IB Digital Society 5.3 Sustainable Development Questionbank

PRE-RELEASED STATEMENT

This pre-released statement supports planning for an extended inquiry into a sustainable development challenge involving mobility systems and digitally mediated decisions.

Road congestion increases greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, and time lost in traffic.

Cities often respond through infrastructure expansion, pricing, and investment in public transport, but each approach distributes benefits and burdens differently. Electrification of buses can reduce tailpipe emissions, yet climate benefits depend on electricity generation, vehicle lifecycle impacts, and the degree to which public transport replaces private car trips.

Digital technologies increasingly shape transport through real-time routing, predictive scheduling, automated driving systems, and integrated ticketing. These systems can improve reliability and frequency, but they also raise questions about safety assurance, decision-making transparency, and who is prioritized when trade-offs are made (for example, peak commuters vs shift workers; central business districts vs peripheral neighborhoods).

Employment impacts are also significant: automation may change roles for drivers and maintenance staff, and can provoke concerns about deskilling, job loss, and accountability when incidents occur.

You may wish to explore: what equitable access means (coverage, affordability, physical accessibility, reliability), how trust is built through governance and community engagement, and how to evaluate transport interventions beyond ridership alone (wait times, missed connections, safety incidents, emissions, and social inclusion).

Paper 3 will include stimulus material about an unseen intervention involving a redesigned public transport network that uses digital systems to operate electric vehicles and manage service patterns. The stimulus will present operational details, a visual representation of routes and service frequency, and perspectives from groups affected by workforce and accessibility changes. Use this pre-release to prepare inquiries into fairness of access, legitimacy, safety governance, and transitions for workers and communities.

Source 1: Text description of an autonomous electric bus network intervention

A mid-sized city launches an autonomous electric bus (AEB) network on six core corridors. Vehicles operate with onboard perception systems (cameras, radar, lidar) and geofenced routes. A remote operations center can slow/stop buses and dispatch assistance. Safety controls include low-speed limits in school zones, mandatory stops at “uncertain object” detections, and a policy that buses must switch to manual “attended mode” during severe weather (with a staff member onboard).

• Routing and service: headways vary by corridor; the city plans more frequent service on high-demand routes and reduced frequency on lower-ridership routes.
• Service access: fares are integrated with existing transit cards and a mobile ticketing app; cash fares are reduced.
• Equity implications noted by the city: peripheral areas have fewer charging depots, and the first deployment prioritizes corridors near depots to reduce downtime.
• Data use: anonymized ridership counts and stop dwell time are used to adjust scheduling monthly; incident footage is stored for 30 days unless flagged.

Source 2: Short excerpt from affected-group perspective

• Drivers’ union: “Electrification is welcome, but autonomy without a clear jobs plan undermines livelihoods and safety accountability. Remote monitoring is not the same as trained operators on board.”
• Disability advocate: “Reliability matters, but so do accessible stops, consistent announcements, and a way to contest service changes that reduce coverage for people who cannot drive.”

The Impact of Cloud Networks on Data Accessibility

Cloud networks allow for data storage and access over the internet, making data accessible from anywhere. This accessibility supports remote work, file sharing, and collaboration but also raises concerns about data security and control over personal information.

PRE-RELEASED STATEMENT

Traceable ethics: responsibility in global supply chains

This pre-released statement supports planning for an extended inquiry into a contemporary sustainability challenge and the role that digital systems can play in shaping decisions, accountability and outcomes.

Many products marketed as “ethical” or “responsibly sourced” rely on complex, multi-tier supply chains that cross borders and legal systems. Materials and components can pass through numerous intermediaries, subcontractors and processing sites, making it difficult to verify working conditions, environmental practices, and wage/payment compliance.

At the same time, buyers and regulators increasingly expect evidence of due diligence, while investors and consumers seek assurance that claims are credible. Digital traceability tools can increase visibility by recording transactions, audits, certifications and logistical events.

However, the reliability of any record depends on what is measured, who is empowered to report problems, and whether incentives align with genuine remediation rather than “box-ticking”.

Where suppliers bear costs of compliance without experiencing improvements (e.g. better pay, safer conditions, stable contracts), participation can become coerced rather than collaborative. Additionally, over-collection of operational data may expose small suppliers to competitive harm or retaliation, especially if disputes are handled by powerful buyers.

Stakeholders can include: workers and their representatives, smallholder suppliers, factory managers, brand compliance teams, third-party auditors, logistics firms, certification bodies, regulators, and consumers. You may wish to explore how ethical assurance is constructed (standards, audits, worker voice, grievance mechanisms), and how power shapes what counts as “proof”.

Source A: Types of Computing Networks and Their Applications

Computing networks enable connectivity across different scales and purposes, from Local Area Networks (LANs) within buildings to Wide Area Networks (WANs) spanning cities. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) enhance security, while Client-Server and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) architectures support various communication methods.

For instance, a VPN can secure remote employee access to a company’s intranet, and LANs connect devices within a corporate office to share resources efficiently.

Source B: Essential Components of Computing Networks

The effectiveness of networks depends on critical components such as clients, servers, routers, and switches. Modems connect devices to the internet, while network interfaces enable devices to join a network. These elements, together with wired and wireless media, make data transmission feasible across distances.

For example, a modem connects a home router to an internet service provider (ISP), enabling users to access the internet and local network resources.

Source C: Transmission Media in Networks: Wired vs. Wireless

Networks rely on transmission media for data transfer. Wired media (e.g., Ethernet and fiber-optic cables) provide high-speed, reliable connections, while wireless media (e.g., Wi-Fi and cellular networks) enable mobility. Each medium has specific advantages depending on the application.

For instance, fiber-optic cables support high-speed internet in metropolitan areas, while Wi-Fi enables device connectivity within homes and offices without physical cabling.