The correct answer is A. Scarcity of resources in Europe affected exploration and trade by encouraging European nations to establish colonies with acces to raw materials.
In this way, the European powers (Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France among others) embarked on the exploration of different commercial routes to be able to stock up on raw materials for the consumption of their population.
Thus, the Spaniards came to colonize America; the Portuguese did the same with Africa, Brazil and the Indian Ocean; Great Britain colonized several territories in North America, Asia, Africa and Oceania; and France mainly colonized Africa but also established colonies in America and Oceania).