Environmental management — AS & A Level Geography (9696) questions by topic
Environmental management essays ask candidates to weigh capital as a cause of degraded environments, assess progress towards safe drinking water for all, and evaluate a named electricity scheme's success in balancing supply and demand. Describe, how far, explain, assess and evaluate are the command words, and evaluate wants a judgement on success or failure supported by evidence, not a neutral summary.
45 real questions from 2023 to 2025 papers make up this page, worth 10 to 20 marks. Drafting complete essays and submitting them for instant marking is the way to see whether your case study detail and evaluative structure match what earns top-level marks, rather than only describing pollution or degradation in general terms.
What examiners look for
- A recurring criticism is candidates writing all they know about pollution rather than selecting two or three aspects to explain and evaluate in depth, since a discursive, evaluative approach earns most of the marks.
- Examiners also flag choosing schemes still under construction or only just operating, which pose problems for evaluating success, and confusing a named located scheme with a country's overall electrical energy strategy.
- A further common mistake is reading data carelessly and using vague terms such as about, nearly or approximately instead of precise figures.
- Strong answers addressed the entire environment across land, water and air quality, using examples balanced between success and challenges with sustained evaluation; smaller-scale case studies were often more effective than very large ones.
- Reports praise candidates who gave clear, specific details about the location of a chosen case study, citing examples such as China's Three Gorges Dam or the UK's Hinkley Point and Drax Power Station.
May–June 2025, Paper 41
Fig. 4.1 shows electricity generated from solar power, by country, in 2022. Describe the distribution of countries generating 10.1 TWh and above shown in Fig. 4.1.
Answer this question and get it marked →Evaluate why fossil fuels continue to be important in the production of electrical energy for some countries. [20]
Answer this question and get it marked →Assess the extent to which it is possible to provide safe and affordable drinking water for all people. [20]
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 42
Fig. 4.1 shows the percentage of global electricity produced from renewable sources, 2008-2020 and estimated to 2026. Describe the main changes shown in Fig. 4.1.
Answer this question and get it marked →Assess the extent to which levels of development affect the balance of energy sources (energy mix) used to produce electrical energy at the national scale. [20]
Answer this question and get it marked →How far do you agree that rising demand is the main cause of water quality issues? [20]
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 43
Fig. 4.1 shows the percentage of global electricity produced from renewable sources, 2008-2020 and estimated to 2026. Describe the main changes shown in Fig. 4.1.
Answer this question and get it marked →Assess the extent to which levels of development affect the balance of energy sources (energy mix) used to produce electrical energy at the national scale. [20]
Answer this question and get it marked →How far do you agree that rising demand is the main cause of water quality issues? [20]
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 41
Fig. 4.1 shows access to different levels of water quality for the world's population in 2000 and 2020. Describe the main changes in access to different levels of water quality…
Answer this question and get it marked →With reference to one named located scheme to produce electricity, assess the extent to which the issues of its location affected its success.
Answer this question and get it marked →'Education is the most important factor in the successful protection of environments at risk.' With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree with this statement?
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 42
Fig. 4.1 shows the population without basic drinking water services, by world region, 2000–20. Describe the main changes in the population without basic drinking water services…
Answer this question and get it marked →With reference to one country's overall electrical energy strategy, assess the extent to which changes in the location of power production led to issues.
Answer this question and get it marked →'Successful protection of environments at risk depends on overcoming constraints.' With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree with this statement?
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 43
Fig. 4.1 shows the population without basic drinking water services, by world region, 2000–20. Describe the main changes in the population without basic drinking water services…
Answer this question and get it marked →With reference to one country's overall electrical energy strategy, assess the extent to which changes in the location of power production led to issues.
Answer this question and get it marked →'Successful protection of environments at risk depends on overcoming constraints.' With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree with this statement?
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 41
Fig. 4.1 shows number of households reporting diseases at different distances from unplanned waste sites in the Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area, Pakistan, 2021. Describe…
Answer this question and get it marked →Evaluate the success of one named located scheme to produce electricity in overcoming issues of changes in demand and supply.
