Water Insecurity (Edexcel A Level Geography): Flashcards
Exam code: 9GE0
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Define water stress.
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Define water stress.
A situation where water demand exceeds reliable supply, typically when available water is below 1,700 m^3 per person per year.
Define water scarcity.
When water availability falls below 1,000 m^3 per person per year, severely limiting domestic, agricultural and industrial uses.
Why does population growth increase pressure on water resources?
More people need more drinking water, sanitation, food, energy and industrial goods, all of which increase total water demand.
How does economic development increase water demand?
Rising incomes increase use of water-using appliances, industrial production and intensive irrigated agriculture, so overall water consumption grows.
True or False?
By 2050, global water demand is expected to rise by 20–30%.
True.
Projected population growth and economic development are expected to increase global water demand by about 20–30% by 2050.
Name two main future causes of global water shortages.
Key future causes are climate change, increasing demand, and worsening pollution of freshwater sources.
Water stress occurs when water availability falls below m^3 per person per year.
Water stress occurs when water availability falls below 1,700 m^3 per person per year.
About billion people face economic water scarcity due to poor infrastructure.
About 1.6 billion people face economic water scarcity due to poor infrastructure.
What is economic water scarcity?
When water exists in the environment but lack of infrastructure, investment or governance prevents people from accessing it safely.
True or False?
Physical water scarcity occurs when demand exceeds natural supply.
True.
Physical scarcity happens where water demand is greater than available supply, even with good infrastructure.
Define over-abstraction.
The removal of water from rivers, lakes or aquifers faster than it is naturally replenished by precipitation and recharge.
Define salt water encroachment.
The invasion of seawater into freshwater aquifers or sources, usually due to sea level rise or excessive coastal groundwater pumping.
In developing countries, about % of sewage flows untreated into water sources.
In developing countries, about 90 % of sewage flows untreated into water sources.
Give two human causes of water contamination.
Key causes include untreated sewage, agricultural runoff with fertilisers and pesticides, and industrial pollution containing toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
Define groundwater depletion.
The long-term decline of water levels in aquifers when extraction exceeds natural recharge, often leading to irreversible loss of groundwater storage.
What proportion of global freshwater abstraction is for industry and energy?
About 20% of global freshwater abstraction is for industrial and energy production.
Over of industrial freshwater use is for generating energy as HEP or for cooling power stations.
Over 50% of industrial freshwater use is for generating energy as HEP or for cooling power stations.
How does groundwater irrigation contribute to sea level rise?
Water pumped from aquifers eventually flows to the oceans, adding about 0.8 mm per year to global sea level rise.
Rising standards of _ _ increase per capita domestic water use.
Rising standards of living increase per capita domestic water use.
True or False?
Most internal water conflicts are related to agriculture.
True.
The bulk of internal water conflicts arise from competing agricultural demands, especially over irrigation supplies.
Define riparian rights.
A system where water access is based on ownership of river banks, granting those landowners priority use of the river.
Why is Egypt highly vulnerable to changes in Nile flows?
Egypt is about 90% dependent on the Nile for water, so upstream changes greatly threaten its water security and agriculture.
The Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will create a reservoir of billion cubic metres of water.
The Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will create a reservoir of 74 billion cubic metres of water.
True or False?
Filling the GERD will have no significant impact on Egypt’s agriculture.
False.
Filling the GERD could cut Egypt’s water supply by over one-third and reduce arable land by up to 72%.
Define physical water scarcity.
When more than 75% of blue water flows are used, leaving insufficient water to meet remaining human and environmental needs.
Define economic water scarcity.
Water scarcity where supplies exist but access is limited by poverty, poor infrastructure, or mismanagement, so people cannot obtain safe, adequate water.
Although access to safe water is a human right, it is often treated as a .
Although access to safe water is a human right, it is often treated as a commodity.
Give two main drivers increasing global freshwater demand.
The main drivers are population growth and economic development, which both increase water consumption and pressure on freshwater resources.
True or False?
Water costs can represent up to a quarter of daily income for many Ghanaians.
True.
For many people in Ghana, paying for water can take 20–25% of their daily income, making safe water often unaffordable.
Define sustainable water management.
The management of water resources to minimise waste and pollution, ensure equitable, affordable access, and protect ecosystems for present and future generations.
What is smart irrigation and why is it used?
Smart irrigation uses automated spray or drip systems to deliver water directly to plant roots, reducing evaporation, runoff and overall water use.
In rainwater harvesting, precipitation is collected from and stored in for reuse.
In rainwater harvesting, precipitation is collected from roofs and stored in water butts for reuse.
How does grey water recycling support sustainability?
Recycling grey water for uses like irrigation and toilet flushing reduces demand for treated drinking water and cuts wastewater volumes.
What are the three pillars of Singapore's water strategy?
Singapore focuses on collecting all water, re-using water via NEWater, and desalinating seawater to secure supplies for its population.
Singapore's NEWater scheme focuses on re-using treated using technology.
Singapore's NEWater scheme focuses on re-using treated grey water using cutting-edge technology.
Define water transfer scheme.
A water transfer scheme moves water via canals, pipes or tunnels from a surplus basin to an area with water deficit.
Give one main advantage and one disadvantage of water transfer schemes.
They can relieve shortages and support urban and agricultural growth, but can degrade donor ecosystems and reduce local water availability.
True or False?
Mega dams always improve downstream ecosystems.
False.
Mega dams often trap sediment and water, reducing fertility, altering flows, and harming downstream ecosystems and communities.
Desalination removes from seawater but is criticised for high use and impacts.
Desalination removes salt from seawater but is criticised for high energy use and marine impacts.
Define Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM).
IRBM coordinates water, land and resource use across a whole river basin to maximise economic and social benefits while protecting ecosystems.
What are the three main aims of IWRM/IRBM?
IWRM aims for efficient water use, equitable distribution, and conservation of environmental quality in rivers and their catchments.
True or False?
Water-sharing treaties aim to secure equitable use of transboundary rivers.
True.
Frameworks like the UN Watercourses Convention and Helsinki/Berlin Rules promote equitable shares and cooperative management of shared rivers.
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