Perfect answers Flashcards
(6 cards)
Using an example of an earthquake you have studied, assess the following statement. “Primary effects are more significant than secondary effects”. (9+3)
Nepal is an LIC in Asia which experienced a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in 2015.
On the one hand, the primary effects were the most significant. 8 million people in total were affected by the earthquake. 9000 people were killed and 20 000 left injured. This was worsened by the damage and destruction of the nearest 26 hospitals. People were not receiving adequate medical attention which further increased the death toll. It could be argued that this is due to the lack of prior preparation and protection from the Nepalese Government due to lack of money. This resulted in secondary impacts such as a reduced supply of water, food and electricity due to destruction which meant that the 1 million people who were made homeless were also struggling for survival.
Alternatively, the secondary effects were also significant. An avalanche on Mount Everest killed a further 19 people and a landslide blocked a local river and meant 315 000 people were cut off by road. This slowed down relief efforts and significantly affected those in need of medical attention and food and water supplies.
Furthermore, the estimated damage cost was $5 billion. This primary effect is significant because Nepal is a LIC so would struggle to rebuild infrastructure in the short term which would further damage to economy as businesses would be affected for longer. Furthermore, tourism accounts for 9% of Nepal’s GDP and provided 1.1 million jobs. Due to lack of tourism in the aftermath of the disaster, the Nepalese government suffered a great economical loss, delving the country further into poverty.
Overall, I think that the most significant effect is the infrastructural damage and loss to the economy (primary effects). Due to the damage, Nepal struggled to repair and recover quickly which also meant that the people who were affected were also struggling for a longer amount of time. The lack of funds also meant the environment suffered for longer and many businesses struggled to re-open.
Using an example of a LIC you have studied, evaluate the impacts of an earthquake or volcanic eruption (9 marks + 3)
Nepal is an LIC in Asia which experienced a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in 2015.
On the one hand, the social effects were the most significant. 8 million people in total were affected by the earthquake. 9000 people were killed and 20 000 left injured. This was exacerbated by the damage and destruction of the nearest 26 hospitals. People were not receiving adequate medical attention which further increased the death toll. It could be argued that this is due to the lack of prior preparation and protection from the Nepalese Government due to lack of money. The social impacts were also significant as there was a reduced supply of water, food and electricity due to destruction which meant that the 1 million people who were made homeless were also struggling for survival.
Alternatively, the economic effects were also significant. The estimated damage cost was $5 billion. This is significant because Nepal is a LIC so would struggle to rebuild infrastructure in the short term which would further damage to economy as businesses would be affected for longer. Furthermore, tourism accounts for 9% of Nepal’s GDP and provided 1.1 million jobs. Due to lack of tourism in the aftermath of the disaster, the Nepalese government suffered a great economical loss, delving the country further into poverty.
On the other hand, some people might argue that the environmental effects were even more significant. For example, an avalanche on Mount Everest killed a further 19 people and a landslide blocked a local river and meant 315 000 people were cut off by road. This slowed down relief efforts and significantly affected those in need of medical attention and food and water supplies.
Overall, I think that the most significant effect is the infrastructural damage and loss to the economy. Due to the damage, Nepal struggled to repair and recover quickly which also meant that the people who were affected were also struggling for a longer amount of time. The lack of funds also meant the environment suffered for longer and many businesses struggled to re-open.
Assess the extent to which tropical storms have effects on people and the environment. Use the information provided and an example you have studied (9+3)
On the one hand, Typhoon Haiyan had significant effects on the population. For instance, 6 million people lost their jobs and 6300 people lost their lives. This is significant as it would have a detrimental effect on the economy as people wouldn’t be working and therefore can’t pay taxes. The sector which experienced severe job losses was the fishing industry because 300 000 fishing boats were destroyed. The loss of jobs increased poverty levels across the affected areas.
Alternatively, the typhoon also caused significant environmental effects. For example, the Tacloban city airport was badly damaged. This would have prevented aid getting to the city via air travel. This would have stopped aid reaching the island and slowed down relief efforts. This led to further secondary deaths as food, shelter, water and medicine was delayed in reaching affected areas and diseases quickly spread as a result.
On the other hand, the typhoon also caused hospitals and schools to be damaged. This was significant as it affected people’s education, stopping them from understanding prevention methods of natural hazards, and also their health. Damaged hospitals could have cost people their lives. Furthermore, the hospitals were heavily damaged in the Typhoon and couldn’t support the amount of people they needed to.
Overall, I think the most significant impact was that 6 million people lost their job. It was most significant as it greatly affected the economy and therefore made the rebuilding/recovery stage even longer as the government wouldn’t be able to afford the damage costs. The Philippines had to heavily rely on aid from other countries to recover as their economy is undeveloped. The loss of jobs causes further damage to the economy. The recovery effort was also made worse by the delayed aid because of the destruction of Tacloban Airport.
Explain how the increasing use of fossil fuels and changes in agriculture may have contributed to global changes in temperature. (4)
Fossil fuel consumption and factory-based agriculture is increasing globally. Fossil fuels account for 50% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Farming (particularly cattle farming) releases large amounts of methane into the atmosphere. Another type of greenhouse gas. Producing and transporting foods
produced on farms also releases CO2. Greenhouse gases become trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere and reduce the amount of solar radiation reflected back out. Thus having a warming effect on the Earth’s climate.
‘Managing climate change involves both reducing causes (mitigation) and responding to change (adaptation).’ Do you agree? Explain your answer. Use Figure 6 and your own understanding. [9 marks] [+3 SPaG marks]
One mitigation strategy shown in figure 6 is alternative energy. This can manage climate change as green energy production (such as solar panels, wind turbines and nuclear fission) can reduce the amount of energy produced through burning fossil fuels (This means less greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere) This reduces the cause of climate change. However, this does not prevent people being affected when the consequences eventually strike, it only reduces the level of consequence so just mitigation is not enough.
One adaptation strategy shown in figure 6 is adjusting to sea levels. This raises houses levels so when sea levels do rise the houses are less likely to be submerged under water, protecting people and possessions in the house from the effects of flooding. This helps to manage climate change by protecting people from its effects. However, a downside to adaptation is that it cannot reduce the effects of climate change.
Another adaptation strategy shown in figure 6 is growing drought resistant crops This allows crops to be grown even in the changing climates due to climate change. These crops would be bioengineered to withstand the effects of climate change (starvation and malnutrition could be reduced) but does not reduce the rate of climate change causing the problems (e.g. droughts).
In conclusion, I think mitigation is required to reduce the effects of climate change and adaptation is required to keep people safe from these effects, they are both required to help with managing and responding climate change for humanity’s future survival.
