www.hoddereducation.co.uk/geographyreview
Volume 30, Number 4, April 2017
Exam links
Using this volume for OCR AS and
A-level geography
Andy Palmer
These notes link the content of the magazine to the new OCR specifications for teaching from
September 2016.
Volume 30, Number 1
Article
Page
numbers
Links to specification content
Forced migrants in the UK
2–5
Geographical skills What is a
geographical enquiry?
Geographical ideas Mitigation
or adaptation?
Changing urban places: a
case study of Wollongong
Climate change update
Understanding the 2015 Paris
Agreement
Centrepiece 30 years of
GEOGRAPHY REVIEW
6–8
Question and answer
Tectonic hazards
22–25
Energy matters Cheap oil: is it
a good thing?
Geographical ideas
Understanding our place in
the world
Tornadoes in the British Isles
26–27
Global Migration (A-level Global Systems option)
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and A-level
core)
Investigative Geography (A-level core)
Geographical and Fieldwork Skills (AS core)
Key concepts that connect and link several units and
options
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and A Level
core)
Climate Change (AS and A-level Geographical
Debates option)
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core)
Climate Change (AS and A-level Geographical
Debates option)
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core)
Hazardous Earth (AS and A-level Geographical
Debates option)
Examination technique
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core)
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9–11
12–17
18–19
20–21
28–29
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and A- Level
core)
30–34
N/A
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Natural flood management:
what solutions does it offer?
Geographical ideas
OpenStreetMap: a new way
of mapping the world
The big picture Blood Falls,
Antarctica
35–39
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core)
40–41
Investigative Geography (A-level core)
Geographical and Fieldwork Skills (AS core)
42
Glaciated Landscapes (AS and A-level Landscape
Systems option)
Power and Borders (A-level Global Governance
option)
Forced migrants in the UK
This article is of direct relevance to the Global Connections option Global Migration, in particular the
requirement to study current patterns of migration. It provides helpful clarity over the issues relating to
the movements of forced migrants and asylum seekers. The second part of the piece regarding
refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and the small case study of ‘City of Sanctuary’ in Sheffield
may support some work in the Changing Spaces; Making Places topic of the course, especially the
section on how places are shaped by shifting flows of people.
Geographical skills What is a geographical enquiry?
Students embarking on OCR geography A-level this year will be aware that at the end of their course
they have to submit a 3,000–4,000 word report on an independent investigation of their own choosing.
This column is the first in a series providing advice and support for students undertaking fieldwork
investigations. The piece explains what an independent investigation is, and explains the key features
of the enquiry process. It is essential reading for all A-level geography students, and should be kept
for future use.
Students following the OCR AS course will be expected to have completed physical and human
geography fieldwork, which is assessed in the Landscape and Place paper.
This column in GEOGRAPHY REVIEW issue 2 looks at this work in more detail.
Geographical ideas Mitigation or adaptation?
One of the key elements of the new A-level specifications is the need for students to appreciate that
underlying geographical concepts permeate all aspects of the subject. The ALCAB report produced for
the new specifications identified 13 such ‘specialised’ concepts. They may feature in the content of the
specification, or in the examination questions based on the content, and there will be an expectation
student answers to those questions should show an understanding of such concepts.
The concepts of mitigation and adaptation have particular relevance to Climate Change (AS and Alevel Geographical Debates option) and Hazardous Earth (AS and A-level Geographical Debates
option).
This column is the first in a series looking at these underlying concepts in detail. It seeks to explain the
meaning of two concepts, how they interconnect and how they can be applied to a range of
geographical contexts (though it does not cover all that are possible). It should be essential reading for
all A-level and AS students.
Changing urban places: a case study of Wollongong.
This article provides an interesting insight into a ‘contrasting’ place that could supplement the work of
students on to the core topic of Changing Spaces; Making Places. Wollongong could be used to
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illustrate key ideas such as identity, perception and representation. It has suffered similar problems to
many towns and cities in the north of England, resulting from the closure of heavy industry which has
traditionally been a major employer. The way in which it considers the various forms and strategies of
reimaging that Wollongong has undergone in recent decades is particularly useful in support of the
key idea relating to the placemaking process.
