The document provides guidance for answering longer questions on the World at Risk exam, including: - Part A questions should identify patterns, reference the figure directly, use a substantial part of the figure, and demonstrate your own understanding beyond the figure. - Part B questions do not refer to the figure and should be about 2 pages, focusing on one case study in depth for questions 7 and 8. - Key topics that may be asked about include global warming causes and impacts, climate change management approaches by governments, and differences between weather and climate. - Remember to consider different viewpoints on whether global warming is happening and implications of climate change for the future.

1. World At Risk

2. How to succeed in the longer
questions
• Part A: stimulus 10 mark questions.
• In order to achieve level 3 follow this tick list:
 Identification of patterns, trends, key features
 Direct reference to the Figure (quoting (not copying it)
 Use of a substantial part of the Figure
 Moving beyond the figure to demonstrate your own
understanding and knowledge e.g. Using supporting examples and
ideas.
The a parts are not the place for
 Description only, as ‘describe’ is NEVER the command word
 Copying out huge chunks of text, if the Figure is text-heavy
 Case studies
PRACTICE!

3. Part B: 15 mark questions.
• The questions do not refer to the Figure, using the Figure tends to
repeat what was said in ‘a’
• Most write around 2 sides, perhaps a little more
• If the question is focused on a compulsory case study then the detail
‘bar’ is a little higher than for a broader question: ie they are wanting
excellent knowledge and understanding
• A focus on one big case study, especially in World At Risk (questions 7
and 8) usually does not work
• Remember to not focus on the negative in impacts, consequences,
effects etc.
• Do not rewrite past answers we have done in class.
• In World At Risk (questions 7 and 8) the questions demand some quite
complex physical geography terminology – q 9 and 10 (Going global)
have less of this.
• A 4-5 line introduction and a 4-5 line conclusion are a good idea
(structure and evaluative style)

4. 7 Enquiry Questions.
1. Global Hazards
2. Global Hazard Trends
3. Global Hazard Patterns
4. Climate change and its causes
5. Impacts of global warming
6. Coping with climate change
7. The challenges of global hazards for
the future.

5. Key point: Is global warming real?
• You need to be aware of the following distinct viewpoints:
a) Global warming is not happening
b) It is happening, but we shouldn’t spend any £ on it.
• Answers to climate change questions have not included enough
basic science (too vague). You need to imply the uncertainty over
extent of it in your answers.
• You need a global perspective of who is producing the CO2
• Need to be aware of North Atlantic Oscillation and its effects
on Climate Change – V.IMPORTANT
• The reality – despite all the concerns and the recession, CO2 is
still rising

6. Key points: Managing Climate Change
• Know what the UK government is doing and 2 more
governments e.g. Maldives/Tuvalu and Bangladesh
(fish p. 61)
• Local Government (agenda 21). Need 5 or 6 examples
of what LA are doing to tackle waste/climate change.
• Hypocrisy of TNCs. Is their green message just
marketing?
• Mitigation or adaptation: very poorly understood. It
is worth going through strategies ad categorising
them as mitigation/adaptation. MITIGATION means
a different thing in Climate Change.
• Be aware of the positives and negatives of the IPCC

7. Key point!
• Difference between weather and
climate!
• Many students think that because we
have been getting very cold winters
recently, this means that climate change
is DEAD. Rare events should not cloud
overall consensus.

8. Areas at risk

9. Disaster risk equation
• R= HxV
• C
• R= Risk of disaster
• H= hazards
• V= Vulnerability
• C= Capacity to cope decreases

10. Last Exam: January 2012
7) Study Figure 7.
• (a) With reference to the factors shown, suggest how
hazard vulnerability in a local area can be assessed.
• (b) Explain the global distribution of two major
hydro-meteorological hazard types.(15)
8) Study Figure 8.
• (a) Examine how historical data such as this can
provide evidence for natural climate change.(10)
• (b) Explain why many scientists believe that human,
rather than natural causes, may be more to blame for
recent climate change.(15)

11. Figure 7

12. Figure 8

13. May 2011
7) Study Figure 7.
(a) Suggest why many countries find El Niño weather
anomalies very challenging.(10)
(b) Explain why the human and economic costs of global
hazards have increased rapidly over time.(15)
8) Study Figure 8.
(a) Suggest why changes such as these make global
warming a difficult challenge to tackle.(10)
(b) Explain the natural causes of climate change .(15)

14. Figure 7

15. Figure 8

16. Key Case studies to learn
• California coast and Philippines:
Disaster hot spots
• Arctic region: environmental and
ecological impacts on the region
• Africa: complexities of economic
impacts across the continent and how it
could lead to disasters for poor people
Learn these case studies. They are
compulsory

20. June 2010
• 8 Study Figure 8.
• (a) Suggest why some groups and communities view
the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet as an opportunity
rather than a threat. (10)
• (b) Examine the ecological impacts of global warming
for Arctic areas. (15)

23. Africa- the economic impact on
the poor
• Why is this region susceptible to disaster?
• What climate change is occurring on this
continent?
• How does this impact on food production?
• What is arable land?
• What is water stress/
• How will water stress impact on the African
community by 2020?
• What indirect impacts are there?

25. June 2010
• Study Figure 7.
• (a) Suggest why droughts, such as the
one shown, have severe impacts on
people and the environment. (10)
• (b) Explain the increasing frequency of
hydro-meteorological hazards (such as
cyclones, storms, droughts or
floods).(15)