EXAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY

AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1. IGEO 2008 (Question Num. 4)

Energy futures and sustainability

Study the source material below.
Using the material provided below, answer the multiple choice questions
1, 2 and 3, then respond to questions 4, 5 and 6.

Energy from renewable sources is regarded as an important contributor to

sustainable development. Different places have different distributions of
natural resources suitable for energy generation, and different patterns of
human activity in different countries lead to different patterns of energy
consumption per capita.

Please answer the three multiple choice questions by writing the

number of the right alternative, 1, 2, 3 or 4 on your answer sheet.

1 1m In terms of energy supply, the mature industrial economies shown in

source 1:
1. have uniform sources and patterns of energy generation,
2. are heavily dependent (more than 2/3 of energy supply) on non
renewable fuels alone,
3. use a significant amount (more than 1/5 of energy supply) from
nuclear energy sources,
4. have exploited renewable hydro-electricity extensively (more than
1/5 of energy supply).

2 1m With reference to renewable energy (source 2), which of the following

statements is NOT true:
1. the technologies of hydroelectricity generation are well known,
but further development is dependent on reliable runoff and
suitable dam sites,
2. new technologies like wind power generation have appeared and
grown rapidly in generation capacity partly as a consequence of
the limited supply and high price of fossil fuels,
3. geothermal options, using steam driven turbines to generate
electricity, are widely available geographically, with the potential
to provide 15% of global energy needs in the next 10 years,
4. 'Bio-fuels' like ethanol additives can complement oil-based
energy, but large scale conversion of croplands to grow fuel feed-
stocks may threaten existing food supply.
3 1m The geographical patterns of global oil use per capita are distinct
(source 4).
They show
1. mature industrial countries in temperate latitudes are the only
major users of oil,
2. more than half the world's population have oil use figures per
capita that are in the lowest two levels of oil consumption,
3. only countries that have high levels of oil production have high
levels of oil consumption per capita,
4. as emerging economies, China and India have higher levels of
consumption per capita than countries in South America.

4 3m Explain how the global distribution of natural resources contributes

to differential patterns of sustainable energy generation.

5 3m Using source 4, provide an analysis of the global patterns of energy use as

indicated in the distribution of oil consumption per capita.

6 4m Coal and oil provided the fossil-fuel energy drivers of industrial

economies since 1780. Hydro power has been used as a renewable energy
supply for industry for about 100 years. Biomass, although controversial,
will fuel vehicles.
Write a paragraph (between 100-200 words) about wind and geothermal
generation as renewable sources of industrial energy supply.
Source 1 National geographies of energy generation, 2006

source: Wikipedia

Source 2 Sources of renewable energy

In summary, there are five broad types of renewable sources of energy: the sun, the
wind, flowing water, biomass and heat from within the earth.
The Sun. Solar energy is energy directly from the Sun. The sun is a constant natural
source of heat and light, and its radiation can be converted to electricity. Domestic
applications include solar water heating.
Wind Energy. Natural conditions of climate and geography produce wind.
Historically, windmills were used to supply mechanical energy, for example to pump
water or grind grain. Modern day wind turbines produce electricity provided to
national power grids.
Water power. Flowing water is also a product of the Earth's climate and geography.
Runoff from precipitation at higher elevations flows toward sea level in rivers.
Historically, water wheels used the power of flowing water to turn grinding stones and
to run mechanical equipment. Modern hydro-turbines use water power to generate
hydroelectricity.
Biomass. "Biomass" includes plants, trees and organic matter. Biomass is a renewable
source of energy because photosynthesis constantly produces new organic matter in
the growth of plants. Photosynthesis stores the Suns energy in organic
matter. Biomass is used to make heat, electricity and (increasingly) liquid fuels.
Earth or "geothermal energy". In some locations, geothermal energy is close
enough to the surface that, by drilling a well to reach the heat source, the energy can
be extracted and used to generate electricity.
Source 3 Example of renewable energy production potential

At the end of 2007, worldwide capacity of wind-powered generators was over 90 gigawatts.
Wind currently produces just over 1% of world-wide electricity use, but its predicted growth
in installed capacity is greater than any other generation source in the short term.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Wind_2006andprediction_en.png
Source 4 Oil consumption per capita
Consumption of crude oil barrels per capita per day by country:

Oil barrels
per person
each day

>.07
.07-.05
.05-.035
.035-.025
.025-.02
.02-.015
.015-.01
.01-.005
.005-.0015
<.0015

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:OilConsumptionpercapita.png
2. IGEO 2012 (Question Num. 2)

Impacts of Coastal Development

1. Study Source 1 below first.

On the copy of Source 1 Map A (below), mark with an arrow the direction of
longshore drift.

2. On the copy of Source 1 Map B (below), mark and label one area where sand is
likely to accumulate after the development is built.

3. On the copy of Source B1 Map B (below), mark in a different way and label one
area which is likely to be affected by coastal erosion after the development is built.
4. Study Source 1 in the Source Booklet.
Identify 6 features of the proposed development shown in Source 1 Map B. Explain
how each of these features will potentially impact on the natural environment. Include
in your answer a range of different environmental impacts. Use the table below to
record your answers.
5. Apart from an increase in tourism, briefly describe 3 other socio-economic
impacts that would result from the developments in the area shown in Source B1.

1: ......................................................................................................................

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