Climate change update Understanding the 2015 Paris agreement
This piece will be of interest to all students with views about climate change and what can be done to
mitigate it or adapt to it (see earlier article on key concepts). One of the Geographical Debates options
is Climate Change, and key ideas include human responses such as mitigation and adaptation.
Furthermore, one of the key ideas in the core physical systems section of the A-level specification,
Earth’s Life Support Systems, is to examine how human factors can disturb and influence the carbon
cycle.
It would be an interesting debate in class to consider whether the agreement will make much
difference.
Centrepiece 30 years of GEOGRAPHY REVIEW
This particular Centrepiece demonstrates how relevant geography is to our lives and how many of the
issues we face today (such as deforestation, climate change and globalisation) either have their
parallels in the past or are ongoing. This is relevant to many OCR topics, including Climate Change
and Earth’s Life Support Systems.
Question and answer Tectonic hazards
Although this excellent Question and Answer makes use of a sample set of questions for the new
Edexcel AS this does not mean that OCR students should not read it. Advice on examination
technique is generic, and the format of examination papers and their mark schemes are becoming
increasingly similar between the examination boards. In addition, the context of the question is likely to
be familiar to OCR AS and A-level students choosing the Hazardous Earth option in Geographical
Debates. Students should take note of the advice on different question types, how to respond to them,
and what needs to be done to address the variety of command words used. This is essential reading
for all students.
Energy matters Cheap oil: is it a good thing?
This short piece may be of some use to those students studying the Earth’s Life Support System topic
at A-level. It is relevant to the key idea concerning how human factors can disturb and influence the
carbon cycle. The price of oil is an unusual phenomenon in the global market as OPEC controls the
supply, rather than the individual country producers or oil extracting companies. Despite the move
towards using renewable energy sources, oil is still vital to the global economy, not least for transport.
Geographical ideas Understanding our place in the world
This is a very useful column that supports the study of the core topic Changing Spaces; Making
Places. The article examines what the word ‘place’ now means in geographical study and emphasises
the role played by the late Doreen Massey in its conceptual development. It provides a useful context
for students, including how the meaning of ‘place’ has changed over time. Students following the OCR
specification will find the ideas relating to perception and placemaking particularly helpful.
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Tornadoes in the British Isles
This article has no direct link to the OCR specification.
Natural flood management: what solutions does it offer?
This article examines the management of storm events which impact severely on some parts of the
UK. It looks at the ways in which such events, which create high levels of discharge and often involve
large deposits of sediment, can be managed naturally using catchment-based flood management,
often involving ‘soft engineering’ methods. This is an interesting article which relates to the Earth’s Life
Support Systems topic, and the requirement to study the processes and pathways of the water cycle,
although flooding and flood management are not explicitly required by the specification content.
Geographical ideas OpenStreetMap: a new way of mapping the world
As with all specifications, the OCR specification requires the development of ICT skills which should
include ‘innovative sources of data such as crowd sourcing and “big data”’. OpenStreetMap (OSM) is
one example of crowd sourcing within a mapping framework. All sorts of geographical information can
be referenced and shared — ‘making mapping cool’ being a central thrust. This article provides the
story of the development of OSM and the ways in which its use has spread. A-level students may find
this potentially useful when looking for tools to use in their independent investigation.
The big picture Blood Falls, Antarctica
This photograph will be of interest to students of the Landscape Systems option Glaciated
Landscapes as it shows an interesting aspect of outputs from a glacial system. It also illustrates a key
reason why Antarctica should be protected as a global common — scientific research. Hence it is also
relevant for the Global Governance option, Power and Borders.
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Volume 30, Number 2
Article
Page
numbers
Links to specification content
Volcanoes and ice caps: case study of
Iceland
2–6
Hazardous Earth (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Glaciated Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option)
Ecclesfield: case study of a changing
place
7–9
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and
A-level core)
Question and answer Changing spaces,
making places
10–13
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and
A-level core)
Development update Ageing populations
14–15
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and
A Level core)
Cooking fuel in developing countries:
can it be sustainable?
