Evaluate which one of these three: energy security, water security, food security the most important aspect of resource security for nations?


Firstly UAE is a energy very-secure country, it has the world’s fourth largest oil reserves. However in aspects of water and food it is very insecure. Food security is dependent on both water and energy, agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater (70%)  in UAE and second largest consumer of energy (30%). Arabian Peninsula is running out of water, and local production of many agricultural products is unsustainable, and uses a lot of energy (for example the process of desalination of seawater to irrigate the crops), this in long-term may lead to energy insecurity in UAE. I believe that in UAE food and water are the most important aspect of resource security, however the usage of energy in UAE is unsustainable so in the future energy might become the most important factor. In comparison in Switzerland energy is the most important aspect of resource security. Switzerland is very water and food secure country it produces over 60% of its own food. Food security is possible because of the Swiss-water security. Switzerland’s annual rainfall is so plentiful that if configured virtually the country would be 1.5 metres under water. Switzerland imports 85% of its energy, trade allows Switzerland to be a resource secure country. However it is a good solution only in short-term , import is not a reliable source of a resource. Imports are vulnerable to geopolitical developments (for example conflict between Russia and Ukraine) and economic changes. Furthermore even though now Switzerland is a water secure country it might change due to the global warming, the water from melting glaciers is the main source of freshwater for Switzerland, this source is finite, if Swiss glaciers will melt, Switzerland might become a water insecure country.
In conclusion in some countries energy is the most important aspect of resource security (Switzerland), however in other countries such as UAE energy is not as significant as food and water security. Therefore the significance of energy as an aspect of energy security depends on the geographic location of a country and climate. I believe that food energy and water are interdependent, the nexus thinking refers to close links between the three factors. A country can not achieve resource security being secure with only one of the aspects, even though UAE is energy very secure country, it is not a resource secure country because of the food and water insecurity. The significance of energy depends on a country and changes over time.

Answered by Aniela B. Geography tutor

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