‭16 Marker Planning Sheet‬

‭Examine the spatial pattern of environmental impacts associated with different global flows.‬

‭ lobal flows‬‭include movements of goods, people, data‬‭and capital (and investment).‬‭Environmental‬

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‭impacts‬‭– at local, regional or global scales – can‬‭be wide ranging, encompassing: pollution of water,‬
‭air and land; biodiversity issues and agribusiness impacts; climate change projections. Consideration‬
‭of impact‬‭patterns‬‭may include uneven regional impacts‬‭(eg, for waste exporters/importers in the‬
‭global core/periphery), spatial diffusion patterns for transboundary pollution, localised/linear‬
‭pollution along shipping lanes, etc.‬

‭ esponses which describe detailed environmental problems caused by global‬

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‭flows/growth/development, yet fail to address any‬‭pattern‬‭of these impacts (other than asserting‬
‭that ‘everywhere’ or 'more places' are being affected) are unlikely to progress far into Level 9-12 and‬
‭should not be awarded a Level 13-16 mark.‬

‭Possible applied themes (AO2) include knowledge and understanding (AO1) of:‬

‭‬
● g‭ lobal core and periphery patterns (1.1)‬
‭●‬ ‭major global networks and flows (4.2)‬
‭●‬ ‭illegal waste movements (4.2)‬
‭●‬ ‭growth of TNC supply chain networks (4.2)‬
‭●‬ ‭natural resource patterns and interactions (4.2.1)‬
‭●‬ ‭cultural landscape and built environment changes (5.2)‬
‭●‬ ‭transboundary pollution patterns (6.2)‬
‭●‬ ‭shipping lane pollution (6.2)‬
‭●‬ ‭global shift of polluting industries (6.3)‬
‭●‬ ‭global agribusiness systems (6.3).‬

‭Mark scheme:‬

‭Good answers may synthesise (AO3a) three or more of these themes in a well-structured (AO4) way.‬

‭●‬ G ‭ ood answers may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3b) of the statement which‬
‭examines patterns at varying scales (global, regional or more local patterns).‬
‭●‬ ‭Another approach might be to critically examine how the different global processes give rise‬
‭to more evident impact patterns than others.‬

‭5–8 marks expect:‬

s‭ ome outlining of two relevant themes. Response is either partial, narrow or lacks supporting‬
‭evidence.‬

‭9–12 marks, expect:‬

‭either a structured synthesis which links together several well-evidenced themes from the Guide‬

‭ r a critical conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) informed by geographical concepts and/or‬

o
‭perspectives.‬

‭13–16 marks, expect:‬

‭both of these traits.‬

‭16 Marker Planning Sheet‬

‭Examine the spatial pattern of environmental impacts associated with different global flows.‬

I‭ntro - discuss the relation between spatial patterns and its interactions with AND impacts on global‬
‭flows‬

‭1.‬ S‭ ignificance/importance of tropical rainforests - scale of environmental impacts local to‬

‭global (amazon is the largest carbon sink) Huge reduction in photosynthesis - The Amazon‬
‭rainforest absorbs similar CO2 and EU releases.‬

‭-‬ ‭ mazon - land degradation due to exports of different resources (eg. timber, cattle‬
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‭grazing → beef production) → loss of biodiversity due to habitat destructruction‬
‭-‬ ‭Mining in the Amazon‬
‭2.‬ ‭Illegal Waste - advanced vs emerging/developing country‬

‭Laws not as strict - leachate from landfill. Methane from landfill.‬

‭3.‬ T‭ he vast increase in ‘Containerisation’‬

‭Increase in cruise ships (social globalisation)‬
★‭ ‬ ‭Eg. Strait of Malacca‬

‭●‬ ‭natural resource patterns and interactions (4.2.1)‬

‭Example: Amazon- Brazil‬

‭ attle Grazing‬
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‭Cattle grazing is the leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon. The region has become a‬
‭significant hub for‬‭beef production, catering to both‬‭local and global markets.‬

