SQA Higher Geography Global Issues: a complete overview of climate change, river basins, development and health, and energy

What Global Issues actually demands

Global Issues is the synoptic unit of Higher Geography: it looks at the big problems facing people and the planet. The specification offers four topics, climate change, river basin management, development and health, and energy, and a centre studies two. Whichever you take, the examiners follow the same pattern: causes or factors, effects or consequences, and management strategies with their limitations.

This guide walks through all four topics, then sets out the patterns the SQA repeats. Each topic has a matching dot-point page with practice questions; this overview ties them together.

Climate change

Climate change separates physical causes (solar variation, volcanic eruptions, orbital change) from human causes, chiefly the enhanced greenhouse effect from burning fossil fuels, deforestation and farming. The effects are rising temperatures, melting ice, rising seas and more extreme weather. Management divides into mitigation (renewables, carbon capture, international agreements) and adaptation (sea defences, drought-resistant crops), each with limitations.

River basin management

This topic explains why a river basin is managed, the physical and human factors in choosing a dam and reservoir site, and the social, economic and environmental consequences of a multi-purpose scheme. Benefits such as reliable water, hydroelectric power and flood control are balanced against problems such as flooded land, displaced people, silting and lost habitats.

Development and health

The development and health topic covers indicators of development (social, economic and composite such as the HDI) and their validity, the reasons development differs between and within countries, and a disease case study such as malaria, covering its spread by the Anopheles mosquito, its impact on development, and management such as bed nets, draining water and primary health care.

Energy

The energy topic explains the changing global demand for energy (population growth, industrialisation, higher living standards), the effectiveness of renewable and non-renewable sources, and the suitability of renewables in a chosen area. Scotland suits wind power (exposed, windy uplands and coasts) and hydroelectric power (high Highland rainfall and steep valleys).

How Global Issues is examined

A typical SQA profile for this unit:

• Cause, effect, management. Each topic follows this structure; answer in those terms.
• Balanced evaluation. Weigh benefits against problems and note the limitations of strategies.
• Named examples. Scotland for renewables, a named river scheme, a named disease.
• Synoptic links. Connect to Physical and Human Environments (the heat budget, the drainage basin, population).

Check your knowledge

A mix of recall and explanation questions covering Global Issues. Attempt them, then check against the solutions.

1. Name two human causes of climate change. (2 marks)
2. State two physical factors that make a good dam site. (2 marks)
3. Why is a single economic indicator a weak measure of development? (2 marks)
4. Name the mosquito that spreads malaria and the conditions it needs. (2 marks)
5. Give two reasons global energy demand is rising. (2 marks)
6. Why is Scotland suited to hydroelectric power? (1 mark)