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A Level H2 Geography Practice Paper 2

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A Level H2 Geography From Real Exams Generated by Gemma 4 31B Updated 2026-06-03

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Questions

TuitionGoWhere Exam Practice (AI)

Subject: Geography H2 Level: A-Level Paper: Paper 1 (Thematic Studies - Resources & Sustainability) Version: 2 of 5 Duration: 3 Hours (Full Paper Equivalent) Total Marks: 100 Name: __________________________ Class: __________ Date: __________

Instructions to Candidates

Answer all questions in Section A.
Answer two questions from Section B.
Use the provided resources (where applicable) to support your answers.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.

Section A: Structured and Source-Based Questions

Answer all questions in this section.

Question 1 Resource 1 shows a table of sustainability indices for four cities in Southeast Asia: Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Ho Chi Minh City, across three dimensions: Environmental Quality, Social Equity, and Economic Viability.

City	Environmental Quality	Social Equity	Economic Viability
Jakarta	42	51	68
Bangkok	55	62	74
Manila	38	48	61
Ho Chi Minh City	49	55	70

(a) Compare the scores for the four cities shown in Resource 1. [5]

(b) Explain how the disparity between 'Economic Viability' and 'Environmental Quality' scores in these cities reflects the challenges of sustainable urban development. [7]

(c) To what extent do you agree that the achievement of high 'Social Equity' scores is the most critical requirement for a city to be considered sustainable? [8]

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Question 2 Resource 2 is a photograph of a degraded tropical rainforest in Kalimantan, Indonesia, showing large areas of clear-cutting and palm oil plantations. Resource 3 is a data table showing the mean biomass of a primary forest in the same region (320 tonnes/ha) compared to a plantation forest (85 tonnes/ha).

(a) Describe the vegetation structure and mean biomass of a typical primary forest in Kalimantan as implied by the data in Resource 3 and your knowledge of tropical environments. [3]

(b) Explain the processes that lead to the reduction in biomass and the change in vegetation structure when a primary forest is converted to a plantation. [7]

(c) Evaluate the claim that "economic development in tropical regions always necessitates the sacrifice of environmental sustainability." [10]

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Question 3 Resource 4 shows a map of mineral deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Resource 5 is an infographic detailing the correlation between cobalt mining and local conflict.

(a) Identify the primary natural resources shown in Resource 4. [2]

(b) Explain how the abundance of these resources can act as a "curse" for the DRC in terms of governance and social stability. [8]

(c) Discuss the extent to which the "resource curse" is an inevitable outcome for countries at low levels of development. [10]

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Section B: Extended Response Essays

Answer any TWO questions from this section.

Question 4 "All cities need to make sustainable urban development a priority, regardless of their current level of economic development." To what extent do you agree with this statement? [20]

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Question 5 "Sustainable development for cities at low levels of development is impossible without significant foreign aid." How far do you agree with this view? [20]

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Question 6 Discuss the view that the management of natural resources in the 21st century is more dependent on political will than on technological advancement. [20]

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Question 7 Compare the reasons for the development of slums in developing regions and developed regions. To what extent are these reasons fundamentally different? [20]

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Answers

Answer Key & Marking Scheme - Geography H2 (Resources & Sustainability)

Paper Version: 2 of 5

Section A

Question 1 (a) Comparison of Scores [5 marks]

Method: Use comparative language.
Points:
- Bangkok has the highest scores across all three dimensions (Env: 55, Soc: 62, Econ: 74).
- Manila has the lowest scores across all three dimensions (Env: 38, Soc: 48, Econ: 61).
- All cities show a consistent pattern where Economic Viability is the highest scoring dimension, while Environmental Quality is the lowest.
- Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta show similar mid-range scores, though HCMC slightly outperforms Jakarta in all categories.

(b) Economic vs Environmental Disparity [7 marks]

Analysis: The gap indicates "growth at the expense of the environment."
Points:
- High economic scores suggest rapid industrialization/urban growth.
- Low environmental scores suggest that pollution, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity are externalities of this growth.
- This reflects the "Development-Environment Trade-off" where immediate economic gains are prioritized over long-term ecological health.
- Mention specific urban challenges: air pollution from factories, water contamination from untreated sewage in rapidly growing cities.

