Resource Management (AQA GCSE Geography)

• 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

• 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

• 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

• [popover id="Water stress" label="label goes here"] 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

Pollution Source	How it pollutes	Effects
Agriculture	Pesticides and fertilisers dissolve in rainfall and drain into water systems	Pesticides kill aquatic animals  Fertilisers can lead to eutrophication
Industry	Untreated waste from factories	Toxic waste kills animals and plants. It may also get into the food chain and be toxic to humans if they eat fish which is contaminated Drinking water may be contaminated
Energy production	Water is used for cooling and then returned to rivers at higher temperatures	Higher water temperatures can lead to wildlife deaths
Transport	Gritting of roads leads to increased salinity of water  Petrol/diesel waste from vehicles	Toxic waste kills animals and plants. It may also get into the food chain and be toxic to humans if they eat fish which is contaminated
Domestic	Sewage waste which contains bacteria	Bacteria in the water can be harmful to wildlife and cause illness in humans
Mining	Heavy metals leach into the water system	Toxic waste kills animals and plants. It may also get into the food chain and be toxic to humans if they eat fish which is contaminated

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 

• 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

Energy Source	Economic Issues	Environmental Issues
Fossil Fuels	Non-renewable: will eventually run out or will no longer be economically viable Issues with obtaining energy sources such as oil spills, miners job related diseases incur costs  Costs related to the impacts of climate change and adaptations	Greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to global warming Waste created by mining and oil spills can damage ecosystems
Nuclear	The building and decommissioning of nuclear power stations is expensive Cost of storage, transport and disposal of nuclear waste is high	Dangers associated with storage and disposal of radioactive waste Risk of nuclear accidents which would harm humans and wildlife
Renewable Energy	Set up costs are high The visual impact of wind and solar farms may lead to a decrease in tourism which impacts on the local economy	Visual impact of wind turbines and solar panels Wind turbines may affect bird migration patterns and bat flight patterns Dams built for hydroelectric power may affect fish and wildlife movement along the river. They also block sediment reducing deposition downstream. Large areas need to be flooded destroying habitats and ecosystems. Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases