Month: February 2025

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Global population growth is now slowing rapidly. Will a falling population be better for the environment?

Taylor, A., & Mathew, S. (2024, September 13). Global population growth is now slowing rapidly. Will a falling population be better for the environment?. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/global-population-growth-is-now-slowing-rapidly-will-a-falling-population-be-better-for-the-environment-235781 

Global population is increasing, but that trend is not predicted to continue. Instead, population is expected to peak at 10 billion people in 2060, and then begin to decline. Some of the world’s most populous countries, like China and Japan, are expected to halve in size by the end of the century. One of the main factors in this decline is women’s education—as more women become educated and join the workforce, they have fewer children later in life. Decreasing populations can have negative economic impacts, as there are less available workers and a large elderly population that needs taking care of.

Though it may seem like population decrease is a good thing for the environment, that might not be true. Elderly people tend to use more energy, because they often stay inside and live in larger homes. Additionally, most of the countries experiencing population decline are wealthy countries that produce the majority of emissions. As countries become wealthier, their populations will decline, but their energy consumption may not. Even if population decline lessens our environmental impact, it’s still important to reduce our consumption and emissions.

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Human-wildlife overlap expected to increase across more than half of land on Earth by 2070

Sherburne, M. (2024, August 22). Human-wildlife overlap expected to increase across more than half of land on Earth by 2070. University of Michigan News. https://news.umich.edu/human-wildlife-overlap-expected-to-increase-across-more-than-half-of-land-on-earth-by-2070/

Human-wildlife overlap is when humans and animals occupy the same area, leading to interactions and potential conflicts between people and wildlife. In a study conducted by the University of Michigan, researchers predicted that the human-wildlife overlap will increase in about 57% of global lands by 2070, and will only decrease in 12% of global lands. This increased overlap is caused by human population growth, not climate change. As population increases, humans will begin to settle and develop new areas, encroaching on animal habitat. Regions with high population density, like India and China, already have high human-wildlife overlap, and that trend is projected to continue.

 

Although this overlap is not necessarily a bad thing, researchers did predict that it would put pressure on biodiversity, particularly in forests. Biodiversity in forests in South America and Africa was projected to decrease. The traditional method of conserving land by restricting human access to it is also becoming more difficult, as there are fewer areas free from human development. As our populations continue to grow and take up more space, it’s important to explore other methods of conservation, like creating wildlife corridors or temporary protected areas. The researchers also noted that we have an incentive to preserve biodiversity. Birds and scavengers, like hyenas, can reduce the impact of pests and prevent the spread of diseases. 

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A century of human detritus, visualized

Overbye, D. (2024, December 27). A century of human detritus, visualized. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/science/biomass-garbage-construction.html

Materials produced by humans, including plastic, bricks, and asphalt, now outweigh all of the Earth’s biomass. As a way to visualize this, this article shows different-sized cubes to represent different forms of mass. Plants make up the majority of Earth’s 1.1 trillion tons of biomass, followed by bacteria and fungi. Humans are represented by a small cube in comparison, but the cubes for man-made materials are just larger than the cubes for biomass and amount to 1.3 trillion tons. One graphic shows how the production of man-made materials has increased over time. Beginning in 1910, the graphic shows how population and man-made materials have increased each year, with the rate of growth increasing over time.

 

I thought this article was an interesting and clever way to bring awareness to the issue of how much material and waste we are producing. It’s one thing to know that humans have produced 600 billion tons of concrete, but being able to visualize how large that is is helpful to realize the size of our impact. The article also notes that concrete and asphalt contribute to global warming, and that the issue will only worsen over time. In a timelapse that shows human population growth alongside the increase in man-made materials, we see that our production of these materials began to speed up during the 1960s, and continues to increase even as our population growth slows down. It’s concerning to see how our consumption has outpaced even our population growth.

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Fertility declines, tapering populations, soaring life expectancies: What the U.N. population report shows about us and the future on this planet.

Chow, D., Murphy, J., & Wu, J. (2024, July 12). Fertility declines, tapering populations, soaring life expectancies: What the U.N. population report shows about us and our future on this planet. NBCNews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/graphics-2024-united-nations-world-population-prospects-report-data-rcna160017 

A report released by the United Nations in July found that global fertility rates are dropping and the global population is expected to decline by the end of the century. Though many countries, including India, Pakistan, and Nigeria are expected to continue growing, some 60 countries’ populations have already peaked. Other countries, like the U.S., are only growing because of immigration. The global fertility rate is also decreasing. It’s currently 2.25 births per woman, down from 3.25 in 1990, and Europe has an even lower rate of 1.4. Since the pandemic, life expectancy has also increased to 73.2 years, and is expected to reach 81.7 years by the end of the century.  

 

Population growth affects multiple factors related to climate change, including energy usage, consumption, and the availability of resources. While population growth can intensify our environmental impact, many of the countries expected to continue growing contribute less to global warming than countries with declining populations. These countries are also in regions most likely to be impacted by climate change, and their growing populations will put more people at risk of extreme weather events that are exacerbated by climate change.

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The global fertility crisis: Are fewer babies a good or a bad thing? Experts are divided.

