6/15/2023 0 Comments Abraham ortelius biografia40 years beforehand, such a headline would only have been found in a science fiction novel. In September 2013 an article appeared in the ‘Financial Times’, “ First Chinese cargo ship nears end of Northeast Passage transit”. Nepal imports $204 million of rice from India it is in its interest to cooperate and minimise disruption to rice yields, humanitarian moralism aside, its own population needs feeding. Any decisions made by Nepal, whether they be the building of dams or reservoirs, will have consequences all along the river basin, leaving rice paddies destroyed and populations displaced. The river sources are generally located in the Himalayan highlands of Nepal whilst the mouth flows out across the deltas of India. The region is covered in rivers, wide and vast bodies of water, they ignore borders and flow as geography allows. Staying in the region, South Asia is actually a perfect example of how international cooperation is required to overcome geographical barriers. Rice forms the staple diet in South East Asia, so the issue is not limited in scope to just Bangladesh. Yet all too easily, the entire crop is washed away by a rainfall that is just too much for paddy capacity. Quite simply, it rains more.Īcross Northern Bangladesh the most common form of cultivated crop is Boro Rice, ideally suited to growing in shallow water. Conditions are not going to get any more favourable, as the globe warms and air masses heat up, they hold a larger quantity of water vapour, resulting in greater precipitation. Last year, orange juice concentrate prices rose 21% as poor weather wreaked havoc with Brazilian harvests. There is no doubt that the ‘everyday staples’ will be affected by climate change. Temperature rises will reduce growing seasons, increase heat stress and increase the range of various pests and disease vectors. Just as the English lawn turns yellow in summer, maize will wilt and die. The Earth is getting warmer and crops are feeling its effects. Consequently, agriculture – always sensitive to its environment – is facing its biggest test in decades. It causes floods across Northern India whilst turning Southern Spain into a desert. It is ironic that one of the geographical factors that helped Europe conquer the world is now pushing it into a retreat.Īnother geographical factor, climate change, goes well beyond that cliché image of a lonesome polar bear. To the West, the European plains, a flat relief, easily navigable and a moderate climate. ![]() To the East are the Zagros and Elburz mountain ranges to the South, the Syrian desert neither are particularly hospitable or inviting to humans. Syrian refugees enter Europe partly because geography leaves little alternative. They show that anti-immigration arguments of misled compassion are missing a major point. So now, turning to your nearest atlas, flick to the relief map of the Middle East and glance at the contours. Maps should be used more – they illustrate points in a direct manner that is hard to ignore. When talking about geography it’s hard not to use a map. Why? Because time and time again the physical world proves it can quickly overwhelm the human one when single states are simply not able to cope with a geography that ignores the human notions of sovereignty or national borders. ![]() First edition of Abraham Ortelius‘ map of Asia (1572), displaying a vast network of waterways across East Asia, advocating his belief that a shipping route existed through China to the Northern Sea and thence, by way of the Northeast Passage, to Europe.ĭespite what would appear to be voters’ best attempts to say otherwise, there is still a case for multilateralism.
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