Unit 12 - Essays - Water Flashcards
Evaluate the role of economic factors in causing water pollution in LICs/MICs.
Paragraph 1: Agriculture as an economic driver
Explain agriculture’s importance to Mali’s economy (around 33% GDP, employing about 80% population).
Explain economic drive for higher productivity/profit (e.g., cotton farming in Sikasso region).
Detailed evidence:
Excessive use of chemical fertilizers/pesticides.
Nitrate pollution: WHO guidelines exceeded by 300% in Sikasso region.
Seasonal variation: Peak chemical pollution during planting and harvest seasons.
Briefly link spatial variation: mostly rural/agricultural regions.
Paragraph 2: Industrial development
Introduce small-scale industries in Mali (textiles, tanneries, mining around urban centers).
Explain economic motivation: maximising profits, low-cost operations, lack of investment in wastewater treatment.
Detailed evidence:
Over 90% untreated industrial wastewater in Bamako discharged into Niger River.
Resulting heavy metal contamination and high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).
Compare briefly with larger-scale MIC examples (India’s industrial rivers like Ganges/Yamuna).
Highlight spatial concentration (urban industrial clusters) and scale (smaller in Mali, larger in MICs).
Paragraph 3: Urbanisation and economic migration
Outline rural-to-urban migration driven by economic opportunities.
Provide detailed statistics:
Bamako population growth from 658,000 (1990) to approx. 2.7 million today.
Infrastructure unable to cope economically (lack of proper sanitation for 60% residents).
Evidence of resulting pollution:
Raw sewage entering Niger River directly due to insufficient sanitation.
Highlight spatial variation (urban areas vs rural areas) and temporal aspects (accelerating pollution over recent decades).
Paragraph 4: Resource extraction (Mining activities)
Outline economic significance of mining in Mali (gold contributes ~6.5% GDP).
Detailed description of artisanal/small-scale mining practices:
Use of mercury and cyanide for gold extraction.
Evidence: mercury contamination 100x WHO safe limits around Kayes and Sikasso mining regions.
Economic driver: Profit motive encourages ignoring environmental protections.
Temporal variation: pollution spikes when gold prices rise, encouraging mining expansions.
Paragraph 5: Poverty and lack of economic resources
Explain Mali’s economic situation (GDP per capita around US$890/year).
Link economic scarcity directly to inability to invest in clean water infrastructure and environmental protection.
Provide detailed statistics:
Less than 40% rural Malians access safe drinking water; even fewer adequate sanitation.
Limited government capacity to enforce environmental laws due to economic constraints.
Resulting widespread reliance on polluted water sources due to poverty.
Spatial variation: Rural areas disproportionately affected due to lack of economic resources.
Brief mention of other factors (showing balanced evaluation)
Explain briefly (without dominating economic focus):
Political factors: governance effectiveness.
Social factors: public education and awareness.
Institutional capacity: enforcement of laws.
Brief example contrasting Mali with Rwanda (successful pollution reduction due to better governance and education despite similar economic challenges).
Conclusion
Restate briefly that economic factors (agriculture, industry, urbanisation, mining, poverty) strongly drive water pollution, clearly demonstrated through Mali.
Highlight that pollution varies spatially (urban vs rural), temporally (seasonal farming/mining activities), and by scale.
Conclude clearly: Economic factors are central, but effective solutions require integrating social, political, and institutional improvements.
Evaluate the role of economic factors in causing water pollution in LICs/MICs. (SIMPLE ENGLISH)
Paragraph 1: Farming (Agriculture)
Explain farming is Mali’s main economic activity.
Say farming employs many people (about 80%) and makes around 33% of Mali’s economy.
Farmers use chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) to grow more crops and earn more money.
These chemicals run into rivers and lakes causing pollution.
Give a clear example from Sikasso in Mali: nitrates from fertilizers are 3 times above safe limits.
Pollution from farming happens more during planting and harvest seasons (time variations).
Most pollution is seen in rural farming areas (spatial variation).
Paragraph 2: Industry (Factories and Businesses)
Explain Mali has factories (small-scale industries) like clothing, leather, and small mining companies.
Factory owners often do not treat wastewater because it’s expensive and reduces profits.
About 90% of factory wastewater in Bamako (capital city) goes untreated into the Niger River.
Wastewater from factories contains harmful chemicals and metals.
Compare briefly with countries like India (where industry pollution is even larger).
Explain pollution mostly happens near cities with factories (spatial variation).
Paragraph 3: Urbanisation (Growth of Cities)
Explain people in Mali move to cities (especially Bamako) for jobs and better money.
Bamako’s population grew quickly from around 658,000 in 1990 to about 2.7 million today.
Because of quick growth, Bamako lacks toilets, sewage systems, and good waste disposal.
Around 60% of people in Bamako don’t have proper sanitation, so waste pollutes rivers.
Clearly explain that cities cause more pollution than rural areas (spatial variation).
Highlight how pollution increased rapidly over recent years due to urban growth (time variation).
Paragraph 4: Mining (Resource Extraction)
Explain Mali makes money from mining gold (around 6.5% of the economy).
Many small-scale miners use dangerous chemicals like mercury and cyanide to get gold quickly and cheaply.
Mercury pollution near mining towns like Kayes and Sikasso is 100 times higher than safe levels.
Miners often ignore safety because protective equipment is expensive and reduces profits.
Explain clearly pollution is worst where mining happens, and gets worse when gold prices rise, causing more mining activity (time variation).
Paragraph 5: Poverty (Not Having Enough Money)
Explain Mali is a poor country (average income around US$890 per year per person).
Mali does not have enough money to build good water systems or enforce pollution rules.
Less than 40% of people in rural Mali have safe drinking water.
Poor rural people use polluted rivers and wells because they cannot afford cleaner sources.
Government cannot properly enforce laws due to lack of money, allowing pollution to continue.
Explain clearly that rural areas have worse problems due to poverty (spatial variation).
Other important factors (briefly mentioned)
Quickly say that other reasons also cause water pollution, such as:
Weak government rules and enforcement.
Lack of education about pollution.
Briefly compare Mali with Rwanda (another LIC) that successfully reduced pollution through better laws and education despite similar economic problems.
Conclusion
Clearly say economic factors (farming, industry, cities, mining, poverty) strongly cause water pollution in Mali and similar countries.
Clearly summarise that pollution varies by place (urban vs rural areas), over time (seasonal changes), and in scale (small vs large countries).
Clearly state that solving water pollution also requires stronger rules, better education, and government support, not just economic solutions.
