Theme 2 :

Managing Natural
Resources

Lesson 2 :
The Global
Energetic
Issue

 I/ The Complex Geography of Demand and

Supply in Energy
A/ The Global Energy Consumption

 I/ The Complex Geography of Demand and

Supply in Energy
A/ The Global Energy Consumption
B/ Supply and Demand: how are they disributed ?

Study the geographic distribution

of the production imports and exports
of the 3 major primary energies
COAL

GAS

OIL

1/ What countries are the main producers ?

2/ How is production distributed between them ?
3/ What countries are the main importers and what factors can explain their
imports?

4/ What differences can be noticed between the list of the main producers and
the main exporters ? How to explain these differences ?

COAL

COAL

COAL

A Natural Gas Well in Siberia (Russia)

GAS

GAS

GAS

Carte p.138

OIL

OIL

List of Countries by
Oil Production

OIL

List of Countries by
Oil Exports

List of Countries by
Oil Imports

 II/ Energy Production results in many

problems and tensions
A/ Environmental impacts

Some factors explain that the occurrence of

such an event in Japan was possible
- Earthquakes and tsunamis are frequent
-

Many nuclear plants are located on the

coastline

A major
earthquake
off the
northeastern
Japanese
shore

The Fukushima Accident : a complex disaster

15 000 dead

Thousands of
houses destroyed

A tsunami
on the
northeastern
Japanese
shore

Some factors explain that the

consequences of this event proved so
huge
-

Japan is densely populated

Preparation was not sufficient

300 000 evacuated

people

Several
explosions at
the
Fukushima
nuclear plant

Large amounts of
radiocative materials
were released in the
air, water and soils

Long-term impacts
on
Public health

Very High levels of

pollution in an area
including Tokyo

Closure of all nuclear

plants in Japan

Carte p.133

La centrale nuclaire de
Tchernobyl (Ukraine) en 1986

Le confinement du
racteur

Centrale nuclaire de
Civaux (Vienne)

Deepwater
Horizon
offshore
drilling unit
on fire in
2010

Unconventional (a.k.a. Shale) oil and gas reserves in the world

Fracking in Wyoming (USA).

 II/ Energy Production results in many

problems and tensions
A/ Many preoccupying environmental impacts
B/ Many geopolitical tensions

OIL

Changes in the price of oil since 1900

Changes in the price of oil since 2006

Cartoon by Steve Bell (The Guardian) criticizing the First Gulf War (1991)

 III/ What are the most sustainable strategies

for the future of energy ?
A/ Do fossil fuels have a future ?

 III/ What are the most sustainable strategies

for the future of energy ?
A/ Do fossil fuels have a future ?
B/ What are the drawbacks and prospects of the main
renewable energies ?

The Huanghe solar farm on the

Qinghai plateau claims to be the
biggest of its kind in the world,
with nearly four million solar
panels on site. (Source: BBC)

 III/ What are the most sustainable strategies

for the future of energy ?
A/ Do fossil fuels have a future ?
B/ What are the drawbacks and prospects of the main
renewable energies ?
C/ Is it possible to reduce the demand ?

Un btiment nergie positive