0680_s26_ms_23 2026 May-June Environmental Management 0680 Mark Scheme 2 Variant 3 · Cambridge CAIE IGCSE

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0680_s26_ms_232026 May-June Environmental Management 0680 Mark Scheme 2 Variant 3

This is the official Cambridge mark scheme for Environmental Management (0680) Mark Scheme 2 (Variant 3) from the 2026 May-June session. Mark schemes show exactly how each mark is awarded, including acceptable alternative answers, required key terms, and common errors that lose marks. Cambridge mark schemes use notation like "allow," "accept," and "do not credit" to define the boundary between full marks and zero.

Also referenced as: 0680_s26_ms_23 · 0680/23/m/j/26 ms · 0680/23 May/June 2026 ms

Paper 2: Management in Context This is Paper 2: Management in Context, worth 80 marks with a duration of 1h 30m. Questions based on a resource booklet with case studies, maps, data, and photographs. Requires application of knowledge to unfamiliar contexts and fieldwork methodology.

This mark scheme corresponds to 0680_s26_qp_23. For maximum revision benefit, attempt the question paper under strict exam conditions first, then use this mark scheme to self-assess. Pay attention to the marking notation: "allow" means an alternative is accepted, "do not credit" means a specific phrasing is rejected even if technically correct, and "ORA" (or reverse argument) means the mark can also be earned with the opposite reasoning.

Cambridge mark schemes reward precise language. For Environmental Management (0680), look for keywords the examiner requires — definitions must include specific terms (e.g., "per unit mass," "resultant"), and calculations must show working even if the final answer is correct. Understanding mark scheme conventions helps you write answers that hit every marking point, not just the general idea.

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Same paper, other years

Environmental Management (0680) Mark Scheme 2 (Variant 3) from other exam sessions — practise the same paper across the years, then check each one against its mark scheme.

Examiner Insights — Paper 2: Management in Context

Based on analysis of 3 official Cambridge documents (2023, 2025)

1

Vague answers — 'causes harm', 'causes pollution', 'affects the environment' not credited

Responses such as 'causes pollution' or 'harms the environment' were too vague to be credited. Candidates must name the specific type of pollution or specific environmental impact.0680 Paper 1, May/June 2023

How to fix: Never write 'causes pollution' or 'harms the environment'. Always name the SPECIFIC impact: 'releases sulfur dioxide which causes acid rain', 'nitrate runoff causes eutrophication', 'deforestation reduces biodiversity by destroying habitats'. Vague = zero marks.

4

Listing same point in different words for multi-mark questions

Candidates often repeated the same idea using different words rather than making distinct points. For example, 'less trees' and 'fewer forests' and 'deforestation' were treated as one point, not three.0680 Paper 2, May/June 2025

How to fix: Each point must be a genuinely DIFFERENT idea. Before writing your next point, ask: 'Is this saying something new or just rewording my previous point?' If a question is worth 4 marks, you need 4 distinct ideas — not the same idea rephrased four times.

5

Using above/below instead of compass directions on maps

Candidates should use compass directions such as north, south, east, and west when describing locations on a map. Terms such as 'above', 'below', 'left', and 'right' were not credited.0680 Paper 2, May/June 2023

How to fix: Always use compass directions on map questions: north, south, east, west, northeast, etc. Say 'the forest is to the north of the river' not 'the forest is above the river'. This is a geography exam — geographical terminology is expected.

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All Environmental Management (0680) Papers — 2026 May-June

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Environmental Management Exam Guide: How to Score Higher

Top mistakes, scoring patterns & answer frameworks from 3 official Cambridge documents