Geography - Resource management
Food
Energy (mix)
Water
Demands change + why
Global inequalities / patterns + reasons
Importing Food
Why does the UK import so much food
Pros of Importing Food
Cons of Importing Food
It may be cheaper than self-producing
There is not enough arable (able to be plowed) land to be entirely self-sufficient
Some produce cannot be grown here because of our climate
It increases food prices because the food is travelling longer distances
We get wider variety of foods
We can eat seasonal foods all year round - diet isn't decided by seasons
Offers more land for us to use for other purposes (e.g housing, hospitals) instead of using on farms
Imported foods often have chemicals added to them which makes the food possibly dangerous
High CO2 emissions by transporting food to UK (19m tonnes overall)
Agribusiness
Local farmers will not be able to compete with the international market and may stop producing food harming UK food security
Our diet isn't governed by the seasons
Highly intensive / large scale commercial farming
Increases carbon footprint / food miles
How it works
Remove hedgerows
Modern production methods
Latest tech
Combine smaller farms / Increase field size
Higher level of mechanisation
Better feeds
Increased use of chemicals
Water
Food
Energy
Consumption
Consumption
Consumption
The UK relies primarily on fossil fuels
Ease of harness
Reliability
1990
2013
Coal : 70 %
Nuclear : 20%
Oil : 7%
Gas : 35%
Oil : 32%
Coal : 19%
Gas usage increased now than before (0.5 - 35%)
Produces 50% less CO2 than coal
Coal has become harder / more expensive to extract
Nuclear usage decreased now than before (20% - 7%)
Public fear of catastrophe
Expensive upfront costs (60% compared to coal which is 10%)
Significance to economic and social well being
Water insecurity leads to
Food insecurity leads to
Energy insecurity leads to
Waterborne disease and water pollution
Food production hindered
Industrial output hindered
Famine
Undernutrition
Soil erosion
Rising prices
Exploration of environmentally sensitive areas
Economic and environmental costs
Food production hindered
Industrial output hindered
Potential conflict for all 3
Average UK Person : 150L / day
Average African Person : 47L / day
Overall increasing
70% increase since 1985
Increase in wealth
Wider usage of domestic appliances
Out of season food
Additional watering needed in greenhouses
Increase in population
Exotic foods
Shift to organics
Opportunities
Challenges
Opportunities
Challenges
High profit
Foreign farmers get more money
Retail value up to 5x more in UK than locally
Taxes can help fund development in LICs
Compromise of food security
Pollution
Carbon footprint increase
Food miles increase
Import tax - tariffs
High profit
People live healthier
More expensive then conventional
No conventional pesticides can be used
Cost pushed onto customer
Low yields due to lower farming intensity
Overall increase
More domestic appliances
Increase in industry
Increase in transport infrastructure
Trains
Cars
Renewable energy scheme in a LIC : Chambamontera CASE STUDY
Micro - hydro scheme
Transfer schemes are necessary
There are inequalities in supply and demand - areas of deficit and surplus
Kielder Transfer Scheme
Fracking issues
Is nuclear a viable alternative?
Total cost of $51,000
Average cost of $750 per family
Benefits
Social
Economic
Environmental
Reduction in rural-urban migration / brain drain
Healthcare improved as medicines can be stored cold
Business development
Water harnessed to generate HEP
Allows flow to be regulated
Bypass channels water away from river, generates electricity, then returning water to river
Water from pipes can be used for coffee dehusking and processing
Scheme will last minimum 25 years
Reduced danger of flooding as flow can be regulated
Reduced deforestation as alternative source of energy
Advantages
Disadvantages
Very large amount of energy created
Exposes to less radiation than coal power plants
No CO2 emission
Operating costs are lower
Expensive upfront costs compared to coal (60% compared to 10%)
Waste is difficult to deal with
Reactor meltdowns
Economic
Environmental
Leakage of chemicals into drinking water
Release of greenhouse gas methane
Increased production and lingering of smog
Undercuts the long-term economic prospects of an area
Less prepared for future growth if reliant on fossil fuel extraction for economy
Drives high demand for water transportation infrastructure
The traffic created damages local roads as much as 3.5 million car trips