Describe what is meant by an individual’s ecological footprint.

Suggest two ways in which meeting a nation’s water needs could result in reduced food availability.

Way 1:

Way 1:

Explain how a circular economy approach can contribute to reduced use of new resources.

Explain how a circular economy approach can contribute to changing attitudes to product ownership.

The approximate area of land and water needed to provide a person with the resources needed to live [1] and to absorb their waste [1].

In each case, award [1] for a valid way a nation’s water needs are met and [1] for its impact on reducing food availability.

Possibilities of valid ways include:

• over extraction of groundwater for crop production (food or non-food)/industry/urban demands
• reservoirs built to provide water for urban areas/cash crop production, reservoirs built in one country use water that another country needs for agriculture
• one country’s water imports leave another country with less water, imports of water cost money – less to invest in agriculture
• water used by tourism.

Possibilities of reduction of food availability include:

• decreasing the supply of water to agricultural areas/farms
• taking over agricultural land
• impacts upon the quality of water used in agriculture

For example: Over-extraction for cash crops [1] leads to insufficient water left to grow food crops [1].

Award [1] for a valid way of reducing new resources and [1] for development.

Possibilities include:

• recycling of materials means that less raw material is required, reference to inputs and outputs using systems approach
• reuse/refurbishment of goods decreases the demand for new goods and therefore raw materials
• industrial symbiosis – turning one industry’s by-product into another’s raw materials
• design/consume products that are built to last/durable
• resource efficiency by reducing the quantity of materials needed to produce a good – raw materials/energy/water – asset sharing, reduced storage of perishable material, use of technology
• incentivizing use of recycled/reused materials – taxes on products that use only virgin raw materials eg plastic packaging

For example: Products are produced in such a way that they have a “life after death” [1], as parts will have further use later [1], decreases need for raw materials.

Award [1] for a valid change and [1] for development.

Possibilities include:

• changes in consumer behaviour – fast fashion, food waste, single use plastic bags
• consume less – owning fewer consumer goods means less production is required
• accepting the purchase of pre-owned goods – using pre-owned clothes cuts down on raw materials/energy needed for clothes
• purchase of goods that are built to last – prolongs the life of goods so renewal is reduced
• consumption of goods that are produced in more sustainable ways
• product renting/lease/pooling – avoid purchasing for individuals altogether – shift to sharing platforms – decrease in consumption of CDs and DVDs and use of online entertainment.

For example: People rent goods as opposed to buying them [1], which means that they are less likely to be “designed for the dump” [1].

Only a small number of responses addressed the full elements of the concept of ecological footprint to gain full credit. Reference to both the area of land/water needed to provide a person with resources and the absorption of waste need to be included for both marks.

The basis of this question is found in the water-food-energy nexus and how its interactions affect, in this case, food availability. Many candidates found the detail of the interactions difficult to access and answers were rather vague. Good explanations were based on a valid way in which a nation's water needs were addressed such as the building of reservoirs, river diversion or over-extraction of water. Responses were then able to explore the interaction of the identified way with the availability of food, usually associated with decreased supply of water or the reduction of land available for crop production. A substantial number of answers failed to identify a way in which a nation had attempted to meet its needs and comment was composed solely around the lack of water for crop growth. Candidates must have a clear understanding of the factual knowledge required to reinforce and support the nexus
concept.

Answers generally displayed a sound understanding of the circular economy concept and its operation with both elements of the question being accessible to the candidates. In a number of instances however the answers lacked precision and application to the question, especially in c(ii) where changing attitudes needed to be linked to circular economy approach. A number of responses did not develop this linkage, simply commenting on the initial element of the question and as a result there was a lot of repetition.