Summary Study notes for a 7 in IB ESS Topic 1: Foundations of ESS
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Course
IB Environmental Systems and Societies SL
Institution
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ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS AND SOCIETIES, Topic 1
1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE SYSTEMS
Important Events for ESS
- Apollo 8 Mission (24th Dec 1968): often seen as beginning of environmental
movement, pictures of the Earth had shown that our planet resources were limited
- Earth Summit in Rio (1992): attended by 172 countries, the wide uptake and
international focus were to be felt all around the world. the radical message was that
no more than a radical change in our attitude was required to save the planet. Agenda
21 was a blueprint for action to achieve sustainable development in the entire world,
comprehensive plan for action to be taken globally, nationally and locally.
- UN Conference for Sustainable Development (2012): UNCSD / RIO+20 had three
main objectives:
1. Secure political commitment from nations to sustainable development
2. Assess progress towards internationally agreed commitments (CO 2 reduction)
3. Examine new and emerging challenges
Environmental disasters have affected the way people view human impacts on the planet.
Realization of the negative influences people have had has led to development of the
environmental movement, which in turn has affected the views of people around the globe
Different societies, different environmental philosophies, different decisions. These values
may be influenced by cultural, religious, economic and socio-political contexts. The
environment and every organism in it has its intrinsic value, measurement is given by EVS.
For much of history our viewpoint was that the Earth’s resources were unlimited and that we
could exploit them without fear of them running out, but now it is clearer than the Earth’s
resources are not limitless and so is the Earth itself.
Environmental value systems spectrum:
- Deep Ecologist: (radical ecocentrist) nature (biorights) has more value than humanity,
policies to reduce our impact on the environment (less population and consumption)
- Ecocentrist: ecology and nature are central to humanity, less materialistic approach with
greater self-sufficiency of societies, respect the rights of nature. It is arrogant of us to
think we can manage it all. Earth is here for all species, resources are limited, we should
manage growth so that only beneficial forms occur, we must work with Earth, we need
the Earth more than it needs us. Believe is small-scale action.
- Biocentric: (life-centred) all lives have an inherent value, we should not cause the
premature extinction of or harm any other species, since we are no more important than
any other. When mixed with ecocentrism it broadens out to the protections of species
and habitats in which species live, if we can preserve the ecological integrity and
complexity of systems, then life will thrive. It is our duty to restore degraded systems,
remove pollution and deal with global environmental problems.
- Anthropocentric: humans must sustainably manage the global system by taxes,
government regulation; human are not dependent on nature (here to benefit humankind)
- Technocentric: technological developments can provide solutions to environmental
problems. These last two EVS believe than since we are the most important species on
Earth, is up to us to manage the environment, there will always be more resources to
, exploit and we will control and manage these resources to be successful. We can solve
any problem we cause, economic growth is a good thing and it can keep happening,
- Environmental managers: see the Earth as a garden that needs tending (stewardship
worldview). It is our ethical duty to protect and nurture the environment done by
government regulation and legislation, we need to compensate those who suffer from
environmental degradation. If we look after the planet, it looks after us.
- Cornucopians: (extreme technocentric) see as the world as an infinite resource to
humanity and through technology and our inventiveness we can solve any
environmental problem and keep improving our living standards. Growth will provide the
answers and wealth to improve the lives of all. Think that capitalism is the best way to
manage markets.
1.2 SYSTEMS AND MODELS
Environment: set of components (complex systems) that function together and form
integrated units. A biome can be seen as an ecosystem, though it helps if an ecosystem has
clear boundaries. The whole biosphere is a system as well.
Features of a System:
Transfer: the movement of a material through a living organism, the movement of a material
in a non-living process, the movement of energy.
Transformations: matter to matter, energy to energy, matter to energy, energy to matter.
Storages: store energy and matter within an ecosystem
Open Systems: exchange matter and energy with surroundings, for example a forest is an
open systems since energy comes in from the sun and heat energy is exchanged with the
surroundings, animals may move into the boundaries of the forest (matter in) and water is
lost through evaporation and transpiration from leaves (matter out).
Closed System: exchanges energy with the surroundings but not matter, they are extremely
rare although hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen cycles are closed. A planet itself could be
considerd almost a closed systems (energy comes in from stars and is lost through radiation)
although matter is exchanged such as meteorites and in the case of Earth spaceships. Most
examples of closed systems are made artificially, for example bottle gardens.
Isolated System: exchanges neither energy nor matter with the surrounding environment.
They do not exist naturally although the entire universe could be seen as an isolated system.
Models of Systems: a model is a simplified version of a real thing, used to understand and
predict things that tend to follow rules. Model can be physical, software, mathematical
equations or data flow diagrams.
Limitations Strengths
Accuracy is lost due to simplification Easier to work with than complex reality
If our assumptions are wrong, the model will Predict the effect of a input change
be wrong Can be applied to other similar situations
Predictions may be inaccurate Help us see patters
Can visualize really small / large things
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