2025 - IB ESS Topic 1 - Foundations of Environmental Systems and Societies

environmental value system (EVS)

a world view or paradigm that shapes the way an individual or group of people perceive and evaluate environmental issues. This is influenced by cultural, religious, economic, and socio-political context.

ecocentric worldview

puts ecology and nature as central to humanity

Less materialism

Greater self sufficiency

importance of education

anthropocentric worldview

believes humans must sustainably manage the global system through taxes, laws, and regulations

technocentric worldview

believes that technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems

system

a set of inter-related parts working together to make a complex whole

open system

exchanges matter and energy with its surroundings

closed system

exchanges energy but not matter with its surroundings

isolated system

exchanges neither matter nor energy with its surroundings

transfer

occurs when energy or matter flows and changes location but does not change its state

transformation

occurs when energy or matter flows and changes its state - a change in the chemical nature, a change in state or a change in energy

systems approach

a way of visualizing a complex set of interactions which may be ecological or societal

model

a simplified version of reality that can be used to understand how a system works and predict how it will respond to change

negative feedback loops

Stabilizing systems that occur when the output of a process inhibits or reverses the operation of the same process in such a way to reduce change - it counteracts deviation

steady-state equilibrium

characteristics of open systems where there are continuous inputs and outputs of energy and matter, but the system as a whole remains in a more-or-less constant state

stable equilibrium

a system that tends to return to the same equilibrium after a disturbance

positive feedback loops

Destabilizing systems which tend to amplify changes and drive the system toward a tipping point where a new equilibrium is adopted.

tipping point

when an ecosystem experiences a shift to a new state in which there are significant changes to its biodiversity and the services it provides.

sustainability

the use and management of resources that allows full natural replacement of the resources exploited and full recovery of the ecosystem affected by their extraction and use

sustainable development

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

natural capital

natural resources that can produce a sustainable natural income of goods or services. e.g. forest (natural capital) provides timber (natural income)

ecological footprint

the area of land and water required to sustainably provide all resources at the rate at which they are being consumed by a given population

Sustainability is

a measure of the extent to which practices allow for the long term viability of a system

The sustainability pillars are

environmental, social, and economic

What 4 points does environmental sustainability focus on

resource depletion, pollution, conserving biodiversity, active regeneration of ecosystems

Regeneration is

the ability of an ecosystem to renew and recover from damage

Social sustainability focuses on

creating the structures and systems ie. health, education, equity, and well being

Economic sustainability focuses on

creating the economic structures and systems to support production and consumption of goods

Ecosystem collapse is the

unsustainable use of natural resources

GDP

gross domestic product

the measure of the monetary value of final goods and services produced ad sold in a given period by a country

what can lead to unsustainable development

neglect of value to natural systems

Environmental justice refers to

the right of all people to live in a pollution free environment and have access to natural resources

What do inequalities lead to?

disparities in access to water, food, and energy due to income, race, gender and cultural identity within and between different societies

What can sustainability and environmental justice be applied to?

individual and global operating scales

What are the sustainability indicators?

quantitive measures of biodiversity, pollution, human population, climate change, and material and carbon footprints

What are the global sustainability indicators

Living planet index, global ocean health index, planetary boundaries framework

what do ecological footprints measure?

the area of land and water required to sustainably provide all resources at the rate of consumption and absorb all generated waste at the rate of production for a specific population.

What does carbon footprint measure

measures the impact of our activities on the amount of carbon dioxide produced

What does the water footprint measure

Water required to produce good and services. Shows water consumption by source

water usage in cubic meters per year

What is biocapacity?

capacity of a given biologically productive area to generate an ongoing supply of renewable resources

what role does citizen science play?

plays a role in monitoring earth systems and whether resources are being used sustainably

Green GDP

Gross domestic product which has been adjusted to take account environmental destruction and/or health consequences of environmental problems.

Perspective

How a particular situation is viewed and understood by an individual. Based on a mix of personal and collective assumptions, values, and beliefs.

Values

Are qualities or principles that people feel have worth and importance in life

biosphere

all organisms, plants, animals, and bacteria

all biomass on earth

hydrosphere

Water on, under, and above Earth's surface

Solids like ice caps, glaciers, snow

liquids like freshwater, saltwater

Gas (water vapour, clouds)

Cryosphere

Solid water, snow cover, glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, permafrost

overlaps with the hydrosphere

Geosphere

the rocks and minerals on earth

molten rock and heavy metals in Earth's interior

sand on beaches

mountains

skeletons of animals that may become fossilized over geologic time

the abiotic parts of soil

Atmosphere

Mixture of gases that surrounds the earth

provides air to breathe

shields against ultraviolet radiation

traps heat to warm the planet

prevents extreme temperature differences between day an dnight

Anthroposphere

The part of the environment that is made or modified by humans, including our culture, technology, built environment, and associated activities

steady-state equilibrium

The condition of an open system in which flows are still occurring but the inputs are constantly balanced with outputs

The doughnut Theory

visualizes a "safe and just space for humanity" between social needs and ecological limits. The social foundation (inner ring) represents the basic needs of all people, while the ecological ceiling (outer ring) outlines the planetary boundaries that humanity must not overshoot. The goal is to operate within this doughnut-shaped space to achieve sustainable development that supports both people and the planet.