Practice IB Geography Topic G.3 Urban Environmental and Social Stresses with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for G.3 Urban Environmental and Social Stresses and mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 style where relevant.
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State two differences between local parks/open spaces and a country park.
Explain two reasons why city planners should include sufficient open space for urban residents.
Examine the factors influencing the location and distribution of leisure facilities, using one named example (excluding open spaces).
The infographic shows the spatial variation in PM2.5 air pollution levels by city and exceeds WHO guidelines
Source: IQAir, World Health Organisation (WHO)
Identify one city where PM2.5 air pollution exceeds .
Identify one city shown in the – WHO guideline category for PM2.5 (WHO guideline = , so ).
Outline one reason why PM2.5 levels may be higher in cities such as Cairo or Mumbai.
Explain two impacts of air pollution on urban populations and sustainability.
Discuss the causes and consequences of deteriorating air quality in urban areas in middle- and low-income countries.
Evaluate the extent to which urban air pollution challenges can be addressed through planning and policy strategies.
The map shows surface air temperature anomalies in 2024, relative to the 1991–2020 average.
Source: Copernicus Climate Change Service, ECMWF
Identify one region where temperature anomalies were about or higher in 2024.
Identify one region where temperature anomalies were close to (including negative anomalies).
Outline one reason why rising surface temperatures are a concern for urban environments.
Explain two challenges that climate warming poses for sustainable urban development.
Evaluate the extent to which climate change is increasing urban vulnerability and shaping long-term planning decisions.
Discuss how cities can adapt to rising temperatures through urban design and planning strategies.
The map shows global flood events by type (heavy rain, snowmelt/ice, tropical storm/surge, dam failure) and indicates the total population exposed, highlighting Southeast Asia as a high risk region.
Source: Mapbox/Viz by Bloomberg Green (Adapted)
Identify the country with the highest number of people exposed in a single flood event.
Identify the flood type that accounts for the greatest concentration of flood events globally.
Outline one reason why urban areas in Southeast Asia are especially vulnerable to flood events.
Explain two challenges that flooding poses to urban sustainability and resilience in rapidly developing cities.
Discuss how flood risk affects sustainable urban development in low- and middle-income countries.
Evaluate the effectiveness of flood management strategies in urban areas at different levels of development.
The infographic shows the estimated share of the population living in urban areas in 1950, 2025, and 2050 for selected countries.
Source: United Nations (UN) Population Division
Identify one country where the urban population is projected to exceed 90% by 2050.
Identify one country where the urban population is projected to remain below 50% in 2050.
Outline one reason why urbanisation is projected to increase in countries such as India or Kenya.
Explain two consequences of urban growth for infrastructure or services in low- and middle-income countries.
Discuss the causes of increasing urbanisation in both high-income and low-income countries.
Evaluate the social and environmental implications of projected urban growth by 2050.