking the United States in the consumption of one resource after another."
"China consumed 382 million tons of grain compared to 278 million tons for the United States in 2004, Brown said, adding that China's 2004 intake of 64 million tons of meat climbed far above the US consumption of 38 million tons. With steel, a key indicator of industrial development, use in China soared and is now more than twice that of the United States -- 258 million tons to 104 million tons in 2003. However, the United States is still solidly above China in Oil consumption, consuming 20.4 million barrels per day to 6.5 million barrels in 2004."
China will, however, increase her consumption of oil dramatically in the next few years. "It will rely on oil for more than half of its energy by 2010, when net imports will rise to between 180 million tons and 200 million tons of oil a year." "China's natural gas consumption is rising at an even faster pace and the country is projected to have net gas imports of between 20 billion cubic meters and 25 billion cubic meters in 2010, from zero imports in 2000. "
But whatever it is, the issue cannot be seen as divided between the two nations. The total consumption has to be seen as an addition - and the question has to be: What will be left for the rest of the world, especially the developing world. And, additionally, what will happen in the years to come? Will there be enough for the next generation? Remember, we don't have another world in out boot - we only have one world!
(By Asia Business Consulting)
However, China's hunger for resources is going to change even this. Washington-based research institute Earth Policy Institute says that "Although the United States has long consumed the lion's share of the world's resources, this situation is changing fast as the Chinese economy surges ahead, overtaking the United States in the consumption of one resource after another."
"China consumed 382 million tons of grain compared to 278 million tons for the United States in 2004, Brown said, adding that China's 2004 intake of 64 million tons of meat climbed far above the US consumption of 38 million tons. With steel, a key indicator of industrial development, use in China soared and is now more than twice that of the United States -- 258 million tons to 104 million tons in 2003. However, the United States is still solidly above China in Oil consumption, consuming 20.4 million barrels per day to 6.5 million barrels in 2004."
China will, however, increase her consumption of oil dramatically in the next few years. "It will rely on oil for more than half of its energy by 2010, when net imports will rise to between 180 million tons and 200 million tons of oil a year." "China's natural gas consumption is rising at an even faster pace and the country is projected to have net gas imports of between 20 billion cubic meters and 25 billion cubic meters in 2010, from zero imports in 2000. "
But whatever it is, the issue cannot be seen as divided between the two nations. The total consumption has to be seen as an addition - and the question has to be: What will be left for the rest of the world, especially the developing world. And, additionally, what will happen in the years to come? Will there be enough for the next generation? Remember, we don't have another world in out boot - we only have one world!
(By Asia Business Consulting)
posted by Andreas @ 6:45 pm
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