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Monday 13 May 2013 – Morning (1 hour)
GCSE Geography A MODEL ANSWERS
Unit 4 – Issues in our Fast Changing World
Total:
/56
%:
Grade:
1 (a)
Study Resource 1.
Suggest reasons why greenhouse emissions in countries such as India and China are
increasing.
……India and China are LEDC countries that are becoming more developed countries, this is
due to them becoming more industrialised which means they are burning more fossil fuels
for energy. People have more money and can afford cars burning more fossil fuels giving
off carbon dioxide. [2]
1 (b) Study Resources 2 and 4.
i) With reference to specific Green House Gases, explain how human activity is leading to an
enhanced greenhouse gas effect.
…Human are adding more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels . This
means that more of the suns radiant heat is trapped in the atmosphere. By farming more
cattle more methane is also added to the atmosphere trapping heat…..[2]
ii) Why do some scientists still argue that global warming is a natural process?
……Climate change is a natural process as the earth has been through periods of heating and
cooling before due to volcanic activity and a changing orbit around the sun…..[2]
2 (a) Study Resources 5 and 6.
i) Look at the scatter graph below.
% CO2 EMISSIONS VS POPULATION
1400
X
POPULATION IN MILLIONS
1200
1000
800
600
400
Y
200
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
% CO2 EMISSIONS
Identify which countries in Resource 5 match the letters X and Y.
X
……India………………………………………
Y
……Russia……………………………………...
[2]
ii) Some argue that the emissions produced by China cannot be fully blamed on the country.
State whether you agree or disagree with justification.
……I agree with this because it is consumers in other countries that demand cheap mass
produced products. China is just supplying a demand so that it can improve the quality of
life of the people in the country.…. [2]
….. I disagree because the country could use other energy sources like solar or wind to power
its industry which do not give off CO2. The country has chosen to use fossil fuels as they
are cheap and they can make more profit ……[2]
b) Using the resources and your own ideas, explain who you think is responsible for
increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. (Data should be included)
…More economically developed countries such as the USA are responsible for increasing
greenhouse gases (A). Resource 6 shows that USA produces 18 tonnes of carbon per person
compared with countries like India that has a higher population but only produces 1 tonne of
carbon per person (S) This is because people in the USA have lots of cars and use lots of
electricity compared to people in India (K).
However these countries are trying to reduce their carbon dioxide levels, the USA has had a
7% decrease in recent years (A). However India’s CO2 levels have increased by 8.7% since
2009 (S). This means that economically developing countries like China and India a
becoming more responsible as they are still adding more gases and do not seem to be trying
to reduce their levels (K). … [6 + 2 SPaG] (No spelling mistakes, written in sentences that are
grammatically correct 2SPaG marks)
3 (a) Study Resources 7 and 8.
i)
Explain how global warming has caused 1 of the impacts shown in Resource 7.
..……There is an increase in Hurricanes as sea and air temperatures around the equator
are higher due to global warming. Hurricanes are formed and fuelled by warm moist
air rising, if there is more warm air rising Hurricanes will be bigger…… [2]
ii) In your opinion, which of the impacts would have the most significant impact on an LEDC
like Kenya. Why?
…… I think that longer, more severe droughts and outbreaks of pests and diseases would
have a big impact on Kenya as this could reduce crop yields due to less rainfall. Lake Victoria
may even start to dry up which would impact the 30 million people that earn their living
from it…… [2]
iii) State 2 impacts on water, food or ecosystems with a temperature rise of 5 oC or more.

…Sea level rise threatens some major cities …..

…More species face extinction, for example Polar Bears…. [2]
(b) What are the environmental and human impacts of global warming? Refer to specific
case studies.
…Although it is difficult to say that global warming directly causes any one event it can
increase the chances of it happening. For example, there may be an increase in the number
and intensity of extreme weather events such as storms and hurricanes. (A) Hurricane Sandy
that hit New York in 2012 caused an estimated 18 billion dollars’ worth of damage as well as
taking the lives of nearly 60 people.(S) A storm surge of 14 feet caused major flooding in
many parts of the city. (K) Sea level rises are already causing a number of countries to look
to move as they disappear under the sea. Nearly 100,000 people from the islands of Kiribati
in the South Pacific will soon be forced to move as the sea engulfs their low lying islands.
