Challenges and opportunities
Although the world faces challenges, many aspect of life have improved. This unit requires students to analyse how various challenges relate to each other. Through studying these topics, students should gain a greater understanding of how human activities affect sustainability.
To understand this topic thoroughly, students should have a sound understanding of the relationship between Nation-States, Transnational Corporations and other international actors such as the International and regional governments such as the UN, EU, regulatory agencies such as the WTO, Media organisations and Non-Government Organisations.
As students gain a sound understanding of these three global challenges topics, they should be able to see the connection with the Biophysical environment.
To understand this topic thoroughly, students should have a sound understanding of the relationship between Nation-States, Transnational Corporations and other international actors such as the International and regional governments such as the UN, EU, regulatory agencies such as the WTO, Media organisations and Non-Government Organisations.
As students gain a sound understanding of these three global challenges topics, they should be able to see the connection with the Biophysical environment.
Syllabus
Students are required to study Population Geography and two studies selected from Cultural Integration, Political Geography, Development Geography, and Natural Resource Use.
Population Geography
• the changing nature, rate and distribution of the world’s population
• spatial patterns of fertility and mortality
• types, volumes and directions of population movements such as rural-urban migration, labour migration and refugee migration
• issues arising from the changing size and distribution of population including environmental, economic and social impacts.
Option 3 – Development Geography
• the nature of development
• the use of indicators to illustrate spatial variations in the level and rate of development at a global scale
• issues arising from these spatial patterns of development such as access to food, shelter, social support, health and educational opportunities
• equity issues related to ethnicity, class and gender, and ecologically sustainable development.
Option 4 – Natural Resource Use
• the nature of natural resources
• spatial patterns and consequences of the distribution and consumption of natural resources at a global scale
• economic and political issues related to the use of natural resources, their ownership and management
• environmental and social issues related to the use of natural resources such as ecologically sustainable development, and the impacts on, and responses of, indigenous peoples.
Population Geography
• the changing nature, rate and distribution of the world’s population
• spatial patterns of fertility and mortality
• types, volumes and directions of population movements such as rural-urban migration, labour migration and refugee migration
• issues arising from the changing size and distribution of population including environmental, economic and social impacts.
Option 3 – Development Geography
• the nature of development
• the use of indicators to illustrate spatial variations in the level and rate of development at a global scale
• issues arising from these spatial patterns of development such as access to food, shelter, social support, health and educational opportunities
• equity issues related to ethnicity, class and gender, and ecologically sustainable development.
Option 4 – Natural Resource Use
• the nature of natural resources
• spatial patterns and consequences of the distribution and consumption of natural resources at a global scale
• economic and political issues related to the use of natural resources, their ownership and management
• environmental and social issues related to the use of natural resources such as ecologically sustainable development, and the impacts on, and responses of, indigenous peoples.
Practice extended response questions
- Analyse the environmental, economic and social issues arising from the changing size and distribution of the world’s population.
- With the aid of examples, explain the spatial variation in the distribution and consumption of natural resources on a global scale.
- Account for the spatial variations in TWO of the following: food, shelter, social support, health and educational opportunity.