Risks of Economic Development (AQA GCSE Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Value of Cold Environments
Wilderness areas are wild, natural environments that are mostly unchanged by people
They are mainly undisturbed, undeveloped, and usually uninhabited
They are considered important and worthwhile areas to protect because:
They provide niche habitats for organisms, which protect biodiversity
Scientists can research plants and animals in their natural habitats
Comparing natural ecosystems to managed ecosystems is useful
They are the last remaining areas that are unaltered by human activity
Cold environments are fragile and take a long time to recover if damaged
Climate change is one of the main threats to extreme environments
Other factors which can damage them are mainly caused by humans
Plant growth is already very slow: If plants are damaged (e.g. by vehicle tyres) they take even longer to regrow, if at all
As species are already highly specialised, they would find it difficult to adapt to further change: e.g. polar bears are adapted to hunt on sea ice and their number are decreasing as sea ice melts earlier each year
Pollution: Oil spills, such as the Exxon Valdez, have caused environmental catastrophes in the past
Land degradation: Permafrost melting due to buildings heating up land, especially around big urban centres
Management of Cold Environments
In order for cold environments to survive, there needs to be some sustainable management
Sustainable management:
Makes sure an environment can recover quickly from any use
Prevents damage to the environment
Helps local people get benefit from their environment
Helps local people understand the benefits
Basic management strategies include:
Using geothermal power where available
Having conservation zones to protect Arctic fauna and flora
Promoting native cultures
Protecting the environment from pollution
Promoting ecotourism
Use of technology
Sustainable management at a local level:
Iceland uses many sustainable energy supplies. Because it is volcanic, the heat under the earth can be harnessed for Geothermal Energy. The steam from the heat drives turbines to generate electricity but is also used to heat greenhouses where crops are grown
How global actions can protect:
One example of how global actions have protected a polar region is the 1961 Antarctic Treaty
It is one of the most successful international agreements, which restricts commercial exploitation of Antarctica
Following this, the 1998 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty set out rules about what can be done there:
No new activities are allowed until their impact has been thoroughly assessed
Cruise ships to the area, are restricted to no more than 500 passengers
There are visitor quotas of 100 and no more
No military or nuclear activities
Climate change is damaging the Arctic, and in 2008, polar bears were placed on the Endangered Species List
Government role:
Regulation of development is needed to prevent damage to the environment e.g. mineral and energy mining can cause ground and water pollution and logging activities destroy habitats
Environmental protections laws can be put in place, such as the 1964 Wilderness Act which designates wilderness areas but also protects them from future development, large parts of Alaska have protection laws in place
Investing in environmental science work such as NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the USA, which works to protect marine habitats and fisheries and check any activities are sustainable.
Conservation groups:
Conservation groups have less power than governments, but they can put pressure on governments to protect cold environments at risk or damaged
Groups such as Greenpeace and World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) encourage sustainable management and pressure governments to prevent any actions that would cause damage
They collect data and information independent of governments and monitor the reliability of other data
Create petitions, lobby and campaign for change
Report on issues and release findings to the public and governments, which spreads awareness on issues and boost donations
Worked Example
Evaluate whether economic development and the conservation of cold environments are achievable together.
[9 marks]
With levelled answers, you need to be clear with your explanation and use of case study examples
Remember this is not a complete answer but a guide to how you can achieve a level 3
You may not have studied the example used here:
Answer:
Example | Marks | Level |
|---|---|---|
The Antarctic Treaty was passed in 1961. Nearly 50 countries have signed it and agree to protect Antarctica from pollution, mining and drilling for oil until at least 2048. So far this has stopped any exploitation of the great mineral wealth found in the area. There is some economic activity in Antarctica, such as tourism. However, there is a risk to habitats and wildlife and spillage from ships. However, the treaty limits the number of tourists that can visit at a time. It can be shown therefore, that international treaties can be used to manage a cold environment and protect it from the negative effects of economic development. | 7-9 | 3 Detailed |
Climate change has brought higher temperatures and less rainfall to some areas. This also causes desertification, but I think that human factors are more important. With the population increasing, so does the number of animals grazing the land. This puts pressure on the remaining vegetation. The vegetation cover is destroyed, leaving the soil open to soil erosion. | 4-6 | 2 Clear |
Cold environments are very fragile. People go there on holidays. They explore for oil and gas. There are lots of minerals. There are plenty of fish. Numbers of tourists are kept small. Mining is banned. Economic development should not be allowed to go ahead. | 1-3 | 1 Basic |
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