The Challenge of Resource Management

resources

things that people use. one are essential for surviving and others are not.

average person consumes…

between 2000 and 2500 calories (dependant on sex, age, height, activity level)

What factors does the amount of calories we need depend on?

• Sex

• Age

• Height

• Level of activity

how does not eating enough affect the workforce?

eating too few calories can cause you to feel unenergised, which may make it difficult for you to work. this negatively affects the economy/wealth of the country.

how does eating too much affect the workforce?

can lead to obesity, making it more difficult to work and move around.

how much of a person’s body is made up of water?

two thirds

why does our body need water?

to absorb nutrients and get rid of waste.

How much person should each person drink?

Between 1.6 and 2 litres of water a day

What factors does the volume of water we drink depend on?

• Air temperature

• Type of activity undertaken

what are other uses for water besides drinking?

• irrigation

• keeping ourselves clean

• cleaning areas

• cooling

• as a raw material in production

uses of energy

• heat homes and offices

• to cook food

• powers transport

most of these come from secondary energy sources

Most of the energy that we use is in the form of __________. This is called ____________ energy.

electricity

secondary

primary energy

energy in its raw, unchanged state, eg. oil and wind power

secondary energy

energy that has been converted into a more useful form, eg. electricity. derived from primary sources,

how does the use of electricity affect food supplies and industry?

Mining and growing biofuels takes up valuable farmland, so this reduces the amount of crops grown and therefore reduce the amount of food there is to eat. If energy is more expensive/in short supply, it costs more to produce/transport food and so customers receive an increased price in food.

inequalities in the global distribution of resources affects a country’s…

…wealth and security

food security

when people have enough nutritious and affordable food

food insecurity

when people do not have enough nutritious and affordable food to eat, often resulting in malnutrition.

malnutrition

a lack of proper food, causing illness or disease

food surplus

when there are extra crops and more than enough food to feed a population

wealthier countries are often in a food ______ because…

surplus, because they can afford to import food and subsidise farming to make food more affordable.

food deficit

when a country struggles to grow enough crops ro feed people and cannot afford subsidise farming or importing more food.

subsidise farming

To secure financial assistance by a grant ie money that does not have to be paid back.

the amount of water available in an area depends on… (3)

• rainfall - more rainfall, more water

• temperatures - higher temperatures, less water

• population - higher population, less water

water surplus

an area which has more water than it needs. can lead to flooding.

water deficit

an area with too little water. can lead to dehydration.

Which places consume more energy and why?

…HICs and NEEs. The people living in these are usually connected to the national electricity grid and use a lot of technology in industry as well as in their day-to-day lives. They have a high standard of living.

Which places consume less energy and why?

LICs. many living there are not connected to the national electricity grid and rely on primary energy sources such as fuel-wood or animal dung.

What advantage do countries which produce a large amount of energy have?

May have fossil fuel reserves of access to other energy sources such as geothermal heat.

countries which produce a small amount of energy…

…are dependant on other countries to import energy sources in.

Why do many in LICs not have access to energy?

the price is determined by the exporting country, and as most LICs must pay high prices for the energy. This means that when it is distributed for use in the country, it will be sold at a very high price and many will not be able to afford it.

places with energy security produce…

…a high amount of the energy that they consume as they do not have to pay a high price for it.

places with energy insecurity…

…consume more than they produce as they have imported them form other countries.

Does the UK have food security?

Yes

If there is enough food on the planet to feed everyone, why do people experience food insecurity?

because the distribution of food across the world is not equal, as some places have food security and in many places, food goes to waste.

how much of the UK’s food is imported?

around 40%, and much of it has been processed

why are demands for food imports increasing?

• people in wealthier nations want food that may not be in season, so they must import it from a country where it is in season.

• people desire more exotic foods

• people desire organic produce

• UK climate may not be suitable for some foods

how can food be grown if it is not in season?

• can be grown in heated greenhouses

• cold storage allows food to be transported from other parts of the world

• TNCs work in several countries to export food all across the globe

organic foods

grown without the use of artificial pesticides and fertilisers, or relating to/coming from living matter.

What can be used to help the crops in organic farming?

• Natural fertilisers: animal manure

• Natural predators instead of chemical pesticides

chemical pesticides

A chemical used to kill pests, such as the potato cyst nematode which is a pest that destroys potato crops.

Why has the consumption of pesticides in the UK risen?

Fewer people are prepared to eat food that has been sprayed with harsh chemicals.

what happens to farmland which has been converted to organic?

• yield initially drops

• they then improve to similar levels as non-organic crops

why is organic farming sustainable / not sustainable?

• it is sustainable as it does not use harsh artificial chemicals

• some believe it is not sustainable as it may lead to a greater use of land area.

how much of the global population experience water insecurity?

80%, meaning water supply and consumption are not evenly distributed.

UK is in a water _______. Explain.

overall surplus, although there are variations in the nation depending on the amount of rainfall and population density.

What does the UK do to help reduce the uneven distribution of water?

Water Transfer Schemes, where water is taken from a place of surplus to a place of deficit.

Give an example of a Water Transfer Scheme in the UK.

Kielder Reservoir in Northumberland.

Where is the Kielder Reservoir located?

Kielder is located in an area of high land and so the rainfall there is higher than many surrounding areas.

How does the Kielder Reservoir work?

The rainwater collected there travels south and is released into rivers to flow to nearby cities including Durham, Sunderland and Darlington.

The use of water in the UK has increased/decreased.

increased

Why has the demand for water in the UK increased?

more people…

• wash cars

• take longer showers

• wash their garden

farming and industry also uses up a high quantity of water.

