2024 ASRJC Prelim Paper 1 Ans Key

2024 JC2 H2 Geo Prelim PAPER 1 – ANSWER GUIDE Page 1 of 16 Section A Cluster 1: Development, Economy and Environment 1 Resource 1 depicts world electricity generation from 2000 to 2020. Resource 2 shows the distribution of water from the Nile River Basin and rate of dependence on the water flow of the Nile River Basin by country. Resource 3 is a map of the Nile River Basin and its riparian states. Of the 11 riparian states of the Nile River Basin, Egypt and Sudan are considered as downstream riparian states. Resource 4 depicts the average an nual rainfall in the Nile River Basin. Resource 5 is an article about the usage of the Nile River water by Ethiopia and Egypt. (a) With reference to Resource 1, describe the trends in world electricity generation from 2000 to 2020. [5] Possible pointers: • In general, world electricity generation increased from 2000 to 2020 [1 mark], from 15 million gigawatt hours to 27.5 million gigawatt hours [1 additional mark]. • World electricity generation from clean fuels increased at a faster rate as compared to fossil fuels. [1 mark] Over the span of 20 years, world electricity generation from clean fuels doubled, from 5 million to 10.5 million gigawatt hours. However, in the same time period, world electricity generation only increased by a third from 10 million 10 million to 16.5 million gigawatt hours [1 additional mark]. • World electricity generation from all energy sources saw an increase save for nuclear energy and oil and other fossil fuels. [1 mark] • Unlike all other sources, wind and solar fuel sources did not contribute to world electricity generation in 2000, but contributed to 4 million gigawatt hours of electricity generation by 2020. [1 mark]

2024 JC2 H2 Geo Prelim PAPER 1 – ANSWER GUIDE Page 2 of 16 ASRJC 2024 JC2 H2 Geography Prelim PAPER 1 (b) Explain the trade-offs associated with the use of hydropower. [6] Possible pointers: Economic Desirable outcome Trade-off Hydropower reduces reliance on imported fuels that carry the risks of price volatility, supply uncertainty and foreign currency requirements. Hydropower also helps to meet electricity demands for industrial and economic purposes. Adverse effects on agriculture in areas near the dam & its reservoir: Local heightening of water tables following reservoir impoundment can contribute to water -logging and salinization, which negatively affects crops. Adverse impact on fisheries downstream: Dams can adversely affect marine and fish populations, disrupting fisheries. • E.g. Sediment and nutrients trapped behind dams leads to reduced nutrient load downstream, etc. Adverse impact on aquaculture and agriculture downstream: The reduced flow of water downstream encourages saline intrusion into coastal regions. This can have a devastating impact on aquaculture and agriculture. Environmental Desirable outcome Trade-off Hydropower can combat climate change as an alternative energy source. Ecosystem impacts due to creation of a reservoir: The creation of a reservoir results in the loss of biodiversity in the land area being inundated. Exacerbating climate change: Reservoirs trapped behind dams can also affect global climate by contributing to emissions (methane and CO2) that intensify global warming. The "fuel" for these emissions is the rotting of organic matter from the vegetation and soils flooded when the reservoir is first filled. Increased sedimentation resulting in loss of land & ecosystem impacts: Sediment trapped behind dams leads to reduced sediment load downstream. The clear water below the dam is said to be “sediment -hungry” and it will seek to recapture its sediment load by eroding the bed and banks of the river. Social Desirable outcome Trade-off Protect lives through flood control: Dams and reservoirs can be effectively used to regulate river levels and flooding downstream of the dam by temporarily storing the flood volume and releasing it later. Recreation: Reservoirs can provide prime recreational facilities such as boating, fishing, swimming etc. Displacement of communities: Big dams often displace inhabitants of the area to be inundated, and the numbers of people involved can be very large. Loss of cultural property and identity: Beyond the loss of land, fisheries and food security, communities may also lose their cultural identity as these inundated locations may hold special cultural significance. Diseases may thrive due to impoundment. E.g. Malaria may increase since mosquitos transmitting the disease breed in standing waters. Lack of food security downstream: Adverse impacts on fisheries and agriculture downstream can severely impact food security for riparian communities.

2024 JC2 H2 Geo Prelim PAPER 1 – ANSWER GUIDE Page 3 of 16 ASRJC 2024 JC2 H2 Geography Prelim PAPER 1 (c) With reference to Resource 2, compare the distribution of water from the Nile River Basin and the rate of dependence on the water flow for the Nile Basin for Egypt and Ethiopia. [4] Possible pointers: Egypt Basis of Comparison Ethiopia Generally similar to Ethiopia – moderate distribution of water from Nile River Basin at 9% compared to other countries. Distribution of water from Nile River Basin Generally similar to Egypt – moderate distribution of water from Nile River Basin at 11.5% compared to other countries. Much higher – Egypt has a high dependence of water flow from Nile River Basin at 96.9% Rate of dependence on the water flow Much lower – Ethiopia has a low dependence of water flow from Nile River Basin at less than 5%

2024 JC2 H2 Geo Prelim PAPER 1 – ANSWER GUIDE Page 4 of 16 ASRJC 2024 JC2 H2 Geography Prelim PAPER 1 (d) With reference to Resource 3, describe the distribution of dams on the Nile River Basin. [4] Possible pointers: • Dams are concentrated only in less than half of the riparian states of the Nile River Basin. [1 mark] 5 of the 11 riparian states of the Nile River Basin have dams – Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt. [1 additional mark] • Dams are found in both upstream and downstream riparian states. [1 mark] • However, most of the dams are concentrated in the downstream riparian states in Sudan and Egypt [1 mark]. Of the 12 dams constructed in the Nile River Basin, 8 dams are found in the downstream riparian states of Egypt and Sudan while only 4 are found in the upstream riparian states. [1 additional mark]

2024 JC2 H2 Geo Prelim PAPER 1 – ANSWER GUIDE Page 5 of 16 ASRJC 2024 JC2 H2 Geography Prelim PAPER 1 (e) Using information from Resources 3, 4, and 5, explain why the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam might result in conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia. [7] Possible pointers: The construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam might cause water flow to Egypt to be reduced. [1 mark] • From Resource 3: o As seen from Resource 3, the location of the Grand Renaissance Dam is upstream of the 4 dams in Egypt’s territory, and hence once the dam is in operation, it might possibly result in reduced water flow for downstream states like Egypt which need the water [1 mark]. This might therefore result in conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia as the reduction of water flow to Egypt would severely impact it, due to Egypt’s heavy reliance on the water flow from the Nile River. [1 mark] • From Resource 4: o Egypt experiences very arid conditions as shown by how it is located in the subtropical arid hot desert climate zone (BWh) [1 mark], showing that the supply of water from sources outside of the Nile River Basin is rather low. [1 additional mark] • From Resource 5: o In particular, Egypt’s population is heavily reliant on water from the Nile River Basin for economic survival [1 mark], as se