🌍 IB Geography Exam Study Guide

🔹 PART 1: OPTION G – URBAN ENVIRONMENTS

⏱ 45 minutes | Heavily weighted

1. Urban Carbon Footprint

Definition: Total greenhouse gas emissions produced by a city (transport, buildings, industry, waste).

Key sources:

  • Transport (cars, freight)

  • Buildings (heating/cooling)

  • Energy production

  • Consumption patterns

Case study:
New York City – Buildings = ~70% of emissions → Climate Mobilization Act (retrofits).

IB tip: Be able to explain why cities have high footprints AND how they reduce them.

2. Urban Population Dynamics

Definition: Changes in urban population size, structure, and distribution.

Processes:

  • Natural increase

  • Rural–urban migration

  • International migration

  • Suburbanization / re-urbanization

Case study:
Lagos, Nigeria – Rapid growth → informal settlements, housing shortages.

3. Growth of Urban Centers

Key terms:

  • Megacity: >10 million people

  • Urban hierarchy: ranking of settlements

  • Primate city: dominant city (e.g. Paris)

Case study:
Mumbai, India – Pull factors (jobs), push factors (rural poverty).

4. Urban Infrastructure

Definition: Systems that support city life (transport, water, energy, waste).

Issues:

  • Aging infrastructure

  • Unequal access

  • Congestion

Case study:
São Paulo – Poor populations pushed to periphery → long commutes.

5. Eco-City Design

Definition: Cities designed to minimize environmental impact.

Features:

  • Renewable energy

  • Green transport

  • Compact design

Case study:
Masdar City (UAE) – Technologically advanced but expensive and socially limited.

6. Smart Cities

Definition: Cities using technology and data to improve efficiency.

Examples:

  • Smart traffic lights

  • Pollution sensors

  • Smart grids

Case study:
Singapore – Reduced congestion, efficient planning.

Evaluation: Privacy + inequality concerns.

7. Sustainable Cities

Definition: Cities meeting present needs without harming future generations.

Case study:
Copenhagen – Cycling infrastructure, carbon neutrality goals.

8. Urban Air Pollution & Impacts

Pollutants: PM2.5, NOx, SO₂

Impacts:

  • Respiratory disease

  • Premature death

  • Economic costs

Case study:
Beijing – Smog → factory relocation, renewable energy investment.

9. Factors Impacting Urban Pollution

  • Traffic density

  • Energy sources

  • Industrial activity

  • Topography (valleys trap pollution)

Example: Los Angeles smog.

10. Urban Waste Management

Methods:

  • Landfill

  • Recycling

  • Incineration

Case study:
San Francisco – Zero Waste policies, composting.

🔹 PART 2: CORE CONTENT (PAPER 2 STYLE)

⏱ 1 hour 15 minutes | Less weighted than Part 1

1. Population Dynamics

Includes:

  • Birth rate, death rate

  • Natural increase

  • Population pyramids

Model: Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

2. Aging Populations

Definition: High proportion of elderly people.

Challenges:

  • Healthcare costs

  • Shrinking workforce

Case study:
Japan – Stage 5 DTM.

3. Migration (Internal & External)

Push factors: war, poverty
Pull factors: jobs, safety

Case study:
Syrian refugees → Europe

4. Climate Change: Causes

  • Fossil fuels

  • Deforestation

  • Agriculture (methane)

5. Climate Change: Vulnerability & Resilience

Vulnerability: How exposed a place is
Resilience: Ability to cope and recover

Case studies:

  • Maldives – Highly vulnerable (sea-level rise)

  • Netherlands – High resilience (flood defenses)

6. Impacts on Biomes

  • Arctic: ice melt

  • Coral reefs: bleaching

  • Savannas: desertification

7. Government Climate Policies

  • Paris Agreement

  • Carbon taxes

  • Renewable subsidies

Case study:
Germany – Energiewende

8. Global Resource Consumption & Security

Definition: Availability and access to resources.

Trend: Rising consumption in emerging economies.

9. Resource Stewardship

Definition: Sustainable management of resources.

10. Food Production & Global Scarcity

Issues:

  • Climate change

  • Conflict

  • Overpopulation

Case study:
Sahel region

11. Energy Production & Security

Renewable vs non-renewable

Case study:
Germany – Renewable transition.

12. Global Industries & Sustainability

Example: Fast fashion

  • Pollution

  • Labor exploitation

13. Economic Models

  • Linear: take → make → waste

  • Reuse: extends product life

  • Circular: no waste, reuse materials

Case study:
Sweden – Waste-to-energy.

✅ FINAL EXAM TIPS

  • Always define key terms

  • Use real case studies

  • Evaluate (successes + limitations)

  • Link theory → real-world problems

  • Manage time carefully (especially Part 1)

If you want, I can:

  • Make essay plans for likely questions

  • Create a one-page Option G cram sheet

  • Write model 10- and 20-mark answers

  • Do practice Paper 1 & Paper 2 questions

Just tell me what you want next.