The Challenge of Resource Management Flashcards
This is compulsory.
What is a resource?
A stock or a supply of something that has a value or purpose
What are the 3 resources people need?
Food
Energy
Water
How many people does the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate fall below the 2000-2400 calories per day needed to live healthily?
Over one billion
What is undernutrition?
A poorly balance diet lacking in vitamins and minerals
How many people suffer from undernutrition according to the World Health Organisation?
Two billion
In which continent are most undernourished people concentrated?
Africa
Name some reasons why water is so important?
Drinking (domestic)
Irrigating crops (agriculture)
Industry
How many countries does the UN estimate will face water scarcity by 2025?
50
In HICs which sector uses the greatest proportion of water?
Industry
In LICs which sector uses the greatest proportioin of water?
Agriculture
Why is world energy consumption increasing?
Countries are developing leading to increased demand
How much has global energy consumption increased since 1970?
More than double
Which group of countries are seeing the fastest increase in the demand for energy?
NEEs
Name a region with little or no water scarcity?
North America
Europe
Name a region with physical water scarcity?
Middle East
Why does the UK import so much food?
Cheaper from abroad
UK food can be expensive
UK climate unsuitable for some food types eg bananas
Demand for seasonal produce all year
Demand for more choice
What are food miles?
The distances travelled by food imported into the UK
How does food production generate a carbon footprint?
Emission of carbon dioxide from the energy used in commercial cultivation and transport by planes and lorries
What is food security?
Reducing your dependence on imported food and growing more food in the UK
What is agribusiness?
Intensive large scale farming aimed at maximising the amount of food produced
What are the charactreristics of agribusinesses?
High levels of investment
Modern technology used
Chemical fertilisers used
What is organic produce?
Food grown withouit the use of chemicals
Lynford House Farm is an agribusiness in East Anglia. Name its main features?
Flat intensively farmed land
Grows wheat, sugar beet and potatoes to make use of the climate
Chemical pesticides and fertilisers used
High machinery costs but low number of actual workers
Has built a 54 million litre reservoir to store water
Riverford Organic Farm in Devon delivers boxes of vegetables to consumers. Name its main features?
Reduce food miles
Support local farmers
Provide local employment
Strong link between producer and consumer
How much of the UKs water supply is used for domestic purposes?
50%
Why will demand for water in the UK rise by 5% by 2020?
Growing population
More houses being built
More water intensive appliances eg washing machines
Define water surplus?
Where the supply of water exceeds demand
Define water deficit?
Where the demand for water exceeds supply
Wher in the UK is there a water surplus?
The north and west
Where in the UK is there a water deficit?
The south and east
How much water does the average person in the UK use per day?
150 litres
Name 3 ways that water savings can be made?
Domestic water meters
Increasing the use of recycled water
More efficient use of domestic appliances
What is ‘grey water’?
Waste water from people’s homes
How can grey water be recycled?
Watering plants
Flushing toilets
Name a water transfer scheme?
Kielder reservoir transfers water from the Tyne to the Tees, Derwent and Wear
Why do people oppose water transfer schemes?
Damage to river habitats
High costs
Release of greenhouse gases when pumping water over long distances
How does the Environment Agence manage water quality?
Monitoring river water quality
Filtering water to remove sediment
Purifying water by adding chlorine
Restricting recreational uses
Impose regulations on water use
Why have some groundwater sources deteriorated through pollution?
Leaching of chemicals from mine workings
Discharge from industrial sites
Fertiliser runoff from farms
Water from power stations released back into rivers
How much of the UKs energy came from fossil fuels in 1990?
75%
By 2014 how much of the UKs energy supply came from renewables and nuclear?
33%
Why has demand for energy in the UK declined in recent years?
Decline of heavy industry
Energy conservation via low energy appliances, efficient cars and building insulation
What proportion of the UKs own oil and gas reserves been depleted?
75%
What is the UKs target for renewable energy by 2020?
To generate 15% of the energy required
By 2020 how much of the UKs energy will be imported?
75%
What is ‘energy security’?
