Personalised Learning Checklist
Edexcel A Level Geography
Unit 3: Contested Planet
1. Energy Security
Classification of energy supplies and their environmental costs
Examine how the access to and consumption of renewable and non-renewable energy is not evenly distributed
Assess how energy supply and consumptions depends on physical factors, cost, technology and public perception.
Examine how there are that are energy poor, while others have a surplus
Explain how the global demand for energy is growing at local, regional and global scales, especially in developing and emergent
economies (India and China)
Assess how energy security depends on resource availability and security of supply, and is affected by geopolitics
Examine how energy pathways, between producers and consumers, are complex and show increasing levels of risk e.g. trans-Siberian
gas Pipeline
Assess the economic and political risks if supplies are disrupted
Explain how increasing energy insecurity has led to exploration of difficult and sensitive areas e.g. Arctic Circle and Canadian oil shales
Examine energy TNCs and large producers and how they are powerful players in the global supply of energy
Examine the uncertainty over global energy supplies, reserves and demands
Evaluate the different responses to increasing energy demands. Each has costs and benefits.
Examine how energy insecurity can lead to geopolitical tension and conflict e.g. in the Middle East
Assess how meeting future needs may require radical approaches
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Edexcel A Level Geography
Unit 3: Contested Planet
2. Water Conflicts
Descibe how water supply is controlled by physical factors
Examine the fact fresh water supply is finite
Assess the growing mismatch between water supply and demand, which can lead to water stress and different scales
Examine how human activity can affect water availability
Access to water is often related to wealth and poverty
Assess how development, extraction and use of water sources can lead to environmental and supply problems e.g. the Middle East
Examine how potential for water conflict where demand exceeds supply, and where several players us the same system
Examine how water supply is a geopolitical issue which crosses political boundaries e.g. the states of the USA
Assess the environmental and political risks of developing pathways between areas of water surplus and deficit
Examine how trends in water demand and supply make the future insecure for many regions. Climate change may impact some areas
Examine the different players and decision makers which determine the future of water security, their aims may conflict
Assess the responses which include diverting supplies, increasing storage, conservation and restoration
Examine technologies roles in increasing water supply e.g. water transfer and desalinisation
Edexcel A Level Geography
Unit 3: Contested Planet
3. Biodiversity under threat
Define biodiversity in terms of genetic, species and ecosystem biodiversity
Examine the key processes and factors that influence biodiversity e.g. role of endemism, climate and human activity
Examine how the global distribution of biodiversity reveals important patterns and suggest pivotal areas exist
Assess the value of ecosystems in terms of biodiversity and ecological resources
Examine the value of biodiversity, in terms of goods and services and reconigse it is not equally valued
Describe the global distribution of threatened areas e.g. hotspots, threatened species
Examine how biodiversity is threatened globally (e.g. climate change and rising sea levels) and locally (e.g. economic development)
Assess how ecosystem processes are disrupted by these threats e.g. introduction of alien species or change in nutrient levels
Examine the link between economic development and ecosystem destruction - illustrated by ecoregions e.g. pristine areas, degraded
areas and protected areas
Examine the concept of sustainable yield as a way of determining the 'safe' use of ecosystems
Assess the balance between conservation, development and management
Examine the role of different players in managing biodiversity and resolving conflict
Assess the range of strategies and policies in managing biodiversity, each with advantages and disadvantages
Examine how the future of biodiversity is uncertain and may involve difficult choices
Edexcel A Level Geography
Unit 3: Contested Planet
4. Superpower Geographies
Define 'superpower'
Examine how international influence develops to include economic, cultural, military and geographical influence e.g. development of
USA and USSR
Explain the theories of superpower emergence
Examine how patterns of power changes over time - decline of British Empire, collapse of communism and rise of emergent
superpowers
Assess how the influence of superpowers varies regionally and globally e.g. emerging powers vs existing superpowers
Examine how power can be maintained directly (colonial rule) or indirectly (neo-colonial models of indirect influence)
Examine how superpowers play a key role in international decision-making through direct and indirect processes (e.g. UN, G8, EU)
Assess how superpowers control trade, in terms of generating wealth, power and maintaining global influence.
Examine how superpowers influence 'global culture' e.g. Americanisation
Examine the rise of the BRICS and continued growth of established superpowers and their demands on energy, water and land
Examine how shifting power has implications for older core regions e.g. USA and EU
Assess how shifting powers and the rise of the emerging powers has implications globally
Examine how shifting power can cause tensions or conflict between global cultures
Edexcel A Level Geography
Unit 3: Contested Planet
5. Bridging the Development Gap
Explain the global development gap and how it is measured
Examine the range of theories used to explain the development gap
Examine the role of global players and organisations - their differing roles and perspectives in relation to the development gap
Explain trade and investment and its role in the development gap
Assess the social, economic, environmental and political consequences for people in the most disadvantaged countries
Examine the development gap in the developing world's megacities e.g. Nairobi and Bangkok
Examine ethnic and/or religious dimensions to the development gap which can be associated with migrations, social unrest and new
political movements
Evaluate the positive and negative consequences of development
Examine the theories that attempt to reduce the development gap
Examine the strategies used to reduce the development gap - funding source, aims and winners and losers
Assess trade, investment and economic growths role in reducing the development gap
Assess the future of the development gap
Edexcel A Level Geography
Unit 3: Contested Planet
6. Technological Fix
Define technology and how it varies between countries and regions
Examine the geographical distribution of technology use at a range of scales. Distinct patterns linked to levels of development.
Examine how access to technology varies
Explain reasons for inequality of access to technology e.g. cost barriers, intellectual property and patent system; knowledge,
education, political or religious denial of access.
Examine the widening technology gap between knowledge based economies and those lacking technology
Assess technology leapfrogging as a way to overcome some barriers to development
Examine how technological innovation may have some unforeseen social, environmental and economic costs and benefits
Examine how the externalities of technology use e.g. pollution are costed in some economies but not in others
Examine the contrasts between appropriate/intermediate technology approaches vs megaprojects as models for development
Examine technologies role in overcoming global environmental issues
Examine the question - is increasing technology use environmentally sustainable?
Assess technological futures - a wealthy 'technologically fixed' world and a 'technologically poor' world?