Practice Flashcards
Why is freshwater considered scarce globally?
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All Flashcards in Topic 4.2
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4.2.110 cards
Why is freshwater considered scarce globally?
Only about 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater; most is frozen in ice caps/glaciers or stored as groundwater, leaving a tiny fraction as accessible surface water.
Most is frozen or underground.
Roughly what fraction of Earth’s water is accessible freshwater?
Only about 1% of Earth’s water is accessible freshwater (easy-to-use surface/near-surface freshwater).
Tiny fraction.
Name two reasons freshwater distribution is uneven.
Climate differences and geography (river basins/terrain) cause uneven distribution (also population and development).
Climate + geography.
Give two factors that affect freshwater availability in a region.
Examples include climate (precipitation), geography/terrain, population density, economic development, pollution, and climate change.
Think: climate, people, money, pollution.
Define physical water scarcity.
Physical water scarcity occurs when there is not enough water in the environment to meet demand (for example due to arid climate, drought, or overuse).
Not enough water exists.
Physical vs economic scarcity: what’s the key difference?
Physical scarcity means not enough water exists. Economic scarcity means water exists but access is limited by money/infrastructure/governance.
Exists vs accessible.
Define economic water scarcity.
Economic water scarcity occurs when water exists but people cannot access it due to poverty, lack of infrastructure, or weak governance.
Water exists but not accessible.
Give two factors that can reduce usable freshwater supply.
Pollution can contaminate water, and climate change can alter precipitation patterns and increase drought risk.
Pollution + climate.
Why is freshwater distribution uneven between countries?
Because precipitation patterns, river basins, geology (groundwater), and human factors (population, infrastructure, pollution) vary strongly by region.
Nature + society differences.
Why is water distribution becoming more unpredictable?
Climate change is altering rainfall patterns and increasing the frequency of extremes such as droughts and floods.
More extremes.
4.2.210 cards
Give the typical global split of freshwater use by sector.
Agriculture about 70%, industry about 20%, and domestic about 10% (varies by country).
70–20–10.
Which sector uses the most freshwater globally, and about how much?
Agriculture uses the most freshwater globally, about 70% (mainly for irrigation).
Irrigation dominates.
What are the three main sectors of freshwater use?
Agricultural (irrigation/livestock), industrial (manufacturing/cooling), and domestic (drinking/sanitation).
A–I–D.
What is the biggest agricultural use of freshwater?
Irrigation is the biggest agricultural use of freshwater.
Mostly irrigation.
Why does agriculture often dominate water use in LEDCs?
Because economies rely more on farming, irrigation can be less efficient, and industry/domestic consumption per person is often lower.
Farming + inefficiency.
In LEDCs, which sector often dominates water use and why (one line)?
Agriculture dominates because farming is a larger part of the economy and irrigation is often less efficient.
Farming focus.
Give two reasons water use patterns differ between countries.
Differences in climate (irrigation need) and economic structure (industry vs agriculture) change sector demand (also technology and diet).
Climate + development.
In many MEDCs, which sectors tend to be higher and why?
Industrial and domestic use tend to be higher due to manufacturing, services, and higher per-person consumption.
More industry + lifestyle.
Name two ways technology can reduce water use in agriculture.
Drip irrigation and improved irrigation scheduling/efficiency reduce water waste.
Reduce losses.
What is a strong exam approach when comparing water use between countries?
State the dominant sector(s) and explain why using clear drivers like climate, crop type, seasonal demand, and irrigation efficiency.
Explain drivers.
4.2.310 cards
Water security in one short phrase?
Reliable access to enough clean water.
Reliable + clean + enough.
Define water security.
Water security is having reliable access to sufficient quantities of clean water for health, livelihoods, ecosystems, and production.
Reliable enough clean water.
Physical scarcity vs economic scarcity (two phrases).
Physical: not enough water exists. Economic: water exists but access is limited.
Exists vs access.
Define water scarcity.
Water scarcity occurs when water demand exceeds the available supply in a region (quantity and/or quality).
Demand > supply.
Name four drivers that increase water stress.
Population growth, economic development, climate change, pollution, and urbanisation all increase water stress.
More people, more use, less supply.
Name three major drivers of rising water stress.
Population growth, economic development, and climate change (also pollution and urbanisation).
People + development + climate.