When a country generates enough of its own energy internally without relying on imports
The remote Mariner oilfield will start producing oil from 2017. Where is it?
150km east of the Shetland Isles
Coal use has declined over time but why will fossil fuels remain important to the UK?
The remaining reserves will not be exhausted for several decades
Coal is cheap to import
Shale gas will be exploited in future
How is shale gas extracted (fracking)?
High pressure liquids (water, sand and chemicals) are pumped underground to release gas
Why is fracking controversial?
Possibility of earthquakes
Pollution of underground water sources
High costs of extraction
Name the economic impacts of nuclear power?
Very expensive to build. £18 billion for Hinkley Point
High costs per unit of electricity
Expensive to decommission
Building boosts jobs and the local economy
Name the environmental impacts of nuclear power?
Problem of safe storage of radioactive waste products
Warm waster water can harm ecosystems
Risk of radiation leaks
Name the economic impacts of wind farms?
High construction costs
Can reduce tourism due to appearence
Can also be tourist attractions
Delabole wind farm, Cornwall has reduced local energy bills
Name the environmental impacts of wind farms?
Negative visual impact on landscape
Reduced gas emissions and carbon footprint
Some noise from the turbines
Construction can harm the environment
Name some countries where energy consumption is high?
USA
Canada
Australia
UK
Name some regions where energy consumtion is low?
Africa
South East Asia
Why is Russia energy secure?
Large reserves of natural gas and oil
Uranium resources to supply nuclear power
Why does the Middle East region have an energy surplus?
Large oil reserves
Why does Western Europe have energy insecurity?
Dependent on imports of oil and gas
Low energy efficiency
Why does Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from energy insecurity?
Dependent on TNCs to extract oil and gas reserves
Rising rates of consumption
What are the factors that affect energy supply?
Costs of exploitation and production
Physical factors
Political factors
Technology
Climate
Which energy source is most expensive?
Nuclear power
Why is local geology important for energy supply?
Fossil fuels laid down in rock layers
Geothermal energy in tectonic areas
Why are political factors important for energy supply?
Instability affects the ability to produce energy
Western countries want Iran to not develop nuclear power and then convert the technology to weapons
Garmany wants to stop using nuclear power by 2020 due to its risks
UK government has stopped subsidising solar and wing power
Why is technology an important factor in the supply of energy?
Advances allow more remote or deeper reserves to be exploited
Advances can reduce costs
Why is climate an important factor in the supply of energy?
It determines the availability of solar and wing energy
High rainfall will affect the use of Hydro-electric power (HEP)
Why does economic development affect energy consumption?
NEEs will account for 90% growth in demand by 2035 as people become wealthier and use more technology/transport
Why does rising population affect energy consumption?
By 2025 world population will rise to 9 billion. These people will require energy for technology/transport/lighting/heating etc
How can a country increase its energy supply?
Try to further exploit its own energy sources
Import more energy from other countries
Reduce energy consumption through tecnology and energy saving
Name 2 remote regions where we can now exploit energy resources?
Amazonia
Antarctica
What has made it possible to exploit resources in remote areas?
New cost effective technologies
Name the economic costs of oil and gas exploitation in the Arctic?
Demand for higher wages
Increased transport costs due to remote location
Special expensive equipment needed due to extreme cold
Name the environmental costs of oil and gas exploitation in the Arctic?
Strict controls needed to prevent damage
Transport can damage the environment
Pollution from spills
What percentage of the world’s undiscovered oil reserves are in the Arctic?
13%
What percentage of the world’s undiscovered gas reserves are in the Arctic?
30%
What proportion of global energy is used for food production?
30%
Why do biofuels cause food shortages?
They are grown on land which can’t then be used for food production
Name 2 LICs where firewood is the main energy source?
Tanzania
Mali
What are some of the economic impacts of Pakistan’s energy insecurity?
Power cuts lasting up to 20 hours
Closure of 500 factories
4% cut in GDP
Russia holds 25% of world gas supplies. How can this lead to political tensions?
Russia can raise prices or even cut off supplies as it did to Ukraine
What proportion of the world’s oil is produced in the Middle East?
56%
