Resource Management

Question 1

Why is global resource distribution uneven?

Answer 1

Climate, wealth, and politics affect access. HICs (e.g., UK) have secure supplies; LICs (e.g., Ethiopia) often lack clean water (30% lack access).

Question 2

Why does the UK import food?

Answer 2

Climate limits tropical crops (bananas), cheaper imports, consumer demand for year-round variety.

Question 3

Case Study: Kenyan green beans

Answer 3

• Pros: 500,000+ Kenyan jobs (mostly women), foreign income.<br></br>- Cons: High food miles (CO₂), strains Lake Naivasha’s water.

Question 4

What is agribusiness?

Answer 4

Large-scale, high-tech farming (e.g., Lynford House Farm, East Anglia: 570ha, pesticides, machinery).

Question 5

What is organic farming?

Answer 5

No chemicals/GMOs; sold in farm shops/supermarkets (e.g., UK box schemes).

Question 6

UK water use per person?

Answer 6

140 litres/day; rising due to population/appliances (dishwashers).

Question 7

Define water surplus/deficit.

Answer 7

• Surplus: NW Scotland (supply > demand).<br></br>- Deficit: SE England (demand > supply).

Question 8

Case Study: Kielder Water Transfer

Answer 8

• Transfers water 80 miles (takes 1 day) from Northumberland to Newcastle/Middlesbrough.<br></br>- Stats: 27-mile dam, 200B litres, powers 11,000 homes via hydro-turbine.<br></br>- Impact: SE water stress reduced.

Question 9

How does the UK manage water pollution?

Answer 9

Laws, wetland filters, monitoring (e.g., agricultural runoff).

Question 10

UK energy use trend?

Answer 10

Fallen 17% since 2000 due to efficiency (insulation, smart meters).

Question 11

UK energy mix shift?

Answer 11

From coal (historically dominant) to renewables (wind/solar) and gas; nuclear steady.

Question 12

Why the shift to renewables?

Answer 12

Net Zero 2050 target, coal decline, public pressure, offshore wind investment.

Question 13

Case Study: Fracking in Lancashire

Answer 13

• Pros: Domestic gas, jobs.<br></br>- Cons: Banned in 2019 after 2.9 magnitude quakes, groundwater risks.

Question 14

Case Study: Hinkley Point C nuclear plant

Answer 14

• Pros: Low-carbon, powers 6M homes.<br></br>- Cons: £23B cost, radioactive waste.

Question 15

Case Study: Thanet Offshore Wind Farm

Answer 15

• Pros: 100+ turbines, 200,000 homes powered, renewable jobs.<br></br>- Cons: Visual impact, intermittent supply.

Question 16

What is water stress?

Answer 16

Demand > supply long-term (e.g., SE England).

Question 17

How does Kenya benefit from UK food imports?

Answer 17

Jobs (500,000+), foreign income (e.g., green beans).

Question 18

Downsides of UK food imports?

Answer 18

High CO₂ (food miles), water scarcity in exporting countries (e.g., Kenya’s Lake Naivasha).

Question 19

Pros of wind energy?

Answer 19

Clean, renewable, jobs (e.g., Thanet Wind Farm).

Question 20

Cons of nuclear energy?

Answer 20

Expensive (e.g., Hinkley’s £23B), radioactive waste.