IB Group 3 · Individuals and Societies
Geography
2019 syllabus · First examinations 2019
Seven optional themes, a core taken by everyone and an HL extension. Each note is tied to one content statement from the guide, with the case studies the syllabus actually prescribes marked on the card.
A. Option A: Freshwater
Drainage basin hydrology and river landforms, flooding and its mitigation, water scarcity and quality, and the futures of water management.
GEA.1 — Drainage basin hydrology and geomorphology
GEA.1.1 · The drainage basin as an open system with inputs
GEA.1.2 · River discharge and its relationship to stream flow, channel
GEA.1.3 · River processes of erosion, transportation and deposition and
GEA.1.4 · The formation of typical river landforms
GEA.2 — Flooding and flood mitigation
GEA.2.1 · Hydrograph characteristics
GEA.2.2 · How urbanization, deforestation and channel modifications
GEA.2.3 · Attempts at flood prediction
GEA.2.4 · Flood mitigation
GEA.3 — Water scarcity and water quality
GEA.3.1 · Physical and economic water scarcity
GEA.3.2 · Environmental consequences of agricultural activities on water
GEA.3.3 · Growing human pressures on lakes and aquifers
GEA.3.4 · Internationally shared water resources as a source of conflict
GEA.4 — Water management futures
GEA.4.1 · The importance of strengthening participation of local
GEA.4.2 · Increased dam building for multipurpose water schemes, and
GEA.4.3 · The growing importance of integrated drainage basin management
GEA.4.4 · Growing pressures on major wetlands and efforts to protect them
B. Option B: Oceans and coastal margins
Ocean-atmosphere interactions, coastal processes and landforms, managing coastal margins, and the future of ocean management.
GEB.1 — Ocean–atmosphere interactions
GEB.1.1 · The operation of ocean currents
GEB.1.2 · Atmosphere–oceanic interactions associated with El
GEB.1.3 · The formation, distribution and physical impacts of hurricanes
GEB.1.4 · The changing role of oceans as a store and source of carbon
GEB.2 — Interactions between oceans and coastal places
GEB.2.1 · Physical influences on coastal landscapes
GEB.2.2 · The characteristics and formation of coastal landforms of
GEB.2.3 · Advancing and retreating coastlines
GEB.2.4 · The role of coastal processes, wind and vegetation in sand dune
GEB.3 — Managing coastal margins
GEB.3.1 · Coastal erosion and flooding management strategies
GEB.3.2 · Conflicting land-use pressures on coastlines
GEB.3.3 · Management of coral reefs and mangrove swamps
GEB.3.4 · Sovereignty rights of nations in relation to territorial limits
GEB.4 — Ocean management futures
GEB.4.1 · Causes and consequences of increasing demand for the abiotic
GEB.4.2 · Trends in biotic resource use
GEB.4.3 · Strengths and weaknesses of initiatives to manage ocean
GEB.4.4 · The strategic value of oceans and sources of international
C. Option C: Extreme environments
Cold and arid environments: their characteristics, the processes that shape them, how they are managed, and the pressures on their future.
GEC.1 — The characteristics of extreme environments
GEC.1.1 · Global-scale distribution of cold and high altitude environments
GEC.1.2 · Relief and climatic characteristics that make environments
GEC.1.3 · How relief, climate, human discomfort, inaccessibility, and
GEC.1.4 · The changing distribution of extreme environments over time
GEC.2 — Physical processes and landscapes
GEC.2.1 · Glacial processes of erosion, transport and deposition, and
GEC.2.2 · Periglacial processes of freeze-thaw, solifluction and frost
GEC.2.3 · Physical and chemical weathering in hot arid environments, and
GEC.2.4 · Hot, arid landscape features
GEC.3 — Managing extreme environments
GEC.3.1 · Agricultural opportunities and challenges in arid areas
GEC.3.2 · Human and physical opportunities and challenges for mineral
GEC.3.3 · Human and physical opportunities and challenges for mineral
GEC.3.4 · Opportunities and challenges for tourism in extreme environments
GEC.4 — Extreme environments futures
GEC.4.1 · The causes, acceleration, consequences and management of
GEC.4.2 · Increasing competition for access to resources in extreme
GEC.4.3 · New technology and sustainable development in extreme
GEC.4.4 · The impacts and management of global climate change in extreme
D. Option D: Geophysical hazards
Earthquakes, volcanoes and mass movement: the systems behind them, the risks they pose, why vulnerability differs, and how resilience is built.
