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The Human Environment

Overview

Unit 2 focuses on human geography – the way people live, work, and shape the world around them. This unit includes the changing urban environments, economic development, and resource management. You'll examine patterns, challenges, and strategies linked to how humans interact with space and resources.

Section A: Changing Cities

Urbanisation

  • Urbanisation is the growth in the proportion of people living in towns and cities.

  • It is caused by rural-to-urban migration (people moving for jobs, education, healthcare) and natural increase (more births than deaths).

  • Urbanisation is occurring rapidly in developing/emerging countries due to industrial growth and migration.

Case Study: A major UK city – Birmingham

  • Birmingham is the UK’s second-largest city and has seen regeneration after industrial decline.

  • Growth has been driven by service sector jobs, cultural investments, and improved transport links.

  • Regeneration projects like the Big City Plan aim to create more housing, jobs, and green space.

Case Study: A major city in a developing/emerging country – Mexico City

  • One of the world’s largest megacities.

  • Rapid growth led to informal settlements (favelas), traffic congestion, and pollution.

  • Strategies to manage these issues include public transport improvements (Metrobus), waste recycling programs, and slum upgrading.

Section B: Global Development

Development and Inequality

  • Development measures how economically and socially advanced a country is.

  • Indicators: GDP, GNI per capita, literacy rate, life expectancy, HDI (Human Development Index).

  • Development is uneven, both globally and within countries.

Factors Affecting Development

  • Physical: climate, landlocked countries, natural hazards.

  • Historical: colonialism, global trade patterns.

  • Economic: access to markets, debt, reliance on primary products.

  • Social/political: education, corruption, gender inequality, conflict.

The Development Gap

  • The gap between rich and poor countries is called the development gap.

  • Causes include global trade systems, TNC exploitation, and historical inequalities.

Case Study: India (an emerging country)

  • India has seen rapid economic growth due to globalisation and industrialisation.

  • Growth has occurred in sectors like IT, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.

  • Challenges remain in terms of inequality, pollution, and access to services.

  • India is improving development through infrastructure investment, education, and international trade.

Section C: Resource Management

Why Resources Matter

  • Resources like food, water, and energy are essential for survival and development.

  • The availability and access to these resources vary globally.

  • In some countries, overconsumption leads to waste; in others, scarcity causes malnutrition and energy shortages.

Food Insecurity

  • Caused by population growth, conflict, climate change, and poor infrastructure.

  • Leads to malnutrition, economic underdevelopment, and reliance on food aid.

Water Insecurity

  • Causes include pollution, overuse, drought, and unequal access.

  • Can result in conflict, especially in regions with shared water sources.

Energy Insecurity

  • Energy demands are rising globally.

  • Fossil fuels are finite and polluting; renewables are more sustainable but less widely used in some regions.

Strategies to Improve Resource Security

  • Local solutions: water harvesting, small-scale farming, solar energy.

  • Large-scale solutions: dams, irrigation projects, international trade of food and energy.

Case Study: Water Supply Scheme – Wakel River Basin, India

  • Semi-arid area in Rajasthan faced severe water shortages.

  • Local communities built taankas, joheds, and check dams to store rainwater.

  • The scheme increased water security, crop yields, and sustainability through community-led development.

Urban Challenges and Sustainability

Urban Challenges

  • Housing: informal settlements lack basic services.

  • Transport: congestion and pollution are common in megacities.

  • Health: overcrowding increases risk of disease.

  • Employment: informal sector jobs offer low security and wages.

Sustainable Urban Development

Sustainability meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations.

Examples of sustainable solutions:

  • Green transport (bike lanes, electric buses)

  • Energy-efficient housing

  • Recycling and waste management

  • Urban green spaces

Key Skills to Master

  • Describing patterns and trends in graphs/maps.

  • Using development indicators and data.

  • Explaining causes and effects.

  • Evaluating solutions and strategies.

  • Interpreting and constructing case study-based answers.

Tips for Exam Success

  • Use case studies to support your answers (e.g., Birmingham, Mexico City, India, Wakel River Basin).

  • Understand the difference between physical and human geography influences.

  • Practice past paper questions to get used to command words (e.g., explain, assess, evaluate).

  • Draw diagrams (especially when explaining solutions like water storage or urban design).