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AQA A-Level Environmental Science Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free AQA A-Level Environmental Science (7447) past papers & mark schemes. Earth systems, ecosystems, resource management, and climate policy. 30 resources.

📅June 2017 – June 2024📄30 resources availableFree to download

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June 2023

8 files
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A-level Environmental Science – Insert (Modified A3 36pt): Paper 2 – June 2023

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 1 – June 2023

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 2 – June 2023

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A-level Environmental Science – Mark scheme: Paper 1 – June 2023

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper: Paper 1 – June 2023

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A-level Environmental Science – Mark scheme: Paper 2 – June 2023

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper: Paper 2 – June 2023

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper (Modified A3 36pt): Paper 1 – June 2023

Question Paper

June 2022

6 files
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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 2 – June 2022

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A-level Environmental Science – Mark scheme: Paper 1 – June 2022

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper: Paper 1 – June 2022

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A-level Environmental Science – Mark scheme: Paper 2 – June 2022

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper: Paper 2 – June 2022

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper (Modified A3 36pt): Paper 1 – June 2022

Question Paper

November 2021

4 files
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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 2 – November 2021

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A-level Environmental Science – Mark scheme: Paper 1 – November 2021

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper: Paper 1 – November 2021

Question Paper

A-level Environmental Science – Mark scheme: Paper 2 – November 2021

Mark Scheme

November 2020

7 files
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A-level Environmental Science – Insert (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 1 – November 2020

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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 1 – November 2020

Question Paper
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A-level Environmental Science – Insert (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 2 – November 2020

Insert
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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 2 – November 2020

Question Paper

A-level Environmental Science – Mark scheme: Paper 1 – November 2020

Mark Scheme
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A-level Environmental Science – Question paper: Paper 1 – November 2020

Question Paper

A-level Environmental Science – Mark scheme: Paper 2 – November 2020

Mark Scheme

Where Earth Science Meets Environmental Policy: AQA A-Level Environmental Science

AQA A-Level Environmental Science (specification code 7447) is genuinely cross-disciplinary in a way that few A-Level subjects are. It draws on biology (ecology, evolution, food webs), chemistry (atmospheric chemistry, pollution, biogeochemical cycles), physics (energy systems, radiation), and geography (climate systems, water management, land use) — and then adds a socioeconomic and political layer that pure sciences do not. Paper 1 (2 hours 30 minutes, 110 marks) examines Earth's physical systems and ecosystems. The Earth's systems section covers plate tectonics and its effects on the biosphere, the atmosphere and its layers, the global water cycle with emphasis on human disruption, and biogeochemical cycles — specifically the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles including the reservoirs, fluxes, and human impacts on each. The ecosystems section covers ecological relationships (predator-prey, competition, mutualism), energy flow through trophic levels, biodiversity measurement, ecosystem services, and the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss. Paper 2 (2 hours 30 minutes, 110 marks) focuses on environmental management in the broadest sense. It covers resource management (fossil fuels, minerals, freshwater) and the environmental impacts of extraction and use; climate change science (the greenhouse effect, carbon feedback loops, climate modelling) and international policy responses (Paris Agreement, carbon markets, the IPCC process); energy systems comparing the environmental lifecycle of fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewable technologies; food production systems and their land, water, and chemical footprints; and the governance frameworks — international agreements, national legislation, and economic instruments — used to manage environmental problems. Both papers include data analysis questions, quantitative calculations, and evaluative essay questions. A Practical Endorsement runs alongside the exams — students complete field sampling, water and air quality testing, and energy investigations that inform practical skills questions across both papers.

