Resource Security is a core part of A-Level Geography. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts
Resource FrontierNewly exploited regions: Arctic oil/gas, deep-sea mining; environmental risks balance against economic potential.
Peak OilHubbert's 1956 theory of maximum extraction point; conventional peak debated; unconventional sources (shale) postponed.
Resource CurseParadox of resource-rich countries underperforming: Dutch Disease, corruption, conflict; e.g. DRC coltan, Niger oil.
Critical Raw MaterialsEU list of 30 materials essential to economy and supply-risky; includes rare earths, lithium, cobalt for green tech.
Circular EconomyReduce-reuse-recycle replacing linear take-make-dispose; design for disassembly; Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Lithium TriangleChile-Bolivia-Argentina contain 60% of world lithium reserves in salt flats; critical for EV batteries.
Common mistakes to avoid
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
What are the four pillars of food security?✗ Food security just means producing enough food. ✓ Availability (enough food exists), access (people can obtain it), utilisation (nutritional quality and absorption) and stability (consistent over time) — defined by the FAO.
What is the difference between physical and economic water scarcity?✗ Water scarcity only happens in dry countries. ✓ Physical scarcity is insufficient water supply for demand (e.g. arid regions); economic scarcity is inability to access available water due to lack of infrastructure or investment, despite water being present.
Practise Resource Security — free games
Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:
See all 17 games in the Subjects Arcade →
More A-Level Geography topics
← All revision guides
Want to revise every topic this smart?
The Velvet Method teaches you to use AI to revise any subject — £25, lifetime access.
Explore the Course →