16–19
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core)
Centrepiece Ancient Crete: a
catastrophic earthquake
20–21
Hazardous Earth (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Who owns Antarctica? Case study of a
global commons
22–26
Power and Borders (A-level Global
Governance option)
Geographical skills Fieldwork at AS
27–29
Geographical and Fieldwork Skills (AS core)
Sediments in landscape systems:
stores, landforms and impacts
30–33
Landscape Systems (AS and A-level core)
Geographical ideas The concept of
place: characteristics, change and
connections
34–36
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and
A-level core)
Dynamic drylands: understanding the
processes at work
37–41
Dryland Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option)
The big picture Rural vs urban
42
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and
A-level core)
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core)
Volcanoes and ice caps: case study of Iceland
The main emphasis of this article is on volcanic activity in Iceland so it will be of most use to the
students of Hazardous Earth (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option). There is some
background material on ice caps on the island, and so it will also be of some interest to students
taking the Glaciated Landscapes (AS and A-level Landscape Systems option)
The geological background to vulcanicity on Iceland is explained well, especially the link between the
constructive plate margin and the volcanic plume (or hot spot). This is followed by an analysis of
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volcanic activity during the ice ages, and more recently. The article ends with a more detailed
examination of the recent eruption of Bárðarbunga – the initial signs, the immediate responses, the
impacts and the reasons why it did not affect the rest of the world as greatly as was feared. This is an
interesting article with some excellent data resources that students may need to take time to examine.
(Note that the key to the colours shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is provided on Figure 3).
Ecclesfield: case study of a changing place
This excellent piece will be of great use to students and teachers alike in support of the Changing
Spaces; Making Places (AS and A Level core) topic. A crucial element of both levels of the course is
the study of two contrasting place profiles at a local scale, including their demographic,
socioeconomic, cultural and political characteristics. This article covers all of these aspects.
However, another main benefit of this article is that is serves as an exemplar of how students can
generate their own investigations in an area that is local to them. This could lead to a fieldwork
investigation, using this case study content as a template to follow.
Question and answer Changing spaces, making places
The theme of Changing Spaces; Making Places continues into this next piece. The sample question
comes from the OCR specification; students are strongly advised to study the questions, the sample
answers and the commentary.
Teachers and students should also take note of the varying nature of the examination questions, and
recognise the different demands that they make. Question (a) assesses knowledge, whereas Question
(b) (i) assesses a skill. Question (b) (ii) uses the word ‘appropriate’ and hence requires a degree of
evaluation. Question (c) requires analysis of unfamiliar data, and application of those data. The final
essay question (d) is much more complex, requiring the interplay of knowledge and understanding and
evaluation, and as with all longer-response questions, a key element will be the degree to which the
candidate can construct a logical argument. This is an exceptionally useful article for OCR students.
Development update Ageing populations
This Development Update should be of general interest to all students, as it reflects some significant
challenges that they will be faced with in the UK in future years. It is not directly relevant to the OCR
specifications, although it does have potential links to the Global Migration topic, perhaps relating to
the movement of retirees to places like southern Spain.
Cooking fuel in developing countries: can it be sustainable?
Although it is not directly linked to any part of the OCR specification, aspects of this article will be of
general interest to all students of Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core). This requires students
to examine changes in the carbon cycle involving human activities such as deforestation. This article
looks at the ever growing demand for fuelwood and charcoal for domestic cooking purposes. The
reasons for the growth in the use of charcoal, and its impacts on forested areas and human health are
examined, together with an overview of the strategies being employed to address the resultant issues
in sub-Saharan countries. This may also be linked to the Disease Dilemmas topic (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option), which requires the study of a country experiencing air pollution.
Centrepiece Ancient Crete: a catastrophic earthquake
This Centrepiece will be of general interest to students of Hazardous Earth (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option). Although this region and the associated geological events involving
plate movement, earthquakes and tsunamis are unlikely to feature as a case study in an examination
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context, it is interesting to note how all of these have combined and manifested themselves in a
relatively small geographical area.
Who owns Antarctica? Case study of a global commons
This article is useful for those studying Power and Borders (A-level Global Governance option). The
OCR specification focuses mainly on sovereignty and territorial integrity. The potential challenges and
conflicts over resources in locations such as Antarctica can be linked to the need for global
governance, with the role of treaties being explicitly mentioned in the specification content.
Geographical skills Fieldwork at AS
It is not known just how many students will be taking the new AS qualification in geography, but what
is known is that the assessment of the fieldwork element is different from that of previous
specifications. In the OCR AS specification, there is a section in Landscape and Place paper with
questions based on the fieldwork undertaken by the student during the compulsory 2 days in the field,
and questions based on an unfamiliar context that will be generated by the examiners.
