technology in millenium era

8/18/2019 technology in millenium era

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6GEO3 Unit 3 Contested Planet

The Technological Fix


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What is this topic about?• This is a summatie topic !o" all o! the Contested

Planet module• A technological fix is an innoation that can be usedto sole a p"oblem !acing humans# Tools$ machines ands%stems allo& us to cont"ol natu"e and imp"oe 'ualit%o! li!e# (emoal o! technolog%$ ho&ee" tempo"a"il%$can lead to c"ises#

• We hae inc"easingl% become dependant on ne&technolog%$ but the"e a"e both positie and negatieaspects to its use# )n attitudinal fix ma% also benecessa"% $ inoling changes in peoples pe"ceptionand pe"sonal actions about a p"oblem #

• The geography of technology inoles inestigating&h% the"e ine'ualit% in access to technolog% on a

global and local scale#• Technology and development loo*s at ho& !a"

technolog% dete"mines deelopment and "esou"ce use

• +astl%$ %ou &ill ealuate the "ole o! technolog% in thefuture management o! the contested planet,seni"onment#


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1.1. The geography of technologyThe geography of technology

2.2. Technology and developmentTechnology and development

3.3. 3 Technology, environment and the3 Technology, environment and the

futurefuture

CONTENTS

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4/22

The -..3 publication /-.3. 0pi*e1 Countdo&n toGlobal Catast"ophe, by Colin 2asonstated ‘we must act decisively, collectively and

immediately’ about1• 0ho"tages o! !ossil !uels

• Global population g"o&th nea" 4 billion and"apidl% inc"easing in some a"eas

• Pe"sistent poe"t% 5#5 billion &ill be liing onless than 5 pe" da% in -.55

• Climate change possible 5-7c &a"ming b%-.3.

• Wate" sho"tages b% -.3.$ people ma% haeaccess to 3.8 less &ate"

• (ising !ood insecu"it% and possibl% !amine

• +and deg"adation and pe"sistent pollution

1. The geography of technology:

•Why do we need technology ?•Is technology causing the planet’s problems?

•Can it help solve them?•What else is needed?


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Appropriate

technologyapp"op"iate tolocal leel o!s*ills$ income$*no&ledge butma% be highe"tech e#g# &ind

up "adio$laptops$mobiles !o"G"ameen ban*s

igh

!ech

"ow

!ech

"abour

Intensive

CapitalIntensive

Intermediatetechnology easil%maste"ed b% localse#g# pump*intan*s$ 9i*o stoes

Alternative

technology tot"aditional

methods e#g# biodiesel

Microtechnologye#g# :CTmobilesban*inginte"net

Nano & iotechnologye#g# G"een(eolutionmethods ;G2 p"oducts

!eo engineering

planeta"% scaleenginee"ing$ la"gel%untested e#g# space

mi""o"s

#ay be both

community

based $bottomup’ and $top

down’ from

governments


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Technological lifecycles

)ew technologies have

a distinct life cycle

/s cost falls the product salesgrow

0ntil newer and better

technology is introduced and

affordable

"ife cycles have become shorter over time and the speed of

growth has increased

(

o

p

u

la

r

i

t

y

!ime

• /ll technology has a life cycle•"ife cycles have become shorter

over time.•!he speed of technological

change has increased.•-ecline begins when better

technologies become

mainstream.

•!echnology can be fairlyunchanging until a sudden

discovery1breakthrough& such as

antibiotics& the internet.•Controlling nature has increased

through history& reducing

environmental risk such as water

shortages& natural ha2ards&

pollution control.

