Year 9 - Geography
The palm oil dilemma
Natural resources: Can Earth meet our needs?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit teaches pupils about the growing demand for natural resources and the different renewable and non-renewable ways humans try to meet their needs. Pupils will learn the impact of overexploitation and some of the ways natural resource exploitation can be managed.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to analyse the environmental and social consequences of palm oil production and explore sustainable alternatives.
Key Notes
- Palm oil is sourced from the fruit of the oil palm tree.
- An area of rainforest, nearly the size of Greater London, has been wiped out in under a decade for oil palm plantations.
- Plantations are less dense and less diverse.
- Oil palm plantations are associated with the loss of forest for indigenous communities, forced labour and child labour.
- Experts recommend supporting certified sustainable palm oil, as it is the most land-efficient oil crop.
Vocabulary To Learn
- palm oil: edible oil from the fruit of oil palm trees
- deforestation: the complete removal of trees
- biodiversity: the variety of living things in an ecosystem or area
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Boycotting palm oil helps stop deforestation.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
Palm oil is sourced from the fruit of the oil palm tree. An area of rainforest, nearly the size of Greater London, has been wiped out in under a decade for oil palm plantations.
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'palm oil'
edible oil from the fruit of oil palm trees.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: Boycotting palm oil helps stop deforestation. Correction: Experts recommend supporting certified sustainable palm oil, as palm oil is the most land-efficient oil crop. Replacing it with less efficient crops like sunflowers could cause more deforestation.
More Lessons In This Unit
- A solution: genetically modified crops Study Guide
- Consumption and climate change Study Guide
- Energy in the UK Study Guide
- Energy use around the world Study Guide
- Fish resources Study Guide
- Food resources Study Guide
- Natural resources: The things we use Study Guide
- Rare earth materials Study Guide
- Sustainable fishing Study Guide
- The future: hydroponics and aquaponics Study Guide
- Windfarms: Decision making exercise Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 9 Geography guide library.