Answer this question and get it marked →'There are always solutions to the problems faced in attempts to improve degraded environments.' With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree with this statement?
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 42
Fig. 4.1 shows e-waste generated per person in 2019. Describe the distribution of countries with 0.0-4.9 kg e-waste generated per person shown in Fig. 4.1.
Answer this question and get it marked →'Environmental impacts are the most important consideration for the overall electrical energy strategy of a country.' With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree…
Answer this question and get it marked →Evaluate the importance of overpopulation as a constraint on improving the quality of one or more degraded environments.
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 43
Fig. 4.1 shows number of households reporting diseases at different distances from unplanned waste sites in the Islamabad–Rawalpindi metropolitan area, Pakistan, 2021. Describe…
Answer this question and get it marked →Evaluate the success of one named located scheme to produce electricity in overcoming issues of changes in demand and supply.
Answer this question and get it marked →‘There are always solutions to the problems faced in attempts to improve degraded environments.’ With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree with this statement?
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 41
Fig. 4.1 shows the types of energy resources used for electricity generation in selected countries in 2017. Describe the variations in the types of energy resources used for…
Answer this question and get it marked →Evaluate the success of one named located scheme to produce electricity.
Answer this question and get it marked →How far do you agree that a global view is needed to solve problems of pollution?
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 42
Fig. 4.1 shows the concentration of lead (Pb) in moss in Norway, an HIC in Europe, 1985 and 2015. Compare the pattern of concentration of lead (Pb) in 1985 with 2015 shown in Fig.…
Answer this question and get it marked →With reference to one or more examples, assess the extent to which sustainability is the most important factor in the supply of electrical energy.
Answer this question and get it marked →With reference to one degraded environment, assess the success of attempts to improve the environment.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 43
Fig. 4.1 shows the concentration of lead (Pb) in moss in Norway, an HIC in Europe, 1985 and 2015. Compare the pattern of concentration of lead (Pb) in 1985 with 2015 shown in Fig.…
Answer this question and get it marked →With reference to one or more examples, assess the extent to which sustainability is the most important factor in the supply of electrical energy.
Answer this question and get it marked →With reference to one degraded environment, assess the success of attempts to improve the environment.
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 41
Fig. 4.1 shows the mean annual exposure to air pollution with fine particulate matter, by level of development, 1970-2015. Describe the trends shown in Fig. 4.1.
Answer this question and get it marked →'The environmental impacts of energy production, transport and usage can be reduced through the development of technology.' With reference to one or more examples, to what extent…
Answer this question and get it marked →'Problems faced in attempts to improve degraded environments are caused by a lack of capital.' With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree?
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 42
Fig. 4.1 shows the proportion of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected area status, by level of development, 1970-2020. Describe the trends shown in Fig. 4.1.
Answer this question and get it marked →Evaluate the extent to which energy consumption by MICs has become a global issue.
Answer this question and get it marked →Evaluate the extent to which urbanisation is the main factor in the degradation of urban environments.
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 43
Fig. 4.1 shows the mean annual exposure to air pollution with fine particulate matter, by level of development, 1970–2015. Describe the trends shown in Fig. 4.1.
Answer this question and get it marked →'The environmental impacts of energy production, transport and usage can be reduced through the development of technology.' With reference to one or more examples, to what extent…
Answer this question and get it marked →'Problems faced in attempts to improve degraded environments are caused by a lack of capital.' With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree?
Answer this question and get it marked →Other AS & A Level Geography topics
- Tropical environments (45)
- Coastal environments (45)
- Hazardous environments (45)
- Hot arid and semi-arid environments (45)
- Production, location and change (45)
- Global interdependence (45)
- Economic transition (45)
- Settlement dynamics (34)
- Hydrology and fluvial geomorphology (30)
- Atmosphere and weather (30)
- Rocks and weathering (30)
- Population (29)