Introduction Patterns and Change covers the core theme of the IB Diploma Programme geography course for both Higher Level and Standard Level. The core theme accounts for 25% of the total assessment at Higher Level and 40% at Standard Level. The Diploma Programme geography course integrates both physical and human geography, with the objective of students acquiring elements of both scientific and socio-economic methodologies. This is clearly evident in the structure of the core theme. The core theme could form one continuous teaching block or be taught in two or more sections throughout the course where links with other modules may be exploited. The overall objective of the core theme is to provide an overview of the geographical foundation for the key global issues of our times. This book follows the order of the syllabus, which is organised into four sections. Each sub-section in the Specification is the subject of a chapter, with the exception of ‘Changing patterns of energy consumption’ in Section 4. This sub-topic is covered in two chapters (15 and 16) because of the considerable content within it. The overall objective of this book is to provide comprehensive coverage of all topics included in the core theme. Key concepts are carefully explained and exemplified in case studies from a range of locations. In the first section, ‘Populations in transition’, you will look at major demographic issues that have an impact on the environment of both individual countries and the planet as a whole. This section concludes with an analysis of gender and change. ‘Change’ may be a relatively new topic to you, depending on the specifications you have followed in previous years. The study of human population and its changes sets the scene for the global issues that follow in the rest of the book. It is the increase in human numbers and the activities undertaken by people that have caused stress to so many aspects of the global environment. In Section 2, ‘Disparities in wealth and development’, you will study measurements of regional and global disparities, the origin of disparities, disparities and change, and strategies to reduce disparities. The scale of disparities is causing increasing tension both between and within countries. The United Nations and many other organisations have tried for years to narrow the gap between rich and poor, but with only limited success. Current efforts are very much focused around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); consideration of the MDGs is an important part of this section.
‘Patterns in environmental quality and sustainability’ is the title of Section 3. Here you will look at a range of environmental issues of global significance, covering the atmosphere, soil, water, biodiversity and sustainability. Global climate change remains the greatest concern because of the possibly huge scale of its impact as a whole and its linkage to so many ‘individual’ environmental issues. An understanding of this issue is fundamental to this section, and you will also examine the reasons for environmental change, along with human responses to such changes. Section 4 examines ‘Patterns in resource consumption’. Consideration of the ecological footprint is the important starting point. The opposing views of neo-Malthusians and anti-Malthusians are debated. You will look in detail at the global importance of oil as a resource , paying particular attention to geopolitical and environmental consequences, and analyse the changing importance of other energy resources. The final section is a discussion of conservation strategies. The content of each chapter is posed at the start as a series of key questions that closely reflect the wording of the ‘Development’ section of the Specification. Each chapter includes a ‘Theory of Knowledge’ link highlighting issues of particular relevance to the study of the theory of knowledge. While these links are kept deliberately brief, they are designed to point you in the right direction to enable you to explore such issues in more detail. Each main section of text within a chapter finishes with an ‘Activities’ section, allowing both students and teachers to check on the knowledge and understanding gained in terms of both concepts and content. A key ‘Geographical skill’ is highlighted in each chapter. Geographical skills reflect the subject’s distinctive methodology and approach. While you are not expected to cover all the geographical skills in your study of the core theme, you should acquire or cement a significant number of the skills set out in the Specification. ‘Discussion points’ and ‘Research ideas’ are also a regular feature of the book. The first suggest ideas for group debate, while the research ideas can be used as extension exercises on both an individual and a group basis. Each chapter concludes with definitions of key terms (highlighted in bold in each chapter) and examination-style questions which follow the pattern of Section A in Paper 1.
Introduction
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