Evaluation: Balanced argument.
Agree: Without social equity, sustainability is unstable. Slums, poverty, and inequality lead to social unrest, which undermines economic and environmental efforts.
Disagree/Nuance: Sustainability is a "triple bottom line." High social equity without economic viability leads to stagnation; without environmental quality, the city becomes uninhabitable (e.g., sinking cities like Jakarta).
Conclusion: Social equity is a pillar, but not the sole critical requirement; the synergy of all three is essential.

Question 2 (a) Vegetation Structure & Biomass [3 marks]

Structure: Multi-layered (emergent, continuous canopy, understory, ground layer). High vertical complexity.
Biomass: State 320 tonnes/ha.
Description: Dense, high-leaf-area index, high carbon sequestration capacity.

(b) Processes of Reduction [7 marks]

Processes:
- Deforestation/Clear-cutting: Removal of emergent and canopy layers.
- Soil degradation: Loss of nutrients and organic matter.
- Monoculture planting: Replacing diverse species with a single species (oil palm), reducing structural complexity to a single layer.
- Biomass loss: Reduction from 320 to 85 tonnes/ha due to loss of massive hardwood trees and complex undergrowth.

Argument For: In LDCs, the need for immediate poverty alleviation often leads to "extractive" economies (logging, mining) which destroy ecosystems.
Argument Against: "Green Growth" or "Sustainable Intensification." Examples of eco-tourism or sustainable forestry certifications (FSC).
Synthesis: It is not always necessary, but the incentive structure often favors short-term gain. The transition to sustainable development requires institutional change and international support.

Question 3 (a) Identification [2 marks]

Cobalt, Copper, Diamonds, Gold (depending on Resource 4 specifics).

(b) Resource Curse - Governance/Stability [8 marks]

Mechanisms:
- "Rent-seeking" behavior: Elite capture of resource wealth.
- Conflict: Armed groups fighting for control of mines (e.g., cobalt mines in DRC).
- Corruption: Lack of transparency in revenue management.
- Weakening of other sectors: Over-reliance on minerals leads to neglect of agriculture/manufacturing (Dutch Disease).

Inevitability: High in states with weak institutions and high ethnic fragmentation.
Counter-examples: Botswana (diamonds) used wealth for education and infrastructure due to strong governance. Norway (oil) used a sovereign wealth fund.
Conclusion: Not inevitable; depends on the quality of governance and institutional strength.

Section B (Essay Frameworks)

Question 4: Sustainable Urban Development Priority [20 marks]

Introduction: Define sustainable urban development (SUD).
Agreement: Environmental urgency (climate change, sea-level rise in coastal cities), Social urgency (slum growth, health crises), Economic long-termism.
Counter-argument: In LDCs, "survival" (food, basic health) may take precedence over "sustainability" (green buildings). Cost of implementation.
Synthesis: Priority must be integrated, not sequential. SUD is the only way to ensure long-term viability.
Case Studies: Singapore (Green Plan), Curitiba (BRT system).

Question 5: Foreign Aid and SUD [20 marks]

Introduction: Define foreign aid (ODA) and SUD.
Agreement: Financial gaps in LDCs, need for technology transfer (renewable energy), capacity building for urban planners.
Disagreement: Aid dependency, corruption/leakage, success of self-reliant models (e.g., Vietnam's industrialization). Importance of domestic resource mobilization (taxation).
Synthesis: Aid is a catalyst, but domestic governance is the engine. Aid is necessary but not sufficient.

Question 6: Political Will vs Technology [20 marks]

Introduction: Define the tension between technical solutions and policy implementation.
Technology Side: Renewables, Carbon Capture, GIS for urban planning, desalination.
Political Will Side: Policy enforcement, banning single-use plastics, zoning laws, international treaties (Paris Agreement), taxing carbon.
Synthesis: Technology provides the tools, but political will provides the direction. Without will, technology is underutilized.

Question 7: Slum Development Comparison [20 marks]

Developing Regions: Rapid rural-to-urban migration, lack of formal housing, weak land tenure, poverty. (e.g., Dharavi, Mumbai).
Developed Regions: Deindustrialization (Rust Belt), gentrification, systemic poverty/marginalization, failure of social housing. (e.g., Detroit).
Comparison:
- Similarities: Poverty, lack of services, social exclusion.
- Differences: Scale (millions vs thousands), cause (growth-driven vs decay-driven).
Conclusion: Fundamentally different drivers (growth vs decline) but similar outcomes of marginalization.