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GCSE · Human environment

GEO.HU9 Global and UK Resource Security: Trends in Food, Water and Energy

AQA 8035 · Calculators not allowed · about 50 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

Define the term 'resource security' as it applies to food, water or energy supplies.

(Total for Question 1 is 2 marks)

State three types of resource considered in this topic: food, water and energy.

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

Define 'food security' in the context of human wellbeing and economic development.

(Total for Question 3 is 2 marks)

Define the term 'water scarcity' as used in studies of resource security.

(Total for Question 4 is 1 mark)

Define the phrase 'energy mix' in the context of a country's resource profile.

(Total for Question 5 is 1 mark)

State whether the UK is becoming more or less dependent on imported food in recent decades.

(Total for Question 6 is 1 mark)

Table 1 compares typical resource consumption and access figures, grouped by country type. Use Table 1 to answer the following.

Table 1, Typical resource indicators by country group (hypothetical practice figures)

Indicator	HIC	NEE	LIC
Average calorie intake per person per day (kcal)	3400	2800	2100
Access to safe drinking water (per cent of population)	99	85	60
Access to electricity (per cent of population)	100	95	40

(a)Using Table 1, state which country group has the highest average calorie intake.(1)

(b)Using Table 1, calculate the difference in average calorie intake between HICs and LICs.(2)

(c)Describe the overall pattern shown by the three indicators across HICs, NEEs and LICs.(3)

(d)Suggest one reason why access to electricity is much lower in LICs than in HICs, using economic or geographical reasoning.(2)

(Total for Question 7 is 8 marks)

The UK's electricity generation from coal fell from 40% in 1990 to 2% in 2020. Calculate the percentage point change and state whether this is an increase or a decrease.

(Total for Question 8 is 2 marks)

Explain reasons for the UK's water supply challenges, considering both natural factors and human factors.

(Total for Question 9 is 6 marks)

Give two possible consequences for communities in the south east of England if water deficits are not managed.

(Total for Question 10 is 2 marks)

State three ways in which renewable energy sources differ from fossil fuels in their impact on resource security.

(Total for Question 11 is 3 marks)

Name one UK region that typically has a water surplus and name one UK region that typically has a water deficit. Give the region names.

(Total for Question 12 is 2 marks)

Explain why 'food miles' are a concern for resource security and environmental impact in the UK.

(Total for Question 13 is 4 marks)

A student collects daily household energy use readings for four households: 12 kWh, 8 kWh, 15 kWh and 5 kWh. Calculate the mean daily energy use for these households. Give your answer to one decimal place.

(Total for Question 14 is 2 marks)

Use your knowledge of UK energy trends to answer the following question.

'The UK should aim for complete energy self-sufficiency using domestic renewable sources.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?

(Total for Question 15 is 8 marks)

Mark scheme · GEO.HU9 Global and UK Resource Security: Trends in Food, Water and Energy

Question 1

B1 the reliable availability of a resource when and where it is needed, oe
B1 and the ability of people and economies to access that resource affordably, oe
Answer: Resource security is the reliable availability of a resource when and where it is needed, and the ability of people and economies to access that resource affordably.

Question 2

B1 any one of: food, water, energy
Answer: Food, water, energy.

Question 3

B1 having reliable access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs, oe
B1 so people can lead active, healthy lives and contribute to development, oe
Answer: Food security is having reliable access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs so people can lead active, healthy lives and contribute to development.

Question 4

B1 when demand for fresh water exceeds the available supply or when water is not sufficient in quality for use, oe
Answer: Water scarcity is when demand for fresh water exceeds the available supply or when water is insufficient in quality for use.

Question 5

B1 the range and proportions of different energy sources a country uses, e.g. coal, gas, nuclear, renewables, oe
Answer: The energy mix is the range and proportions of different energy sources a country uses, for example coal, gas, nuclear and renewables.

Question 6

B1 more dependent on imported food
Answer: The UK has become more dependent on imported food in recent decades.

Question 7

(a) B1 HIC
(a) Answer: HIC.
(b) M1 3400 - 2100 seen, oe
(b) A1 1300 kcal cao
(b) Answer: 1300 kcal.
(c) B1 values fall from HIC to NEE to LIC for all three indicators, oe
(c) B1 HICs have highest calorie intake and near-universal access to water and electricity, oe
(c) B1 LICs have the lowest calorie intake and much lower access to safe water and electricity, showing clear global inequalities, oe
(c) Answer: All three indicators decline from HIC to NEE to LIC: HICs show the highest calorie intake and almost universal access to water and electricity, NEEs are intermediate, and LICs have the lowest calorie intake and far lower access to safe water and electricity, indicating clear global inequalities.
(d) B1 lower income and limited infrastructure investment in LICs, oe
(d) B1 linked detail, e.g. building and maintaining grids is costly and sparsely populated rural areas are expensive to service, oe
(d) Answer: LICs often have lower incomes and limited investment in infrastructure; building and maintaining electricity grids is expensive and servicing sparsely populated rural areas is costly, so many people lack access.

