Paper 1: Options A, F and G CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDIES ONLY using Power, Places, People, Processes, Possibilities structure

Mekong: power

Mekong: power

• countries upstream have power over the water supply of downstream countries

• Dams built by China

• access to water fuels industry, health

Mekong: places

• China, Laos PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam, Tibet

• 7th longest river in Asia, 12th in world

• drains 810,000 km2 from plateau of tibet to south china sea

Mekong: people

• Mekong River Commission- all countries members help to regulate, manage and hold each other accountable

• yet everyone only helps themselves

Mekong: processes

• construction of dams to be used for hydroelectricity, support 80% of rice fields in china

• release of dams may swamp homes eg Xayburi dam affected 1571 families

  • in Laos, funded by Thailand, affected Vietnam

Mekong: possibilities

• Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (IWRM) created by mekong river commission

• water utilisation project enables 4 member countries to undergo data exchange, water use monitoring, consultation and agreement before projects, maintenance of downstream flow, water quality regulation.

Three Gorges Dam: Power

• Generates energy for China.

• Considered a monument of national pride, Political.

• Move signals commitment to clean energy.

• China's technological strength. 

• However, wreaks ecological damage downstream, including silt deposits in Shanghai and many landslides. 

Three Gorges Dam: Places

• Spends the Yangtze River downstream of the Three Gorges Dam,

• China's world's largest hydroelectric dam

• Dam sits on a seismic fault line. Vulnerable to earthquake damage.

• Prompts erosion in the Yangtze River basin, creating silt deposits downstream. Sedimentation along base of river. 

Three Gorges Dam: People

• Ministry of Environmental Protection, China

• United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

• Fishermen, locals, farmers.

Three Gorges Dam: Processes

• Generates electricity with large water turbines.

• Ship lift to transport goods along river, protects plane from floods. 

Three Gorges Dam: Possibilities

• Hydroelectricity reduces greenhouse emissions. Alternative to coal.

• Increased risk of landslides.

• Settlement deposition onto the deposition bank that Singapore rests on.

• NASA calculated that shift of water mass stored in this dam would increase the total length of Earth's day by 0.6 microseconds, make Earth rounder and flatten poles, change local seismicity. 

Masdar, UAE: Power

• An example of a sustainable city from its genesis, yet it is hard to implement sustainability into preexisting cities.

• Ability to function without cars. Cars are parks, outskirts and trams are used.

• A hub of new tech. Developed to assist with local climate.  

Masdar, UAE: Places

Masdar City is close to the UAE capital of Dubai. 

Masdar, UAE: People

• Mazda Institute, a graduate research facility.

• 150 lived there. Currently the city can house 90,000.

• UAE government.

Masdar, UAE: Processes

• Sustainable energy

• Solar panels have sunlight reflected and then onto them with mirrors.

• Waste is regulated environmental control.

• Buildings oriented 45° off sun's path.

• Light management. Air compression.

• Conserves power, motion sensing, light, battery grid.  

Masdar, UAE: Possibilities

• Expand city to a full capacity.

• Demonstrates how to incorporate traditional knowledge of how to work with local climate with technological advancements,

• car free, people centered city development, walking space, shared zones,

• challenges. Very expensive. 

Hukou System, China: Power

• High regulation of people, movement,

• push factors, demolished village, less access to services, no jobs.

• Pull factors Ability to send money. Greater connection to society.  

Hukou System, China: Places

• East Coast of China has high density of mega cities.

• coastal location gives access to shipping ports

• many rural villages are demolished to make way for agriculture or industry  

Hukou System, China: People

• 70% of China will live in cities.

• If government hits its goal, 1 billion Chinese will live in urban areas in 20-30.

• Male demographics tend to move to cities. 

Hukou System, China: Processes

• Hukou system household registration for home province and therefore where they have rights

  • designed to get people to not migrate all at once.

• Rural urban migration. 

Hukou System, China: Possibilities

• Chinese population in cities will swell, causing potential overpopulation, congestion and strain on resources in cities.

• Increased labor force in cities equals increased productivity. 

Dharavi, Mumbai, India: Power

• Internal informal economy of small businesses.

• Recycling industry.

• Large labor force lives in Dharavi

  • only slum with billion dollar economy. Worker earns $3 per day.  

Dharavi, Mumbai, India: Places

• mumbai is a mega city in india

• dharavi is tin shacks with tarp and tin roofs. 

Dharavi, Mumbai, India: People

• 45% of Mumbai lives in slums.

  • Dharavi is the largest over 175 hectares.

• Lots of intergenerational living young families seeking money to send home. 

Dharavi, Mumbai, India: Processes

• Water flows for two hours per day.

• Communal toilets,

• Meals shared at home. 

Dharavi, Mumbai, India: Possibilities

• Development of housing, sanitation and water access in Dharavi

• increased local education. Free government education until the age of 14.

• Make use of sense of community. 

Detroit’s Vehicle Industry, USA: Power

Detroit’s Vehicle Industry, USA: Places

Detroit’s Vehicle Industry, USA: People

Detroit’s Vehicle Industry, USA: Processes

Detroit’s Vehicle Industry, USA: Possibilities

Malaria (Vector Borne Disease): Power

Malaria (Vector Borne Disease): Places

Malaria (Vector Borne Disease): People

Malaria (Vector Borne Disease): Processes

Malaria (Vector Borne Disease): Possibilities

Cholera (Water Borne Disease): Power

Cholera (Water Borne Disease): Places

Cholera (Water Borne Disease): People

Cholera (Water Borne Disease): Processes

Cholera (Water Borne Disease): Possibilities

Famine in the Horn of Africa: Power

Famine in the Horn of Africa: Places

Famine in the Horn of Africa: People

Famine in the Horn of Africa: Processes

Famine in the Horn of Africa: Possibilities

Irrigation in West Africa: Power

Irrigation in West Africa: Places

Irrigation in West Africa: People

Irrigation in West Africa: Processses

Irrigation in West Africa: Possibilities

COVID-19: Power

COVID-19: Places

COVID-19: People

COVID-19: Processes

COVID-19: Possibilities