Human: The UK Flashcards
Define globalisation.
The process which has created a more connected world, with increases in the movements of goods and people worldwide.
Define deindustrialisation.
The decline of a country’s traditional manufacturing industry due to exhaustion of raw materials, loss of markets and competition from NEEs.
Define government policy.
A plan or course of action decided by a government to manage issues in a country.
How has deindustrialisation caused economic change in the UK?
- Mechanisation has taken place so less jobs are available for workers but increases productivity
- Factories shutting down leads to loss of jobs (negative) and cheaper costs from LICs (positive) because more affordable so more ppl buy
- Some resources like iron ore and coal have decreased in availability so employment declines
- Less people work in agriculture as average annual wage is £9k for farmers so more skilled people work in industries like services and tech (positive)
How has globalisation caused economic change in the UK?
- Many industries like coal have shut down as firms chose to import resources from abroad which are cheaper as they come from LICs
- NEEs like China opened their countries to global business in the 80s and many UK firms moved there which brought a rise in tertiary services
- Much cheaper resources are brought in from abroad where land and labour are much cheaper
How have government policies caused economic change in the UK?
- The government in 70s and 80s sold or turned many of its secondary and primary industries to companies in a process called privatisation
- Some primary industries have been affected by laws. Fishing is limited which decreases wealth income
- The UK government pumped nearly £5bill into high tech research and development in 2015 which creates high skilled paying jobs
- Strict laws on environmental pollution which makes it expensive to make products here
What is a post-industrial economy?
The economy of many economically developed countries where most employment is now in service industries
How does the development of information technology help move towards a post-industrial economy?
IT enables service and tech industries to flourish and minimises the need for agriculture jobs decline and therefore economic service industries incline
How do service industries help move towards a post-industrial economy?
Helps shift away from manufacturing and leads to more tertiary sectors
How does finance research help move towards a post-industrial economy?
Helps identify new opportunities for investment for technology, innovation and services and drives the growth of non-manufacturing services
What are science parks?
A designated area designed to foster innovation and growth in science and technology.
How do science parks help move towards a post-industrial economy?
Encourage the development of skilled workers who can work in high paying tertiary and quaternary jobs.
What are the negative environmental impacts of primary and secondary industries?
- Transporting raw materials produces air and noise pollution
- Industrial processes often release chemicals into local water systems
- Waste often goes to landfill which releases toxins into the soil
- Industrial processes often consume a lot of energy contributing to climate change
- Factories, mines and quarries often scar the landscape reducing its aesthetic and destroying habitats
- Industrial processes often release chemicals into the air which cause health issues
What is an example of how industrial development can be more environmentally sustainable?
Torr Limestone Quarry, Somerset
What are Torr Limestone Quarry doing to become more environmentally sustainable?
- 60 acres of the site have been landscaped to blend in to the surrounding environment, including planting grass and trees which will restore natural habitats and encourage biodiversity
- Limestone is transported by rail which will minimise road congestion and reduce CO₂ emissions
- Regular monitoring of noise, vibrations, dust emissions and water quality is carried out which prevents pollution
- In 2010 a planning decision was made to deepen rather than widen the quarry to stop spoiling the landscape further protecting the nearby land
What are the social and economic changes in South Cambridgeshire (population growth)?
Social:
- 80% car ownership is leading to increased traffic on narrow country roads and reducing demand for public transport
- Young people cant afford high cost of housing so move away
- Modern developments on the edges of villages leads to a breakdown of community spirit
Economic:
- Lack of affordable housing
- Reduction in agricultural employment as farmers sell their land for housing development, although this may increase jobs in construction
- Some of the highest petrol prices in the UK due to high demand
- Increasing number of migrants from poor parts of Europe puts pressure on services and increases overall costs
What are the social and economic changes in The Outer Hebrides (population decline)?
Social:
- Number of school children is expected to fall which may result in school closures
- Many younger people moving, there will be fewer people of working age
- Increasing ageing population with fewer young people to support them leads to care issues
Economic:
- The current infrastructure is unable to support the scale of tourism needed to provide an alternative source of income
- In 2013 there were just a few boats catching prawns and lobsters
- The development of fish farming has been limited due to concerns about the environment
What are the improvements and new developments in road transportation?
In 2014 the Government announced £15bill investment scheme:
- 100 new roads
- 1.3k new lane miles added to motorways and major roads
- Extra lanes on motorways
- Develop smart motorways to keep traffic moving
- However, it sometimes doesn’t work, they lost money and people think it’s dangerous
What are the improvements and new developments in rail transportation?
- Electrification of Trans-Pennine Expressway by 2020
- Electrification of Midland mainline between London and Sheffield by 2023
- HS2 - connecting major cities in the UK, worth £50 billion between 2017 and 2023. However there is a loss of countryside and closeness to homes
- The Crossrail project is building the Elizabeth line to link Reading with Shenfield via new 21km tunnels under central London which will increase London’s rail capacity, cut passenger journey times and encourage regeneration with new jobs
What are the improvements and new developments in sea transportation?
- Around 32mill passengers pass through UK ports annually and employs 120k ppl
- The UK port industry is the largest in Europe
- Liverpool2 - a new container terminal £300mill
- It will double the ports capacity, create around 5k jobs and boost the NW economy
What are the improvements and new developments in air transportation?
- Airports employ over 300k people
- Over 2 million tonnes of freight pass through the UK’s airports each year
- More than 750k international flights depart from the UK annually
- In 2015 a 3rd runway at Heathrow was recommended. LHR handles over 73mill passengers employing 76k ppl
What is the North-South divide?
The social, economic disparities between the South-East of England and the rest of the UK.
Why is there a North-South divide?
During the industrial revolution, the UK’s growth centred on coalfields in Northern England and Scotland, with heavy industries thriving in big cities. Since the 1970s, many industries have declined due to resource loss or foreign competition, leading to higher unemployment in these areas. Meanwhile, the Southeast prospered with a growing tertiary sector, outpacing the rest of the UK in growth.
What strategies have been used to resolve the North-South divide?
- Government incentive packages have been used to attract TNC investment and job creation to locate manufacturing plants such as Mitsubishi near Edinburgh
- High Speed 2 (HS2) and Liverpool 2 boost connectivity between parts of the UK and the wider world and it creates jobs and investment
- Local Enterprise Partners (LEPs) are voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses aimed at encouraging investment and boosting the local economy e.g the Lancashire LEP focused on developing the aerospace and technical engineering sector, aims to create 50k high-skilled jobs by 2023
