OCR A-Level Geography Geographical debates (03), June 2025
Every question from OCR A-Level Geography Geographical debates (03), June 2025 (H481): 20 questions, 435 marks, each with its mark scheme and topic.
- Question 1 9 marks
Identify three limitations of Fig. 1 regarding climate change responses, and explain how humans influence the global mean energy balance.
Topic 3.1 Climate Change · 2.a. Humans have influenced the climate system, leading to a new epoch, the Anthropocene. · 4.c. Mitigation and adaptation are complementary strategies for reducing and managing the risks of climate change.
- Question 2 9 marks
Identify three limitations of a graph showing alcohol-related deaths and explain how physical barriers affect dealing with disease.
Topic 3.2 Disease Dilemmas · 3.b. Noncommunicable diseases have causes and impacts with mitigation and response strategies which have varying levels of success. · 4.b. Mitigation strategies to combat global pandemics and overcome physical barriers
- Question 3 9 marks
Identify three limitations of a figure showing piracy and explain how wave and tidal energy can be used as flow resources.
Topic 3.3 Exploring Oceans · 2.b. The use of ocean energy and mineral resources is a contested issue. · 5.c. Oceans present hazardous obstacles to human activities.
- Question 4 9 marks
Identify three limitations of a figure showing soil moisture data and explain how the globalisation of the food industry creates opportunities.
Topic 3.4 Future of Food · 1.b. Food is a precious resource and global food production can be viewed as an interconnected system. · 1.c. Globalisation is changing the food industry.
- Question 5 9 marks
Identify three limitations of a disaster-response model (Park model) and explain the different scales used to measure earthquake magnitude.
Topic 3.5 Hazardous Earth · 3.a. There is a variety of earthquake activity and resultant landforms and landscapes. · 5.c. The exposure of people to risks and their ability to cope with tectonic hazards changes over time.
- Question 6 12 marks
Examine how the formation of landforms within one landscape system (coastal, glaciated, or dryland) can be modified by climate change.
1.1.1 Option A – Coastal Landscapes · 1.1.2 Option B – Glaciated Landscapes · 1.1.3 Option C – Dryland Landscapes · 3.a. Emergent coastal landscapes form as sea level falls. · 3.b. Submergent coastal landscapes form as sea level rises. · 3.a. Glacio-fluvial landforms exist as a result of climate change at the end of glacial periods. · 3.b. Periglacial landforms exist as a result of climate change before and/or after glacial periods. · 3.a. Fluvial landforms can exist in dryland landscapes as a result of earlier pluvial periods. · 3.b. Periglacial landforms can exist as a result of earlier colder periods.
- Question 7 12 marks
Examine how the eradication of disease can be affected by issues of either human rights or territorial integrity.
Topic 3.2 Disease Dilemmas · 2.2.3 Global Governance: Option C – Human Rights · 2.2.4 Global Governance: Option D – Power and Borders · 5.b. Top down and bottom up strategies that deal with disease risk and eradication. · 1.a. There is global variation in human rights norms. · 1.a. The world political map of sovereign nation-states is dynamic. · 2.a. A multitude of factors pose challenges to sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Question 8 12 marks
Examine how pollution in the ocean can be affected by either global trade or global migration.
Topic 3.3 Exploring Oceans · 2.2.1 Global Systems: Option A – Trade in the Contemporary World · 2.2.2 Global Systems: Option B – Global Migration · 3.a. There are a variety of pollutants that affect the ocean system. · 3.c. The pattern of global ocean currents can disperse and concentrate pollution. · 5.a. Oceans have been and continue to be vital elements in the process of globalisation. · 1.a. International trade involves flows of merchandise, services and capital which vary spatially. · 1.a. Global migration involves dynamic flows of people between countries, regions and continents.
- Question 9 12 marks
Examine how food production can affect informal representations of place.
Topic 2.1 Changing Spaces; Making Places · Topic 3.4 Future of Food · 2.b. Places are represented through a variety of contrasting formal and informal agencies. · 1.b. Food is a precious resource and global food production can be viewed as an interconnected system. · 4.a. Imbalance in the global food system has physical and human impacts.
