AS & A Level Geography 9696 · Topic 12

Environmental management: past paper questions

197 real questionsasked in 10 of the last 10 exam series2019–2026usually: Explain, Describe, Evaluate, Suggest, Compare

Real questions on environmental management

The newest 20 of 197 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

9696/41 · May/June 2026 · Q4a[4]
Describe the distribution of electricity produced by nuclear energy shown in Figure 4.1.
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9696/41 · May/June 2026 · Q4b[6]
Explain two advantages for a country of using nuclear energy to produce electricity.
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9696/41 · May/June 2026 · Q5[20]
Assess the extent to which levels of development influence the demand for energy at the national scale.
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9696/42 · May/June 2026 · Q4a[4]
Describe the variations shown in Figure 4.1.
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9696/42 · May/June 2026 · Q4b[6]
Explain two ways climate affects monthly variations in renewable energy production.
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9696/42 · May/June 2026 · Q5[20]
‘Rising demand for energy leads to more pollution.’ With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree with this statement?
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9696/42 · May/June 2026 · Q6[20]
With reference to one degraded environment, assess the extent to which management was able to overcome the problems faced. Global interdependence If answering this option, answer Question 7 and either Question 8 or Question 9.
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9696/43 · May/June 2026 · Q4a[4]
Describe the variations shown in Figure 4.1.
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9696/43 · May/June 2026 · Q4b[6]
Explain two ways climate affects monthly variations in renewable energy production.
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9696/43 · May/June 2026 · Q5[20]
‘Rising demand for energy leads to more pollution.’ With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree with this statement?
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9696/43 · May/June 2026 · Q6[20]
With reference to one degraded environment, assess the extent to which management was able to overcome the problems faced. Global interdependence If answering this option, answer Question 7 and either Question 8 or Question 9.
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9696/42 · October/November 2025 · Q3[20]
‘Technology is the most important factor affecting the location of manufacturing and related service industry.’ With reference to one or more examples, to what extent do you agree with this statement? Environmental management If answering this option, answer Question 4 and either Question 5 or Question 6.
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9696/42 · October/November 2025 · Q4a[4]
Compare the distribution of operational and under construction CCS facilities with the distribution of planned CCS facilities as shown in Fig. 4.1.
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9696/42 · October/November 2025 · Q4b[6]
Explain two reasons why some countries rely on the use of fossil fuels.
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9696/42 · October/November 2025 · Q5[20]
‘Hydroelectric power (HEP) offers a sustainable solution for issues in energy production.’ With reference to one or more examples, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
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9696/43 · October/November 2025 · Q4a[4]
Compare the growth in production of the different biofuels shown in Fig. 4.1.
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9696/43 · October/November 2025 · Q4b[6]
Explain two environmental impacts from the use of biofuels.
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9696/43 · October/November 2025 · Q5[20]
‘Nuclear power offers a sustainable solution for issues in energy production.’ With reference to one or more examples, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
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9696/21 · May/June 2025 · Q6a[7]
Outline why the power infrastructure or transport infrastructure needed to be improved.
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9696/22 · May/June 2025 · Q4a(i)[3]
Outline the concept of ‘carrying capacity’.
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What examiners said

There were some interesting examples of relevant industrial activities, and some of their damaging emissions. Discussion of the role of individuals was less effective. A few candidates thought global warming was largely associated with urban heat islands. Rocks and weathering
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 9696/11 Q5(c) (Cambridge)

Most candidates recognised that all three groups had rising trends overall, but few noted that the rates vary, which was important to gain credit. This comparative approach would have enabled a further 3 marks with comment such as greatest increase in HICs, only LICs have a period of decline, all slow down towards the end of the period and the order changes. Describing the trend of each line was a...
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 9696/42 Q4(a) (Cambridge)

Almost all candidates offered two ‘constraints’ as per the question. Better responses understood the difference between a constraint on improving the quality of a specific degraded environment degradation and a cause of environmental degradation. Some responses were limited to 3 marks because there were no links to a specific degraded environment.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 9696/42 Q4(b) (Cambridge)

Practise this topic

Answer these questions online and get each one marked against the official mark scheme, with what you missed and how to fix it.

Practise environmental management

In the syllabus

12.1 Sustainable energy supplies

Renewable and non-renewable energy resources.
Factors at the national scale affecting demand for and supply of energy and the balance between different sources (including sustainability, levels of development, resource endowment, climate, income, technology, pollution, energy policy and energy security).
Trends in the consumption of fossil fuels, nuclear power and renewables (hydroelectric power (HEP), wind, biofuels) in LICs, MICs and HICs.
The environmental impacts of energy production, transport and usage at local and global scales.

12.2 The management of energy supply

Case study: candidates must study one country’s overall electrical energy strategy showing some of the issues of changes in demand for and supply of electricity, in power production and its location, and evaluate the success of the overall strategy.
Case study: candidates must study one named located scheme to produce electricity (e.g. a power station), showing some of the issues of changes in demand and supply, in power production and its location, and evaluate the success of the scheme.

12.3 Environmental degradation

Pollution (land, air and water): nature, causes, solutions.
Demand for and supply of water and issues of water quality.
Factors in the degradation of rural environments (e.g. overpopulation, poor agricultural practices, deforestation).
Factors in the degradation of urban environments (e.g. urbanisation, industrial development, inadequate waste management).
Constraints on improving the quality of degraded environments.
The protection of environments at risk at the local or regional scale: needs, measures and outcomes.

12.4 The management of a degraded environment

Case study: candidates must study one degraded environment, showing the causes of its degradation, problems faced, issues in attempts to improve the environment and evaluate the attempted solutions.

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