Practice 7.3 Climate change—mitigation and adaptation with authentic IB Environmental systems and societies (ESS - Old) exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1, 2 structure, covering key topics like ecosystems, human impact, and sustainability. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
Paper
Level
Question 1
HLPaper 2
Two maps of Greenland comparing the percentage of sea ice concentration between September 14, 1984 and September 13, 2012.
1.[1]
Outline the change in ice cover between 1984 and 2012.
2.[2]
State two environmental impacts of the change in sea ice cover in the Arctic.
3.[2]
Describe how mitigation can help with climate change.
4.[4]
Evaluate one mitigation strategy to reduce climate change.
Question 2
SLPaper 2
1.[9]
To what extent do anthropocentric value systems dominate international efforts of addressing climate change?
Question 3
HLPaper 2
1.[6]
Evaluate the potential of geoengineering as a strategy for mitigating climate change.
Question 4
SLPaper 2
1.[9]
Environmental value systems can lead to different approache towards addressing global warming. Discuss which environmental value system(s) you consider to be most appropriate in the management of global warming.
Question 5
SLPaper 2
1.[4]
Explain the process(es) where a species evolves over time to gain a higher tolerance to hotter climates or higher temperatures.
2.[9]
When addressing environmental issues, mitigation strategies can be seen as ecocentric and adaptation strategies as technocentric.
With reference to named strategies addressing global warming, to what extent is this view valid?
Question 6
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[6]
Compare the concepts of climate change mitigation and adaptation, including examples of each.
Question 7
SLPaper 2
1.[4]
Outline how a positive feedback loop can impact an ecosystem.
2.[7]
Compare and contrast the impact of two named food production systems on climate change.
3.[9]
To what extent does the development of different societies impact their mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change?
Question 8
SLPaper 2
1.[4]
Outline two factors that affect the frequency and severity of photochemical smog in an area.
2.[7]
Evaluate strategies to manage regional acid deposition using the pollution management model.
3.[9]
To what extent have international agreements been successful in solving atmospheric air pollution and climate change?
Question 9
SL & HLPaper 2
The table shows an estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cows and cars in the UK in 2015.
Table 1.
| Estimated numbers | Average emissions | Total emissions (kg/year) | Global warming potential (GWP) | Overall effect (Total emissions × GWP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 million cows | 100 kg of methane/cow/year | 350 million | Methane = 23 | 8.05 billion |
| 35 million cars | 5,450 kg of carbon dioxide/car/year | 190.75 billion | Carbon dioxide = 1 | 190.75 billion |
- Methane is a more powerful GHG than carbon dioxide by a factor of 23. This means that 1 kg of methane would absorb 23 times more heat than 1 kg of carbon dioxide. (Source: 2015 UK GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, FINAL FIGURES, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, © Crown copyright 2017)
1.[2]
List two greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide and methane.
2.[3]
Refering to Table 1, discuss the relative impact of cows and cars on global warming.
3.[3]
Evaluate a strategy that could be used to reduce humans' reliance on cars.
4.[2]
Explain what is the effect of these greenhouse gases in the stratosphere.
Question 10
SLPaper 2
There are increasing concerns of carbon dioxide emissions and its relationship to climate change.
Figure 1: CO2 emissions of select countries in 2007 and 2030 (Projected)
1.[2]
Identify two possible reasons for China's projected change in CO2 emissions.
2.[1]
Calculate Russia's projected percentage increase from 2007 to 2030 in CO2 emissions.
3.[4]
Discuss how the ability to implement mitigation and adaptation strategies may vary from one country to another.
4.[2]
Outline how CO2 emissions may cause a change in the global climate.
5.[1]
Identify one adaptation strategy that can be used to reduce the impacts of climate change.
6.[1]
Identify one reduction strategy the United States might use to achieve its projected change in CO2 emissions.