Using photographic evidence, outline two characteristics of the informal sector of the economy in King William’s Town.

Referring to examples, explain two factors that influence the location of megacities.

“Sustainable urban management is desirable but impossible to achieve.” Discuss this statement, using examples.

For each case, award [1] for identifying a characteristic and [1] for development of the point.

For example:

• it is located on the side of a road/close to a bus park [1] – the best locations to locate are close to highly accessible areas such as bus parks/stations [1]
• the people are selling goods on the side of the road [1] because they cannot afford to own/rent a shop/premises [1]
• it is small-scale [1] – they can only bring what they can carry so the amount of goods is limited [1]
• they appear to be mainly selling food/fruit/vegetables [1] – they can only afford to buy and re-sell cheap goods/some may grow the food on their own land-holdings [1].

Award [1] for identifying a factor and [2] for further exemplification/explanation. Factors may be physical (eg coastal location/river valleys) and/or socio-economic (eg tax-free zones/free-trade areas/areas of rapid industrialization).

For example: Many of the world’s megacities, such as Shanghai and Mumbai, are located in coastal areas/large river valleys [1] as this increases the potential for trade and commerce [1]. Coastal areas are also more favourable for industrial development as they are able to import raw materials and finished products more competitively than inland areas/landlocked countries [1].

Award up to a maximum of [4] if no or only inappropriate examples are given.

Sustainable urban management can have an economic, social or environmental focus, and ideally all three. Good answers may comment on this or discuss the interrelationships that exist. Alternatively, candidates may approach the question using linear and circular urban systems.

There are a number of sustainable urban strategies eg recycling, re-use, reduce, sustainable forms of transport, urban agriculture, sustainable forms of energy etc. Some of these may be small-scale eg Bedzed in south-west London, whereas others are much larger in scale eg Curitiba, Brazil or Masdar City, UAE. Good answers are likely to present the achievements and limitations of two strategies.

Good answers may discuss external/long-term issues affecting the sustainable management of urban areas eg the context of continuing population growth/rural–urban movement. Another approach might be to discuss the veracity of the statement for different place contexts (cities in countries at different stages of development). Another approach might be to discuss how some strands of sustainability (social/housing) could be easier to achieve than others (ecological footprint minimization).

At band D, expect some description of a limited range of urban problems, or sustainable strategies, or the drawbacks to sustainability schemes.

At band E, expect either greater explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of at least one sustainable strategy (and a second strategy outlined), or some critical discussion of why sustainable urban management is hard to achieve.

At band F, expect both.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.