Resource Management (AQA GCSE Geography)

Resource Management

• Resources are things which have value to humans

• Food, water and energy are the most important resources

  • They are essential for people to be healthy and be secure

• Resources impact on development

  • Areas with plentiful resources tend to have higher levels of development

  • Where resources are scarce quality of life and economic development tend to be lower

Food

• A well balanced diet is essential in maintaining health and well-being

• In many High Income Countries (HICs) the intake of calories is higher than people need, leading to increasing levels of obesity

• In Low Income Countries (LICs) the intake of calories is on average lower than needed 

• To be able to work and be productive, people need to have a good diet

• Over 800 million people are at risk from life-threatening hunger (undernourished): almost 9% of the world's population

• One in four people (25%) are moderately or severely food insecure

• Undernourishment particularly impacts on children

  • 22% of children below 5 years are 'stunted' which means they are significantly shorter than the average for their age

• People in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are most at risk

Share of people who are undernourished

Water

• Water is essential to life

• It is used in all aspects of life for domestic use, agriculture, industry and energy

• Supply of water varies across the world dependent on climate

• One in four (25%) of the world's population does not have access to safe drinking water

• Water scarcity affects over 4 billion people globally

• Water infrastructure is expensive 

• Many areas suffer water scarcity, this can be of two forms

  • Economic water scarcity is when countries cannot afford to exploit water resources by setting up infrastructure 

  • Physical water scarcity is when there is a lack of water

  • Some countries have both physical and economic water scarcity

• LICs and NEEs use most water for agriculture

• NICs use most water for industry

Energy

• Humans need energy for light, heat and power

• The agricultural and industrial revolutions which led to huge strides in development were driven by improvements in power

• HICs consume more energy than LICs 

• NEEs are experiencing increased demand for energy due to domestic and industrial demand

• Energy consumption is dominated by fossil fuels

• Use of renewable energies are increasing

Global energy use per person 2021

Resource Management in the UK - Food

• Food demand in the UK is changing

  • The demand for food is increasing 

  • The types of food eaten are increasingly varied

  • Increasing amounts of food are imported

  • The demand for organic produce is increasing

• As the population increases so does the demand for food

• People consume more food than they did 50 years ago in the UK

Food imports

• The UK imports approximately 46% of the food the population consumes this is the result of

  • Cheaper food being available from abroad

  • Increased demand for foods which are unavailable in the UK due to the climate

  • The demand for food the same foods all year round: for example salad crops which are only grown in the UK in spring and summer

Origin of food consumed in the UK 2015

• Previously in the UK the food people ate was the food in season: strawberries in summer, cabbages in winter

• Food imports mean that people no longer need to eat seasonally, foods can be grown abroad and imported

• Food imports lead to increased food miles

• This increases the carbon footprint of the individuals and the UK as a whole

Organic produce

• The purchase and consumption of organic food and drink has steadily increased over the last twenty years

Percentage change in organic product sales 2009-2020

• Organic food is grown:

  • Without using artificial pesticides and fertilisers

  • Using natural predators to control pests

  • Using natural fertilisers such as green manures 

  • Using crop rotation

  • Without the use of hormones and routine use of antibiotics

• Yields on organic farms may be lower (yields improve over time)

• More labour is used

• Organic farms tend to be smaller 

  • These factors lead to increased cost of organic produce

• This has led to increased numbers of organic farm box schemes around the UK

  • Riverford Organic Farms

  • Coombe Farm Organic

  • Abel and Cole

• The amount of organic produce available in supermarkets has also increased

Agribusiness

• This involves applying business principles to farming

• The main aim is to increase food production via any means 

  • Increasing field size through the removal of hedgerows this improves yields and efficiency

  • Combining smaller farms to create larger farms

  • Increased use of pesticides, herbicides and artificial fertilisers

  • Packaging and transporting of products also completed by the arm

Resource Management in the UK - Water

• The average person in the UK uses 152 litres of water a day

• Less than 5% of this is used for drinking

• It is estimated that the south-east of England will need an additional 1 billion litres of water by 2050 to meet the increased demand

• The increases in demand in the UK are the result of:

  • Population growth

  • People showering and washing clothes more frequently

  • Farming systems such as greenhouses need more water for irrigation

  • More use of washing machines, dishwashers, power washers, hosepipes

  • Increasing use of water by industry and energy generation

IMAGE OF WATER USES

Supply of water

• The north and west of the UK have a water surplus

  • Levels of precipitation are higher in the north and east

  • Population density is lower

• The south and east of the UK have a water deficit

  • Levels of precipitation are lower in the south and east

  • Population density is higher

• Water stress is experienced by much of the UK

Water stress in England

Water transfer

• To meet the water demand in some locations in the UK water transfer is needed

• Water transfer schemes include: 

  • Pipelines

  • Using canals and existing water ways 

  • Dams and reservoirs such as Kielder Water, Northumberland and Vyrnwy, Wales

Water transfer schemes in England and Wales

• A national water grid has been proposed but has not gone ahead due to:

  • Cost of installing pipelines and building transfers

  • Effects on local communities as people would need to be moved

  • Construction of dams and reservoirs can impact on ecosystems and habitats

Water quality - pollution

• Water quality in the UK is managed by the Environment Agency

• Water quality in the UK has improved but only 14% of rivers meet the good ecological status criteria

• Pollution comes from a variety of sources:

Table Showing Pollution Impacts

Water quality - management

• Water quality in the UK is managed by the Environment Agency

• There are strict water quality laws such as the Clean Water Act, 1989 and Water Industry Act, 1991 which:

  • Restrict the types and amounts of discharge from industry and domestic systems

  • Has standards for wildlife health

• Government campaigns to educate people about not wasting water and not disposing of inappropriate waste (wet wipes, nappies) in the water system

• Water treatment facilities are used to clean water supplies removing bacteria, algae and solid waste

• Investment in new pipes and sewage systems to reduce leaks 

Resource Management in the UK - Energy

• Energy consumption has fallen in the UK since 1970 by approximately 13%

• The reduction in energy consumption is the result of

  • Declining manufacturing industry 

  • Reduced domestic energy consumption due to energy efficient appliances, improved insulation etc...

Energy mix

• The UK's energy mix has changed over the last 35 years

• In 1990 the UK electricity production relied on fossil fuels: almost 75% of electricity was generated by coal, oil or gas

UK energy sources for electricity production 1990

• In 2015 the UK electricity production relied on a mix of energy sources with the reliance on fossil fuels reduced and renewable energy sources increased

• Over 50% of electricity is still produced using fossil fuels

UK energy sources for electricity production 2015

• Reliance on fossil fuels is being reduced for two main reasons:

  • Oil, gas and coal reserves are running out

  • Fossil fuels emit greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to global warming

  • Coal fired power stations will be closed by 2025

• Renewables are increasingly important because:

  • They do not emit greenhouse gases when generating electricity (though some greenhouse gases are emitted in the manufacture of wind turbines, solar panels etc...)

  • The costs of renewable energies is decreasing

• Nuclear energy does not emit greenhouse gases but is non-renewable

Energy security

• The UK is increasingly dependent on imported energy

  • Over 50% of the UK's gas supply is imported, mainly from Norway

  • Over 11% of oil is imported mainly from Norway but also in the past Russia, though this has reduced since the war in Ukraine

• This impacts on whether the UK is energy secure

Energy source issues

• There are a number of environmental and economic issues with the exploitation of all energy sources including:

Table Showing Economic and Environmental Impacts