The challenge of resource management - Overview

Question 1

what is a resource?

Answer 1

It is a stock or supply of something that has value or purpose

Question 2

what are the most important resources for human development?

Answer 2

• food
• water
• energy

Question 3

what global inequalities come with food?

Answer 3

• more than 1 billion don’t consume enough calories
• about 2 billion are malnourished/undernourished
• there can still be hunger even in countries that produce lots of food

Question 4

what global inequalities come with water?

Answer 4

• supply affected by rainfall + climate variations
• capture, storage and extraction are expensive
• poor countries often have water shortage
• LICs/NEEs main use = agriculture
• HICs main use = industry

Question 5

what global inequalities come with energy?

Answer 5

• rich countries use more energy than poor countries
• Middle East supplies lots of oil - consumes very little
• when NEEs become more industrialised, energy consumption will increase

Question 6

why do resources need managing?

Answer 6

• limited supply + unevenly distributed
• growing demand - rising population, rising incomes, new technologies
• can be used as political tool - eg. trade can be affected by geopolitics
• cross-boundary nature of resources - potential conflict
• often found in environmentally sensitive areas

Question 7

how can we reduce consumption of resources?

Answer 7

• shower instead of bath and take shorter showers
• change diet - more plant-based + sourced locally/seasonally
• avoid fast fashion/buy second hand
• use more energy efficient appliances

Question 8

Where does the UK source its water from?

Answer 8

• groundwater supplies (aquifers)
• reservoirs
• rivers

Question 9

Describe the domestic use of water in the UK

Answer 9

• over half of water usage is in the bathroom - 30% toilet flushes, 20% baths, 12% showers
• 5% of water lost through leaks - aging infrastructure

Question 10

how is water demand changing in the UK?

Answer 10

Demand is already high and by 2034 demand might exceed supply - sped up by climate change

Reasons:
- population increase + more houses
- more domestic appliances used - eg. washing machine
- irrigation demand increased
- aging infrastructure - more water is lost to leaks (21% of water demand comes from leaks)

Question 11

describe water supply distribution in the UK

Answer 11

• the north and west have a water surplus - supply exceeds demand
• the south and east have a water deficit - demand exceeds supply