This excellent column summarises all of the various forms of the fieldwork assessment, and provides
a useful table of the differences between the examination boards. It should be read carefully and
understood fully, but OCR students should ensure they focus on the requirements for their own
specification only.
Sediments in landscape systems: stores, landforms and impacts
Under the new generation of AS and A-level specifications, students will quickly become aware of the
importance of systems theory. The general concept of storage is a key element within this framework.
The article may form an ‘extension’ piece that students can read to enhance their understanding of
these important areas of conceptual content. The OCR AS and A-level Landscape Systems topic has
an explicit reference in its preamble to the “movements of materials” as underpinning (along with
energy flows) this area of study.
This article focuses on the role of the storage of sediments, and especially those ‘stored’ as landforms.
The author looks at glacial depositional landforms, hillslope landforms and processes, and introduces
the concept of ‘residence time’ in the movement of sediments. The role of human activity is then
examined, both at the larger scale (farming practices in the mid-west) and smaller scale (field
boundaries and agricultural terraces). The movement of sediments between different temporary
storage locations also results in impacts that can affect agricultural landscapes such as that of
Flanders in Belgium. This in turn has generated enforced changes to the landscape to deal with the
issues caused. The study of sediment stores and movements between stores can also help us to
understand how pollutants and carbon (in the form of organic matter) move through a landscape. This
could be linked to the carbon cycle, which is studied in Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core).
Geographical ideas The concept of place: characteristics, change and
connections
This is the third article examining the concept of place in this issue, thereby reinforcing the importance
of the ‘new’ concept within Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and A-level core). This piece
examines the concept in a more theoretical manner, explaining the meaning of ‘characteristics,
change and connections’. In the study of place students are encouraged to examine the actual (or
real) endogenous factors (physical, economic and demographic) and exogenous factors (connections
with other places) as well as more subjective characteristics of that place such as perceptions and
meanings. This Geographical Ideas column looks at the former.
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What constitutes a place is examined in some detail, and a useful framework for study is provided.
This is followed by a section on the factors that may cause change in a place. Again these can be
from within (endogenous) and/or from beyond (exogenous). Some useful exemplars are used to
illustrate the points made, together with another useful framework to apply to an individual student’s
place studies. Finally, many of the changes that occur in a place are due to the ongoing development
of connections with the wider world, both near and far. Over time therefore a place develops as a
series of layers, or a palimpsest, which can be unravelled in order to develop a greater appreciation of
that place.
Once again this is essential reading for all OCR AS and A-level students of this core area of study,
and could be a useful introduction to the concepts involved before embarking upon the study of
contrasting places.
Dynamic drylands: understanding the processes at work
Students of Dryland Landscapes (AS and A-level Landscape Systems option) will find this piece a
highly useful resumé of the processes operating in their landscape study. It examines key concepts
such as the aridity index, sources of energy, sediments and major landforms (sand dunes, yardangs
and smaller-scale features) resulting from deposition and erosion. The article also briefly addresses
human–environment interactions — where the activity of humans has had a largely damaging impact
on the natural landscape.
This is essential reading for students of this area of study as the OCR specification refers to most of
these landforms explicitly, as well as requiring the study of the impact of human activity on this
landscape system.
The big picture Rural vs urban
This photograph will also be of interest to all OCR students in their work within the Changing Spaces;
Making Places topic (AS and A-level core) As noted earlier, it is becoming clear that this aspect of
geography presents challenges for teachers and students alike, taking them into unfamiliar areas of
geographical understanding. The representation of places in and between diverse media is one such
challenge, and it is discussion of material such as this that will help stimulate deeper understanding of
the concepts involved, which is an explicit requirement of the OCR specification.
