Paper 2 Case Studies (Not Rio, Bristol or India)

Question 1

How is Freiburg an example of good social planning?

Answer 1

Examples include:
- Local people being involved in the decisions being made in the city
- Locals can invest in renewable resources - £5 mil was invested in 9 windmills, 8 solar farms and a HEP plant
- Investors received financial returns and free football season tickets
- Rewards also given to those who compost waste and use textile nappies

Question 2

How many businesses are there in Freiburg’s ‘Solar Valley’ and how many people are employed there?

Answer 2

There are over 1,500 businesses employing over 10,000 people.

Question 3

How many people are employed in advancing solar technology in Freiburg?

Answer 3

1000+ people are employed in advancing and manufacturing solar technology.

Question 4

What other examples of businesses are there in Solar Valley in Freiburg?

Answer 4

• The Solar Factory, which employs 250 people to make solar panels
  
  • The Solar Training Centre provides training for skills related to solar technology
  • The Institute for Solar Energy Systems, conducting research and has recently developed systems for solar cooling

Question 5

Give 3 ways that Freiburg has successfully done environmental planning well.

Answer 5

Examples include:
- Having 350 community recycling collection points
- Recycling over 88% of packaging waste
- 1 million corks recycled per year
- Reduction in annual waste disposal from 140,000t to 50,000t in 12 years
- Energy recovery waste disposal provides energy for 28,000 people

Question 6

What is Vauban, Freiburg and why is it an example of environmental planning?

Answer 6

Vauban is a residential area regenerated from former army barracks that houses ~5,500 people with low-energy buildings, plenty of green space and green roofs to collect and store rainwater.

Question 7

Give 2 methods in which Freiburg conserves water.

Answer 7

Methods include:
- Collecting rainwater directly
- Green roofs
- Unpaved tramways
- Pervious pavements that allow water to soak through

Question 8

How many solar panel installations are there in Freiburg?

What is Freiburg’s main source of renewable energy and what fuels does it use?

Answer 8

There are about 400 solar panel installations in Freiburg.

Biomass is Freiburg’s largest proportion of renewable energy consisting primarily of waste wood and rapeseed oil.

Question 9

Give 3 ways in which Freiburg has increased green spaces in the city.

Answer 9

Examples include:
- 40% of the city is forested
- 44,000 trees planted in parks and streets
- The Risenfield District has 240/318 hectares of its land as green space
- The River Dreisam is not managed and has a natural ecosystem
- 600 hectares of parks planted with only native shrubs and trees

Question 10

How has London improved the speed of its public transport?

Answer 10

London is continuously adding new Underground and train lines, such as the Elizabeth Line, Crossrail and Docklands Light Railway

Question 11

How has London used an Integrated Transport System?

Answer 11

The Oyster card and Zip card allow citizens to travel across several different forms of transport including trains, buses and the Underground.

Question 12

How has London used cheap public transport?

Answer 12

There are many self-service bicycles available for hire with lots of bike lanes and signals allowing for safer travels.

Question 13

Give 2 ways that Freiburg has achieved sustainable traffic management.

Answer 13

Methods include:
- Low fares for public transport
- Tram network connected to bus routes
- 70% of the population live within 500m of a tram stop
- 400km of cycle paths
- Heavy restrictions on parking spaces - Vauban parking costs £20,000

Question 14

What is Kenya’s HDI and GDP per capita?

Answer 14

Kenya’s HDI is 0.58 and its GDP per capita is $4000

Question 15

What are 2 advantages of tourism in Kenya?

Answer 15

Benefits include:
- 226,500 jobs directly created from the tourism industry
- 12% of jobs rely indirectly on tourism
- Employs over 1.1 million people
- Makes up 4% of Kenya’s GDP directly, and 12% indirectly
- Has brought over USD$5.3 billion in profits
- The Madraka Express was a rail link created for tourist travel but has been integrated into local commutes
- 24 national parks that are wildlife reserves

Question 16

What are 2 disadvantages of tourism in Kenya?

Answer 16

Drawbacks include:
- Terror attacks in 2019 and 2015 made tourist numbers drop, proving it to be unreliable
- Economic leakage can occur through tourist companies in HICs
- Tourists can degrade environments and disrupt habitats
- Some jobs in tourism are poor quality and pay less
- Indigineous communities like the Maasai people are forced off land to build tourist areas.

Question 17

How is Torr Quarry important to the local area? Give 2 details.

Answer 17

Examples include:
- 1/8 of the limestone quarries in Mendip Hills
- Over 100 people employed
- Contributes £15 mil every year to the economy
- Produces 5 million (formerly 8 million) tonnes of material every year
- A nationally important source of construction materials

Question 18

Give 2 examples of action being taken to make Torr Quarry more sustainable.

Answer 18

Examples include:
- Parts restored to create wildlife lakes
- Creation of characteristic limestone features
- 200 acres landscaped
- 10 stations monitoring noise, vibrations, emissions, dust and water quality monthly
- Use of rail transport instead of motor vehicles

Question 19

How much did water shortages cost the Chinese industry?

Answer 19

Water shortages cost roughly US$40 billion in lower industrial production.

Question 20

Why was the China south-north water transfer scheme needed?

Answer 20

The north of China has long been a centre of population, industry and agriculture, resulting in a high population and a water deficit. Compared to the south, with high levels of rainfall and a low population density. The scheme aims to reduce over-abstraction and solve the water problems in the north.

Question 21

What are 3 advantages of the South-North China water transfer scheme?

Answer 21

Advantages include:
- The transfer scheme will provide clean water to over 500 million people
- Increased water supply means that fewer people will drink dirty/contaminated water
- Subsidence is becoming less common as over-abstraction no longer occurs
- Farms are now more productive with a more secure water supply
- Additional water helps China cope with climate change

Question 22

.What are 3 disadvantages of the South-North China water transfer scheme?

Answer 22

Disadvantages include:
- Hundreds of people were displaced through the construction of dams and reservoirs
- Droughts are becoming more common in the south
- Over 3,500 businesses were forced to close and relocate during the construction
- The scheme cost a total of US$62 billion
- The region is prone to earthquakes, which may cause extensive damage to the scheme
- Considerable rates of evaporation from the canals and resevoirs

Question 23

Where are the Machakos sand dams located?

Answer 23

The Machakos sand dams are located in Southern Kenya, where there are hot temperatures, seasonal rains and water scarcity.

Question 24

How do the Machakos sand dams work?

Answer 24

• A small concrete wall, ~1m is built across a riverbed
• During the rainy season, sand is trapped behind the dam
• ~1/3 of material is rain which is absorbed into the sand
• The sand also prevents water from evaporating during the dry season
• Water is extracted via a well or tap
• Water is available all year round

Question 25

Give 3 reasons why the Machakos sand dams in sustainable.

Answer 25

Reasons include:
- Uses local material
- Provides water without depleting groundwater supply
- Doesn’t pollute local environment
- Low cost and easy to build, accessible to all economies
- Saves people walking time (~9km) to collect water so they are able to set up small businesses