How much water does the average person use daily?

150 litres of clean and treated water daily.

Other than domestic uses, what else uses a lot of water in the UK?

• Farming

• Industry

water footprint

The amount of water used by a country, both domestically and through imports.

What has the UK Government considered creating to ensure water security?

A National Water Grid.

How would a National Water Grid work?

This would work in a similar way to the national electricity grid, but would be used to link up the country’s water supplies.

energy mix

the balance of the different types if energy which a country uses.

What does the energy mix of the UK mostly consist of?

mostly…

• gas

• coal

• nuclear fuel

The last oil-fired power station in the UK closed in ____.

2015

Are fossil fuels running out?

As the world was once heavily reliant on fossil fuels, they were believed be running out.

However, as technology becomes more developed, new supplies can be discovered/accessed.

What are the estimations for how much longer gas and coal will last?

• gas - 50 years

• coal - 112 years

Where does the UK’s gas supply come from?

Around 40% comes from domestic supplies (the North Sea). However, the Uk could run out within just 5 years.

How much of the UK’s energy mic do renewable fuels make up?

Under 10%

What are the government’s aims for renewable energy?

Government aimed to increase RE use to 15% by 2020 to meet its European Union target.

Where does the UK’s renewable energy sources come from? (4)

• 50%+ from wind farms, mostly from onshore turbines.

• hydroelectric power remained the same since 2012, will not increase until new dams are built.

• less than 0.01% generated through tidal power b/c UK = island. This could increase to 20% using waves and tides.

• solar panels are more common on people’s homes, government planed to increase the electricity from solar panels to 4% by 2020.

What is exploitation?

When the natural environment is destroyed for its natural resources, eg deforestation as a result of cutting timber.

Economic Issues with energy exploitation:

Generating electricity costs a lot of money, and so the Government must balance these costs with other costs the country must buy.

Why does generating electricity cost a lot of money? (which factors)

Initial costs, eg. Building…

• power stations

• dams

• wind farms

Maintenance and running costs…

• Buying fuel

• Repairing damage to structures

• Disposing of waste products

Environmental issues with energy exploitation:

• fossil fuel powered stations create emissions, noise pollution (from production and transportation) and waste products (ash). Also been linked to high levels of radiation.

• Uranium used in nuclear power stations is highly radioactive

• Renewable energies (wind, solar etc.) are visual pollution as they are not aesthetically pleasant.

• Tidal power and HEP dams may affect marine ecosystems

What does ‘emissions’ mean?

substances that are given off, especially in the form of gas.

Which foods are primarily produced in Asia?

• Rice

• Sugar

• Meat

• Milk

• Fish

Which foods are primarily produced in South America?

• Oil crops

Which foods are primarily produced by North America?

• Coarse grain (for animal feed and brewing)

Which foods are primarily produced by Europe?

• Barley

• Meat

• Milk

• Fish

Which foods are primarily produced by Africa, Central America and Oceania?

Do not produce more of any type of food than other nations.

What is food energy intake measured in?

Calories (kcal)

Global Calorie Intake map

Food consumption has been rising globally for over __ years.

50

Which countries are experiencing the highest increase in calorie intake?

LICs

What are the 2 main reasons for increasing food consumption?

• Economic development

• Rising population

What patterns can we see with wealthier countries?

• Higher calorie intake → USA and Italy 3,440+

• High levels of food wastage

• Fast food + advertising → higher consumption

The higher the population…

…the more mouths there are to feed.

How do we measure hunger?

The Global Hunger Index (GHI)

Who calculates the GHI?

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

How is GHI scored?

Each country is given a score…

• 0 → no hunger

• 100 → everyone is hungry

What is used to calculate GHI?

• undernourishment

• number of underweight children

• child mortality

Undernourishment meaning

Not having enough food to be able to grow and stay healthy.

Undernourishment World Map

Which factors affect food supply? (6)

• Climate

• Technology

• Pests and Disease

• Water Stress

• Conflict

• Poverty

How is climate affecting food supply? (3)

• Global warming increases temp by 0.2°C every 10 years

• Rainfall increasing in some areas and decreasing in others

• High temp and unreliable rainfall → difficult farming, especially for those at marginal lands

How is technology affecting food supply? (3)

• Developments → increased amount of food available

• Technology can overcome temp, water and nutrient deficiencies → greenhouses, irrigation, fertilisers

• Growth of biofuel market is taking up valuable farmland.

How are pests and diseases affecting food supply? (2)

• pesticides → increased crop yields

• Farmers in poor countries cannot afford them

How is water stress affecting food supply? (4)

• Irrigation systems → Provide water for countries with unreliable/low rainfall

• Irrigation can double crop yields

• Irrigation is expensive

• Taking water from underground aquifers or directly from rivers has environmental consequences

How is conflict affecting food supply? (3)

• Food can be used as a weapon → enemies cut off food to gain ground

• Crops destroyed during fighting

• Food shortages can cause riots and conflict

When have food supplies caused conflict before?

The Dafur region has faced conflict for many years because of disagreement over grazing rights.

What is grazing?

When animals feed on grass.

How is poverty affecting food supply?

• Some have less money → cannot afford food → unable to work

• Families in NEEs/LICs spend much income on food

What are the impacts of food insecurity? (4)

• Hunger

• Soil erosion

• Rising prices

• Social unrest

How does food insecurity cause hunger? (3)

• Lack of food

• Can cause undernutrition, or in severe cases, famine

• UN: 828 million people affected by hunger globally