CORM - Water, Food and Energy in the UK

Question 1

Why are food resources significant?

Answer 1

• cause illness and disease
• affects productivity
• obesity

Question 2

Why are water resources significant?

Answer 2

• essential for life
• vital for crops
• produce energy

Question 3

Why are energy resources significant?

Answer 3

• needed for light, heat and power
• factories
• fuel for transport

Question 4

What are the global inequalities for food?

Answer 4

• over one billion people don’t get enough calories

- malnutrition affects a further 2 billion

Question 5

What are the global inequalities for water?

Answer 5

• variations in climate

- expensive solutions

Question 6

Why does the UK import so much food?

Answer 6

• availability of cheaper food from abroad
• UK climate unsuitable
• demand for seasonal/exotic foods all year round

Question 7

What is an example of an agribusiness in the UK?

Answer 7

• Lynford House Farm, East Anglia
• intensively farmed
• pesticides and fertilisers
• high machinery costs
• small number of workers

Question 8

What is an example of an organic farm in the UK?

Answer 8

• Riverford Organic Farms, Devon
• now delivers from Devon, Yorkshire, Peterborough and Hampshire
• reduces food miles
• provides local employment

Question 9

What are the demands for water in the UK?

Answer 9

• almost 50% in UK used domestically

- estimated to rise by 5% between 2015 and 2020

Question 10

How do we try to manage water quality in the UK?

Answer 10

Environment Agency:
- filtering water
- purifying by adding chlorine
- imposing strict regulations
Pollution:
- industrial sites discharge
- leaching from old underground mines

Question 11

Why is there opposition to water transfer in the UK?

Answer 11

• effect on land and wildlife
• high costs
• greenhouse gases released

Question 12

How has the UK’s energy mix changed?

Answer 12

• 1990, almost 3/4 came from coal and oil
• by 2007, equal mix of coal, gas and nuclear
• by 2014, renewable sources more important

Question 13

Why has the UK’s energy mix changed?

Answer 13

• about 75% of oil and natural gas reserves have been used up
• coal consumption declined
  HOWEVER:
• coal imports are cheap
• remaining reserves will provide for several decades

Question 14

What are the economic impacts of using nuclear energy?

Answer 14

• expensive to build and decommision

- provide job opportunities

Question 15

What are the environmental impacts of using nuclear energy?

Answer 15

• warm waste can harm local ecosystems

Question 16

What are the economic impacts of using wind farms?

Answer 16

• high construction costs

- local homeowners can have lower energy bills

Question 17

What are the environmental impacts of using wind farms?

Answer 17

• visually ugly
• help reduce carbon footprints
• noisy