Anthony, A. (2024, November 2). The global fertility crisis: Are fewer babies a good or a bad thing? Experts are divided. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/02/the-global-fertility-crisis-are-fewer-babies-a-good-or-a-bad-thing-experts-are-divided 

This article shows different perspectives on declining population growth and fertility rates. Paul Morland, an author of a book that advocates for higher fertility rates, is concerned about the economic impacts of population decline. As fertility rates decrease, populations become older. In the case of the United Kingdom, Morland expects there to be only 1.7 workers for every retired person, a ratio that would place a strain on government resources. Another expert, Amy Jankiewicz, sees population decline as a good thing. She works for an organization that advocates for lower population growth, and argues that the world’s current population size is unsustainable. 

This article demonstrates the conflict between societal and environmental needs. Jankiewicz cites a statistic from the World Wildlife Fund that we have lost 73% of our wildlife population in the last 50 years. In this light, population decline seems positive, as it will limit our consumption of natural resources and our environmental impact, helping to conserve our remaining biodiversity. However, Morland’s argument for the economic impacts of population decline is also convincing. The article highlights the complexity of the issue—while our current population size is environmentally unsustainable, an aging and declining population is economically unsustainable. 

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Critical Minerals: A Roadmap for U.S. Dominance

Critical Minerals: A Roadmap for U.S. Dominance | Realclearenergy, www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2025/01/14/critical_minerals_a_roadmap_for_us_dominance_1084615.html. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025. 

The US has been reliant on other countries’ mineral exports for many years, however rising global tensions have begun pushing policymakers to look for solutions domestically. With Donald Trump now in office, his federal government is expected to lead a push to increase the country’s mining capacity. This time around, however, there is bipartisan support from Congress and from the public, as polls suggest that the public is concerned over foreign reliance on rare earth minerals and hopeful for the jobs mining can create. The end of 2024 also saw the passing of bipartisan legislation aimed at decreasing our reliance on China for important minerals. The article outlines five principles policymakers should follow for the future of domestic mining. The first is determining what exact minerals we have and where deposits are located. The second is making the process of mining more efficient in a broader sense, for example, by decreasing the time in which a mine developer’s mining permit is accepted by the government. There are three other principles that are all related to making the rules around mining more efficient and favorable to companies.

If the US wants to combat China and feed the demand for rare earth minerals and other resources efficiently, bipartisan support will be necessary. In that sense, I agree with a lot of what the article says. The fact that support for mining is bipartisan is in itself, indicative of the will of the public, however I believe the article overlooks some of the public’s concerns regarding the industry. Just because the public is concerned with national reliance on Chinese mineral imports, does not mean that they directly support the idea of creating mines all over the country. That assumption does not take into account concerns over the environment that are commonly shared by Americans. For that reason, there must be further legislation, laws and active monitoring of all present and further mining operations in the country. Protecting nature is important; Preventing the tragedy of the commons from happening as a result of an uncontrolled swath of mining companies extracting resources from the earth must be one of the US’s top priorities in the future if domestic mining is to be pursued.

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America Needs Antimony for Weapons and Solar Panels. the Mining Industry Is Looking to Alaska

Max Graham, Northern Journal. “America Needs Antimony for Weapons and Solar Panels. the Mining Industry Is Looking to Alaska. • Alaska Beacon.” Alaska Beacon, 19 Nov. 2024, alaskabeacon.com/2024/11/18/america-needs-antimony-for-weapons-and-solar-panels-the-mining-industry-is-looking-to-alaska/. 

 

Antimony mining in Alaska has the potential to be incredibly lucrative for companies, and beneficial to the US. Antimony is not a very well-known metal. However, it is very important. It is an essential component of many military weapons like missiles, and it is also needed in solar panels. China has been the US’s main supplier of antimony for many years, however it has recently put a cap on the metals export, urging the US to find a new way to source it. At a time like now, when so many weapons that require antimony in their construction are being shipped to Israel and Ukraine, new sources of the metal would be very beneficial. Two Australian companies seeking to capitalize on available funds from the US defense budget are pushing to open Antimony mines in Alaska in the next couple of years.

Opinion

I like the idea of domestic Antimony mining. Before I found this article I had never heard of the metal, despite its importance in the construction of so many things. Due to geopolitical tensions rising around the world, the relationship between China and the US, especially as a source of antimony, would serve as a safety net considering The US’s current reliance on Chinese exports of the product, which are already limited. Making weapons is obviously important, however if private companies like the two Australian ones mentioned in the article were to manage the extraction of antimony in Alaska, the US should monitor exactly where and to whom those resources are going. Although those companies would be working out of the national defense budget, there should still be a large amount of monitoring going on, especially when considering that neither one of the companies is US-based. There is also the risk of environmental damage that comes from most forms of mining. Alaska is praised as “The last great wilderness”, it should be kept that way and to do so, the US should heavily monitor and regulate any antimony mining that happens in the state. Preserving habitat is important, especially when considering Alaska is home to a host of species only found within the state.