Question 8

M1 40 - 2 seen, oe
A1 38 percentage points decrease cao
Answer: 38 percentage points decrease.

Question 9

Level 3 (5-6): Detailed explanation that covers several natural and human causes, links causes to impacts on supply across different UK regions, and shows understanding of interactions, for example population growth increasing demand in the south east while climate variability reduces available supply.
Level 2 (3-4): Clear explanation that includes at least one natural and one human factor with some linked detail, but limited breadth or weaker links between cause and effect.
Level 1 (1-2): Simple statements of single causes, with limited or no development, e.g. 'population growth increases demand' with no further detail.
Level 0 (0): No relevant content.
Indicative content:
- Natural factors: seasonal and regional rainfall variability, and possible longer term climate change reducing summer rainfall in southern England, lowering river flows and reservoir recharge.
- Natural factors: geology and rates of natural groundwater recharge vary across the UK, so some regions have limited natural storage.
- Human factors: population growth and economic activity concentrated in the south east increases demand for domestic, agricultural and industrial water.
- Human factors: ageing or leaky distribution infrastructure loses significant volumes of treated water before use, increasing demand on supply sources.
- Human factors: historical planning and allocation of resources, with most water resources located in the north and west and demand in the south and east, creating a surplus-deficit divide.
- Interactions: increased demand in dry periods can combine with reduced supply to create deficits, requiring transfers, restrictions or investment in desalination and reservoirs as potential responses.

Question 10

B1 reduced water availability for households and businesses, e.g. water restrictions, lower quality of life, oe
B1 economic impacts, e.g. reduced agricultural output or business closures in water-intensive industries, oe
Answer: Possible consequences include reduced water availability for households and businesses, leading to restrictions and lower quality of life, and economic impacts such as reduced agricultural output or harm to water-intensive industries.

Question 11

B1 renewables are often low carbon, whereas fossil fuels produce high CO2 emissions, oe
B1 renewables rely on domestic natural resources (wind, sun), reducing import dependence, oe
B1 renewables can be variable in supply (intermittent), whereas fossil fuels provide more constant baseload power, oe
Answer: Renewables are low carbon compared with fossil fuels; they often use domestic resources reducing import dependence; and they are more variable or intermittent, whereas fossil fuels give more constant baseload power.

Question 12

B1 e.g. north-west England or Scotland for surplus
B1 e.g. south-east England for deficit
Answer: Water surplus: north-west England (or Scotland). Water deficit: south-east England.

Question 13

B1 food miles measure the distance food travels from production to consumption, oe
B1 long transport distances increase fossil fuel use and CO2 emissions, harming environmental sustainability, oe
B1 reliance on imports increases vulnerability to supply disruptions and foreign price changes, affecting food security, oe
B1 local food production can support resilience and reduce transport emissions, though it may not always be the most efficient use of land, oe
Answer: Food miles measure how far food travels; long distances increase fossil fuel use and CO2 emissions, and heavy reliance on imports makes the UK more vulnerable to supply disruptions and international price changes. Supporting local production can improve resilience and reduce transport emissions, though local production has its own limits.

Question 14

M1 sum 12 + 8 + 15 + 5 and divide by 4 seen, oe
A1 10.0 kWh cao
Answer: 10.0 kWh.

Question 15

Level 3 (7-8): A well-developed, balanced assessment that uses accurate reference to UK energy trends, the potential and limits of domestic renewables, supply security, economic and environmental considerations, and reaches a clear justified conclusion.
Level 2 (4-6): A clear assessment that considers benefits and limitations of domestic renewables with some supporting evidence, but with less balance or weaker justification in the conclusion.
Level 1 (1-3): Basic points about benefits or drawbacks of self-sufficiency are made with limited development, and no justified conclusion.
Level 0 (0): No relevant content.
Indicative content:
- Arguments for the statement: domestic renewables reduce import dependence and exposure to international fossil fuel price shocks, increase long term sustainability and reduce CO2 emissions, and can improve local jobs and skills.
- Arguments against the statement: renewables are intermittent and currently cannot reliably provide all baseload demand without large storage or backup, full self-sufficiency may be very costly and require large land or offshore areas with environmental trade-offs.
- Practical considerations: diversification of the energy mix including imports, interconnectors, storage, demand management and some low-carbon dispatchable sources (e.g. gas with carbon capture, nuclear) may give more reliable and affordable supply than relying only on domestic renewables.
- Economic and social factors: rapid transition costs, public acceptance of infrastructure such as wind farms and grid upgrades, and the timescale for scaling storage and network upgrades are important.
- A balanced conclusion may accept the goal of maximising domestic low-carbon generation while arguing that complete self-sufficiency is currently unrealistic or undesirable without major investment in storage and backup, so a mixed approach is preferable.

Global and UK Resource Security: Trends in Food, Water and Energy - Worksheets, Questions and Revision