resource reliance

• Resource Reliance


  Humans are becoming increasingly dependent on exploiting resources, and as a result they are in high demand
• Resources required for basic human development

  • Food
  • Water
  • Energy
• Food


  • Without enough nutritious food, people can become malnourished. This can make them ill and prevent people working or receiving education
• Water


  • People need a supply of clean and safe water for drinking, cooking and washing. Water is also needed for food, clothes and other products
• Energy


  • A good supply of energy is needed for a basic standard of living. People need light and heat for cooking or to stay warm. It is also needed for industry
• The demand for resources like food, water and energy is rising so quickly that supply cannot always keep up
• Reasons for demand outstripping supply

  • Population Growth
  • Economic Development
• Population Growth


  • Currently the global population is 7.3 billion
  • Global population has risen exponentially this century
  • Global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050
  • With more people, the demand for food, water, energy, jobs and space will increase
• Economic Development


  • As LIDCs and EDCs develop further, they require more energy for industry
  • LIDCs and EDCs want similar lifestyles to ACs, therefore they will need to consume more resources
  • Development means more water is required for food production as diets improve
• Consumption


  The act of using up resources or purchasing goods and produce
• Carry Capacity


  A maximum number of species that can be supported
• Resource consumption exceeds Earth's ability to provide
• Reasons for NOT Meeting Modern Resource Demands

  • Climate
  • Geology
  • Conflict
  • Poverty
  • Natural Hazards
• Climate


  • Global warming effects cycles and seasons and therefore farming
  • Rainfall patterns are changing and are becoming unpredictable. This is a problem for farming
• Geology


  • Not all countries have access to fossil fuels or suitable landscape for renewables
  • Many minerals are finite and therefore once used will reduce the resources available
  • Rock types might limit the availability to store water
• Conflict


  • War can disrupt transport of resources by damaging roads and water pipes
• Poverty


  • LIDCs are unable to afford technology to effectively exploit the natural resources available
• Natural Hazards


  • Increase in hazard events due to climate change
  • Prime agricultural regions in Asia and Africa and are also in hazard zones
  • Has the ability to destroy infrastructure needed to transport resources
• Environmental and Ecosystems impacts of Fishing and Farming methods

  • Overfishing of certain fish has caused their decline
  • Dredging can damage seafloor habitats
  • Decline of one species has a knock on effect on other marine species
  • Field sizes have caused hedgerows to decline in biodiversity
  • Fertilisers and pesticides enter water courses and harm or kill organisms
  • Heavy machinery can cause soil erosion
• Environmental and Ecosystems impacts of Deforestation and Mining methods

  • 2 billion people depend on wood for fuel, which therefore creates high CO2 emissions
  • Forests provide for important habitats
  • Clearing of forests leads to soil erosion
  • Tree intercepts rain and prevents flooding
  • Mining waste can pollute soil and contaminate water supplies
  • Habitats are destroyed in mining zones
  • Fossil fuels burnt release greenhouse gases
• Environmental and Ecosystems impacts of Reservoirs and Water Transfer methods

  • Can flood a large area of land and damage habitats and natural landscapes
  • Dams can be a barrier for certain species to migrate upstream
  • Natural flow of sediment is disrupted, which then reduces fertility of land further down
  • Large-scale engineering works can damage ecosystems along the route
  • Lots of energy is required to pump water over long distances
• Food Security


  When people at all times need to have physical & economic access to food to meet their dietary needs for an active & healthy life
• Reasons for Food Insecurity

  • Poverty
  • Poor infrastructure
  • Conflict
  • Food waste
  • Climate Change
  • Temperature needs
  • Soil quality
  • Water supply
  • Pests, diseases and parasites
  • Extreme weather events
• Malthus Theory


  Believed that population would increase faster than food supply, leading to a lack of food being available and causing large scale famine, illness and war
• Boserup Theory


  Believed that however big the population grew, people would find ways to manage and increase food production through new technologies
• Measures to Achieve Food Security

  • Ethical Consumerism
  • Food Production
  • Technological Developments
  • Small Scale 'Bottom Up' Approaches
• Ethical Consumerism


  • Fairtrade - gives farmers a fairer price and benefits the community
  • Reducing food waste - prevents wasted energy and CO2 emissions
• Intensive Farming


  • Makes the most of the land and allows for higher yields, but can pollute the environment and harm people, animals and insects
• Organic Methods


  • Bans the use of chemicals, but can lead to lower yields and more expensive products
• Genetically Modified (GM)


  • Involves changing the DNA of foods to enhance their productivity and properties, but can have unknown effects
• Hydroponics


  • Grows plants without soil, using nutrient solution. Requires less water and pesticides, but is very expensive
• Urban Gardens


  • Small community gardens providing healthy food, but can carry diseases from livestock
• Permaculture


  • Involves people growing their own food and changing their eating habits to create more natural ecosystems and require fewer resources
• Tanzania is ranked 98/109 countries in the Global Food Security Index, with a rating of 89/116 countries on the Global Hunger Index (serious)
• Average daily calorie intake in Tanzania has increased from 1696 in 1964 to 2137 by 2009, due to less people living in poverty and implementation of food production projects
• Goat Aid project in Tanzania

  • Imported Toggenburg goats, trained villagers, and gave them 'on credit' so they had to repay. Profits for farmers on the scheme increased 2 fold compared to those not
• The 1967 government decision for Tanzania to grow all its own food, with help from Canada, was a failure - low yields, cheaper to import, and threatened livelihoods of the Barabaig tribe
• The SAGOT project started in 2010 to improve farming in Tanzania's 'growth corridor', with millions invested by TNs, charities and government. Early successes include doubled rice yields and 7300 rice growers being better connected