(S)The government is looking into sending it people to either Fiji, New Zealand or Australia.
Closer to home there has been increased flooding in many parts of the UK. Exeter has
experienced flooding several times in 2012. Flooding has closed the railway line just north
of Exeter. (K) A number of walls have collapsed in the city due to heavy rain and many roads
have been flooded. One person was killed when one of the walls collapsed on their tent.
[6 + 2 SPaG]
4 (a) Study Resource 9.
i) Identify 2 of the solutions that are not mitigation.
Any two from: … Farmers planting different crops, Weather advice services, Grain storage or
Flood defences.
1: ………………………………………………………………………………………..
2: ………………………………………………………………………………………..
[2]
ii) For one of the solutions identified in part i) above, explain how it would help somewhere
adapt to climate change.
…If farmers planted different crops this might mean that the crop yields would increase as
these plants would find it easier to grow in different conditions such as less rainfall or higher
temperatures.
OR
…If people had better weather advice then it could help people to protect themselves and
their property. This might be earlier and more accurate weather prediction if a hurricane
or storm was on the way. People would have time to seek shelter and try to save their
belongings by moving to higher ground.
OR
… If the patterns of weather change (droughts or more flooding) this could have the effect
of reducing crop yields and the amount of grain available. In the years when the weather
was good any extra grain could be stored to be used when the crop yields are low.
OR
…Most intense rainfall/precipitation can lead to greater risk of flooding. If more flood
defences are built then this would help to protect human life and property from flooding.
This could potentially save millions pounds needed to clean up after the flooding… [2]
(b)
i) Using examples, explain how mitigation techniques have been used in your local area.
In Exeter more houses have had solar panels installed on their roofs  this reduces the
need for energy from traditional sources (gas and electricity) that rely on the burning of
fossil fuels. This would mean there is less carbon dioxide being released. Improving the
insulation of buildings would also have the same effect or reducing the demand for energy,
in Exeter many houses have had cavity wall insulation [3]
ii) State a global strategy for climate change.
…The Kyoto Protocol [1]
5 (a) Study Resources 10 and 11.
i) How has climate change affected fishermen and local people in Western Kenya?
…Recent climate change has led to the massive growth of the water hyacinth on Lake
Victoria This has meant a reduction in the amount of oxygen in the water as well as
blocking out the sunlight. As a result other plants and fish die. This means that there are
less fish to catch and the fishermen earn less money. [3]
ii) Explain why it is so hard to control the growth of the Water Hyacinth around Lake
Victoria.
… The water hyacinth is difficult to control as it grows very quickly (doubles in size every two
weeks).  The Weevil was introduced to kill it off but due to the pollution in the water it
grows back (revitalises) very quickly. [2]
(b) Team Kenya have found a sustainable use for the Water Hyacinth. Evaluate how
successful they have been.
…Team Kenya has come up with the idea to make furniture for tourists in local eco-cottages
out of the water hyacinth. They have also used it to make smaller items such as mats and
magazine racks. This shows how work can be created if people adapt to changes in
climate as local women are employed to make the items. Jobs will also be created in
harvesting the plant. Jobs have probably been lost from fishing though as well as [3]
(c) You may use any resources and your own ideas to answer the following question.
‘It’s everyone’s responsibility, government, communities and individuals, to try to deal with
the issues climate change has and will cause around the World.’
To what extent do you agree with this statement?
…I agree with the statement in that climate change affects all countries and communities as
well as individuals where ever they live. Looking at the impacts of climate change these can
affect people where ever they live in the world be it sea level rise or increased droughts or
flooding. Because of this all levels of society need to do their bit. It would be nice to think
that people would be able to act themselves to reduce their carbon emissions. This could
be done by individuals reducing the amount of energy they use, perhaps by making less car
journeys. It is also the Governments and energy companies responsibility to provide
alternative sources of energy. This could be through the development of wind farms as
these do not produce any CO2 emissions once constructed. Unless alternatives are offered
it makes it difficult for individuals to make any difference as consumers will still want to use
the latest technology and use cars, this means that Governments and Companies need to
invest so that everyone can do their bit. On a global scale the USA has reduced its CO2 by
7% however the world wide effect of this is 0 as China has increased its CO2 by 8.3%, this is
why all countries need to sign up for the Kyoto protocol.
[6 + 2 SPaG]
Total Marks 56
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