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U.S. Interest in Deep-Sea Mining Increases

“U.S. Interest in Deep-Sea Mining Increases.” NAM, 16 Jan. 2025, nam.org/u-s-interest-in-deep-sea-mining-increases-33081/?stream=series-input-stories. 

The election of Donald Trump could potentially lead to investment into deep-sea mining. Late last year, the House passed a defense spending bill in which research into the feasibility of deep sea mining minerals is listed. Additionally, with many of Trump’s cabinet members like Marco Rubio, Howard Lutnik, and William McGinley being advocates for deep-sea mining, the prospect seems all the more likely. Experts say that deep sea mining “…could offer a new source of cobalt, nickel, copper and other minerals needed for the energy transition, defense technologies and other needs”, demonstrating its importance for different aspects of the country.   

I do believe that the US should research more into deep sea mining, however there are also many potential issues with the idea. The most obvious problem that could arise would be environmental damage to the surrounding ocean. Mining, in general, pretty much always destroys the environment to some extent. Deep sea mining would most likely lead to some, maybe a large amount of damage to marine ecosystems due to the high likelihood of sediment plumes, sea bed destruction, etc that happens as a result of mining on the ocean floor. This could pose a risk to a host of sea creatures and potentially to humans as well. If deep-sea mining were to be pursued, new ways to mitigate marine ecosystem damage would have to be devised. Additionally, the US investing in deep sea mining could lead to international conflict. President Trump has been very keen on the idea of annexing Greenland, the Danish territory. If significant national attention was to be put into deep sea mining, there is a chance President Trump would push mining operations into another country’s territory or simply attempt to incorporate that country into the US instead. In my opinion, this would be an issue. Despite all of the risks with deep sea mining, I believe that it can provide an incredibly valuable source for much-needed minerals and rare earth minerals and, therefore, should be considered with caution.

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Can a Huge Arkansas Lithium Deposit Be a Game Changer?

Kiley, David. “Can a Huge Arkansas Lithium Deposit Be a Game Changer?” Can a Huge Arkansas Lithium Deposit Be a Game Changer?, 9 Jan. 2025, www.wardsauto.com/industry/can-a-huge-arkansas-lithium-deposit-be-a-game-changer-. 

A massive deposit of lithium was just discovered in Arkansas. The mine, located in the southwest of the state, holds between 5-19 million tons of Lithium based on estimates. If that were the case, the one deposit alone would be able to supply the US’s EV production demand for lithium until 2040. The deposit sits deep underground in high salinity water, and experts are still unsure how much of the lithium could actually be extracted. As China holds 72% of global lithium production, the deposit, if mined, would take a load off of the US’s dependence on China’s production web. ExxonMobil has already begun drilling operations after they purchased the mining rights to an area above the deposit. If the US wishes to produce. If the US wants to meet its EV goals, the Arkansas deposit will be incredibly important.

This lithium deposit will be incredibly important to the US for multiple reasons. First off, it will supply a massive number of jobs for people in rural Arkansas. The mining of the deposit will also require supply chains to be built, creating even more jobs for people working at processing plants, EV factories, etc. Secondly, arguably most importantly, if this deposit were to be mined,  it would decrease tensions between the US and China, as the US will no longer have to depend on China’s monopolistic lithium production, and processing network. Third of all, this deposit could supply the US’s EV lithium battery demand until 2040. That fact displays the sheer scale of the lithium deposit. If the US wishes to transition away from gas guzzling cars, this deposit will make the transition much easier, as more production of lithium will make EVs much cheaper, encouraging more people to buy them.

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US Close to Reinstating Rare Earth Magnet Supply Chain

East, Angela. “US Close to Reinstating Rare Earth Magnet Supply Chain .” Mining.Com.Au, 24 Jan. 2025, mining.com.au/us-close-to-reinstating-rare-earth-magnet-supply-chain/. 

Last year, “MP Materials”, a US-based company out of Nevada, began production of rare earth magnets. “The company has started producing neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) metal and trial production of automotive-grade, sintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets”. These magnets are incredibly important in the construction of electric cars, drones, and robots as well as military-grade weapons and aerospace technology. This production was launched as the Mountain Pass mine in California was re-opened by MP Materials, who own the mine. As of now, the mine is the only domestic rare earth mineral mine as well as the largest known deposit of rare earth minerals globally. These facts are not just important because of the scale of the mine, but also because the US has been completely dependent on foreign imports of rare earth metals. MP Materials will soon begin sourcing their magnets to General Motors as well as other manufacturers and government sponsored organizations.

The re-opening of this mine is a massive breakthrough for the US. As global tensions rise and countries like China continue to consolidate international rare earth mineral resources, domestic manufacturing of said resources will be very important for not only the US’s economy, but safety as well. Additionally, with a shortage of neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets for EV production, car companies like General Motors will have a much larger pool of resources to work with and there will be less strain on the existing rare earth mineral market. From the POV of the US government, MP Materials re-opening of the mine could not have been timed better. Jobs will be created and the economy will benefit, however, the US will also no longer have to be completely dependent on other countries for rare earth minerals. Furthermore, the magnets produced by MP Materials are used in military weapons, providing another benefit to the government.