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IGCSE Environmental Management Past Papers & Drilling (Paper 2): Quadrats, Hazards and Data
TUTORZONE ORIGINAL DRILLING MOCK · CAMBRIDGE IGCSE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (0680) PAPER 2 IN CONTEXT
Written to the 0680 syllabus (2027-2029): Paper 2 Environmental Management in Context, 80 marks in 1 h 45 min, 50% of the qualification, with short-answer questions, data processing and analysis, and an extended response based on source material (fieldwork method questions appear only in this paper). This mock covers ecosystems and biodiversity, natural hazards, population and data analysis, with worked answers.
What is in Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management (0680) Paper 2?
Direct answer: Paper 2 Environmental Management in Context combines short-answer questions, data processing and analysis, and an extended response based on source material: 80 marks in 1 h 45 min, 50% of the qualification. Fieldwork method questions appear only in this paper, and both papers are written with all questions compulsory.
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Principles of Environmental Management) | 80 marks: short-answer and structured questions, plus one extended response that uses the source material; all questions compulsory | 80 · 50% | 1 h 45 min |
| Paper 2 (Environmental Management in Context) | 80 marks: short-answer items, data processing and analysis, and an extended response that uses the source material; all questions compulsory | 80 · 50% | 1 h 45 min |
Paper 2 technique: 80 marks in 1 h 45 min is about 1.3 minutes per mark. In data questions copy the figures out, write the formula, then substitute: density = individuals / sampled area; frequency = quadrats containing the species / total quadrats x 100; Simpson’s D = 1 – sum(n/N)^2; earthquake energy ratio = 10^(1.5 x magnitude difference); return period = (N + 1) / rank; doubling time = 70 / growth rate in per cent. Fieldwork answers need method, variables, safety and limitations.
How this paper was built
This is a TutorZone original drilling mock: the questions follow the Cambridge 0680 Paper 2 structure (80 marks, 1 h 45 min, short-answer questions, data processing and analysis, and an extended response based on source material) and the answers are our own, not Cambridge past papers or marking references.
The quadrat, earthquake, population and forest figures were invented for drilling and are not real survey or official data; every numeric answer was recomputed programmatically.
Pacing
| Section | Marks | Suggested time | What to do first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Principles of Environmental Management) | 80 · 50% | about 1.3 min per mark | calculations first, extended response last |
| Paper 2 (Environmental Management in Context) | 80 · 50% | about 1.3 min per mark | process the data table first, extended response last |
How are quadrat density, frequency and Simpson’s index calculated?
Direct answer: sampled area = 20 x 0.25 = 5.0 m2; density = individuals / 5.0 (A is 9.2 per m2); frequency = quadrats containing the species / 20 x 100 (A 90%, B 75%, C 45%, D 30%); and Simpson’s index D = 1 – 0.324 = 0.676 with 1/D about 1.48.
Paper 2: four data and extended questions (4 questions, 80 marks)
Question 1 ecosystems, biodiversity and fieldwork, question 2 natural hazards, question 3 population and resource demand and question 4 data processing with an extended response, 20 marks each; allow the full 1 h 45 min.
Question 1 (20 marks)
Question 1: Ecosystems, biodiversity and fieldwork (20 marks)
Invented quadrat data: twenty 0.25 m2 quadrats recorded 46, 28, 14 and 12 individuals of four species, found in 18, 15, 9 and 6 quadrats respectively.
(a) Calculate the total sampled area and the density of species A and B in individuals per square metre. (6 marks)
(b) Calculate the percentage frequency of all four species. (4 marks)
(c) Using Simpson’s index D = 1 – sum(n/N)^2, calculate the diversity index and 1/D. (6 marks)
(d) State one limitation of quadrat sampling and how to improve it. (4 marks)
Question 2 (20 marks)
Question 2: Natural hazards (20 marks)
Invented data: one magnitude 5.0 and one magnitude 6.0 earthquake; in 40 years of records the largest flood ranks first; one disaster killed 240 people in a region with a population of 4.8 million.
(a) Calculate how many times more energy the magnitude 6.0 earthquake released than the magnitude 5.0 one, using log10(E2/E1) = 1.5(M2 – M1). (5 marks)
(b) Calculate the return period and annual exceedance probability of the flood. (5 marks)
(c) Calculate the death rate per 100,000 people. (4 marks)
(d) Evaluate the relative effectiveness of earthquake early warning systems and building codes. (6 marks)
Question 3 (20 marks)
Question 3: Human population and resource demand (20 marks)
Invented data: population 4.8 million growing at 2.1% a year, with electricity use of 2100 kWh per person.
