IB English B Topic Environment & Sustainability Revision Notes (SL/HL)

IB English B Topic Environment & Sustainability Revision Notes (SL/HL) | RevisionDojo

Focus on Practical Solutions to Global Ecological Problems

In this theme, your task is to show how global environmental challenges can be turned into specific, targeted communication.
Specifically, you start with a broad concern like climate change, then narrow the frame to one concrete step that a school, company, or individual can actually take.

Exam Relevance

The skill you're being tested on is whether you can handle sustainability as a practical problem with layered consequences.

Paper 1 (Writing)

The most common text types are proposals, articles, reports, and formal emails.
Tasks will often ask you to adapt a broad issue to a local setting, like how your school can cut waste, or how your city might promote cycling.
A strong proposal or report will be measurable and audience-focused.
If you’re writing to a school board, talk about costs, timelines, and student benefits.
If it’s for a youth magazine, make it engaging, practical, and relatable.

Example question

Paper 1 HL – Proposal (Environment & Sustainability)

Task: Write a proposal for your school board suggesting practical ways the school can reduce its environmental impact.

Solution

Proposal for Reducing Single-Use Plastics at Westfield International School

Introduction

Our school currently distributes around 800 plastic bottles each week, most of which are discarded after a single use. This not only increases waste but also contradicts our commitment to teaching students global citizenship. This proposal outlines a practical plan to reduce single-use plastics in our school and foster a culture of sustainability.

Proposed Solutions

Install Water Refill Stations
1. Two refill stations should be placed near the cafeteria and sports hall.
2. Students will be issued reusable bottles at the start of the school year.
3. Schools in Singapore that adopted this policy reported a 65% drop in plastic bottle waste within three months.
Introduce a Deposit-Return System in the Cafeteria
1. A small deposit of $0.50 would be added to bottled drinks.
2. Students return the empty bottles to reclaim their deposit.
3. Germany’s system has reached recycling rates of 98%, proving the model’s effectiveness.
Launch a Peer-Led Awareness Campaign
1. Student Council members can design posters and short videos to be shared in assemblies.
2. Research shows that peer influence is a powerful motivator in changing behaviour.

Benefits

Environmental: Cutting 800 bottles per week prevents around 40,000 bottles per year from reaching landfill.
Educational: Students practice sustainability in daily life, reinforcing classroom learning.
Financial: Reduced demand for bottled drinks will lower stock costs for the cafeteria in the long term.

Implementation Timeline

Summer break: Facilities team installs refill stations.
September: Deposit-return scheme begins in the cafeteria.
October: Awareness campaign launches.

Conclusion

This proposal offers a realistic, low-cost way for Westfield International School to reduce its environmental impact while modelling sustainable habits for students. I recommend approval so that the measures can be implemented at the start of the new school year.

Tip

Always think about the incentives of the stakeholder you're writing for.
What do they want?
How can you communicate that?

Paper 2 (Reading & Listening)

Here, you’ll usually see NGO reports, interviews, or news features.

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Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit.

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

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Focus on Practical Solutions to Global Ecological Problems

In this theme, your task is to show how global environmental challenges can be turned into specific, targeted communication.
Specifically, you start with a broad concern like climate change, then narrow the frame to one concrete step that a school, company, or individual can actually take.

Exam Relevance

The skill you're being tested on is whether you can handle sustainability as a practical problem with layered consequences.

Paper 1 (Writing)

The most common text types are proposals, articles, reports, and formal emails.
Tasks will often ask you to adapt a broad issue to a local setting, like how your school can cut waste, or how your city might promote cycling.
A strong proposal or report will be measurable and audience-focused.
If you’re writing to a school board, talk about costs, timelines, and student benefits.
If it’s for a youth magazine, make it engaging, practical, and relatable.

Example question

Paper 1 HL – Proposal (Environment & Sustainability)

Task: Write a proposal for your school board suggesting practical ways the school can reduce its environmental impact.

Solution

Proposal for Reducing Single-Use Plastics at Westfield International School

Introduction

Proposed Solutions

Install Water Refill Stations
1. Two refill stations should be placed near the cafeteria and sports hall.
2. Students will be issued reusable bottles at the start of the school year.
3. Schools in Singapore that adopted this policy reported a 65% drop in plastic bottle waste within three months.
Introduce a Deposit-Return System in the Cafeteria
1. A small deposit of $0.50 would be added to bottled drinks.
2. Students return the empty bottles to reclaim their deposit.
3. Germany’s system has reached recycling rates of 98%, proving the model’s effectiveness.
Launch a Peer-Led Awareness Campaign
1. Student Council members can design posters and short videos to be shared in assemblies.
2. Research shows that peer influence is a powerful motivator in changing behaviour.

Benefits

Environmental: Cutting 800 bottles per week prevents around 40,000 bottles per year from reaching landfill.
Educational: Students practice sustainability in daily life, reinforcing classroom learning.
Financial: Reduced demand for bottled drinks will lower stock costs for the cafeteria in the long term.

Implementation Timeline

Summer break: Facilities team installs refill stations.
September: Deposit-return scheme begins in the cafeteria.
October: Awareness campaign launches.

Conclusion

Tip

Always think about the incentives of the stakeholder you're writing for.
What do they want?
How can you communicate that?

Paper 2 (Reading & Listening)

Here, you’ll usually see NGO reports, interviews, or news features.

Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Core Themes5 subtopics

Text Types3 subtopics

Paper 1 (Writing)2 subtopics

Paper 2 (Listening)2 subtopics

Paper 2 (Reading)2 subtopics

Internal Assessment (Individual Oral)3 subtopics

IB English B Environment & Sustainability Notes

Core Themes5 subtopics

Text Types3 subtopics

Paper 1 (Writing)2 subtopics

Paper 2 (Listening)2 subtopics

Paper 2 (Reading)2 subtopics

Internal Assessment (Individual Oral)3 subtopics

Focus on Practical Solutions to Global Ecological Problems

Exam Relevance

Paper 1 (Writing)

Paper 2 (Reading & Listening)

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

Focus on Practical Solutions to Global Ecological Problems

Exam Relevance

Paper 1 (Writing)

Paper 2 (Reading & Listening)

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account