!he main factor underlying all of these

technologies is access to wealth& but the ne%t

slide outlines the comple% factors involved


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Barriers: what factors control

access to technology?

actor 'xplanation 'xample$

+eel o!

economicdeelopment

•2E>Cs and TCs•The% hae the mone% to inest in the in!"ast"uctu"e"e'ui"ed to suppo"t the technolog% e#g# a &i"eless o"ha"d&i"ed net&o"* !o" the inte"net

Glaxo0mith@iine (et"oi"al d"ugs !o"

A:B):>s# The G4$ U< and WAOhoped !o" unie"sal access b% -.5.#="aDil has sta"ted illegal$ cheape"copies#

Ph%sical"easons

0ome technologies a"e onl% suited to ce"tain ph%sicallocations

AEP needs mountains$ impe"meable"oc*s and high &ate" input$ sola"needs sun#####

Political

"easons

0ome national goe"nments limit access to technolog%

to o"dina"% citiDens in o"de" to cont"ol the in!o"mationthat the% send and "eceie

China and cont"ol oe" Google

< @o"ea and mobile phone bans

Aisto"ical"easons

Aisto"ical deelopment has a la"ge in!luence oncu""ent &ealthThis includes political s%stems$ ea"l% use o! !ossil !uelsand indust"ial "eolutions

Weste"n Eu"opean :ndust"ial"eolution and colonial dominanceoe" especiall% )!"ica and :ndia#apan,s post WW- "est"uctu"inginestment b% U0)

Eni"onmentalo" social

"easons

Ce"tain g"oup shun ce"tain technologies due to thei"potential negatie social o" eni"onmental impacts

G"eenpeace $ FoE nuclea" po&e" G2 p"oduction

)mish$ 2ennonites

(eligious"easons

0ome "eligions do not beliee in the use o! ce"tain!o"ms o! technolog%

Catholics and a"ti!icial cont"aception

2ilita"%"easons

The use o! some &eapons technolog% is cont"olled b%inte"national o"ganisations to t"% to maintain globalsecu"it%


8/22

Attitues to technology an

en!iron"ental eter"inis"

Countries like *angladesh and aiti

are e%amples of environmental

determinism. !he causes of their highrisk may be split into 3 types& with the

type of technology set against them4

)ttitudes to technolog%


9/22

The (igital Age) *ac+ground to thepattern$ of acce$$ to technology

• The Technological #ap4 enerally &access is best in more developed nations& especially )

/merica& ,urasia and /ustralasia& and also much of + /merica. Worst access in sub +aharan

/frica and other "east -eveloped Countries such as /fghanistan& #yanmar.• Countries with the best access to $nowlege are best placed to gain wealth. /ffluent

countries invest more in education. !he majority of 56- is in Western ,urope& )orth

/merica and 7apan 8 which receive high incomes from royalties and license fees

• Electricity supply is a good indicator of interconnected power transmission& investment and

often high technology. It is essential prere9uisite for modern life styles& from household

appliances& lu%ury goods to industrial processes.

• The digital acce$$ index combines data on telephone landlines& mobile phonesubscriptions& cost of internet& adult literacy& school enrolment& internet band width& internet

users 6 broadband subscribers.

%yperconnecte places have a

digital access inde% of over :'.

!hey have the infrastructure to

support digital information

transfer and lower costsbecause of competition.

)* the tria of economically

wealthy areas dominated by the

knowledge economy; , /sia& )

/merica& ,0<

&ner connecte areas have a lower

access inde%4 mainly less than ='

,%amples4 sub +aharan /frica&

>enya.

!hese areas need supporttechnologies4 wireless networks&

reliable power supply& internet service

provider companies& sales distribution

6 repair network& useful websites 6

software in familiar language

IC! is often said to be

persuasi!e or penetrativebecause it needs less static

infrastructure e.g. mobiles&

satellites


10/22

IC!s are an ena'ler of e!elop"ent4•!hey can reduce social and economic ine9ualities

•+upport local wealth creation•,ncourage entrepreneurs and innovations•Improve efficiency in all aspects of life and commerce•!hey (shrin$) distances and enable remote geographical

locations become included in core global trends•"ow cost technology once networks are established•)ewer technologies& e.g. Wi@i do not depend on installed

infrastructures.• "anguage technologies ensure that those without formal

education are provided with access to knowledge and

information using applications most suitable to their skill

level.