(a) Estimate the doubling time with the rule of 70. (4 marks)
(b) Calculate the population in 25 years using P = P0(1 + r)^n. (5 marks)
(c) Calculate current total electricity use and the demand in 25 years if use per person stays constant, in TWh. (5 marks)
(d) Evaluate the pressure that population growth puts on water and food supply. (6 marks)
Question 4 (20 marks)
Question 4: Data processing and extended response (20 marks)
Invented data: forest area of 84,000 km2 losing 1050 km2 a year; a city producing 3000 tonnes of solid waste a day of which 1200 tonnes is recycled.
(a) Calculate the annual rate of forest loss and how long it would take to clear the forest. (6 marks)
(b) Calculate the recycling rate and the daily landfill input. (6 marks)
(c) Using the data, evaluate the effectiveness of expanding protected areas and raising the recycling rate. (8 marks)
Extension drills: energy emissions and air pollution (2 questions, not part of the 80 marks)
Two extension items cover energy and air pollution; allow 12 minutes.
Question 1 (5 marks)
Extension Question 1: energy and emissions (5 marks, not part of the 80-mark paper)
A country generates 41,000 GWh a year, 62% of it from fossil fuels with an emission factor of 0.45 tonnes of carbon dioxide per MWh. Calculate the fossil-fuel generation in MWh and the annual emissions in million tonnes.
Question 2 (5 marks)
Extension Question 2: air pollution and health (5 marks, not part of the 80-mark paper)
A city’s annual mean PM2.5 is 38 micrograms per cubic metre against a World Health Organization guideline of 5. Calculate how many times the guideline it is and state one traffic management measure.
How are earthquake energy and flood return period calculated?
Direct answer: energy ratio = 10^(1.5 x (6.0 – 5.0)) = about 31.6 times; return period = (40 + 1) / 1 = 41 years with an annual exceedance probability of 1 / 41 x 100 = about 2.4%; death rate = 240 / 4,800,000 x 100,000 = 5.0 per 100,000.
Paper 2 model answers
Question 1
(a) Total sampled area = 20 x 0.25 = 5.0 m2; species A = 46 / 5.0 = 9.2 per m2 and species B = 28 / 5.0 = 5.6 per m2. (6 marks)
(b) Frequency = quadrats containing the species / 20 x 100: A 90%, B 75%, C 45%, D 30%. (4 marks)
(c) N = 46 + 28 + 14 + 12 = 100; sum(n/N)^2 = 0.46^2 + 0.28^2 + 0.14^2 + 0.12^2 = 0.2116 + 0.0784 + 0.0196 + 0.0144 = 0.324, so D = 1 – 0.324 = 0.676 and 1/D = about 1.48. (6 marks)
(d) Limitation: choosing quadrat positions for convenience biases the sample and 20 quadrats may not represent the whole area; improvements include random or systematic sampling, more quadrats and recording percentage cover as well as counts. (4 marks)
Question 2
(a) log10(E2/E1) = 1.5 x (6.0 – 5.0) = 1.5, so E2/E1 = 10^1.5 = about 31.6 times. (5 marks)
(b) Return period = (40 + 1) / 1 = 41 years; annual exceedance probability = 1 / 41 x 100 = about 2.4%. (5 marks)
(c) Death rate = 240 / 4,800,000 x 100,000 = 5.0 per 100,000. (4 marks)
(d) Early warning gives tens of seconds of notice, letting people evacuate, trains slow and gas supplies shut off, but it does not protect buildings and depends on a reliable monitoring and communications network; building codes raise the resilience of structures and cut deaths over the long term, yet they are expensive, need enforcement and take decades to reach older stock. For a city with limited funds the marginal benefit usually lies with codes, and the two work best together. (6 marks)
Question 3
(a) Doubling time = 70 / 2.1 = about 33.3 years. (4 marks)
(b) P = 4.8 x 1.021^25 = 4.8 x 1.682 = about 8.07 million. (5 marks)
(c) Current use = 4.8 x 10^6 x 2100 kWh = 10,080 GWh = about 10.1 TWh; in 25 years = 8.07 x 10^6 x 2100 kWh = 16,947 GWh = about 16.9 TWh, a rise of about 67.3%. (5 marks)
(d) A doubled population raises freshwater demand and wastewater volumes at the same time, so if use per person and irrigation efficiency stay put, availability per person falls below the threshold; on food, cropland cannot double, so output per hectare must rise through irrigation, improved varieties and fertiliser, or imports must grow – both carrying water, energy and price risks. Water saving, recycled water, less food waste and more efficient farming can relieve the pressure, but only with long-term planning and investment. (6 marks)
Question 4
(a) Annual loss = 1050 / 84,000 x 100 = 1.25%; clearing the whole forest at that rate would take 84,000 / 1050 = about 80 years. (6 marks)