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Volume 30, Number 3
Article
Page
numbers
Links to specification content
Holistic coastal management: the SMP
for the east Norfolk coast
2–6
Coastal Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option)
Question and answer Understanding the
Assessment Objectives
7–9
All forms of assessment
Visual research on changing places: an
example from Hackney
10–12
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS
and A-level core)
Investigative Geography (A-level core)
Geographical and Fieldwork Skills (AS
core)
Geographical skills Studying local places
13–15
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS
and A-level core)
Investigative Geography (A-level core)
Geographical and Fieldwork Skills (AS
core)
Land grabbing in Laos and Cambodia:
understanding why it happens
16–19
Future of Food (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Centrepiece Electricity from UK tidal
energy
20–21
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level
core)
Climate Change (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Fracking in North Dakota: a case study
with lessons for the UK
22–26
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level
core)
Geographical ideas Feedback
27–29
Landscape Systems (AS and A-level
core)
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level
core)
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Glacial landsystems: modelling glacial
processes and landforms
30–34
Glaciated Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option)
Climate change update The global
warming pause
35–37
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level
core)
Climate Change (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Superpower without empire: how the USA
achieved global dominance
37–41
Trade in the Contemporary World (A-level
Global Connections option)
The big picture Desert landscapes in the
Nile Valley
42
Dryland Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option)
Holistic coastal management: the SMP for the east Norfolk coast
This article will be of direct interest to students of the Coastal Landscapes (AS and A-level Landscape
Systems option), and specifically that section examining the intentional impact of human activity. The
author introduces the concept of Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) in the UK before focusing on
the example of SMP6 — the east Norfolk coast.
As with all SMPs, the management of this section of the British coastline is a complex task, and a
single, hold-the-line approach has proved ineffective here. It is accepted that some areas will have to
face managed realignment, which means some land will be lost. Strategies adopted will vary
according to the circumstances of the place affected, and decided by means of a series of cost–
benefit analyses.
This is a very useful article, with some excellent case-study information that can be used in an
examination context. They key issues for OCR students are those relating to the impact of this
management on sediment budgets. The use of beach replenishment and offshore reefs at Sea Palling
are therefore especially useful illustrations.
Question and answer Understanding the Assessment Objectives
This piece is essential reading for all students of the new (first examined 2017) AS and A-level
specifications. Assessment Objectives (AOs) are not new, but their significance has not been quite as
important to students in the past as it is now. All questions in the AS/A-level examinations will be
clearly structured around three AOs, and it is important that students recognise the types of questions
that will assess specific AOs, and combinations of AOs. As the author points out, strong hints are
provided by the command words used.
This excellent article provides a clear step-by-step approach to understanding what each AO means,
what is needed to answer questions that combine the AOs — particularly those involving extended
prose responses — what the command words mean and how they should be responded to.
Finally, all examination boards will make use of ‘to what extent’ type questions. It is crucial that
students come to a view in their responses, based on the evidence they present. As elsewhere, clear
advice on tackling these questions is offered in this Question and Answer.
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Visual research on changing places: an example from Hackney
The Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and A-level core) theme continues to provide a
background for GEOGRAPHY REVIEW articles. One of the emphases in Changing Spaces; Making
Places is to make use of more qualitative evidence than has been done in the past. This article
describes the use of visual material (photo and film) in examining the changing social and cultural
characteristics within the London borough of Hackney. The concepts of relationship and meaning are
also central to the piece.
As teachers and students come to terms with this ‘new’ area of study for A-level geography, this article
provides some ideas, and possibly inspiration, for the type of work they could undertake both within
and beyond the classroom. Indeed, some students may be tempted to try something like this for
themselves for their individual piece of fieldwork.
Geographical skills Studying local places
The themes of Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and A-level core) and fieldwork using qualitative
data continue with this article. Many ideas for group activities and individual research are provided,
which teachers and students will find equally useful. Some are more straightforward, whereas others
demand an ‘alternative’ way of looking at fieldwork, for example, the notion of ‘psychogeography’ is
introduced, which many may not be familiar with. Quantitative and qualitative fieldwork techniques can
be used together and can often support each other.
Land grabbing in Laos and Cambodia: understanding why it happens
This article is directly linked to Future of Food (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option). It looks
at the role played by foreign companies, and even governments, in changing the agricultural system in
these two places. This relates to the key ideas concerning the influence of globalisation and issues of
food security. The specification uses the term land grabbing (although not land rush), and these
underlying concepts can provide a useful context within which to investigate a case study to meet the
requirement for an illustration of how human and physical factors cause issues with food security.
Centrepiece Electricity from UK tidal energy
This Centrepiece will be of interest to students of Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core) and
Climate Change (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option). It links to areas of the specification
relating to the ways in which humans respond to climate and influence the carbon cycle. The most
explicit link is to the Climate Change topic, where there are specific references to the development of
low-carbon energy sources as part of mitigation strategies to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.
