Impacts of climate change

This Question and Answer focuses on a question from Edexcel AS Unit 1, Global Challenges. The question appeared on the January 2011 examination paper (Section A, Question 2). The topic, the impacts of climate change, is covered by all the other exam boards at AS or A2, so this Question and Answer is useful to all students. The parts of the question are printed in bold type and the students’ answers are in tint areas. The examiner’s comments are the responsibility of GEOGRAPHY REVIEW and have neither been provided nor approved by the examination board. Cameron Dunn writes here in a personal capacity

Figure 1 Ways of managing climate change

The questions in Section A of Unit 1 Global Challenges often begin with short subquestions worth 1–2 marks, move on to a sub-question worth 3–4 marks and end with a sub-question worth 5 marks. The 5-mark questions, of which there may be six in Section A, totalling 30 marks, are important in terms of their contribution to your overall grade. These 5-mark questions have common characteristics:

■ They tend to use the command words ‘explain’ or ‘suggest reasons’ and you therefore need to show understanding by providing explanations.