Resource management: food, water and energy · GCSE Geography

Why resources matter

Food, water and energy are essential for people's health and for economic development. They are unevenly spread: some places have a surplus and others have a deficit.
Demand is rising because of population growth, economic development and changing lifestyles.

Food: rising demand for exotic foods all year round, concern about food miles and carbon footprints, growing interest in organic and local food, and the growth of agribusiness (large-scale, intensive farming run like a business).
Water: the north and west have a water surplus (more rain and fewer people), while the south and east have a deficit (less rain and more people). Water transfer schemes could move water, but they are expensive. Water quality is protected by controlling pollution.
Energy: the UK's energy mix has changed. North Sea oil and gas are declining, and the last coal-fired power station closed in 2024. Renewables, especially wind, now generate around half of the UK's electricity, and new nuclear power stations are being built.

Food security means having reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food. Food insecurity can cause famine, undernutrition, soil erosion, rising prices and conflict.
Ways to increase food supply: irrigation, hydroponics and aeroponics (growing plants without soil), the new green revolution, biotechnology such as GM crops, and appropriate technology. Large-scale irrigation, such as the Indus Basin Irrigation System in Pakistan, can greatly increase food production.

Water security means having enough reliable, clean water. Water stress happens when demand is greater than supply. Water insecurity can cause waterborne disease, pollution, food shortages and conflict.
Ways to increase water supply: dams and reservoirs, water transfer schemes (such as China's South–North Water Transfer Project) and desalination (removing salt from seawater).
Sustainable local schemes, such as the Wakel River Basin project in Rajasthan, India, use rainwater harvesting and small check dams.

Energy security means having reliable, affordable energy. Energy insecurity can lead to exploring difficult areas (such as the Arctic), fracking, higher prices and conflict.
Ways to increase energy supply: renewables (wind, solar, hydroelectric, tidal, geothermal and biomass) and non-renewables (fossil fuels and nuclear).
Sustainable energy use includes insulation, efficient appliances, electric vehicles and small local schemes such as micro-hydro power in remote villages, as at Chambamontera in Peru.

Food security: Having reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food.
Water security: Having reliable access to enough clean water.
Energy security: Having reliable access to affordable energy.
Water stress: When the demand for water is greater than the supply.
Food miles: The distance food travels from where it is produced to where it is eaten.
Carbon footprint: The amount of greenhouse gas produced by an activity or product.
Energy mix: The combination of energy sources a country uses.
Water transfer: Moving water from an area of surplus to an area of deficit.
Renewable energy: Energy from a source that won't run out, such as wind or solar power.