Furthermore, some brief examples are provided which students could use to support their work and
examination answers.
Fracking in North Dakota: a case study with lessons for the UK
This article will also be of interest to students of the Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core)
Climate Change (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option). One key element of the specification
which this article addresses is the requirement in the Climate Change topic to study the enhancement
of the greenhouse effect during the anthropocene. In the Earth’s Life Support Systems topic, there is a
need to study how human factors can disturb the natural processes and stores of the carbon cycle.
In addition, with fracking being such a controversial issue, one would hope that all students with an
interest in economic and environmental geography would want to read this article to examine how
some of the issues associated with fracking that have arisen in North Dakota might transfer across to
the UK. There has been much in the news about exactly this very recently.
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Geographical ideas Feedback
One of the key elements of the new AS/A-level specifications is the need for students to appreciate
that underlying key geographical concepts transcend all aspects of the subject. The ALCAB report
produced for the new specifications identified 13 such ‘specialised’ concepts. They may feature in the
content of the specification, or in the examination questions based on the content, and student
answers to those questions should show an understanding of these concepts.
This article is the third in a series looking at these underlying key concepts in detail. It seeks to explain
the meaning of feedback, both positive and negative, and how it can be applied to a range of
geographical contexts (although not all that may be possible). This particular concept demonstrates
well how there are commonalities between processes operating in the physical environment and in the
human environment. It should be essential reading for all AS and A-level students.
Glacial landsystems: modelling glacial processes and landforms
This article will be of use to some AS and A-level students in their work on Glaciated Landscapes (AS
and A-level Landscape Systems option). At the outset the article emphasises that students should
recognise the importance of the links between processes and a series of landforms, and seek to move
away from studies of landforms in isolation. The outcome of such a series of connections is termed
‘landsystem’ in this article, although this is not a term used in the OCR specification.
The author illustrates the concept with reference to a number of glacial landsystem contexts: morainic,
fluvioglacial and subglacial, in Iceland. It is clear that there are many forms of landsystem that can
occur in a range of glacial environments, each dependent on the characteristics of the glacier or ice
sheet, and the area within which it is located. Furthermore such analysis can be used to reconstruct
previous glaciated landscapes, such as that in the Lake District. The use of aerial imagery
(photographs or remote sensing such as Google Earth) can assist this process greatly. The Lake
District is a case study used in the Hodder OCR A-level Geography textbook, endorsed by OCR, for
this course and so students may be familiar with some of the locations mentioned.
This is a conceptually challenging piece which perhaps only the more able students will fully
appreciate.
Climate change update The global warming pause
This piece will be of interest to all students with views about climate change. Furthermore, one of the
key elements of the Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core) of the OCR specification is to study
the extent to which the water and carbon cycles are linked. The Climate Change topic (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option) also requires students to understand that the Earth’s climate is
dynamic.
The article considers the apparent slowdown in global mean surface temperatures during the early
part of this century. The author examines the reasons for this, as well as explaining why variability in
global temperature increase is a normal phenomenon — the role of other planetary systems, such as
El Niño and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation has to be considered too. Some of the graphical data
provided are complicated but well worth close consideration. As with the previous article, more able
students are likely to find it most useful.
Superpower without empire: how the USA achieved global dominance
This article relates to the Trade in the Contemporary World (A-level Global Connections option) topic.
It considers the way USA has a strong influence on the global trade system to its own advantage. The
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USA is a case study of an AC used in the Hodder textbook, endorsed by OCR, for this topic. This
article provides useful supporting material, as well as an economic and political context. The most
useful section of the article is that referring to the role of TNCs, such as Cargill,
The article is written in a clear style and also contains some evaluative statements on the role of the
USA in global geopolitics. These are, of course, the views of the author, and students may also want
to consider the evidence and form their own views about ‘Americanisation’. Indeed, they should be
encouraged to do so.
The big picture Desert landscapes in the Nile Valley
This photograph will be of interest to students in their work for Dryland Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option). It is striking to see such a contrast in the landscape of two areas within a
relatively short distance of each other, separated by the River Nile. It could be used to illustrate to
students the need to examine landscapes holistically, and not as if they are made up of separate
landforms.
