CCHS SS 2021 ANS

CCHY SS Preliminary Examination 2021 S4 (EXP)/5(NA)LORMS 1 SECTION A – SBCS [35](1) Study Source A. What does this cartoon tell you about world leaders’ attitude to climate change? Explain your answer. [5]LevelDescriptorL1 [1m]Lifts/describes the source with no reference to question. L2 [2m] Surface level interpretation/ interpretation not focussed on world leaders’ attitudeThis cartoon tells me that the destruction from climate change is unavoidable/ This cartoon tells me that world leaders are trying very hard to resolve climate change problems. L3 [3m] Valid inference not on attitude This cartoon tells me that world leaders are not effective in managing the effects of climate change. L4 [4-5m]4m: I5m: IeInference on world leaders’ attitude This cartoon tells me that world leaders have an insincere attitude towards managing climate change. The cartoon shows a ship about to crash onto a huge iceberg. Instead of immediately shifting course to avoid the crash, the world leaders “agree to sign a pledge to hold another meeting to consider changing course at a date yet to be determined.” This is very ambiguous, suggesting that because world leaders are making vague promises to change course, they are not committed to avoiding the crash. Likewise, with the damage from climate change most certain to happen, world leaders are not taking immediate steps to manage the change. Instead, they are delaying decision-making, increasing the likelihood of the world being destroyed by the effects of climate change. This shows that world leaders have an insincere attitude towards managing climate change.

CCHY SS Preliminary Examination 2021 S4 (EXP)/5(NA)LORMS 2 2) Study Sources B and C. How far are these sources similar? Explain your answer. [7]LevelDescriptorL1 [1m]Comparison of source provenance The two sources are different as Source B is from an article published by the NRDC but Source C is from a statement released by Donald Trump. L2 [2-3m]2m: S or D3m: S and DS or D based on content comparison, unsupported L3 [4-5m]4m: Se or De5m: Se and DeS or D based on content comparison, supported The two sources are different about whether withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement would benefit the US. Source B says that the withdrawal would not benefit the US but Source C says that the withdrawal would benefit the US. Source B states that “If the United States withdraws from the Paris Agreement, it will cost the US economy as much as $6 trillion in the coming decades.” This shows that the withdrawal will actually damage US economy. Source C on the other hand states that “The reality is that withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement is in America’s economic interest and won’t matter much to the climate.” This shows that withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement would benefit US’s economy. Therefore, the two sources are different about whether withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement would benefit US. The two sources are similar in saying that countries must cooperate for climate change to be managed. Source B states that “Having understood this benefit, countries like China and India have agreed to concrete and ambitious commitments aimed at slowing down the progress of climate change. Both countries, which are already poised to lead the world in renewable energy, have made significant progress towards their goals set in the Paris Agreement.” This shows that with India and China cooperating to manage climate change, there is significant progress to be made. Likewise, Source C states that “In fact, 14 days of carbon emissions from China’s MNCs alone would wipe out gains from America. Why force the Americans to comply when the Chinese won’t cooperate? And this after we have had to spend billions and billions of dollars, lose jobs, close factories, and suffer much higher energy costs for our businesses and homes.” This tells me if China does not cooperate with managing climate change, all the efforts that US put in would be in vain, suggesting that countries need to cooperate in order to manage climate change. Hence, the two sources are similar in stating that countries need to cooperate for climate change to be managed.

CCHY SS Preliminary Examination 2021 S4 (EXP)/5(NA)LORMS 3 L4 [6m]Comparison of tone The two sources have different tones about the success of the Paris Climate Agreement in managing climate change. Source B has an optimistic tone but Source C has a pessimistic tone.Source B has an optimistic tone about the success of the Paris Climate Agreement. This is seen in the source where it says that “Finally, China and India have agreed to concrete and ambitious climate commitments. Both countries, which are already poised to lead the world in renewable energy, have made significant progress towards their goals set in the Paris Agreement.” This tells me that in accordance to the Paris Climate Agreement, countries are willing to cooperate to manage climate change. The phrase, “made significant progress towards their goals set in the Paris Agreement,” shows that the NRDC feels that it is possible to achieve the goals set in the Paris Agreement, leading to its success in managing climate change. Hence, this suggests an optimistic tone. On the other hand, Source C has a pessimistic tone. This is seen in the source where it says, “Even if the Paris Agreement is to be implemented in full, with total compliance from all nations, it is estimated that it would only produce a two-tenth of one degree Celsius reduction in global temperatures by the year 2100. In fact, 14 days of carbon emissions from China’s MNCs alone would wipe out gains from America.” This shows that there are many obstacles to the Paris Agreement’s success, including “full implementation” which can only lead to “a two-tenth of one degree Celsius reduction in global temperatures.” Such phrases show that it is not possible for the Paris Agreement to successfully manage climate change and thus, having a pessimistic tone. Therefore, the two sources have different tones about the success of the Paris Climate Agreement. L5 [7m] Comparison of purpose Success Criteria (from both sources): i.Message ii.Anticipated Outcomeiii.Evidence + Explanationiv.ContextThe two sources have different purposes in terms of what is expected from the Americans. Source B is meant to convince Americans that (i) withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement would not benefit America (ii) so that they would pressurize the government to not withdraw from the agreement. On the other hand, Source C is from President Donald Trump stating that the (i) withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement would benefit America so that (ii) they would not be critical of the government’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Peace Agreement.

CCHY SS Preliminary Examination 2021 S4 (EXP)/5(NA)LORMS 4 This is seen in Source B where it states that (iii) “If the United States withdraws from the Paris Agreement, it would cost the US economy as much as $6 trillion in the coming decades.” This shows that the withdrawal would actually damage US economy. (iv) US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement would be a great setback for international efforts for climate change management. Hence, the NRDC’s article aims to convince Americans that the withdrawal will be detrimental for Americans so that they would pressurize the government to not withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. This is seen in Source C where it states that “Why force the Americans to comply when the Chinese won’t cooperate? And this is after we have had to spend billions and billions of dollars, lose jobs, close factories, and suffer much higher energy costs for our businesses and homes. The reality is that withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement is in America’s economic interest and won’t matter much to the climate.” This shows that withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement would salvage American’s jobs and the USA’s economy. (iv) When President T