Mod 1 Resource Security Flashcards
What is resource security?
Resource security relates to the ability of humankind to guarantee the availability of natural resources for all people.
What is food security? (Definition)
Food security exists when all people always have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious foods to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
What are the reasons for food insecurity? 10 reasons
- Lack of access to farmlands
- Urbanization
- Conflicts – violence & wars- Wheat shortage during Ukraine vs Russia as the accounted for 30% of the global wheat supply. No exports could have been done as Russia blocked Ukraine’s ports.
- Unfair trading rules & practices- biases
- Population growth
- Biofuel production- The shift toward biofuel production competes with food crops for land and resources. When agricultural land is diverted for biofuel cultivation, it affects food availability.
- Natural disasters- Events like floods, droughts, hurricanes, and earthquakes disrupt food production and distribution. Crop losses due to extreme weather events exacerbate food insecurity.
- Production inefficiencies- Inefficient agricultural practices, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of technology can lead to low crop yields. This inefficiency affects food availability.
- Food wastage
- Climate change – extreme weather events – flooding or drought
What is water security?
The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human wellbeing, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water borne pollution and water related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability.
Socio- economic development examples:
*Reduced contraction of waterborne diseases leading to a healthier workforce
*Drought Preparedness: Water security helps communities cope with droughts, minimizing economic losses.
*Flood Control: Proper water management prevents flood-related damage to infrastructure and livelihoods.
*Industrial Processes: Industries require water for manufacturing, cooling, and cleaning. Water security ensures uninterrupted production, job creation, and economic growth.
What are the three dimensions of food security?
Three aspects of food security include:
1. Availability (Physical)- “Supply side” of food security determined by the level of food production, stock levels and net trade.
- Access (Physical and economic)- “household level” food security - concerns about insufficient food access
focus on household incomes, expenditure, markets and prices. - Utilization (Food)- the way the body makes the most of various nutrients in the food - feeding practices, food preparation, diversity of the diet, nutrition knowledge,
clean drinking water,
sanitation & hygiene.
All three must be stable in order to achieve food security.
What are the dimensions of water security?
Physical Availability/ Adequacy addresses conditions governing water
resource availability in time and space that often satisfies competing
demands and the nature of the demands that drive exploitation.
➢ Accessibility/ Affordability – Physical access, economic access, political access & culturally acceptable access. Water demands are met - ensuring that water
is available when and where it is needed in such a way that is not an undue burden.
➢ Use /Utilization/ Quality – having acceptable and safe water that is of a safe and
sanitary quality to meet all your needs.
➢ Stability/ Assurance - Water management & use concerns the ability to secure
safe and sufficient resources to cope with potential system shocks such as extreme
events, security threats and contamination of sources through continued stability
of all three above components.
What are some reasons for water insecurity?
- Climate Change- Raising the frequency and severity of droughts across the planet and rapidly melting glaciers and snowpacks that traditionally provide a source of freshwater downstream.
- Inadequate water supply due to drought conditions & or impoverished aquifers
- Water pollution- fertilizers, human wastewater, industrial waste
- Industrial agriculture usage and runoff into water courses- currently used 70% of the globe’s freshwater and then waste 60% as a result of poor irrigation and application methods.
- Unsustainable energy production- These include coal-fired electric plants, the operation of which uses tremendous amounts of water.
- Unsustainable industrial practices- industries use massive amounts of water and/or contribute significantly to water pollution.
- Global population growth- More people using water resources
Solutions to water insecurity (using reasons)
- Climate Change- Adaptation Strategies: Implement climate-resilient water management practices. These include rainwater harvesting, drought-tolerant crop varieties, and efficient irrigation systems.
Mitigation Measures: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change’s impact on water availability. - Inadequate water supply due to drought conditions & or impoverished aquifers- Water Storage: Build reservoirs, dams, and groundwater recharge systems to store water during wet periods for use during droughts.
Aquifer Management: Monitor aquifer levels, promote sustainable extraction, and recharge aquifers through artificial recharge methods such as the use of injection wells. - Water pollution- Source Protection: Enforce regulations to prevent pollution of water sources. Buffer zones around rivers and lakes can filter pollutants.
Wastewater Treatment: Invest in advanced sewage treatment plants to remove contaminants. - Industrial agriculture usage and runoff into water courses- Precision Irrigation: Encourage efficient irrigation practices to minimize water wastage.
Buffer Zones: Create vegetated buffer zones along watercourses to filter agricultural runoff. - Unsustainable energy production- Water-Efficient Energy: Promote energy production methods (such as solar and wind) that consume less water.
Integrated Planning: Coordinate water and energy policies to minimize conflicts. - Unsustainable industrial practices-Circular Economy: Encourage industries to recycle water, reduce pollutants, and adopt eco-friendly practices.
Green Technologies: Invest in water-efficient industrial processes. - Global population growth- Education and Awareness: Promote awareness about responsible water use and family planning.