Why can pollution increase water scarcity?
It reduces usable supply by contaminating water so it becomes unsafe or costly to treat.
Less usable water.
Give one solution for physical scarcity and one for economic scarcity.
Physical: desalination, water transfer, efficiency. Economic: infrastructure investment, improved governance, access and affordability programs.
Different scarcity, different fix.
Strong essay structure for water scarcity questions (in one line).
Define water security and scarcity, compare physical vs economic scarcity, add drivers (population, development, climate, pollution), then evaluate conflict vs cooperation with a balanced conclusion.
Define → compare → drivers → evaluate.
What is one headline scale fact about water stress?
Water stress affects billions of people globally (over 2 billion is commonly cited).
Huge global issue.
4.2.410 cards
What is the difference between supply-side and demand-side water management?
Supply-side increases available water (e.g., dams, desalination). Demand-side reduces consumption/waste (e.g., efficient irrigation, pricing, leak repair).
More supply vs less use.
Name two supply strategies and two demand strategies.
Supply: dams/reservoirs, desalination (also transfer, groundwater, rainwater harvesting). Demand: drip irrigation, leak repair (also pricing, education, efficient appliances, greywater).
2 + 2.
Name three supply-side water management strategies.
Examples include dams/reservoirs, desalination, groundwater extraction, water transfer schemes, and rainwater harvesting.
Increase supply.
Why is a combined approach often most effective?
Because increasing supply alone can be costly or damaging, and demand reduction alone may be insufficient; combining both improves resilience.
Balance both sides.
Give one common drawback of large dams.
They can displace communities and alter river ecosystems by changing flow and blocking fish migration.
Social + ecological impacts.
Name three demand-side water management strategies.
Examples include drip irrigation, water-efficient appliances, water pricing, greywater recycling, public education, and fixing leaks.
Reduce demand.
Why is desalination often controversial?
It can provide freshwater from seawater but is expensive and energy-intensive, and brine discharge can harm marine ecosystems.
Cost + energy + brine.
Why are leaks a major target in demand management?
Old infrastructure can lose a large share of treated water, so fixing leaks saves water without needing new supply.
Save “invisible” losses.
What is a strong exam move when giving management strategies?
Give a mix of supply and demand strategies and add one clear drawback for each (cost, energy use, environmental impacts) to show evaluation.
Add trade-offs.
What does “best approach depends on local conditions” mean?
The most suitable strategy depends on climate, existing supply, technology, cost, governance, and environmental sensitivity.
Context matters.
4.2.510 cards
Why do upstream vs downstream positions matter?
Upstream areas can change river flow and quality, so downstream users depend on upstream decisions and management.
Dependency gradient.
Why can transboundary rivers increase conflict risk?
Because rivers cross borders, and upstream countries can control flow and quality, affecting downstream water security.
Upstream control.
Name three drivers that make water conflicts more likely.
Rising demand from population growth, climate change reducing predictability, and competing uses (agriculture/industry/drinking) increase tensions (also upstream dams).
Demand + variability + competition.
Name two mechanisms that reduce water conflict.
Legal treaties and joint management/monitoring bodies reduce conflict by creating rules and shared decision-making.
Rules + shared governance.
Give one named river example linked to cooperation or treaties.
The Indus Waters Treaty (1960) is often cited as an example of long-term water sharing arrangements between India and Pakistan.
Treaty example.
Give two named examples of water disputes.
Examples include the Nile River dispute (Egypt/Sudan/Ethiopia) and the Indus River tensions (India/Pakistan) (also Jordan or Colorado).
Use named case studies.
Name three tools that support water cooperation.
International treaties, joint river-basin management bodies, and technology sharing (also water markets and virtual water trade).
Treaties + shared governance.
Why can climate change increase conflict risk?
It increases variability and uncertainty in water supply, making allocations harder and raising competition during drought.
More uncertainty.
What is “virtual water trade” in one sentence?
Virtual water trade is importing water-intensive products (like crops) instead of using local water to produce them.
Import the water footprint.
Best exam advice for evaluative essays on conflict vs cooperation?
Use named examples of both tension and cooperation, explain conditions that enable cooperation (shared benefits, treaties, monitoring), then give a balanced judgement.
Named evidence + balanced judgement.
Topic 4.2 study notes
Full notes & explanations for Water access, use and security
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