Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Decision Answers — Side by Side
Part of Decision Making Skills · GCSE GCSE Geography revision
This comparison covers Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Decision Answers — Side by Side within Decision Making Skills for GCSE Geography. Revise Decision Making Skills in Decision Making & Issue Evaluation for GCSE Geography with 15 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 9 of 15 in this topic. Use this comparison to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 9 of 15
Practice
15 questions
Recall
20 flashcards
⚖️ Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Decision Answers — Side by Side
Question: "Using evidence from the resources and your own geographical knowledge, recommend a course of action for the wind farm proposal. Justify your decision." (10 marks)
| Level | Marks | What the Answer Looks Like | What It Is Missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 1–4 | "I think the wind farm should be built because it produces clean energy and reduces carbon emissions. Wind turbines are renewable and do not produce greenhouse gases. Some people might not like how they look but clean energy is important." | No resource evidence cited (no Figure references, no statistics). No option comparison (assumes only one option exists). No stakeholder analysis. No trade-off acknowledgement. Generic environmental statement not linked to this specific case. |
| Level 2 | 5–7 | "I recommend Option B (partial development of 10 turbines) because Figure 3 shows wind speeds of 8.2 m/s, above the 7 m/s viable minimum, so the site is commercially feasible. Building only 10 turbines reduces the visual impact on the AONB by approximately 50% while still generating around 22 MW. However, farmers would receive less income compared to full development (£300,000/year rather than £600,000/year), and Wales's carbon targets would be harder to meet." | Uses resource evidence with statistics. Compares two options. Acknowledges one trade-off. Missing: no RAVES stakeholder analysis, no weighting of criteria, no link to broader geographical frameworks (sustainability, national policy), no strategic argument about feasibility timelines vs carbon output. |
| Level 3 | 8–10 | "I recommend Option B as the optimally balanced course of action. The criteria I weigh most heavily are: (1) deliverability within the legal carbon timeline (Figure 3 confirms viability; Wales's 2035 net-zero target is legally binding); (2) local economic benefit to an area with 7.2% unemployment (Figure 2) — Option B generates £300,000/yr for the farming family; and (3) long-term community cohesion. Option A scores higher on carbon output, but Figure 6 shows 68% local opposition — legal challenges would almost certainly delay approval by 3–5 years. Over a 20-year lifetime, Option B operational from Year 1 may produce a higher cumulative carbon saving than Option A delayed to Year 4. Option C is eliminated by Figure 9 (average wind speed 6.1 m/s, below the viable threshold). The trade-off I accept is 40% lower immediate generation capacity, justified by greater feasibility, stronger democratic legitimacy, and Wales's duty under the Future Generations Act to consider long-term community wellbeing alongside environmental targets. A divided community that resents this decision will obstruct future development far more than a consensual decision today." | This answer would score 9–10 marks. It uses specific statistics from multiple figures, eliminates options with evidence, weights criteria and explains why, acknowledges a trade-off explicitly, links to broader geographical frameworks (Future Generations Act, legally binding targets), and uses strategic geographical reasoning (long-term cumulative output argument). |