(b) Recycling rate = 1200 / 3000 x 100 = 40.0%; landfill input = 3000 – 1200 = 1800 tonnes a day. (6 marks)
(c) Expanding protected areas restricts logging and clearance at once, but with forest being lost at 1.25% a year, any area left outside protection still empties on an 80-year timescale, so enforcement and community involvement are essential; raising recycling from 40% to 60% would cut landfill input to 1200 tonnes a day, slowing landfill saturation and cutting methane, but needs investment in collection and markets. The two address different resources and cannot replace each other, so protection plus recycling and producer responsibility, tracked with annual data, is the strongest package. (8 marks)
Extension answers
Question 1
Fossil generation = 41,000 GWh x 62% = 25,420 GWh = 25,420,000 MWh; annual emissions = 25,420,000 x 0.45 tonnes = 11,439,000 tonnes = about 11.4 million tonnes. Cutting emissions further needs grid efficiency and demand management as well as more renewables.
Question 2
It is 38 / 5 = 7.6 times the guideline, exceeding it by 33 micrograms per cubic metre. Traffic measures include low-emission zones, scrapping older diesel vehicles, switching to electric buses and cutting road traffic through parking controls and bus priority.
How should the time be shared across the four questions?
Direct answer: 80 marks in 1 h 45 min: about 24 minutes per question, leaving 8 minutes to check formulas, units and the limitations in the fieldwork answer.
Where these marks are usually lost
| Mistake | What it looks like | What it costs | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density over quadrat number | Dividing 46 by 20 | Density uses the sampled area of 5 m2 | 9.2 per m2 |
| Frequency confused with density | Counting individuals for frequency | Frequency is the share of quadrats | A 90% |
| Simpson’s index without squaring | Summing n/N only | D = 1 – sum(n/N)^2 | 0.676 |
| Earthquake energy compared linearly | Assuming M6 releases twice M5 | The energy ratio is 10^1.5 | about 31.6 times |
| Doubling time by multiplying the rate | Estimating 2.1 x 10 | Use the rule of 70, that is 70 / 2.1 | about 33.3 years |
How to use this paper
First drill: the four questions in 1 h 45 min, copying the data out before calculating.
Mark it: check formulas, exponents and units, and add the fieldwork safety and limitation points.
Second drill: redo three to seven days later, aiming to finish inside 90 minutes.
What should I do after drilling this paper?
Direct answer: log the questions where a formula went wrong, especially exponents and squares, redo the paper in three to seven days, then go back to the calculation questions in Paper 1 so that data handling is secure in both papers.
FAQ
Is this a Cambridge past paper?
No. This is not a Cambridge past paper: the questions, data and answers are TutorZone originals, not marking references.
What is in Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management 0680 Paper 2?
Paper 2 Environmental Management in Context: short-answer questions, data processing and analysis, and an extended response based on source material, 80 marks in 1 h 45 min and 50% of the qualification; fieldwork method questions appear only here.
Is Simpson’s index examinable?
Yes. Handling data and identifying patterns are assessment objectives, so diversity indices, density and frequency calculations are common, with an explanation of what the result means.
What should a fieldwork answer include?
The sampling method (random or systematic), quadrat size and number, variables controlled, safety measures such as waterproof footwear and never working alone, and at least two limitations with improvements.
Official references
| Resource | What to check |
|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management 0680 syllabus (2027-2029) | Confirm the question types, marks and fieldwork requirements of Paper 2 |
| Cambridge 0680 subject page with specimen papers | Download the official specimen papers to check data-processing and extended response formats |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-environmental-management-0680-paper-1-mock-2027/ | IGCSE Environmental Management Paper 1 drilling mock |
Related: practice area · Paper 1 Principles drilling mock · IGCSE Geography 0460 Paper 2 drilling mock
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