The mo$t important

technologie$ for helping achieve

M(! goal$ are)

%ommunication$ and

net#or+ing technologie$ e#g#Cable&i"eless net&o"*s$er device$ e#g# 2obilephones$ handheld compute"s$sma"t ca"ds$ sto"age media$

global positioning s%stem"eceie"s#Alternative energy $ource$ e#g#Po"table sola" cha"ge"s$ &indupand sola" "echa"geable batte"ies$!uel cells &ind gene"ato"s#"anguage technologie$ e#g#Text to speech$ speech"ecognition$ hand&"iting"ecognition$ t"anslation$ email$blogsu$ine$$ application$ e#g# email

!he 0) #illennium 5eport stresses the importance

of IC! and digital inclusion to developing countries

as a fundamental element of human development&

calling for uni!ersal access to infor"ation an

co""unication ser!ices as agents of

e!elop"ent 8 contributing to the achievement of all

of the #-s.

*oern technology an the Conteste

+lanet:


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'xtreme -2./

0ot$pot$ (igitalInclu$ion ri$+

Index *yMaplecroftfoundation,orld'conomicorum 2--

Aigh-##.

:mp"oements

2edium #.H#H

+o&H#5.


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Wo"ld :nte"net penet"ation "ates b% geog"aphic "egions

-..I 8

CA:


13/22

Technology an -e!elop"ent

ECO


14/22

%o$t$ and enefit$ of technology) externalitie$ andunfore$een con$e8uence$

•!he effects of a new technologyare not always foreseen& as

shown by the use of pesticides

--!& and synthetic compound

C@Cs.• Cars are an iconic e%ample of

a technology globally widely

adopted and treasured but whichhas become a major contributor

to negative changes in our

environment through emissions.•!he ecological footprint may be

large for a resource to be

harvested and used.•!he controversy over genetic

modification of organisms showsvery different views by the

players involved


15/22

9ey :rinciple$ in pollution control

:recautionary=egan 5II- (io Ea"th0ummit$

lin*ed &ith sustainabledeelopment #

Whe"e a th"eat appea"sto be p"esent$ een i! not

p"oen$ action needsta*ing to p"otect the

eni"onmentE#g# "eaction against G2!oods$ 5I4H 2ont"ealP"otocol on CFCs and

ODone depletion2aast"ict T"eat o! EUEen =od% 0hop has it

ensh"ined in thei"co"po"ate plan#

DEEF ban by ,0 of DDcommonly used chemicals

in agriculture

:olluter :ay$2eans the costs o!

cleaning uppollution should be

bo"ne b% thosecausing it# 0ta"ted

b% OEC>5IH-#"ea!!i"med at

(io 0ummitE#g#

Emissions Taxing inU@ and at

inte"national scale15IIH @%oto P"otocol-..I Copenhagen

summit on

technolog% t"ans!e"

:roximity

:rinciplePollution should be

tac*led as nea" to thesou"ce as possible$

contained$ notallo&ed to sp"ead

This &ould appl% to e#g# "ie" pollutiono" expo"ting o! toxic&aste to poo"e" less"est"icted count"ies

e!!ectiel% global shi!to! ecological

!ootp"intsL

P"eentionT"% to stop atsou"ce "athe"than adapt

a!te" c"eatedE#g# U"ban0mo*eless

Dones$ ene"g%e!!icienc%

The U@Eni"onment

)genc%,sguidelines

2ost e!!ectie at long te"m scale?


16/22

3# Technolog%$ theeni"onment and the !utu"e

;ou need to +no# a*out1

• The costs and bene!its o! inte"mediate app"op"iate technolog% compa"ed &ith hi techmegap"o9ects1 eni"onmental impacts and social e'uit%

• The "ole technolog% might pla% in global issues such as global &a"ming and land deg"adationand &hethe" the !ix is !easible o" desi"able

• The chances o! technolog% cont"ibuting to a mo"e eni"onmentall% sustainable !utu"e

• :deas about the technological !utu"e &ill it be1

a die"gent &o"ld &ith a /technologicall% !ixed, co"e and pe"iphe"al /technolog% impoe"ished,

pe"iphe"% o" a cone"gent &o"ld &ith /technolog% !o" all,

Pessimist 2althus

• O"iginal theo"% dates bac* to the5HI41Population g"o&s at a geomet"ic"ate &hist !ood p"oduction inc"ease ata"ithmetic g"o&th$ The ineitableoe"lap called oe"population &ill "esultin poe"t%$ sta"ation and death#

• )dopted b% man% eni"onmental g"oupsand the thin* tan*1 the Club o! (ome5IH- &hose publication The +imits toG"o&th &a"ned o! "esou"ce depletionand eni"onmental deg"adation#

• 2o"e "ecentl% the publication /-.3.0pi*e, suggested a global catast"ophe b%-.3.


