Explain the strengths of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals as a way of supporting the human development process.

“Economic challenges are the main cause of opposition to globalization.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Marks should be allocated according to the paper 3 part A markbands. These can be found under the “Your tests” tab > supplemental materials.

The focus should be on what the SDGs’ criteria are, and why there is inherent value in this approach to setting goals using diverse criteria. The UN Sustainable Development Goals make use of 17 social, economic, environmental and political criteria. Their strength derives (i) from this holistic/multi-strand approach to understanding the human development process (i.e. their theoretical/philosophical/ontological merit) and (ii) the way they can be used as targets to guide and measure development progress (i.e. their practical/empirical value).

Possible strengths include:

• the inclusion of climate and biodiversity goals/targets
• the highlighting of gender as an important issue
• the primacy of poverty and hunger alleviation
• the way countries and regions can monitor progress towards these goals
• the way the SDGs provide the global community with a ‘shared roadmap’ or blueprint for development (prior to marking, this can be viewed at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals).

Do not credit explanation of weaknesses or failures of the SDGs (or the concept of development) – the question clearly does not ask for those elements to be explained on this occasion. Any such material should be marked as ‘irrelevant’.

Good answers may apply (AO2) a wider range of knowledge and understanding (AO1) in a well-structured way (AO4). One approach might be to provide a structured systematic explanation of firstly the philosophical/contextual value of the SDGs and, secondly, their practical/goal-orientated usefulness. Another approach might be to explain different types of goal (social, economic, environmental and political criteria) and the strengths of this holistic approach.

For 4–6 marks, expect some weakly-evidenced outlining of the SDGs and/or human development.

For 7–9 marks, expect a structured, evidenced explanation of:

• either different dimensions of the human development process that are included in the SDGs
• or the practical value/strength of using multiple criteria to generate targets and measure outcomes.

For 10–12 marks, expect both of these traits.

Credit all content in line with the markbands. Marks should be allocated according to the paper 3 part B markbands. These can be found under the “Your tests” tab > supplemental materials. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.

Opposition to globalization movements can take many forms. Economic challenges and injustices stemming from global shift, immigration or neo-colonialism may give rise to different forms and strengths of opposition. However, non-economic concerns with sovereignty and cultural identity are important foci for opposition too; also, environmental concerns such as climate change and biodiversity losses.

Possible applied themes (AO2) include knowledge and understanding (AO1) of:

• actual and perceived costs of economic migration for places (4.2)
• winners and losers of free trade (4.3)
• accusations of economic harm linked with work of global lending institutions, and ideas about neo-colonialism (and before this, colonialism) (4.1, 4.2)
• cultural imperialism and cultural change (5.2, 5.3)
• sovereignty threats (6.1)
• environmental costs of globalization (6.2).

Material focused on political or trade barriers to globalization should explain their origin i.e. how these barriers are a result of anti-globalization opposition or movements. Material dealing with physical barriers (isolation, relief) will most likely need to be marked as irrelevant.

Good answers may synthesise (AO3a) three or more of the above (or other) themes in a well-structured (AO4) way.

Good answers may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3b) of the statement, and the extent which economic challenges have primacy in the debate in different place contexts. Another approach might be to critically evaluate different kinds of cultural/social interaction which have occurred independent of economic changes, and the extent to which these may be a main cause of opposition to globalization. Another approach might be to evaluate the extent to which perspectives may vary on whether economic changes and challenges are actually real or perceived. A good discussion may conclude with a substantiated final judgement on the overall importance of economic challenges.

For 5–8 marks, expect weakly-evidenced outlining of two or three relevant themes.

For 9–12 marks, expect:

• either a structured synthesis that links together several well-evidenced themes from the Guide
• or a critical conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) informed by geographical concepts and/or perspectives.

For 13–16 marks, expect both of these traits.

This was the least popular question. Candidates attempting it generally produced merit-worthy answers that competently addressed the two main elements of the question, namely the Sustainable Development Goals and their role in supporting human development (viewed at global or more local scales, or both). Some candidates approached the task from an ethical and moral viewpoint which analysed the merits of the goals which the United Nations has sought to pursue, including gender equality and greater care for the environment. Others approached the task from a more practical viewpoint by analysing the importance of formal development targets and goals (in order for progress to be made, and for governments to be held accountable).

A significant proportion of answers, however, were side-tracked in one of two ways, resulting in a lower mark than might have been expected. Firstly, some wrote at great length about the weaknesses of the Sustainable Development Goals, no doubt reflecting ways in which teaching and learning about the topic was originally carried out. Some candidates had perhaps rehearsed a model answer about the strengths and weaknesses of the Sustainable Development Goals as part of their revision. The question, however, directed candidates to focus their analysis differently, and this needed to be reflected in answers. Little credit could be awarded for material dealing with the weaknesses of the Sustainable Development Goals unless it also contained some creditworthy analysis of what is meant by the "human development process". Secondly, some candidates wrote at great length about a range of ways in which the United Nations supports human development in different countries and contexts. However, the material was only very loosely linked, if at all, with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Here, candidates often neglected to define what "opposition" might mean at the outset of their essay. Political resistance to global interactions is a key theme appearing in the geography guide. This gives rise to many different opposition movements in varying countries and contexts. While such subject matter ought to have formed the basis for the discussion, many candidates treated the word "opposition" as if it were a synonym for "barrier". Candidates have previously been asked questions about barriers to globalization, and it was all too apparent that many viewed this year's Question 3(b) as an opportunity for them to reproduce a rehearsed answer from memory. Unfortunately, some themes, such as physical barriers to global interactions or poverty as a limiting factor, were largely irrelevant to the discussion and as a result only limited credit could be given.

In contrast, the strongest answers were well focused on opposition movements. Typically, candidates selected a range of geographical themes which sometimes serve as a basis for resistance to globalization, including: concerns over the environment and opposition to global agribusiness (with local food sourcing framed as an opposition movement); resistance to migration and cultural change (many candidates made effective use of case studies of Brexit and Donald Trump's politics); protests against neoliberal policies associated with lending by the IMF and the World Bank.