- Question 10 12 marks
Examine how volcanic eruptions can affect stores in the carbon cycle.
Topic 1.2 Earth’s Life Support Systems · Topic 3.5 Hazardous Earth · 1.b. The carbon and water cycles are systems with inputs, outputs and stores. · 2.b. Volcanic eruptions generate distinctive hazards.
- Question 11 33 marks
Discuss the extent to which climate modelling is essential for an effective human response to climate change.
Topic 3.1 Climate Change · 4.a. An effective human response relies on knowing what the future will hold. · 4.c. Mitigation and adaptation are complementary strategies for reducing and managing the risks of climate change. · 5.a. Effective implementation depends on policies and co-operation at all scales.
- Question 12 33 marks
To what extent do different agendas shape the debates of climate change over time?
Topic 3.1 Climate Change · 3.a. Debates of climate change are shaped by a variety of agendas.
- Question 13 33 marks
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of strategies used to respond to disease outbreaks.
Topic 3.2 Disease Dilemmas · 3.a. Communicable diseases have causes and impacts with mitigation and response strategies which have varying levels of success. · 4.a. Increasing global mobility impacts the diffusion of disease and the ability to respond to it, at a variety of scales. · 4.b. Mitigation strategies to combat global pandemics and overcome physical barriers · 5.b. Top down and bottom up strategies that deal with disease risk and eradication.
- Question 14 33 marks
Assess the relative importance of economic factors in influencing the spread of disease.
Topic 3.2 Disease Dilemmas · 1.a. Diseases can be classified and their patterns mapped. The spread of diseases is complex and influenced by a number of factors. · 1.b. There is a relationship between physical factors and the prevalence of disease which can change over time. · 2.a. As countries develop economically the frequency of communicable diseases decreases, while the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases rises. · 4.a. Increasing global mobility impacts the diffusion of disease and the ability to respond to it, at a variety of scales.
- Question 15 33 marks
Assess the extent to which socio-economic factors influence the use of oceans.
Topic 3.3 Exploring Oceans · 2.a. Biological resources within oceans can be used in sustainable or unsustainable ways. · 2.b. The use of ocean energy and mineral resources is a contested issue. · 2.c. Governing the oceans poses issues for the management of resources. · 5.a. Oceans have been and continue to be vital elements in the process of globalisation. · 5.b. Oceans are important spaces where countries challenge each other. · 5.c. Oceans present hazardous obstacles to human activities.
- Question 16 33 marks
Evaluate the extent to which the use of biological ocean resources will ever be sustainable.
Topic 3.3 Exploring Oceans · 2.a. Biological resources within oceans can be used in sustainable or unsustainable ways. · 2.c. Governing the oceans poses issues for the management of resources.
- Question 17 33 marks
Assess the extent to which contrasting levels of economic development determine the success of strategies to improve food security.
Topic 3.4 Future of Food · 1.a. The concept of food security is complex and patterns of food security varies spatially. · 5.b. There is a spectrum of strategies that exist to ensure and improve food security.
- Question 18 33 marks
To what extent is food security of global significance?
Topic 3.4 Future of Food · 1.a. The concept of food security is complex and patterns of food security varies spatially. · 1.b. Food is a precious resource and global food production can be viewed as an interconnected system. · 1.c. Globalisation is changing the food industry. · 2.a. A number of interrelated factors can influence food security. · 3.a. Risks to food security can be identified to highlight the most vulnerable societies. · 4.a. Imbalance in the global food system has physical and human impacts. · 5.a. Food is a geopolitical commodity; a number of key players will continue to influence the global food system.
- Question 19 33 marks
Assess the extent to which explosive volcanic eruptions generate the most dangerous hazards.
Topic 3.5 Hazardous Earth · 2.a. There is a variety of volcanic activity and resultant landforms and landscapes. · 2.b. Volcanic eruptions generate distinctive hazards. · 3.b. Earthquakes generate distinctive hazards.
- Question 20 33 marks
Evaluate the extent to which earthquakes generate distinctive hazards.
Topic 3.5 Hazardous Earth · 3.a. There is a variety of earthquake activity and resultant landforms and landscapes. · 3.b. Earthquakes generate distinctive hazards.