A-Level Geography: The Carbon Cycle CASE STUDY EXAMPLES

Question 1

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

URBAN CONSUMPTION IN LONDON

Answer 1

• OVER HALF OF THE WORLD LIVES IN CITIES
• CITIES CONSUME 75% OF THE WORLD’S ENERGY AND PRODUCE 80% OFITS GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
• CITY OF LONDON GENERATES 1.7 MILLION TONNES OF CARBON EACH YEAR

Question 2

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

PHYSICAL AVAILABILITY: UK

Answer 2

• UK USED TO BE DEPENDED ON DOMESTIC COAL FROM SOUTH WALES AND NORTH-EAST ENGLAND
• GLOBAL LEADERS IN NUCLEAR TECH FROM 1950-1970
• LARGE RESERVES OF NORTH SEA GAS AND OIL

Question 3

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

PHYSICAL AVAILABILITY: NORWAY

Answer 3

• MOUNTAINOUS AND PLENTY OF RAINFALL, GOOD FOR HEP

- OIL AND NATURAL GAS IS IN TERRITORIAL WATERS

Question 4

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

COSTS: UK

Answer 4

• NORTH SEA RESERVES IS A SECURE SOURCE OF DEPENDENCY ON MIDDLE EASTERN OL AFTER PRICES ROSE IN THE EARLY 1970S
• NORTH SEA OIL IS EXPENSIVE TO EXTRACT, MEANING IF PRICES FALL (LIKE IN 2014-15), IT BECOMES LESS VIABLE

Question 5

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

COSTS: NORWAY

Answer 5

• NORSK HYDRO RUNS OVER 600 HEP SITES, SUPPLYING 97.5% OF NORWAY’S RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY
• HEP COSTS ARE LOW ONCE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IS DONE.
• HOWEVER, THE TRANSFER OF ELECTRICITY FROM REMOTE TO URBAN POPULATIONS ARE EXPENSIVE

Question 6

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES: UK

Answer 6

• 2015, UK COMMITTED TO A 40% REDUCTION IN DOMESTIC GREENHOUSE GASES BY 2030
• HOWEVER, UK ALSO ABANDONED ‘GREEN DEAL’ CONSERVATION AND INSULATION SCHEMES IN 2015
• IN 2015, CO2 EMISSIONS WERE 7.13 TONNES PER CAPITA (DOWN FROM PEAK OF 11.5 IN 1980)

Question 7

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES: NORWAY

Answer 7

• 2015, NORWAY COMMITTED TO A 40% REDUCTION IN DOMESTIC GREENHOUSE GASES BY 2030
• NORWAY’S POLICY FOR CHANGE WAS LAUNCHED IN 2016 WITH A DOMESTIC TARGET OF BEING CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2050
• IN 2015, CO2 EMISSIONS WERE 11.74 TONNES PER CAPITA (UP FROM 11.6 IN 1989)

Question 8

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: UK

Answer 8

• GDP PER CAPITA = $41,200 (2015)
• ENERGY USE PER CAPITA = 2752 KG OIL EQUIVELANT (2014)
• AVERAGE ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD ENERGY COSTS - £1300 (2015)

Question 9

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: NORWAY

Answer 9

• GDP PER CAPITA = $61,500 (2015)
• ENERGY USE PER CAPITA = 5854 KG OIL EQUIVELANT (2014)
• AVERAGE ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD ENERGY COSTS - £2400 (2015)

Question 10

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

ENERGY TNCS: EXAMPLES

Answer 10

• BP (UK) AND SHELL (UK-NETHERLANDS)

- PETROBRAS (BRAZIL) AND GAZPROM (RUSSIA)

Question 11

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

ENERGY TNCS: OUTPUT PER DAY (2014-15)

Answer 11

1. ARAMCO - 12
2. GAZPROM - 8.3
3. NATIOONAL IRANIAN OIL - 6
4. EXXON/MOBIL - 4.7

Question 12

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

CONSUMERS: RENEWABLES

Answer 12

CONSUMERS UP UNTIL 2015 INSTALLED SOLAR PANELS IN THE UK BECAUSE OF LARGE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISATION

Question 13

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT: AIMS

Answer 13

• AIM TO FULFIL CO2 TARGETS AND FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCY

- UK GOVERNMENT ALLOWS DEVELOPMENT OF HINKLEY POINT C (MADE FROM TNC BACKED BY BOTH FRENCH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENT)

Question 14

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

OPEC: STATS AND AIM

Answer 14

• HOLDS 2/3 OF THE WORLD’S OIL RESERVES
• ACCOUNTED FOR 44% OF WORLD OIL PRODUCTION
• ATTEMPTS TO STABILISE OIL PRICES

Question 15

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

OPEC: RESPONSE (2012-16)

Answer 15

IN 2012-16, IT MAINTAINED HIGH OUTPUT TO KEEP PRICES LOW TO COMPETE WITH THE USA’S INCREASED OIL PRODUCTION

Question 16

CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX

USA AND FRANCE EVALUATION

Answer 16

• In the USA, over 3/4 of energy comes from fossil fuels. The French energy mix is very different, with half its energy coming from fossil fuels and around 40% coming from nuclear energy.
• In terms of energy security, France is much less well placed than the USA, if only because nearly half of its primary energy is imported. The USA is much more self-sufficient.

Question 17

CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES

NUCLEAR ENERGY: HINKLEY POSITIVES

Answer 17

• Will provide 7% of the UK’s electricity
• Privately invested in by EDF (85%)
• China general nuclear takes a 33% stake in the project
• 25 000 jobs
• Part of the plan to phase out coal by 2025

Question 18

CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES

NUCLEAR ENERGY: HINKLEY NEGATIVES

Answer 18

• Costs to consumers (£92.5 per megawatt-hour)
• Safety and environmental concerns
• Delays and costs overrun £18 bn budget could be three times more than expected
• Takes 10 000 years to decay

Question 19

CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES

UK ENERGY: STATUS

Answer 19

• HAS 150 YEARS WORTH OF COAL RESERVES

- ENERGY INSECURE DUE TO 60% BEING IMPORTED

Question 20

CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES

UK ENERGY: EFFORTS TO BE DIVERSIFY

Answer 20

• SOLAR POWER IS GROWING RAPIDLY - UP BY 86% BETWEEN 2014 AND 2015. (HOWEVER, EXPANDED DUE TO GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES)
• HINKLEY POINT C WILL PROVIDE 7% OF THE UK’S ELECTRICITY

Question 21

CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES

UK ENERGY: SOLAR POWER

Answer 21

• CHAPEL LAND SOLAR FARM, CHRISTCHURCH COSTS £50 MILLION TO COVER AND AREA EQUAL TO 175 FOOTBALL PITCHES
• SERVERS 60,000 HOUSEHOLDS
• HOWEVER, SUPPORTERS OF THE CPRE CLAIM IT MAKES ENERGY SOURCES EXPENSIVE AND CONSUMES PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND
• SOLAR PANELS CAN ONLY COLLECT 15-20% OF SOLAR LIGHT