Water and energy security
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All 12 Flashcards — Water and energy security
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Question
Define water security.
Answer
Reliable access to enough **safe** and affordable water for a population's needs.
Question
Define energy security.
Answer
A **reliable, affordable** and uninterrupted supply of energy.
Question
Two threats to water security?
Answer
Drought and climate change, and pollution (also over-abstraction and shared-river disputes).
Question
Two threats to energy security?
Answer
Import dependence and geopolitical conflict (also droughts cutting hydropower).
Question
How can falling water availability hurt energy security?
Answer
Low river/reservoir levels cut **hydropower**, and water shortages limit cooling for thermal/nuclear plants.
Question
Environmental vs geopolitical energy threat?
Answer
**Environmental** = drought/heat cutting supply; **geopolitical** = conflict, sanctions or a pipeline dispute.
Question
Two reasons a country might avoid nuclear power?
Answer
Safety fears after accidents and dangerous, long-lived radioactive waste (also high cost and long build time).
Question
What makes a site good for solar power?
Answer
**High daily sunshine** and **low rainfall/cloud** — many clear sunny days.
Question
Define a geopolitical issue.
Answer
A problem caused by **relations between countries** — a conflict, sanctions or a pipeline dispute.
Question
Why are water and energy security linked?
Answer
Producing energy uses water (cooling, hydropower) and supplying clean water uses energy (pumping, treatment).
Question
Name a water-security case study.
Answer
Cape Town (2018): three dry years dropped dams below 20%, nearing a 'Day Zero' shut-off.
Question
How does an expanding middle class strain water?
Answer
More meat/dairy and manufactured goods raise **water-intensive** demand, stretching supply.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Water and energy security
Topic 3.2 hub
Impacts of changing trends in resource consumption (the water-food-energy nexus)
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