Global patterns of energy (Cambridge International IGCSE Geography)

Specification link

This page covers section 10.5.2 of the CIE IGCSE specification .

• 10.5.2- The global patterns of energy surplus and deficit and the importance of energy security.

Patterns of energy surplus & deficit

Spec point — The global patterns of energy surplus and deficit and the importance of energy security.

• The global supply of energy sources is not evenly distributed

• Production of energy sources depends on various factors

  • Physical factors such as geology
  • The technology opening up new opportunities for resource exploitation
  • Economic factors such as the price of the resource and the cost of extraction
  • Political factors such as environmental agendas and wars

• Some places have a surplus of energy sources

• Others have a deficit and rely on trade and imports to make up the shortfall

Energy surplus

• Energy surplus tends to occur in countries that have:

  • Large reserves of fossil fuels, such as the Middle East and Russia
  • Good access to renewable energy sources – often hydroelectric or geothermal, such as Norway
  • A small population compared to the energy sources available, for example, Australia

Energy deficit

• Energy deficit tends to occur in countries that:

  • Have **limited fossil fuel or renewable energy, **such as Nepal
  • Have** large populations**, leading to high energy demands
  • Lack the money to exploit energy resources such as countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Importance of energy security

Spec point — The global patterns of energy surplus and deficit and the importance of energy security.

• An energy gap is when a country cannot meet the demand for energy using its own resources

• When countries have an energy gap, they have to import energy to meet the demand

• Having an energy gap means that a country is not energy secure

• To be energy secure, a country needs an:

  • uninterrupted supply of energy
  • affordable supply
  • accessible supply

Global energy security

• The UK has a widening energy gap and is not energy secure because:

  • Renewable energy is not as efficient and so cannot replace energy from fossil fuels
  • It is cheaper to import fossil fuels than it is to exploit the resources in the UK

• The commitment of many countries to tackling climate change and reducing the use of fossil fuels has increased energy insecurity for many countries

• There are other factors that can affect energy security:

  • energy sources running out
  • war/conflict
  • natural hazards
  • political disputes
  • cost
  • environmental concerns

Exam Hint When writing about global patterns of energy in your answers, it is important to make sure that you include the correct terminology, including:

• Energy surplus
• Energy deficit
• Energy security
• Energy gap

Also ensure that you can give named examples and explain why countries have an energy surplus or energy deficit.