Case Studies: Resource Security (DP IB Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Bridgette Barrett
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Case Study: Resource Security in Bangladesh
WFE resource insecurity in Bangladesh
Bangladesh already faces the impact of climate change
Rising sea levels
Changing monsoon rainfall patterns
Coastal flooding
Increased frequency and severity of tropical cyclones
The population of Bangladesh is almost 170 million people
Although the rate of natural increase has fallen it is still 12 per 1 000
Population density is 1 329 people per Km2
This increases the pressure on water, food and energy
Water insecurity in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has 238 major rivers and should have a plentiful water supply
However, water security is poor
An estimated 40% of the population lacks access to safe water
Almost 70% have no access to improved sanitation
Over 40% of northwestern Bangladesh experiences groundwater scarcity, particularly in summer
River and groundwater pollution levels are high
It is estimated that 50% of the population drinks water which is polluted with arsenic
Over-abstraction of groundwater in the area surrounding Dhaka has led to:
Increased risk of [popover id="Uqny5Im4N4F4azVj" label="salt intrusion"]
A decrease in groundwater levels by 2-3 m a year
Agriculture accounts for 80% of water withdrawal
Water demand exceeds water supply, a situation which is likely to worsen as the population increases and development continues
The reduction in the size of the ice stores in the Himalayas will decrease the supply further
Food insecurity in Bangladesh
An estimated 25% of the population suffers from food insecurity
Over 11 million people suffer acute hunger
Approximately 36% of children under five suffer from stunting, which indicates chronic malnutrition
Increased coastal flooding has led to salinisation which affects crop yields
Over the past 35 years, soil salinity has increased by approximately 26%
Increasing areas of land are lost to:
Erosion on the banks of rivers or at the coast
Building of settlements and industries
Each year, an estimated 69 000 hectares of farmland is lost (a rate of 1% per year)
An increase in the frequency and severity of tropical cyclones will impact crops and livestock
Cyclone Sidr damaged over 1.5 million hectares and killed almost 500 000 livestock
Energy insecurity in Bangladesh
The availability of electricity to the population of Bangladesh has increased from 20% (2000) to 85% (2023)
Bangladesh relies heavily on imports of energy resources to generate electricity
The energy mix for Bangladesh is
Gas - 54%
Oil - 22%
Coal - 7%
Biofuels and waste - 16%
Renewables -1.2%
Bangladesh aims to reach 15% renewable energy by 2030
Increasing use of solar power is contributing to the use of renewables
To avoid the use of agricultural land, the focus has shifted to rooftop systems
Case Study: Resource Security in Denmark
WFE resource security in Denmark
Denmark is not as vulnerable to climate change as Bangladesh but there are still challenges which may impact its WFE security
Rising sea levels
Increased precipitation
Denmark has a population of almost 6 million people
The rate of natural increase is 1 per 1 000
Population density is 139 people per Km2
Water security in Denmark
Denmark has a water surplus
The available water resource is an estimated 1,800 million m3 per year
Water demand is 1,000 million m3 per year
The whole population (100%) have access to safe drinking water
Almost 90% are connected to the main sewage network
Most of the water supply is obtained from groundwater sources
Use of water is split equally between agriculture, domestic and industrial use (approximately 33% each)
Threats to water security
Salt intrusion may begin to affect the quality of groundwater due to rising sea levels and coastal flooding
salinisation due to increased demand on the groundwater
Food security in Denmark
Food security is high in Denmark, with only 1.8% of the population experiencing severe food insecurity
Denmark only imports just over 13% of the population's food
Threats to food security
Rising temperatures have led to a longer growing season in Denmark
However, they have also increased the need for:
Greater pest and disease protection
More fertiliser use, which leads to increased water pollution
Increased Irrigation, which places more pressure on the water supply
Increased precipitation in winter and rising sea levels are increasing the risk of flooding and crop loss
Water temperature increase has impacted the populations of traditional species such as salmon and trout
New species are increasingly found in the waters around Denmark, such as hake
There has also been an increase in toxic algae, which threatens fish populations
Energy security in Denmark
Denmark imports about 12% of its energy
It has a high energy security
The energy mix for Denmark is
Oil - 38%
Biofuels - 33.6%
Other renewables - 12.4%
Gas - 9.4%
Coal - 7.0%
Denmark has closed all its oil-fired power stations and is in the process of closing its coal-fired power stations
This has significantly reduced its reliance on fossil fuels
The entire population (100%) has access to electricity
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