Impacts of Energy Insecurity

Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 6.4.4

What is the Impact of Energy Insecurity?

Listed below are some of the potential negative impacts of energy insecurity:

Japan does not have many energy resources within its borders. Its decision to go to war with the USA in 1941 was partly because of an oil embargo on Japan, which stopped Japan from getting enough oil.
Some commentators argue that the USA's war with Iraq was partially motivated by access to oil.
Russia, a country with an energy surplus, often reduces gas supplies to Ukraine (a country with an energy deficit) when political relations between the countries worsen.

Countries have been exploring biogas and biofuel as a source of energy. However, producing biofuel often coincides with deforestation, with a greater area being cleared to grow crops for biofuels.
The pressure to invest in renewable and sustainable energy sources can be painful in the short-run with a country experiencing energy shortages, however, having a sustainable supply of energy in the long-run could be an advantage.

In the American West, Americans took over more indigenous land in an attempt to find valuable energy resources and precious metals.
As nations search for more energy resources, they are likely to disturb indigenous populations and animals' habitats.

If a country cannot produce enough energy, then it may experience power outages.
Factories need energy to produce their products. If they don't have enough, industrial output will fall.
If power outages are common, businesses and factories may relocate to other countries. This will reduce the number of jobs in a country.

If a country cannot produce enough energy, then it may experience power outages.
If a country had vertical farms, power outages could destroy crops or harvests.
Similarly, even traditional farms need energy to irrigate, harvest and manage their crops.