Integrated Policies: Integrate water management into urban planning and development to accommodate growing populations
What is energy security?
Uninterrupted process of accessing and securing the amount of energy that
is needed to sustain people’s lives and daily activities while ensuring its affordability.
What are some solutions to combatting food insecurity? (using reasons for food insecurity)
- Lack of access to farmlands- Land Redistribution: Ensure equitable land distribution and access for small-scale farmers.
Community Gardens: Promote community gardens in urban areas to provide access to farmland. - Urbanization- Vertical Farming: Implement vertical farming techniques within cities to grow food in limited spaces.
Rooftop Gardens: Encourage rooftop gardens and green spaces for urban agriculture. - Conflicts (violence and wars) – Humanitarian Aid: During conflicts, ensure safe access to food through humanitarian aid and relief efforts.
Diplomatic Solutions: Work toward peaceful resolutions to prevent disruptions in food supply chains. - Unfair trading rules & practices- Fair Trade Agreements: Advocate for fair trade policies that benefit small farmers and promote transparency.
Consumer Awareness: Educate consumers about the impact of their choices on global food systems. - Population growth- Sustainable Agriculture: Invest in sustainable agricultural practices to meet the growing demand for food.
Family Planning: Promote family planning to manage population growth. - Biofuel production- Balanced Land Use: Balance biofuel production with food crop cultivation. Prioritize food security over biofuels.
Research Alternatives: Explore biofuel sources that don’t compete directly with food crops. - Natural disasters- Early Warning Systems: Develop systems to predict and respond to natural disasters promptly.
Resilient Farming Practices: Promote climate-resilient crops and disaster-resistant infrastructure. - Production inefficiencies- Technology Adoption: Provide farmers with modern tools, training, and infrastructure.
Improved Seeds: Develop high-yield, drought-resistant crop varieties. - Food wastage-Education: Raise awareness about food waste and encourage responsible consumption.
Food Recovery Programs: Establish programs to redirect surplus food to those in need. (donating good food that would have otherwise gone to waste) - Climate change – Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Adapt farming practices to changing weather patterns
Dimensions of energy security
Reliable,uninterruptable supply - Availability
With oil being one of the world’s major energy sources, the growing
dependence on oil along with the high prices have become the most crucial
challengesto energy security. The ever-increasing demand for energy might
be disproportionate to the amount of oil in the world.
* Acceptability
The demand for energy has contributed to the increase in energy-related
impacts to the environment. Hence, policymakers worldwide attempt to
combat such impacts including pollution through strict implementation of
environmental regulations that can affect energy security.
* Affordability - competitive cost of supply
Oil prices have a high degree of volatility due to geopolitical issues, supply
disruptions and supply-demand imbalances. These result in inevitable oil
price hikes.
* Accessibility
Economic and geopolitical factors along with technological advancements
serve as barriers to energy supply becoming accessible. These barriers include:
* Uneven distribution of global oil resources
* Undiscovered resources are in very deep or arctic areas.
* A shortage of adept workers in the industry. It is more expensive to develop and produce non- conventional oil.
Reasons for energy insecurity
- Oil and fossil fuel depletion.
- Reliance on foreign sources of energy (importation)
- Geopolitics such as dictatorships, terrorism and the instability of nations that
supply energy. - Energy needs of poorer countries and demands from developing countries
such as China & India - Economic efficiency vs. population growth
- Environmental issues- Climate Change
Lack of renewables and other alternative energy sources.
Solutions to energy insecurity
- Oil and fossil fuel depletion- Diversification: Invest in alternative energy sources (renewables, nuclear) to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Efficiency Measures: Improve energy efficiency to extend fossil fuel reserves. - Reliance on foreign sources of energy (importation)- Domestic Production: Encourage domestic energy production to reduce dependence on imports.
Energy Diplomacy: Strengthen energy partnerships with reliable trading partners. - Geopolitics such as dictatorships, terrorism and the instability of nations that
supply energy.- Diversify Suppliers: Avoid over-reliance on energy from politically unstable regions.
Strategic Reserves: Maintain emergency stockpiles to mitigate supply disruptions. - Energy needs of poorer countries and demands from developing countries
such as China & India- Technology Transfer: Facilitate technology transfer to enhance energy access in developing nations.
Investment in Infrastructure: Support energy infrastructure projects in low-income countries. - Economic efficiency vs. population growth- Energy-Efficient Technologies: Promote energy-efficient appliances, vehicles, and industrial processes.
Population Stabilization: Address population growth through education and family planning - Environmental issues (climate change)- Renewable Energy Transition: Accelerate the shift to renewables (solar, wind, hydro) to reduce emissions.
Carbon Pricing: Implement policies that internalize environmental costs. - Lack of renewables and other alternative energy sources- Research and Innovation: Invest in R&D for new energy technologies.
Incentives: Provide incentives for renewable energy adoption.