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Volume 30, Number 4
Article
Page
numbers
Links to specification content
The global carbon budget: the carbon
cycle and global warming
2–5
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level
core)
Climate Change (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Exploring Oceans (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Question and answer Coastal systems
and landscapes
6–9
Coastal Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option)
Is India a single place? Identity,
development and culture
10–13
Human Rights (A-level Global
Governance option)
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS
and A- Level core)
Geographical ideas The concept of
place: meaning, representation and
conflict
13–16
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS
and A- Level core)
Geographical skills Investigating
landscapes
16–19
Landscape Systems (AS and A-level
core)
Investigative Geography (A-level core)
Geographical and Fieldwork Skills (AS
core)
Centrepiece The youngest glacier on
Earth
20–21
Landscape Systems (AS and A-level
core)
Governing the global commons:
Antarctica, the Arctic and outer space
compared
22–24
Power and Borders (Global Governance
A-level option)
Everybody’s talking about… Wicked
problems
25–27
All topic areas, potentially
Accessibility to health services:
assessing population patterns
28-31
Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS
and A- Level core)
Everybody’s talking about…The circular
economy
34-36
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level
core)
Exploring Oceans (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Climate Change (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
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Giant icebergs and the carbon cycle
37–41
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level
core)
Glaciated Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option)
Climate Change (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
Exploring Oceans (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
The big picture Desalination and water
security
42
Dryland Landscapes (AS and A-level
Landscape Systems option)
Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level
core)
Exploring Oceans (AS and A-level
Geographical Debates option)
The global carbon budget: the carbon cycle and global warming
This article will be of direct interest to students of Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core) and
Climate Change (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option) topics. It starts with a clear summary
of the current global position regarding carbon dioxide emissions and anthropomorphic climate
change. The data from Mauna Loa are well known and widely used but provide a striking view of the
current trend.
The role of sinks (long-term stores) is considered and there are useful references to mitigation
strategies, including the use of BECCS. The specification explicitly refers to carbon sequestration and
the reduction of emissions as influences of humans on the carbon cycle. In the Climate Change topic
the specification refers to the role of the IPCC, which is covered here, and the geopolitics of
international agreements, such as Paris 2015. The role of oceans as carbon sinks links to the
Exploring Oceans (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option) topic.
This is a very useful article, with some excellent data that could be used in an examination context.
Question and answer Coastal systems and landscapes
Some of the content of this question corresponds to the OCR specification, although this is an AQA
question. The style of the assessment differs (OCR does not use multiple-choice questions, for
instance) and the OCR specification does not require the study of coastal flooding or its management.
However, there is a requirement for a case study of human activity intentionally causing change within
coastal landscape systems, and the management of erosion could relate to that part of the topic.
The comments about question 1.6 are relevant to OCR essay questions, which will also have an
evaluative command, such as ‘to what extent…’ as well as an equal split of marks between AO1 and
AO2 (see Q&A in issue 3).
Is India a single place? Identity, development and culture
India may be used as a case study to illustrate various elements of the OCR specification and much of
this article is useful background reading and context. The section on gender inequality has explicit
links to the Human Rights topic (A-level Global Governance option) which has just such a case-study
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requirement. It is also relevant to the Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and A-level core) topic in
which students need to study how and why people perceive places in different ways based on their
identity (including age and gender).
Geographical ideas The concept of place: meaning, representation and conflict
This piece builds on the one in issue 2 that addressed ‘real’ characteristics of place by now addressing
‘imagined’ feelings about places. In the OCR specification Changing Spaces; Making Places (AS and
A-level core) topic, this is covered in the key idea that people see, experience and understand place in
different ways. The notion of a contested place is addressed in the key idea about rebranding in which
there is a content statement that ‘some groups of people contest efforts to rebrand a place’. It is also
worth noting that the OCR specification refers to ‘players’ rather than ‘stakeholders’. This article
should help further develop students’ grasp of this new geographical idea.
Geographical skills Investigating landscapes
This latest column is designed to give students (and teachers) ideas for fieldwork that could be
undertaken at AS, as well as applied to the individual investigation for A-level. Most of this piece is
about glaciated landscapes, which are an AS and A-level option in the Landscape System topic.
