The challenge of resource management (box 6+7)

Question 1

How is the demand for energy changing in the UK?

Answer 1

-Although the population of the UK has increased by 6.5 million people since 1970 we actually use less energy than we did then

Question 2

How has energy in households and heavy industry changed?

Answer 2

• Household energy use has decreased by 12 per cent

- the decline in heavy industry accounts for a 60 per cent decline

Question 3

How has energy in transport changed + figure of cars on road..

Answer 3

• increase in energy use in the transport sector
• due to a significant increase in the number of cars on our roads. In 1970 there were 10 million cars on the road. Today, the number is around 27 million.
• the growth of air travel has also added to the rise

Question 4

Why has domestic energy consumption reduced?

Answer 4

• more energy-efficient devices in our homes including light bulbs.
• the increased cost of energy has led to lower consumption
• greater awareness of the public on the impact of energy consumption on the environment

Question 5

How is the UKs energy mix changing?

Answer 5

• In 1970 91% of energy came from oil and coal
• The use of nuclear power increased during the 1990s
• a decline in reserves of oil and gas now means the UK is reliant on imported fossil fuels
• there has been a growth in the use of renewable energy resources, though it still accounts for a small percentage of energy production compared to non-renewable energy sources

Question 6

THE GROWING SIGNIFICANCE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE UK…

Answer 6

• The GB electricity system is undergoing a period of significant change as we transition from a large-scale conventional fossil fuel dominated generation mix to intermittent renewable generation
• increase in output from wind and solar farms

Question 7

WHAT ARE the ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF FOSSIL FUELS

Answer 7

• Burning fossil fuels contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect leading to climate change. It also causes acid rain
• Opencast mines cause visual and noise pollution along with dust which affects wildlife and disturbs local people
• take up vast areas of land
• Pollution and congestion can be caused by vehicles accessing the site

Question 8

WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC ISSUES OF NUCLEAR POWER

Answer 8

-he cost of constructing a nuclear power station is huge.

Storing and transporting radioactive waste is also very expensive. As is decommissioning old power stations

Question 9

WHAT ARE the economic ISSUES OF FOSSIL FUELS

Answer 9

• The remaining coal in the UK is mostly deep underground in hard to reach areas. This makes it much more expensive to mine
• The UK has to import coal from other countries as its last mine closed in 2015.

The environmental impact of coal mining is significant and therefore it is expensive to clean up

Question 10

WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF NUCLEAR POWER

Answer 10

• Nuclear waste must be stored safely for between 1,000 and 10,000 years to avoid contamination before the radioactivity of high-level waste decays to that of the originally mined ore
• If an accident occurs, like those that happened at Chernobyl or Fukushima, the release of radiation can have a devastating impact on the environment and people.

Question 11

Economic challenges to renewable energy resources

Answer 11

Set up costs for renewable sources of energy such as wind, tidal and solar is very expensive.
The visual impact can have a negative impact on tourism.
The production of energy from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy can be affected if the weather conditions are not right. This can lead to reduced profitability

Question 12

Environmental challenges of renewable energy

Answer 12

Wind turbines have proven to have a negative impact on bird migration patterns.
Roads constructed to access remote locations for wind turbines, such as those constructed in the Scottish Highlands, damage formerly untouched environments.
Turbines can affect TV and mobile phone signals

Question 13

WHAT ARE GLOBAL PATTERNS OF WATER SURPLUS AND DEFICIT?

Answer 13

• Areas with a water surplus include North America, Europe and Asia. These areas have a water surplus for a range of reasons including low population densities and high levels of rainfall. Areas with a water deficit include Northern Africa and the Middle East where there may be low levels of rainfall, high agricultural demands and/or high population densities

Question 14

Reasons for increased water consumption

Answer 14

• As economies develop the demand for water increases
• more water for irrigation due to increased demand for food
• Processing and manufacturing industries require considerable amounts of water
• for drinking, washing and sanitation increases with urbanisation
• As people become more wealthy their water demand increases