Practice IB Environmental systems and societies (ESS) Topic 8.2 Urban Systems and Urban Planning with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for 8.2 Urban Systems and Urban Planning and mirrors Paper 1, 2 style where relevant.
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Outline the reasons why natural capital has a dynamic nature.
Explain how the inequitable distribution of natural resources can lead to conflict.
The management of a resource can impact the production of solid domestic waste.
To what extent have the three levels of the pollution management model been successfully applied to the management of solid domestic waste?
(Source: "Lithium production”, part of the following publication: Hannah Ritchie, Pablo Rosado and Max Roser (2023) - “Energy”. Data adapted from Energy Institute. Retrieved from OurWorldinData.)
Explain whether lithium is renewable or non-renewable natural capital.
Natural capital is valued for many different reasons. List two ways in which natural capital may be valued.
The status of natural capital can change over time. This means that something that may be of value now, may have not been in the past. Or something that may have been valuable in the past, may no longer be now. Using one example, explain how this is possible.
Explain how the tragedy of the commons impacts non-renewable natural capital.
The resource booklet provides information on Algonquin Provincial Park in Canada. Use the resource booklet and your own studies to answer the following.
Figure 7(b): Fact file on beaver hunting
With reference to Figure 7(b), calculate the percentage reduction in the price of beaver pelt between 1940 and 2015.
Identify one reason why the value of beaver pelts has changed over time.
Identify four distinct categories of ecosystem services, as defined by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, that provide 'natural income' for human societies.
Outline the sequence of procedures required to conduct a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a proposed urban development project.
To what extent can the Ecological Footprint (EF) be considered a more effective model for measuring the sustainability of a human population than a Natural Capital assessment?
Evaluate the role of a transition toward a circular economy in maintaining the integrity of natural capital while meeting the demands of a growing human population.
Outline four distinct categories of ecosystem services identified by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) that provide natural income to humanity.
Explain the process and limitations of using Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) as a tool for ensuring the sustainable management of a proposed large-scale development project.