The ideal candidate for this course is someone with a good general knowledge and a keen interest in current affairs, especially environmental news. They need good reading and research skills and the ability to draw graphs/interpret tables etc, as this is a small part of the exam. They don’t need to be able to write in perfect grammatical English and the longest answers are usually just 6 marks each, the majority being 2 marks, so there are lots of short answers.

There is some overlap with Geography, Biology and even Economics, so if a student is also studying those subjects, they will find this very straightforward. 

The textbook (by John Pallister) is quite old now, so needs some supplementing for current information. Cambridge has been planning a new edition for some time but it has yet to appear.

The subtitle for this exam is Sustainable Development and I think that’s actually a more fitting title. Great for anyone who cares about the world and those who inhabit it, especially its poorest people. 

See this Facebook group I set up for those studying this subject.
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