Examine pre-event management strategies designed to reduce human vulnerability to mass movement hazards.

Examine the relative importance of economic and social factors in the vulnerability of local communities to geophysical hazards.

Refer to Paper 1 markbands (available under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials).

The focus of the response should be on management strategies that might be implemented to reduce vulnerability prior to a mass movement hazard event. Vulnerability includes economic and social factors, such as damage to buildings and infrastructure, loss of life and injury, and decline of living standards. Mass movement hazards are often the product of other hazard events, such as tectonic activity and storms.

Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and understanding (AO1):

• Understanding of physical and human causes of mass movement, eg tectonic activity, storms, deforestation, construction of infrastructure.
• Geophysical surveys, hazard prediction, records of type, frequency and location of past large-scale mass movement events.
• Hazard risk-mapping of hazard-prone areas; government planning and land-use zoning.
• Slope stabilization measures, including terracing, re-vegetation, slope drainage, gabions, etc.
• Need for decision making at various scales: local, national and international.

Good answers may be well-structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3) of the effectiveness and cost of management strategies in relation to different places and at varying spatial scales, and the different perspectives on how the risks should be managed.

For 5–6 marks, expect some weakly evidenced outlining of some pre-event management strategies.

For 7–8 marks, expect a structured account that includes:

• either evidenced explanation of a range of management strategies to reduce human vulnerability
• or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) grounded in geographical concepts and/or perspectives.

For 9–10 marks, expect both of these traits.

Refer to Paper 1 markbands (available under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials).

The vulnerability of people to geophysical hazards is affected by a variety of economic and social factors, including variations in wealth and education, past experience, personal knowledge and the perception of hazard risk. These will vary between and within different communities.

Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and understanding (AO1):

• Geophysical hazards represent a significant threat to many communities around the world; many large cities are located on plate margins, close to active volcanoes and earthquake zones.
• Vulnerability is a product of the likelihood/probability of a hazardous event occurring and the consequences in terms of injury, death and destruction.
• Economic factors affecting vulnerability include wealth and infrastructure and communications; planning.
• Social factors include perception of the risk, population characteristics, education and literacy levels.
• Perception of the hazard will affect management and levels of preparedness to reduce risk from future events.

Good answers may be well-structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3) that examines the statement in a way that shows understanding of how economic and social factors affect vulnerability of people in different communities/countries.

Accept discussion beyond local scale to communities within countries.

For 5–6 marks, expect some weakly evidenced outlining of some social and economic factors that might affect vulnerability of communities.

For 7–8 marks, expect a structured account that includes:

• either evidenced explanation of how a variety of economic and social factors affect vulnerability in different communities
• or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) grounded in geographical concepts and/or perspectives.

For 9–10 marks, expect both of these traits.