(i) Define the term urban ecological footprint.

(ii) Referring to the diagram, state which city has the larger urban ecological footprint and justify your choice. 

Explain two ways in which urban air pollution can be reduced.

Referring to examples, compare the patterns of formal and informal economic activities in urban areas.

(i) The (theoretical) measurement of the land and water an urban area requires to produce the resources it consumes [1 mark] and to absorb its waste under prevailing technology [1 mark].

(ii) City B has a larger footprint [1 mark].

Although there is a similar value for CO₂ from buildings, City B is lower only in air pollution [1 mark]. For all remaining values B has a higher reading [1 mark]. Award [1 mark] for valid quantification, or any other valid reason.

There are many options including increased use of public transport; vehicle restrictions; congestion charging; car sharing/pooling; speed limit reductions; “park and ride” systems; introduction of filters in industrial chimneys; decreased use of coal and increased use of natural gas in industry and residential use; vehicle emission restrictions; use of electric vehicles; relocation or closure of polluting industries and power stations; government legislation; non-polluting public transport; alternative forms of energy.

For each way, award [1 mark] for the method and [1 mark] for the development.

Answers should distinguish between formal and informal activities. (Formal activities, whether in primary, secondary or tertiary sectors, have a salary, are registered and employees may pay tax and national insurance; informal activities are
unregulated, unofficial, untaxed activities.) Both exist in all cities to varying degrees and any one individual may be involved in
both.

Formal activities tend to be geographically concentrated in a number of locations including areas such as the CBD, ports, major transport arteries, retail parks, strip malls, industrial zones, and, increasingly, edge of town developments. Some
activities, such as education, may be linked to residential areas. Some knowledge of the relevant location of these should be evident.

In contrast, informal activities are usually less geographically concentrated than formal activities, and more mobile, and are also found in a variety of locations.

They are especially common in shanty towns, inner city areas and low income areas eg selling food from kiosks, and in the CBD (street vendors, shoe shining) but also in higher income residential areas as cooks, gardeners, nannies, security personnel.

Some people live and work on refuse dumps, collecting and/or recycling discarded materials.

A variety of approaches is possible. Responses may refer to the pattern of activities in one or more cities or compare their relative patterns in cities in MEDCs and LEDCs.

Responses that do not refer to specific examples of cities or activities should be limited to band D.

For band D, aspects of both patterns should be described for a named place (eg key locations identified).

To access bands E and F, both patterns should be developed, with good comparisons made at band F.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

There were few problems.

Usually well answered. Some were a bit general, but conceptually sound.

This question proved to be a challenge to most candidates, and it was often poorly answered. There was limited understanding of formal and informal economic activities, some confusing formal/informal with professional/unskilled employment, and even less knowledge about their location patterns within urban areas. Many just wrote the advantages/disadvantages of the different economies. Answers did not look at patterns. This appears to be a neglected area of the syllabus and was probably the most difficult question on the paper for most.