GED.1 — Geophysical systems
GED.1.1 · Mechanisms of plate movement including internal heating
GED.1.2 · Characteristics of volcanoes
GED.1.3 · Characteristics of earthquakes
GED.1.4 · Classification of mass movement types according to cause
GED.2 — Geophysical hazard risks
GED.2.1 · The distribution of geophysical hazards
GED.2.2 · The relevance of hazard magnitude and frequency/recurrence for
GED.2.3 · Geophysical hazard risk as a product of economic factors
GED.2.4 · Geographic factors affecting geophysical hazard event impacts
GED.3 — Hazard risk and vulnerability
GED.3.1 · Geophysical hazard event profiles
GED.3.2 · Varied impacts on human well-being
GED.3.3 · Why levels of vulnerability varied
GED.4 — Future resilience and adaptation
GED.4.1 · Global geophysical hazard and disaster trends and future
GED.4.2 · Geophysical hazard adaptation through increased government
GED.4.3 · Pre-event management strategies for mass movement
GED.4.4 · Post-event management strategies
E. Option E: Leisure, tourism and sport
Changing leisure patterns, and tourism and sport at local, national and international scales, including managing them sustainably.
GEE.1 — Changing leisure patterns
GEE.1.1 · The growth and changing purpose of leisure time for societies
GEE.1.2 · The categorization of touristic activities
GEE.1.3 · The link between economic development and participation in
GEE.1.4 · Factors affecting personal participation in sports and tourism
GEE.2 — Tourism and sport at the local and national scale
GEE.2.1 · Human and physical factors explaining the growth of rural and
GEE.2.2 · Variations in sphere of influence for different kinds of
GEE.2.3 · Factors affecting the geography of a national sports league
GEE.2.4 · Large-scale sporting, musical, cultural or religious festivals
GEE.3 — Tourism and sport at the international scale
GEE.3.1 · Niche national tourism strategies with a global sphere of
GEE.3.2 · The role of TNCs in expanding international tourism destinations
GEE.3.3 · Costs and benefits of tourism as a national development strategy
GEE.3.4 · Political, economic and cultural factors affecting the hosting
GEE.4 — Managing tourism and sport for the future
GEE.4.1 · The consequences of unsustainable touristic growth in rural and
GEE.4.2 · The concept of sustainable tourism
GEE.4.3 · Factors influencing future international tourism
GEE.4.4 · The growing importance of political and cultural influences on
F. Option F: Food and health
Measuring food and health, food systems and the spread of disease, the stakeholders involved, and future food security.
GEF.1 — Measuring food and health
GEF.1.1 · Global patterns in food/nutrition indicators
GEF.1.2 · The nutrition transition, and associated regional variations of
GEF.1.3 · Global patterns in health indicators
GEF.1.4 · The epidemiological transition, the diseases continuum
GEF.2 — Food systems and spread of diseases
GEF.2.1 · The merits of a systems approach
GEF.2.2 · The physical and human processes that can lead to variations in
GEF.2.3 · The importance of diffusion
GEF.2.4 · Geographic factors contributing to the incidence, diffusion and
GEF.3 — Stakeholders in food and health
GEF.3.1 · The roles of international organizations
GEF.3.2 · The influence of TNCs
GEF.3.3 · Gender roles related to food and health
GEF.3.4 · Factors affecting the severity of famine
GEF.4 — Future health and food security and sustainability
GEF.4.1 · Possible solutions to food insecurity
GEF.4.2 · Advantages and disadvantages of contemporary approaches to food
GEF.4.3 · The merits of prevention and treatment in managing disease
GEF.4.4 · Managing pandemics
G. Option G: Urban environments
The variety of urban environments, how urban systems change, the environmental and social stresses they face, and building sustainable cities.
GEG.1 — The variety of urban environments
GEG.1.1 · Characteristics of urban places
GEG.1.2 · Factors affecting the pattern of urban economic activities
GEG.1.3 · Factors affecting the pattern of residential areas within urban
GEG.1.4 · The incidence of poverty, deprivation and informal activity
GEG.2 — Changing urban systems
GEG.2.1 · Urbanization, natural increase and centripetal population
GEG.2.2 · Centrifugal population movements
GEG.2.3 · Urban system growth including infrastructure improvements over
GEG.2.4 · The causes of urban deindustrialization and its economic
GEG.3 — Urban environmental and social stresses
GEG.3.1 · Urban microclimate modification and management
GEG.3.2 · Traffic congestion patterns, trends and impacts
GEG.3.3 · Contested land use changes
GEG.3.4 · Managing the impacts of urban social deprivation
GEG.4 — Building sustainable urban systems for the future
GEG.4.1 · Urban growth projections for 2050
GEG.4.2 · Resilient city design
GEG.4.3 · Eco city design
GEG.4.4 · Smart city design and the use of new technology to run city
1. Unit 1: Changing population
Where people live and why, how populations change, and the challenges and opportunities that follow, including ageing, policy and the demographic dividend.
