IB Geography Option G: Urban environments

If you're trying to decide which option to choose for IB Geography, you've come to the right place! In this post from our IB Geography Options blog series, we’ll explore Option G: Urban Environments, giving you a clear idea of what to expect.

IB Geography Option G: Urban Environments 

In Option G, you will cover the following topics:

The variety of urban environments 

This topic explores the different types of urban areas, their populations, and their economic activities. You'll learn about how cities grow, whether through planned expansion or informal settlements, and the factors that shape their layout, such as location, land use, and function. The concept of urban hierarchies, including megacities, will also be covered. 

You'll examine what influences where businesses and industries are located, such as land prices, access to transport, and distance from the central business district. Similarly, you’ll look at what shapes residential areas, including physical geography, land costs, cultural factors, and urban planning.  

Finally, you'll explore issues like poverty, informal housing, and unregulated industries, understanding how these challenges vary between cities in different parts of the world.

Changing urban systems 

This topic explores how cities change over time due to economic and population shifts. You'll study how urbanisation, natural population growth, and migration shape expanding cities, including rural-to-urban migration in industrializing regions and gentrification in older city centers.  

You'll also examine why people move away from cities, looking at suburbanization and counter-urbanization as some choose to live in less crowded areas. 

Finally, you'll explore urban deindustrialization, investigating why industries decline, and how this affects jobs, local economies, and city populations.

Urban environmental and social stresses

This topic focuses on the various urban stresses cities face and how different stakeholders manage these challenges. You'll explore microclimate modification, including issues like the urban heat island effect and air pollution, and how cities work to manage these problems.  

You'll study air pollution, looking at how it affects different people in terms of health, income, and location. Traffic congestion is another key issue. You will explore how it changes over time and its effects on daily life. 

You'll also explore contested land use, including conflicts over slum clearance, redevelopment, and the loss of green spaces.  

You'll also look at urban social deprivation, focusing on how poverty, crime patterns, and lack of services create a cycle of deprivation in certain areas and how cities try to manage these social challenges.

Check out our free Geography IA exemplars

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Grade received: 7

How do the variables of Hololo river change as it flows downstream?

Grade received: 7

What are the patterns of distribution of pharmacies in Jeżyce, Poznań, Poland?

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To what extent have human processes affected the physical processes of succession at Changi Beach Park in Singapore?

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Grade received: 7

Fieldwork investigation of land use pattern in Mirów, Warsaw. What is the pattern of land use in Mirów, Warsaw and what are potential factors that affect it?

Grade received: 7

Does the urban heat island effect occur in Bydgoszcz?

Grade received: 7

“To what extent do the changes in channel parameters of the Brunnbach river, Tiefbrunnau valley match Bradshaw’s model of river channel changes with distance downstream?”

Grade received: 7

TO WHAT EXTENT DOES URBAN STRESS OCCUR IN BRACCIANO?

View hundreds of other Geography IA exemplars on Clastify

Click to view exemplars

Grade received: 6

How Does Quality of Life Change Along a Transect From the CBD Of Brussels to the Rural-Urban Fringe?

Grade received: 7

What Socio-Economic Impacts Does Tourism Bring To Rural Communities in The Mae Ai Region Of Thailand?

Grade received: 7

'To what extent does urban stress decrease with distance from the CBD along the M1 Transect in Warsaw?'

Grade received: 7

How do the variables of Hololo river change as it flows downstream?

Grade received: 7

What are the patterns of distribution of pharmacies in Jeżyce, Poznań, Poland?

Grade received: 7

To what extent have human processes affected the physical processes of succession at Changi Beach Park in Singapore?

View hundreds of other Geography IA exemplars on Clastify

Click to view exemplars

Grade received: 7

Fieldwork investigation of land use pattern in Mirów, Warsaw. What is the pattern of land use in Mirów, Warsaw and what are potential factors that affect it?

Grade received: 7

Does the urban heat island effect occur in Bydgoszcz?

Grade received: 7

“To what extent do the changes in channel parameters of the Brunnbach river, Tiefbrunnau valley match Bradshaw’s model of river channel changes with distance downstream?”

Grade received: 7

TO WHAT EXTENT DOES URBAN STRESS OCCUR IN BRACCIANO?

View hundreds of other Geography IA exemplars on Clastify

Click to view exemplars

Grade received: 6

How Does Quality of Life Change Along a Transect From the CBD Of Brussels to the Rural-Urban Fringe?

Grade received: 7

What Socio-Economic Impacts Does Tourism Bring To Rural Communities in The Mae Ai Region Of Thailand?

Grade received: 7

'To what extent does urban stress decrease with distance from the CBD along the M1 Transect in Warsaw?'

Grade received: 7

How do the variables of Hololo river change as it flows downstream?

Grade received: 7

What are the patterns of distribution of pharmacies in Jeżyce, Poznań, Poland?

Grade received: 7

To what extent have human processes affected the physical processes of succession at Changi Beach Park in Singapore?

Building sustainable urban systems for the future 

This topic explores future solutions for managing cities in a sustainable way. You'll learn about urban growth projections for 2050, focusing on global migration trends, how cities are expected to grow, and how their populations may change.  

One major focus is resilient city design, which aims to protect cities from climate change and geopolitical risks. You'll also explore the concept of the eco-city, where the goal is to reduce the city's ecological footprint.

Finally, you'll dive into smart city design, focusing on how new technologies can improve city services, from traffic management to energy efficiency. You'll look at examples of both new purpose-built smart cities and the retrofitting of older cities to integrate modern tech solutions.

Who should choose Option G: Urban Environments?

This option is perfect for students interested in how cities develop, grow, and interact with their environments. If you’re fascinated by urban life, the challenges of city planning, or the impact of social and environmental changes in urban areas, this topic will offer key insights into urban geography and sustainability. 

 It’s a great choice for those passionate about real-world urban issues like housing, traffic congestion, pollution, and social inequality. This option is especially beneficial for students considering careers in urban planning, environmental management, or social policy.

We hope you found this post helpful. For more useful materials associated with the IB check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.