What you'll need to know...
KEY CONCEPT - The varying power of different actors in relation to water management issues:
Physical and economic water scarcity, and the factors that control these including the causes and impacts of droughts; the distinction between water quantity and water quality
Environmental consequences of agricultural activities on water quality, to include pollution (eutrophication) and irrigation (salinization)
• Detailed examples to illustrate the role of different stakeholders
Growing human pressures on lakes and aquifers, including economic growth and population migration
Internationally shared water resources as a source of conflict
• Case study of one internationally shared water resource and the role of different stakeholders in attempting to find a resolution
Physical and economic water scarcity, and the factors that control these including the causes and impacts of droughts; the distinction between water quantity and water quality
Environmental consequences of agricultural activities on water quality, to include pollution (eutrophication) and irrigation (salinization)
• Detailed examples to illustrate the role of different stakeholders
Growing human pressures on lakes and aquifers, including economic growth and population migration
Internationally shared water resources as a source of conflict
• Case study of one internationally shared water resource and the role of different stakeholders in attempting to find a resolution
Physical and economic water scarcity... |
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Objective: To examine the factors that control water scarcity including the causes and impacts of droughts; the distinction between water quantity and water quality.
Task 1 - Complete the first task on the worksheet above by using the first video (water in the anthropocene) below.
Task 2 - Complete the second task on the worksheet above by using the second video (water scarcity) below
Extension: Fast facts & TOK - Watch the third video below (water crisis) that gives you the wider picture. What criticisms could you make of this type of video?
Task 2 - Complete the second task on the worksheet above by using the second video (water scarcity) below
Extension: Fast facts & TOK - Watch the third video below (water crisis) that gives you the wider picture. What criticisms could you make of this type of video?
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The causes of droughts...
Task 1 - Complete the worksheet beneath using the resources on this page to help you. Before you start on the climatic tasks, be sure to check out the two explanation videos beneath.
The second video below gives you a little more information on the ITCZ and an overview of atmospheric circulations. Even though it focuses on deserts, it will help you to understand why areas of the earth are naturally arid and where drought events can occur.
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The impacts of droughts... |
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Click the tab below to access a ready completed case study document on the 2011 Horn of Africa drought event. This outlines the key causes and effects of this devastating natural disaster.
Task 1 - Use two different colours to highlight the text that shows elements of physical and economic water scarcity as core reasons for the drought event.
Task 1 - Use two different colours to highlight the text that shows elements of physical and economic water scarcity as core reasons for the drought event.
Task 2 - Study this Al Jazeera news article from 2017 carefully and pay particular attention to how drought mitigation schemes can work with a particular focus on the Ethiopian approach.
Exam Corner:
Examine the factors that control the causes and impacts of a drought event (10)
Suggest three schemes that allows for the mitigation of drought events (2+2+2)
Exploring the Water Quality-Quantity Nexus... |
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There has been considerable research recently surrounding water quality and water quantity. The information pack below is taken directly from a blog post written here by Daniel Stellar. It has been copied directly as most schools won't allow access to blogs on the internal system.
Task 1 - Read the information carefully and use a highlighter tool to pick out key aspects of the text.
Task 2 - Explain the nexus relationship between water quality and quantity and they key obstacles to future safeguarding of this resource.
Task 1 - Read the information carefully and use a highlighter tool to pick out key aspects of the text.
Task 2 - Explain the nexus relationship between water quality and quantity and they key obstacles to future safeguarding of this resource.
Environmental consequences of agricultural activities...
Objective: To study the effects of pollution (eutrophication) and irrigation (salinization) on water quality and the examine the role of different stakeholders
Salinisation occurs when the water in soils evaporates in high temperatures, drawing salts from the soil to the surface. These salts are toxic to many plants and make the land unusable. This has consequences such as low yields, poor profits and even starvation. Irrigation of land - when water is brought to land that is naturally dry - can cause salinisation on desert margins. - Source BBC Bitesize
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Salinization...
Task sheet for this section is found on the blue tab below Task 1 Open this link and read the information on Salinization. Summarise how the process happens and how it is linked to irrigation and agriculture. Briefly explain how its effects can be combated. Also embedded to the right. Task 2 Watch the first video to the right hand side and note the causes and effects of salinization on the Murray Darling basin in Australia as well as what is being done to combat the problem. This task will lead on to the task below.... To get the full explanation of why salinization is such an issue in Australia, please watch the second video to the right. Task 3 Create a mind map that shows the causes of Salinization in the Murray Darling, the effects in the Murray Darling and the key stakeholders affected by this process. •PPM = Parts per million |
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Eutrophication...
Task 4
Turn to page 494 of Integrated Approach and Copy Figure 16.50 giving it a suitable title. Alternatively, make a copy of the diagram below from the BBC Bitesize site.
Task 5
Read this Guardian newspaper article and summarise the main causes of eutrophication of freshwater resources. This article focuses on China and in a country where environmentalists are charged with anti-government espionage, will the authorities intervene?
Task 6
Using colour coding, highlight the key stakeholders affected by the process of eutrophication.
Task 4
Turn to page 494 of Integrated Approach and Copy Figure 16.50 giving it a suitable title. Alternatively, make a copy of the diagram below from the BBC Bitesize site.
