THE CHALLENGE OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Flashcards
What are the three main resources needed for basic human development?
Food
Water
Energy
What happens when people can’t access food?
Can cause malnourishment which can limit childrens development
Can cause famine
Increases the likelihood of people getting ill
What happens when people can’t access water?
Water-borne diseases due to polluted water sources can kill people
Water is needed to produce food, clothes and other products which can impact quality of life
Why is energy important for a country?
Countries need energy for industry and transport and homes
Allows countries to develop industry which creates jobs and wealth
What happens when a country doesn’t have access to energy (electricity)?
May use other resources which can harm environment
Also reduces development in industry
What can a lack of food, water and energy result in?
Affect a persons ability to go to school/work which can prevent them from learning and using skills which could help their country’s economic development
Why is global distribution of resources uneven?
Some countries don’t have their own energy reserves
Some countries climate is too dry or hot to grow any food or have water
What does the consumption of resources depend on?
The countries wealth
What must a country do if they do not have access to any resources in their own country?
They must import them or find technological solutions to produce more resources which is very expensive
Why is consumption of global resources greater in HICs?
Because they can afford to buy the resources they need and expect a higher standard of living
What is consumption of global resources like in NEEs?
Increasing rapidly as industry is developing so population and wealth is also increasing rapidly
What is consumption of global resources like in LICs?
Consumption is low because they cannot afford to exploit available resources or import lacking resources
What is high-value foods (UK)?
Exotic fruits, vegetables, coffees and spices from LICs that have become more popular due to rising incomes
What are seasonal products (UK)?
Food only available during the months that it grows
How does the UK meet the demand for seasonal produce all year round?
By importing fruits and vegetables from other countries (e.g. strawberries from Mexico)
What is organic produce?
Food which is produced with environmentally and animal friendly farming methods that is strictly regulated
Why is there an increased demand for organic produce?
People are becoming more concerned about the environmental impacts of food production and how chemicals affect their health
Can afford it now due to increased income
What percentage of the UKs footprint comes from agriculture?
10%
What is food miles?
The distance food is transported to the market
Why does food production have a carbon footprint?
Growing, processing, packaging and transporting of food all produces CO2
Why do imported foods have a large carbon footprint and food miles?
They have to be transported a long way
Why are more people now choosing local sources of food instead of imported foods?
People are becoming aware of the environmental issues for transporting food over long distances
What is agribusiness?
Large-scale industrial farming where all processes are controlled by large firms
What are the effects of agribusiness?
Farm sizes have increased and many small farms have been taken over
Amount of chemicals being used on foods has increased
Number of works employed in agriculture have decreased because greater use of machinery
What are areas of water surplus?
Areas where there is a greater supply then demand
What are areas of water deficit?
Areas where there is a greater demand than supply
Where are the areas of water surplus in the UK?
North and west
Where are the areas of water deficit in the UK?
South east and Midlands
Why is the demand for water increasing in the UK?
People have more appliances that use lots of water
UKs population is increasing
Population density changing (more people moving to areas of water deficit)
What percentage has the amount of water used by households increased in the UK?
70% since 1975
What can put pressure on water resources?
Polluted or low quality water reduces amount available for use
What can cause pollution in water sources in the UK?
Nitrates/phosphates from crop fertilisers washed into rivers/groundwater
Pollutants from vehicles are washed into water sources through runoff
Chemical and oil spills from factories can pollute local water sources/groundwater
What are strategies to improve water quality?
Improving drainage systems
Imposing regulations on amount and types of fertilisers/pesticides used
What effect does pollution have on groundwater sources?
Groundwater sources forced to close or undergo expensive treatment to make them safe to use
What is a solution to the problem of areas of water deficit?
To transfer water from areas of surplus to areas of deficit
What issues can water transfer cause?
Dams are expensive to build
Can affect wildlife that live in rivers
Might be political issues
What was the UKs energy mix mainly made up of?
Fossil fuels
Gas
How has the UKs energy mix changed recently?
Shifting away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources
What are the biggest sources of renewable energy in the UK?
Wind and bioenergy
Why has the UKs coal production decreased?
Less demand due to an effort to reduce CO2 emissions
What are the economic issues of extracting fossil fuels and production of electricity?
Fossil fuels expensive to extract
Domestic sources don’t provide enough to meet demand so has to be imported
Renewable energy expensive to consumer
What are the environmental issues of extracting fossil fuels and production of electricity?
Burning fossil fuels releases CO2
Accidents such as oil spills or nuclear disasters leak toxic chemicals
Natural ecosystems can be damaged by renewable energy generators