Doubtless many students will undertake fieldwork in Snowdonia, the Lake District or Scotland and
there are plenty of appropriate practical suggestions here. The brief reference to coastal fieldwork
adds a new dimension to the widely used techniques of beach-sediment analysis. Those following the
dryland landscapes option may find it more difficult to undertake fieldwork in a genuine dryland, but
the specification does allow for coastal fieldwork on matters such as sand movement and dune
development.
Centrepiece The youngest glacier on Earth
This Centrepiece will be of interest to students choosing the Glaciated Landscapes option within
Landscape Systems (AS and A-level core). It links to the section of the topic on glacier mass balance,
and provides interesting, and unusual, impacts of volcanic activity. Not only does the heat generated
cause melting, but the glacier is being squeezed by the expanding cone, leading to increased rates of
glacial movement.
Governing the global commons: Antarctica, the Arctic and outer space
compared
The issue of ownership of Antarctica is well known and well documented, and many students are
aware of the Antarctic Treaty. The melting of Arctic sea ice and the potential for transport routes as
well as extraction of sea-bed resources is now creating further, similar issues. This is especially
relevant to those studying the Exploring Oceans topic (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option),
in which global commons and UNCLOS are both explicitly mentioned. This article also provides useful
context for those studying the Power and Borders topic (Global Governance A-level option). The
comparison to outer space is a thought-provoking and clever idea.
Everybody’s talking about… Wicked problems
Students may not be familiar with the term ‘wicked problems’, but they will come across many of these
during the 2 years of their A-level course. Indeed, A-level specifications, as the article correctly states,
require that students:

can recognise and be able to analyse the complexity of people–environment interactions at all
geographical scales.
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Wicked problems such as climate change (at a global scale) and the rebranding of a small town (at a
local scale) could both feature in the OCR course that you follow.
Accessibility to health services: assessing population patterns
This article links well with the study of social inequality in the Changing Spaces; Making Places topic
(AS and A- Level core). Many of the factors influencing accessibility discussed in the article are
mentioned in the specification content, including age, gender and ethnicity. The use of GIS is also a
useful reminder of how such tools can present and analyse data, something which may be useful in
fieldwork and investigations.
Development update Why do children miss out on school?
The OCR specification does not refer to the Sustainable Development Goals, and there is not a topic
explicitly on development. However, issues relating to the (unequal) provision of education are
mentioned in the Human Rights topic (A-level Gobal Governance option) in relation to gender
inequality and how conflict can be caused by the challenges of educational opportunity.
Everybody’s talking about… The circular economy
This piece pulls together a number of ideas relating to the the future of the global economy. The main
links to the OCR specification lie in the references to the increase in use of renewable energy sources
which will impact on both the carbon cycle in Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core) and Climate
Change (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option). Some of the references to the reduction in
food waste are relevant to the Future of Food topic (A-level Geographical Debates option).
Table 1 in the article is a useful reminder that students should consider a range of geographical scales
when considering the impact of global issues such as these.
Giant icebergs and the carbon cycle
Icebergs are a little-considered component of the global carbon cycle, helping move carbon, as carbon
dioxide, between the atmosphere and ocean, although in the OCR specification there are explicit
references to the cryosphere, of which icebergs are a part.
This excellent and interesting article is, therefore, highly relevant to the Earth’s Life Support Systems
topic (A-level core). It also has some important links with other topics, such as Glaciated Landscapes
(AS and A-level Landscape Systems option), Climate Change (AS and A-level Geographical Debates
option) and Exploring Oceans (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option). There is a useful
comment regarding the fact that giant icebergs may have a negative feedback effect on global climate,
providing a relevant example of the application of that important geographical concept.
The big picture Desalination and water security
The use of sea water as a source of water supply has links to the OCR topics of Dryland Landscapes
(AS and A-level Landscape Systems option), Earth’s Life Support Systems (A-level core) and
Exploring Oceans (AS and A-level Geographical Debates option). Although desalination has been
taking place for many years in a number of dryland areas, and even in the UK, this new plant indicates
both the scale of the operation involved and the serious potential impacts it has on many aspects of
the environment. Some of the newest plants, such as the one in Perth, Australia, are partly powered
by renewable energy from a nearby wind farm, helping to reduce the environmental impact.
This resource is part of GEOGRAPHY REVIEW, a magazine written for A–level students by subject experts.
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