UK Challenges Flashcards
Agribusiness
Large scale capital intensive farming run by multinational businesses
Green belt
A ring of countryside to prevent urban sprawl
Greenfield site
Expanding housing in to green belt land
Brownfield site
Building houses on old industrial sites
2 key pressures on UK ecosystems
*Increased population, increases food demand, increased agribusiness, reduces natural habitats
*Demand for housing, need for greenfield sites, destroys open spaces and habitats
Unsustainable transport
Moving people and goods using non renewable energy that cause pollution
Sustainable transport
Moving people and goods with renewable energy that doesn’t limit future choices
2 challenges of relying on fossil fuel transport
-Global warming
-Local air pollution affecting health
3 Solutions to transport issues
*Encouraging cycling with cycling routes, less pollution
*ULEZ- ultra low emission zone, charges polluting vehicles, less pollution but unfair to poorer people
*Encourages car sharing, reduces fuel used and pollution
Two speed economy
One part of the country is growing more quickly than another part e.g South East
Factors of two-speed economy
Around capital?
It causes..?
1 Effect on South East?
1 Effect on North West?
-Large construction projects around capital
-People move for work, brain drain
-Increases population and house prices
-Slower development in North West
Solution to two-speed economy
-HS2 between London and northern cities
-Workers and people can travel across the North to jobs & airports
Problems with HS2
-Very expensive
-Destroys countryside
-Now not as helpful
Building on greenfield sites
Advantages?
Disadvantages?
Ads- healthier environment, cheaper and faster to build houses
Dis- disturbs wildlife and habitats, valuable farm land lost
Building on brownfield sites
Advantages?
Disadvantages?
Ads- Gas and water already in place, reduces loss of countryside
Dis- Higher levels of pollution, more expensive to clear buildings and pollutants
Immigration
Moving into a country to live there
Emigration
Moving out of a country to live in another
Net migration
Number of people entering a country minus number of people leaving it
Economic migrants
Moving from one area to another to find work or better standard of living
Labour market
Availability of workers versus the demand for workers
Net migration in UK
Positive or negative?
Population growth percentage?
Positive
50%
3 reasons migration statistics aren’t accurate
Don’t include travellers on holiday
Don’t include people entering UK illegally
Don’t include people who left UK
Positive net migration
Advantages?
Disadvantages?
Ad- More workers & taxes paid, improves multicultural aspects of society
Dis- Overcrowding, job competition, pressure on services
Different stakeholders views on immigration?
Businesses & government–>offers increase in workers who pay taxes, help economy
Some political parties–>economic migrants take jobs from British workers
Others–>good for multicultural aspects
National parks in UK
How many?
Their aim?
15
Protect the countryside, wildlife and habitats
2 strategies in a National Park Plan
-Encourage transport with less CO2 emissions
-Convert farm buildings to business premises
3 reasons flooding is an increased risk
-Increased population, more people affected
-Change in land use, more impermeable surfaces, surface runoff
-Climate change, more extreme rainfall
UK flooding
Properties at risk?
Managing agency?
330,000
Environment Agency
How can floods be made…
Less likely?
Less serious?
Build flood defences, manage rivers
Help people prepare, give flood warnings
Where are Somerset Levels?
When did flooding occur?
Why is it prone to flood
South-west England
2013/2014
Low lying and close to several rivers
Why was the Somerset Levels floods so severe?
What has now been done to reduce risk?
Were little flood defences, farmers potentially clogged drainage channels
River Tone diverted to embankment channels
When is coastal flooding more likely?
Sea levels higher than normal, overwhelm coastal defences
Storm surges in 2013
Where?
Methods?
Homes protected?
East England and Scotland
Warnings & information to people, evacuations, barriers in London
800,000 homes claimed
Local scale ways to reduce climate change
Disadvantage?
-walking and cycling
-locally produced food
-insulation prevent heat loss
-solar panels
Positive impact, not for everyone, expensive
National scale ways to reduce climate change
Disadvantage?
-government campaigns to encourage recycling
-limit carbon emissions from industry
-stopping urban sprawl
Economic growth needs resources, hard to balance the two
International ways to reduce climate change
Disadvantage?
-Cooperation between different governments
Hard to balance need for economic development & environment conservation
Climate change affecting UK’s climate
-Temperature increase, in summer by 3-5 degrees
-More frequent and extreme precipitation
-Wetter winters, drier summers
Effects of climate change on the UK?
-Increased flash floods, droughts, heat waves, water insecurity
-Plant and animal extinction, changes natural vegetation
-Droughts can affect imported food supply