‭ ast areas of forest are cleared to create pastures for cattle. This process involves the cutting and‬
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‭burning of trees, leading to‬‭habitat destruction,‬‭loss of biodiversity, and increased greenhouse‬
‭gas emissions.‬

‭ gricultural Expansion‬
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‭Soy cultivation‬‭is another primary cause of deforestation.‬‭The Amazon's fertile land is highly‬
‭suitable for soy farming, much of which is‬‭exported‬‭for animal feed.‬

T‭ he conversion of forest land into agricultural fields‬‭disrupts local ecosystems,‬‭affecting species‬

‭diversity and leading to‬‭soil erosion‬‭and‬‭degradation.‬

‭ ining Activities‬
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‭The Amazon basin is rich in minerals, including gold, bauxite, iron ore, and diamonds, making it a‬
‭target for extensive mining operations.‬

‭ ining not only requires significant‬‭land clearing‬‭but also leads to‬‭water pollution, soil erosion,‬
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‭and forest fragmentation.‬‭The‬‭toxic chemicals‬‭used‬‭in mining processes further exacerbate‬
‭environmental pollution.‬

‭●‬ ‭illegal waste movements (4.2)‬

‭16 Marker Planning Sheet‬

‭-‬ ‭ aste dumping in Ghana -> targeted as a less developed country which alleviates the‬
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‭responsibility from developed countries/high-consumption nations/TNCs causing the‬
‭waste flows.‬
‭-‬ ‭Increased suffering in Ghana and an inability to properly deal w the problem causes initial‬
‭damage from waste and secondary pollution to fester in the region‬
‭-‬ ‭Could spread into neighbouring countries and oceans - certain countries are at risk even‬
‭though they aren’t directly linked with the flows.‬
‭●‬ ‭transboundary pollution patterns (6.2)‬
‭-‬ ‭Transboundary pollution patterns related to pesticides and chemicals primarily‬
‭involve the movement of agricultural chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides,‬
‭and fertilisers, across borders.‬
‭●‬ ‭shipping lane pollution (6.2)‬
‭-‬ ‭The vast increase in ‘Containerisation’‬
‭-‬ ‭Increase in cruise ships (social globalisation)‬
★
‭ ‬ ‭Eg. Strait of Malacca - one of the busiest and most strategically important waterways in‬
‭the world, connecting the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean via the South China Sea‬
‭- serves as a crucial shipping lane, with approximately one-quarter of the world's traded‬
‭goods passing through it each year.‬
‭➔‬ ‭The high volume of maritime traffic, including container ships, oil tankers, bulk carriers,‬
‭and other vessels, traversing the narrow and congested Strait of Malacca contributes to‬
‭pollution and environmental degradation.‬
‭➔‬ ‭Accidental oil spills from tanker collisions, grounding incidents, or equipment failures pose‬
‭a significant risk to marine ecosystems and coastal communities along the strait. These‬
‭spills can result in the release of large quantities of crude oil or refined petroleum‬
‭products, contaminating water bodies, shorelines, and mangrove forests.‬
‭➔‬ ‭Shipping activities in the Strait of Malacca also contribute to air pollution through‬
‭emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), and‬
‭greenhouse gases (GHGs) from vessel engines, particularly those powered by heavy fuel‬
‭oil.‬
‭➔‬ ‭Improper disposal of solid waste, sewage, and hazardous materials by vessels passing‬
‭through the strait contributes to marine pollution, affecting water quality and marine life.‬

‭●‬ ‭global shift of polluting industries (6.3)‬

‭-‬ ‭as certain countries become more developed the pollution shifts away from them‬
‭and to the countries they offshore to‬
‭-‬ ‭de-industralised nations/tertiary sector post-industry nations shift polluting‬
‭industries to less developed/NICs - e.g. car industry from Detroit to China‬
‭-‬ ‭re-shoring could cause a reverse flow into the local nations due to rejection of‬
‭global interactions‬