Energy Issues Key Words

Flow: Term used to describe renewable resources.

Reserve: Part of a resource that is available for use.

Resource: Any part of the environment that can be used to meet human needs. Resources can be classed as renewable (infinite) and non-renewable (finite).

Stock: Term used to describe non-renewable resources.

Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.

Electricity: Form of energy created from primary fuel sources. The National Grid supplies electricity throughout the UK. Network of high voltage electric power lines between major power stations and cities. Can supply on demand.

Fossil Fuels: Oil, natural gas and coal, formed from plant and animal remains. All are non-renewable.

Primary Energy: Energy sources in raw form such as oil, natural gas or running water. Produce secondary energy.

Secondary Energy: Manufactured sources of power such as electricity or petrol.

Geopolitics: Study of the relationships between a country and the rest of the world. Each nation has a sphere of influence it exerts over surrounding nations in areas such as trade, economic aid and military intervention. 

Globalisation: Close economic interdependence between the leading nations of the world in trade, investment and cooperative commercial relationships.

OPEC: Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Set up in the 1960s to coordinate trade and production policies in relation to oil. 13 members, 8 in the Middle East and North Africa.

Transnational Corporations (TNCs): Large companies that operate in more than one country.

Carbon Trading: Rich, economically developed countries can buy carbon credits from poorer countries, for example by helping them to modernise old, inefficient power stations.

Greenhouse Effect: Way that the atmosphere absorbs long-wave radiation from the Earth and is warmed. The effect is increasing because of release of CO2 through human activities. (Cars etc)

Kyoto Protocol: Agreement signed in 1997 by most of the MEDCs, to cut harmful emissions by 5% in 2012.