Exam Paper Structure

Paper 1Calculator ✓

Earth's Physical Systems and Ecosystems

2 hours 30 minutes🎯 110 marks📊 50% of grade
Earth's physical systems (plate tectonics, atmosphere, water cycle)Biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus)Ecosystems (food webs, energy flow, ecological relationships)Biodiversity measurement and conservationEcosystem services and their economic valuation
Paper 2Calculator ✓

Resource Management, Climate and Environmental Policy

2 hours 30 minutes🎯 110 marks📊 50% of grade
Resource management (fossil fuels, minerals, freshwater)Climate change science and feedback loopsEnergy systems (fossil fuels vs renewables vs nuclear)Food production and its environmental footprintInternational environmental governance (Paris Agreement, IPCC)

Key Information

Exam BoardAQA
Specification Code7447
QualificationA-Level
Grading ScaleA*–E
Assessment Type2 written papers + Practical Endorsement
Number Of Papers2
Exam Duration2 hours 30 minutes per paper
Total Marks220 (110 per paper)
Calculator StatusCalculator allowed
Available SessionsJune 2017 – June 2024
Total Resources30

Key Topics in Environmental Science

Topics you need to know

Biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus — reservoirs and human disruption)Ecosystems (energy flow through trophic levels, biodiversity, succession)Climate change science (greenhouse effect, feedback mechanisms, climate modelling)Energy systems (lifecycle comparison of fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables)Resource management and sustainabilityInternational environmental policy (Paris Agreement, carbon markets, IPCC)Quantitative environmental skills (unit analysis, data interpretation, environmental calculations)

Exam Command Words

Command wordWhat the examiner expects
DescribeGive a detailed account of a process, trend, or system using specific environmental terminology
ExplainGive reasons for a process, pattern, or environmental outcome
EvaluateAssess the effectiveness, advantages, and limitations of a policy, technology, or approach
SuggestPropose a plausible explanation or solution using environmental knowledge
CalculateWork out a numerical answer, showing all steps and stating units clearly
AssessWeigh up evidence to reach a reasoned judgement about the significance or effectiveness of something
OutlineGive a brief summary of the key points without extended explanation

Typical Grade Boundaries

GradeApproximate mark needed
A*72–83%
A62–71%
B52–61%
C43–51%
D34–42%
E25–33%

⚠️ Typical boundaries across two papers (220 total marks: 110 per paper). Actual boundaries vary by series — check AQA's website.

Quantitative Skills, Cross-Topic Synthesis, and Policy Evaluation in AQA Environmental Science

Paper 2's policy and management questions are where marks are most frequently lost through descriptive rather than analytical responses. When a question asks you to evaluate a carbon pricing scheme or an international climate agreement, the mark scheme rewards analysis of why the policy works or fails — examining economic incentives, political feasibility, distributional equity, and technological readiness — not a description of what the policy involves. Build a template for policy evaluation: mechanism (how does it work?), effectiveness (does it achieve its goal? What evidence exists?), limitations (who resists it? What does it not address?), alternatives (what else could achieve the same aim?). Biogeochemical cycles link both papers and are the subject's most reliably examined core knowledge. For the carbon cycle, know the exact processes by which carbon moves between each reservoir: photosynthesis (atmosphere to biosphere), respiration and decomposition (biosphere to atmosphere), combustion (lithosphere/biosphere to atmosphere), ocean absorption (atmosphere to hydrosphere), carbonate formation (hydrosphere to lithosphere). For the nitrogen cycle, know the roles of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Rhizobium in legume root nodules and free-living Azotobacter), nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, and the human disruption through Haber-Bosch synthesis. For the phosphorus cycle, know why it lacks an atmospheric stage and what this means for its cycling rate. Quantitative questions require correct units throughout. Environmental calculations use a wide variety of units — energy in kWh or MJ or kJ/mol, concentrations in mg/l or ppm or μg/m³, areas in km², ecological measures in species per hectare. Always state units at each step of a calculation and double-check at the end that your answer has physically plausible magnitude — an answer suggesting a lake contains 500 tonnes of phosphate per litre should prompt you to recheck. Case study specificity separates high-scoring from mid-scoring responses. Examining statements like 'tropical rainforests contain high biodiversity' score poorly; specific examples with quantitative data — naming a specific ecosystem, citing measured species counts, referencing rates of deforestation — score well. Build a bank of quantitative facts for 5–6 different biomes or environmental contexts.

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