GE1.1 — Population and economic development patterns
GE1.1.1 · Physical and human factors affecting population distribution at
GE1.1.2 · Global patterns and classification of economic development
GE1.1.3 · Population distribution and economic development at the
GE1.2 — Changing populations and places
GE1.2.1 · Population change and demographic transition over time
GE1.2.2 · The consequences of megacity growth for individuals and
GE1.2.3 · The causes and consequences of forced migration and internal
GE1.3 — Challenges and opportunities
GE1.3.1 · Global and regional/continental trends in family size, sex
GE1.3.2 · Policies associated with managing population change
GE1.3.3 · The demographic dividend and the ways in which population could
2. Unit 2: Global climate: vulnerability and resilience
The causes and consequences of global climate change, and how governments, civil society and business are responding.
GE2.1 — Causes of global climate change
GE2.1.1 · The atmospheric system
GE2.1.2 · Changes in the global energy balance, and the role of feedback
GE2.1.3 · The enhanced greenhouse effect and international variations in
GE2.2 — Consequences of global climate change
GE2.2.1 · Climate change and the hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere
GE2.2.2 · Impacts of climate change on people and places
GE2.3 — Responding to global climate change
GE2.3.1 · Disparities in exposure to climate change risk and vulnerability
GE2.3.2 · Government-led adaptation and mitigation strategies for global
GE2.3.3 · Civil society and corporate strategies to address global
3. Unit 3: Global resource consumption and security
Global trends in resource consumption, the water-food-energy nexus, waste, and stewardship of resources for the future.
GE3.1 — Global trends in consumption
GE3.1.1 · Global and regional/continental progress towards poverty
GE3.1.2 · Measuring trends in resource consumption
GE3.1.3 · An overview of global patterns and trends in the availability
GE3.2 — Impacts of changing trends in resource consumption
GE3.2.1 · The water–food–energy “nexus” and how its complex interactions
GE3.2.2 · The implications of global climate change for the
GE3.2.3 · The disposal and recycling of consumer items
GE3.3 — Resource stewardship
GE3.3.1 · Divergent thinking about population and resource consumption
GE3.3.2 · Resource stewardship strategies
4. Unit 4: Power, places and networks
How global power and influence vary, the networks and flows that connect places, and the political, technological and physical forces behind them.
GE4.1 — Global interactions and global power
GE4.1.1 · Globalization indices showing how countries participate in
GE4.1.2 · Global superpowers and their economic, geopolitical and
GE4.1.3 · Powerful organizations and global groups
GE4.2 — Global networks and flows
GE4.2.1 · An overview of contemporary global networks and flows
GE4.2.2 · Foreign Direct Investment
GE4.3 — Human and physical influences on global interactions
GE4.3.1 · Political factors that affect global interactions
GE4.3.2 · Our “shrinking world” and the forces driving technological
GE4.3.3 · The influence of the physical environment on global
5. Unit 5: Human development and diversity
Measuring and supporting human development, how global interactions reshape culture and identity, and how local places resist or accept change.
GE5.1 — Development opportunities
GE5.1.1 · The multidimensional process of human development and ways to
GE5.1.2 · The importance of social entrepreneurship approaches for human
GE5.2 — Changing identities and cultures
GE5.2.1 · The global spectrum of cultural traits, ethnicities and
GE5.2.2 · The effects of global interactions on cultural diversity in
GE5.2.3 · How diasporas influence cultural diversity and identity at both
GE5.3 — Local responses to global interactions
GE5.3.1 · Local and civil society resistance to global interactions
GE5.3.2 · Geopolitical constraints on global interactions
GE5.3.3 · The role of civil society in promoting international-mindedness
6. Unit 6: Global risks and resilience
The geopolitical, economic and environmental risks that global interactions create, and how resilience is built locally and globally.
GE6.1 — Geopolitical and economic risks
GE6.1.1 · Threats to individuals and businesses
GE6.1.2 · New and emerging threats to the political and economic
GE6.1.3 · The correlation between increased globalization and renewed
GE6.2 — Environmental risks
GE6.2.1 · Transboundary pollution
GE6.2.2 · Environmental impacts of global flows at varying scales
GE6.2.3 · Environmental issues linked with the global shift of industry
GE6.3 — Local and global resilience
GE6.3.1 · The success of international civil society organizations in
GE6.3.2 · Strategies to build resilience
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