17/22

Technolog% the alte"naties

• See slide 5 for more details, and the concept of technological leapfrogging


18/22

Technological !ix !o" ene"g% suppl%$ &ate" cont"ol and b"idging the deelopmentgap in China,s 'uest to become a &o"ld supe"po&e"

• The &o"ldJs la"gest h%d"opo&e" complex p"o9ect to date in Milingxiago"ge o! )sia,s longest "ie"$ the KangtDe#

• The main p"o9ect &as completed in -..4 and b% -.55 it aims1

• 0uppl% 55.th o! Chinas p"esent elect"icit% demands the hub o! aninteg"ated ene"g% suppl% !o" cent"al China/ &ith 3 "egional g"idsta*ing Th"ee Go"ges po&e"$ !"om the coast to the bo"de" o! Tibet#

• (educe disast"ous !loods do&nst"eam

• :mp"oe naigabilit% o! the "ie" to help t"ade &ithin this /d"agoneconom%,

• )n iconic example of the %onte$ted :lanet because o! theie&points o! the di!!e"ent pla%e"s inoled and thei" di!!e"ing ie&son the externalitie$ p"oduced

Main player ) statebac*ed KangtDe Th"ee Go"ges>am P"o9ect >eelopment Co"po"ation#

Estimated costs 3HbnL

'nvironmentali$t$

conce"ned oe"ecological e!!ects 1dis"upting silt and

nut"ient balances upand do&nst"eam

impo"tant !o"ecos%stems and

!a"me"s#

Auman "ights g"oups conce"nsoe" !o"ced "elocation o!

5#-Hm people

The orld an+ ,

t"aditionall% ama9o" pla%e" in

megadamp"o9ects$ pulledout o! !unding

conce"ns oe"negatie impacts

0ponso"ship b%businesses inU0) and man%EU count"ies

including U@

apan 2inist"% o!:nte"national T"ade and

:ndust"% suppo"tedp"o9ect to "educe acid "ainpollution !"om coal !i"edpo&e" stations !alling on

themL

Technology

tran$fer= 6 g"oupso! Eu"opean$

="aDilian and U0T


19/22

Technological and attitudinal fixe$) $ome overarching i$$ue$

What is

theProblem?

What Technology has been

used/planned?

Role of Attitudinal Fixes?

Pollution, Climatechangeandenhanced global

arming

!" At source and production ofpollutant :•Geo-engineering to reduce incomingsolar radiation•Energy efcient technologies•New/expanded existing low

carbon energy supplies- nuclearsolar, HEP…• carbon capture storageunpro!enso "ar at a large scale# #" Reduce at user point :catalytic con!erter$" Reduce at sin% : carbonse$uestration "orests, in roc%s#

&ife style changes' the & 's:'esource reduction reuserecycling 'educing 'espectCarrot and stic% policies bygo!ern(ents- !oluntary and"orced changes e)g):

education and tax incenti!es toreduce personal "ootprints

(iodi)er

sityunder

*ustainable logging by hea!y

e$uip(ent and heli-loggingG+* and satellite sur!eillance to

*thical and en)ironmental

purchasing "ro( sustainablesources e)g) orest *tewardship

!eoengineering isplaneta"% scaleenginee"ing$ theultimate tech fix e#g#1• sulphu" ae"osols• space mi""o"s• ocean !e"tilisation• s%nthetic t"ees

2an% eni"onmentalistsa"gue against it becauseit allo&s pollution tocontinue then applies a!ix to clean it up

P"e!e""ed1 mo"eattitudinal change$ and

le$$ contentiou$

technologie$) sola"$&ind$ geothe"mal$mic"ogene"ation Nhousescale

In future? ) h%potheticalTech Fix 1 Terraforming moing to a ne&planetL


20/22

Technological and attitudinal fixe$ for energy, #aterand development

+ro'le" Technology Attituinal /ix

Energysecurity Gil shortagesand (eak Gilfears

•New sources of oil and newpipelines•New types e.g. tar sands& shales.•0eplace an supple"ent oil bygas•/ $hydrogen economy’ or similaralternati!e energy future fore%ample based on nuclear power.• +witch to r enewa'les, e.g.

