How to Revise Sustainability — AQA Education A-Level Environmental Science
Describe major global environmental challenges. Evaluate international responses (e.g., treaties)
Examiner Tips for Sustainability
- Use recent data or reports (e.g., IPCC) to support your points.
- Compare the Paris Agreement with the Kyoto Protocol to show progress and gaps.
- Consider economic and political factors when evaluating responses.
- When defining sustainability, always reference the Brundtland Commission (1987) for full marks, and explicitly name the three pillars.
- For ecological footprint, use precise terminology such as 'global hectares (gha)' and relate it to biocapacity to demonstrate deeper understanding.
- In extended responses, link the concept of ecological footprint to specific examples like national footprint comparisons or Earth Overshoot Day to show real-world application.
- When comparing sustainability approaches, ensure you evaluate trade-offs between the pillars rather than presenting one pillar in isolation.
- Always support your evaluation with specific named case studies, such as the Danish wind energy transition or Curitiba's sustainable urban planning.
Common Mistakes in Sustainability
- Listing challenges without explaining their significance.
- Overstating the success of treaties without acknowledging limitations.
- Ignoring the role of developing vs. developed countries in negotiations.
- Confusing sustainability with environmentalism alone, neglecting the social and economic pillars.
- Misinterpreting ecological footprint as being synonymous with carbon footprint, rather than a comprehensive measure including cropland, grazing land, fishing grounds, built-up land, forest area, and carbon demand on land.
- Assuming that a smaller ecological footprint always indicates sustainable practices without comparing it to the available biocapacity.
Key Marking Points
- Describe at least three major global environmental challenges.
- Explain the causes and impacts of each challenge.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of at least two international treaties or agreements.
- Discuss barriers to effective international cooperation.
- Suggest improvements for future international responses.
- Award credit for accurately defining sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland definition).