Task 5
Read this Guardian newspaper article and summarise the main causes of eutrophication of freshwater resources. This article focuses on China and in a country where environmentalists are charged with anti-government espionage, will the authorities intervene?
Task 6
Using colour coding, highlight the key stakeholders affected by the process of eutrophication.
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Growing human pressures on aquifers & lakes...
Objective: To find out how economic growth and population migration can contribute to pressure on lakes and aquifers.
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Starter Task - Watch the video to the right and take notes on the following areas:
i. Definition of an aquifer ii. How are aquifers composed? iii. What are the two types of aquifers? iv. How is the water table level affected by associated processes? v. What is an artesian wells? Finish video at 2.44. Part 2: 10 minute reading task. Click here to read a BBC article on the issues caused by competing demands for fresh water. |
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Task 1 - Click on this link to download a PDF document from 'Population Action International'.
a. Make a note of the classifications of 'water scarce' and 'water stressed'.
b. How many people globally live under either of the two conditions above?
c. Where are most water scare/stressed countries found and why?
d. What role does agriculture play?
e. What role does urbanisation play?
f. What role does industrial & domestic water usage have in water stress issues?
g. How can future water scarcity issues impact on gender disparities?
Task 2 - Choose one of the case studies above and read up on the water scarcity issue carefully. Each potential case study has an extended news article or YouTube video about the situation. Underneath, you have migration and economic data based on each area to take into consideration. Take notes on the content of the case study in order to answer the following Paper 1 style 10 mark question:
How can population growth and economic development be linked to water scarcity in one named region? (10)
Could you start your essay off like this .....??
With global population projections set to hit 8 billion people and an explosion in the middle class set to reach 4.9 billion by the year 2030, global resource security and the enhanced impacts of global climate change will continue to be at the forefront of the challenges faced by humanity. The launch of the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals as well as major international political agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord of 2015 aim to reign in the major ecological debtor nations whilst providing sustainable opportunities for low and middle income countries to improve their levels of socio-economic development without further accelerated environmental degradation.
Above all else, water is a resource that is utterly essential to the survival of global populations and our biodiversity. Unrelenting population growth in already water scarce areas together with the global impacts of climate change, El Nino and mass migrations (Middle East - E.U. Myanmar - Bangladesh) mean that the issue of water scarcity has become a major geopolitical obstacle to peace, security and well-being. This essay will investigate the impacts of water scarcity on ………………… and how population dynamics and future economic development will shape the region in the next _____ years.
"Hyrdopolitics" - The rise of internationally shared water resources as a source of conflict...
Objective: To study one internationally shared water resource and to discover the role of different stakeholders in attempting to find a resolution
Starter: Click on the infographic above to enlarge and read the content carefully followed by this BBC Future article on 'hydopolitics'. You should be able to do a little synthesis on the work above linking in with work on population growth, population density and the SDG's.
Task 1 - Click here to access an international water conflict map. You will need to modify the search criteria as follows:
In 'Conflict Type' - select 'all'
In 'Date Range' - select '2010 to present'
In the search box, type 'water' and then press return.
You will have a list of water related conflicts over the last 9 years each on place marked on a Google map.
Describe the global distribution of water conflict since 2010 (5)
Task 2 - Our case study for internationally shared water resource will be the River Nile. Your bank of resources can be found below to build up your case study of the issues. Each resource shows an important consideration when trying to make sense of the issues surrounding the water conflict. Synthesis required!
Task 1 - Click here to access an international water conflict map. You will need to modify the search criteria as follows:
In 'Conflict Type' - select 'all'
In 'Date Range' - select '2010 to present'
In the search box, type 'water' and then press return.
You will have a list of water related conflicts over the last 9 years each on place marked on a Google map.
Describe the global distribution of water conflict since 2010 (5)
Task 2 - Our case study for internationally shared water resource will be the River Nile. Your bank of resources can be found below to build up your case study of the issues. Each resource shows an important consideration when trying to make sense of the issues surrounding the water conflict. Synthesis required!
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Africa Population Density (note Nile route)
Source http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu
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Nile River Dams
Source www.water.ox.ac.uk
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Task 3
Using all the information above in some shape or form, complete a comprehensive note taking form that aims to answer the two questions as follows:
a. Summarise the importance of the River Nile for different stakeholders in the different (calculate the number of countries in the Nile basin) countries. Detail who these stakeholders are (power) and how they are affected by water conflict in this drainage basin.
b. Should the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam be built? Consider the historical issues facing Ethiopia such as drought and famine as well as its potential to lift itself out of poverty through improved agriculture as well as significant investment in high technology. Also, consider the impacts on the Ethiopian people as well as those in their neighboring countries.
Using all the information above in some shape or form, complete a comprehensive note taking form that aims to answer the two questions as follows:
a. Summarise the importance of the River Nile for different stakeholders in the different (calculate the number of countries in the Nile basin) countries. Detail who these stakeholders are (power) and how they are affected by water conflict in this drainage basin.
b. Should the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam be built? Consider the historical issues facing Ethiopia such as drought and famine as well as its potential to lift itself out of poverty through improved agriculture as well as significant investment in high technology. Also, consider the impacts on the Ethiopian people as well as those in their neighboring countries.