'iofuels, solar .

•Increased shared transportBpublic transport• ,nergy efficient transport•0se of low carbon transport

aterConflicts4supply and9uality

•%igh tech #egafi%es4 dams&desalination plants& pipelines&canals& tankers•2ower tech or "ore appropriatetechnology4 !aankas& microdams&composting toilets

•5eduction in water use•rey water recycling

Briging the

-e!elop"ent#ap by tacklingpoverty andhealth4 copingwith %34A-s

•(harmaceutical research to find a

vaccine or curative medicine.•!he use of condoms& dams&antiretroviral drugs& semen washing&clean needles.

•patents

sharing1agreements toreduce drug costs•(ublic health education toprevent the spread of thedisease e.g. needles& safese%& abstinence& preBnataltesting•Women empowerment


21/22

Technology for all or $ome? The uture?

Sustaina'ility? #eeting the needs of the

present without compromising the needs of

future generations....

/ comple% concept& difficult to assess& and

hotly contested when types of technology

are concerned

Scenario •-i!ergenceCon!ergence

•*usiness as usual4 thecurrent model•/re we too addicted totechnology?

0se of similartechnology

E!ience?

DEE: I#@ 4the world hasbecome increasinglyune9ual since =FE!echnology contributedto this by increasingine9uality andtechnologicaldivergence.It is not meeting mainchallenges to date 4fossilfuel dominance& globalpollution& poverty&environmentaldegradation all at aglobal scale

lobal use of

internalcombustionengine5ecent changesin patent laws


22/22

) summa"% o! The Technological Fix &ithin the Unit 3 topics

'nergy $ecurity ater conflict$ iodiver$ity under threat

•Technolog% e!!icienc%

•Ene"g% path&a%s•Oil !"ontie"s to counte"act Pea* oil •)lte"natie technolog% 1 a ne& atomicage?• (ene&ables technolog%•The Ene"g% (s N "e!use$ "educe$"esea"ch$ "ec%cle$ "eplace•(ole o! technolog% in the 0ustainabilit%'uad"ant$ and its "ole in /=usiness as usual,and Technological cone"gence•Technolog% t"ans!e"

•2egap"o9ect

•Wate" aailabilit% gap•Economic &ate" sca"cit%•)bst"action technolog%•Exte"nalities c"eated b% la"ge ha"denginee"ing p"o9ects e#g# t"ans!e"s $ dams$•desalinisation plants•Wate" conse"ation1 lo& tech and high techg"e% &ate"$ &ate" ha"esting$ app"op"iatetechnolog% $ "esto"ation p"o9ects#

•Th"eats on biodie"sit% and hotspots1

dest"uction and deg"adation#•0ustainable %ield concept•Eco "ese"e management1 use o!technolog% e#g# satellite monito"ing $G:0 &heeled d"ies$ guns#•0eed ban*s$ gene ban*s$ Doos allinole a technological !ix#

@uperpo#er geographie$ ridging the development gap The Technological ix

•2echanisms o! getting and maintainingpo&e"•(ise o! =(:Cs and T:•Cultu"e and ideolog% t"ans!e"s andin!luence media technolog%

•Technological gap and >igital >iidebet&een s&itched on and o!! a"eas•:nte"mediate o" app"op"iate technolog%•Technolog% t"ans!e"•2egacit% g"o&th !acilitated b% high "ise

buildings$ t"anspo"t$ communications•-..I global dep"ession !uelled b%inte"connected &o"ld

•Technocent"ic &o"ld•+i!ec%cle changes•>igital technolog%•Eni"onmental dete"minism•Technological leap!"ogging e#g# mobile

phones•Patents and :ntellectual p"ope"t% "ights•2ic"o$

technology in millenium era

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