Resource Management (AQA GCSE Geography): Revision Note

Specification links

The notes on this page cover part of 3.2.3 The challenge of resource management on the AQA GCSE specification. (opens in a new tab)

3.2.3 - Key idea: Food, water and energy are fundamental to human development.

• The significance of food, water and energy to economic and social well-being.

• An overview of global inequalities in the supply and consumption of resources.

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

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

• The use of renewable energies are increasing

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

• 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

• 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

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 waterways 

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

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  and 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 the 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 UK electricity production relied on fossil fuels: over 75% of electricity was generated by coal, oil or gas

• 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

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

  • Oil, gas and coal reserves are running out

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

  • The last coal-fired power station closed in 2024

• 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 are 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 whether the UK is energy-secure

Energy source issues

• There are several environmental and economic issues with the exploitation of all energy sources

Fossil fuels

Nuclear energy

Renewable energy