ESS IB NOTES
Topic 1: Foundations of environmental Topic 5: Soil systems and terrestrial food
systems and societies production systems and societies
❏ 1.1 Environmental value systems ❏ 5.1 Introduction to soil systems
❏ 1.2 Systems and models ❏ 5.2 Terrestrial food production
❏ 1.3 Energy and equilibria systems and food choices
❏ 1.4 Sustainability ❏ 5.3 Soil degradation and
❏ 1.5 Humans and pollution conservation
Topic 2: Ecosystems and ecology Topic 6: Atmospheric systems and societies
❏ 2.1 Species and populations ❏ 6.1 Introduction to the atmosphere
❏ 2.2 Communities and ecosystems ❏ 6.2 Stratospheric ozone
❏ 2.3 Flows of energy and matter ❏ 6.3 Photochemical smog
❏ 2.4 Biomes, zonation and ❏ 6.4 Acid deposition
succession
❏ 2.5 Investigating ecosystems Topic 7: Climate change and energy
production
Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation ❏ 7.1 Energy choices and security
❏ 3.1 An introduction to biodiversity ❏ 7.2 Climate change—causes and
❏ 3.2 Origins of biodiversity impacts
❏ 3.3 Threats to biodiversity ❏ 7.3 Climate change—mitigation
❏ 3.4 Conservation of biodiversity and adaptation
Topic 4: Water and aquatic food production Topic 8: Human systems and resource use
systems and societies ❏ 8.1 Human population dynamics
❏ 4.1 Introduction to water systems ❏ 8.2 Resource use in society
❏ 4.2 Access to fresh water ❏ 8.3 Solid domestic waste
❏ 4.3 Aquatic food production ❏ 8.4 Human population carrying
systems capacity
❏ 4.4 Water pollution
, 1
Topic 1: Foundations of environmental systems and societies
1.1 Environmental value systems
ESS: Environmental systems and societies
ENVIRONMENT- the external surroundings that act on it and affects its survival
SYSTEMS- something made from separate parts that are interlinked and affect each other.
SOCIETIES- group of individuals who share some common characteristics
EVS: (a particular worldview) set of paradigms that shapes the perception of:
● Environmental threats
● How they may impact the environment
● Whether or not that matters.
EVS is particular to:
- An individual
- A group of individuals: religions, companies, governments, intergovernmental
bodies, non-governmental organisations.
Places value on the env:
● goods and services the environment provides:
○ aesthetic importance
○ recreational provision it offers
○ resource it supplies. (gold; diamonds; fossil fuels)- instrumental value
● Intrinsic value:
○ the idea that something can be of value in and of itself and not because it is of
any use to humanity. you can not sell it in return for anything else.
EVS INPUTS: EVS PROCESSES: EVS OUTPUTS:
➔ Education ➔ Accepting / rejecting ➔ Actions
➔ Culture ideas ➔ Answers
➔ Experience ➔ Cost benefit analysis ➔ Choices
➔ Family / Peers ➔ Emotion ➔ Decisions
➔ Personal characteristics ➔ Evaluation ➔ Perspectives
➔ Economy ➔ Listening /
➔ Socio-political factors (eg: assimilating
communism, capitalism) knowledge
➔ Religion ➔ Thinking
➔ The media
➔ Science
Topic 1: Foundations of environmental Topic 5: Soil systems and terrestrial food
systems and societies production systems and societies
❏ 1.1 Environmental value systems ❏ 5.1 Introduction to soil systems
❏ 1.2 Systems and models ❏ 5.2 Terrestrial food production
❏ 1.3 Energy and equilibria systems and food choices
❏ 1.4 Sustainability ❏ 5.3 Soil degradation and
❏ 1.5 Humans and pollution conservation
Topic 2: Ecosystems and ecology Topic 6: Atmospheric systems and societies
❏ 2.1 Species and populations ❏ 6.1 Introduction to the atmosphere
❏ 2.2 Communities and ecosystems ❏ 6.2 Stratospheric ozone
❏ 2.3 Flows of energy and matter ❏ 6.3 Photochemical smog
❏ 2.4 Biomes, zonation and ❏ 6.4 Acid deposition
succession
❏ 2.5 Investigating ecosystems Topic 7: Climate change and energy
production
Topic 3: Biodiversity and conservation ❏ 7.1 Energy choices and security
❏ 3.1 An introduction to biodiversity ❏ 7.2 Climate change—causes and
❏ 3.2 Origins of biodiversity impacts
❏ 3.3 Threats to biodiversity ❏ 7.3 Climate change—mitigation
❏ 3.4 Conservation of biodiversity and adaptation
Topic 4: Water and aquatic food production Topic 8: Human systems and resource use
systems and societies ❏ 8.1 Human population dynamics
❏ 4.1 Introduction to water systems ❏ 8.2 Resource use in society
❏ 4.2 Access to fresh water ❏ 8.3 Solid domestic waste
❏ 4.3 Aquatic food production ❏ 8.4 Human population carrying
systems capacity
❏ 4.4 Water pollution
, 1
Topic 1: Foundations of environmental systems and societies
1.1 Environmental value systems
ESS: Environmental systems and societies
ENVIRONMENT- the external surroundings that act on it and affects its survival
SYSTEMS- something made from separate parts that are interlinked and affect each other.
SOCIETIES- group of individuals who share some common characteristics
EVS: (a particular worldview) set of paradigms that shapes the perception of:
● Environmental threats
● How they may impact the environment
● Whether or not that matters.
EVS is particular to:
- An individual
- A group of individuals: religions, companies, governments, intergovernmental
bodies, non-governmental organisations.
Places value on the env:
● goods and services the environment provides:
○ aesthetic importance
○ recreational provision it offers
○ resource it supplies. (gold; diamonds; fossil fuels)- instrumental value
● Intrinsic value:
○ the idea that something can be of value in and of itself and not because it is of
any use to humanity. you can not sell it in return for anything else.
EVS INPUTS: EVS PROCESSES: EVS OUTPUTS:
➔ Education ➔ Accepting / rejecting ➔ Actions
➔ Culture ideas ➔ Answers
➔ Experience ➔ Cost benefit analysis ➔ Choices
➔ Family / Peers ➔ Emotion ➔ Decisions
➔ Personal characteristics ➔ Evaluation ➔ Perspectives
➔ Economy ➔ Listening /
➔ Socio-political factors (eg: assimilating
communism, capitalism) knowledge
➔ Religion ➔ Thinking
➔ The media
➔ Science
