Explain how the actions of world trading organizations and financial institutions (such as the International Monetary Fund) influence global financial flows.

Discuss the economic and environmental consequences of more people choosing to buy locally produced food and goods rather than globalized products.

AO1/2 Indicative content
Credit reference to the IMF, World Bank, WTO, New Development Bank (NDB), China Development Bank. Also credit trading blocs/MGOs such as ASEAN, APEC, NAFTA and EU/EEA.

Financial flows may include:

• loans (with structural adjustment programmes)
• commodities (with the WTO encouraging free trade)
• remittances (linked with EU rules; or development policies of the World Bank)
• movements of capital and FDI (made easier by EU or NAFTA, etc)
• aid flows (providing this can be linked with the work of world trading organizations and financial institutions).

Credit other valid flows and institutions.

Good answers might provide data and evidence for financial flows or they may offer a structured (AO4) explanation of how different institutions influence different types of flow. Another approach might be to explain financial flows in ways that show they are sometimes interrelated and could influence one another (lending can help a country to develop, in turn attracting FDI; this in turn may encourage migration and remittances).

For band C (4–6), two financial flows should be outlined and linked weakly with the influence/actions of one or more financial institutions.

For band D (7–8), expect a structured, well-evidenced analysis of

• either two or more detailed financial flows
• or detailed actions/ influence of different named institutions

For band E (9–10), expect both band D traits.

Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.

Possible AO1/2 indicative content

Themes for synthesis from the geography guide include:

• fewer food miles
• reduced carbon/ecological footprint / climate change mitigation
• less trade/financial flows between core/periphery (de-globalization)
• renewed economic growth in localities where local production is renewed
• rejection of globalization production / TNCs / falling profits for agribusiness
• reduced interdependency between countries
• protectionism / isolation / less need for MGOs.

Answers scoring highly according to the AO3 criteria for evaluation:

• might be structured around different kinds of geographical consequences (eg consequences for old producer and new producer regions; costs and benefits for different groups/places)
• might systematically discuss the effects of changes for different types of globalized product.

For band C (5–8), expect weakly-evidenced outlining of two or three relevant economic and/or environmental themes from the geography guide.

For band D (9–12), expect

• either a structured synthesis which links together several well-evidenced and well-focused themes from the geography guide (both economic and environmental)
• or a critical conclusion (or ongoing evaluation).

For band E (13–15), expect both of these traits.