“Climate change will only increase global disparities in wealth.” Discuss this statement.

Refer to Paper 1 Section B markbands (available under the "Resources" tab) when marking this question.

There are many possible approaches to this question, and each should be marked on its merits.

It is hoped that candidates will interpret global climate change as having a wider meaning than “global warming”. The disparities in wealth may be considered at any scale: regional, national or sub-national. Effects may be due to higher temperatures, change in rainfall amounts or timing, rising sea levels, and may impact the environment, population, settlement and economic activities. Effects may include: changes in farmland productivity; loss of tourism earnings; reduction in water quality and/or availability; population migration; change in distribution of natural vegetation zones; increased incidence of climatic hazards.

Discussion of the statement may have a number of approaches: there could be a discussion of the positive and negative impacts of climate change on wealth; a discussion of the magnitude of the impacts of climate change on wealth; a discussion of geographical variations in the impacts of climate change on wealth; a discussion of how the impacts of climate change on wealth vary over time; or a discussion of how the impacts of climate change on wealth vary with access to technology/investment.
Accept other valid discussions.

Responses at band D are likely to describe ways in which climate change could affect the wealth of different people and places.

At band E, expect either more detailed explanation of how climate change could increase and/or decrease the wealth of different people/places or a structured discussion of the concept of global disparities in the context of climate change from a positive and/or negative viewpoint.

At band F, expect both.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.