Outline how the concept of sustainability can be applied to managing natural capital.

Explain how environmental indicators are used to assess sustainability.

To what extent does sustainability play a role in making decisions about energy and climate change policies at national and international levels? 

natural capital refers to natural resources that can supply a natural income of goods or services;
natural income is the yield/growth obtained from natural resources/capital;
to be sustainable, natural capital must be used at rate slower than its replenishment / within maximum sustainable yield / that fulfils current needs without compromising future availability;
if more than the natural income is extracted, then the use is unsustainable;
exploitation of natural capital may also be unsustainable due to processes of extraction/transport/processing / environment should be in same condition as at outset to be sustainable;
altering human behaviour/values/choices through policies/legislations/campaigns so that unsustainable exploitation of natural capital is reduced;
non-renewable natural capital is either irreplaceable or can only be replaced over geological timescales / non-renewable natural capital can never be used sustainably.

The question addresses the essential nature (concept) of sustainability rather than specific practices. However, do credit candidates for valid and specific examples if they exemplify any of the generic principles above.

environmental indicators (EIs) may involve measures of biodiversity/
pollution/population/climate/emissions/resource consumption;
EIs are tools for measuring progress toward sustainability/supporting policy evaluation/informing the public/comparing nations;
EIs involve the setting of measurable goals from established baseline measurements;
EIs can be used at a range of scales from local to global;
after some time, measures can be reassessed and compared to the baselines/domestic objectives/international agreements (eg Kyoto/Montreal Protocol);
environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are EIs that measure a wide profile of indicators usually before and after some development;
ecological footprints(EFs) are EIs that focus on rates of consumption compared to rates of natural income;
if a population’s EF is greater than the area available this indicates unsustainability;
the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment used indicators to give a scientific appraisal of the condition/trends in the world’s ecosystems and services;
certain species can be used as indicators of pollution;
some indicator species are particularly sensitive to pollution so a low abundance may suggest heavy pollution / high abundance suggest clean environment (eg lichens);
loss of these sensitive species may be an effective indicator for appealing to the public;
some indicator species are particularly resistant to pollution so a high abundance/dominance of these species may suggest high pollution (eg tubifex worms/coliform bacteria).

Refer to paper 2 markbands, available under “your tests”  tab > supplemental materials

The following guide for using the markbands suggests certain features that may be offered in responses. The five headings coincide with the criteria given in each of the markbands (although ‘ESS terminology’ has been conflated with ‘Understanding concepts’). This guide simply provides some possible inclusions and should not be seen as requisite or comprehensive. It outlines the kind of elements to look for when deciding on the appropriate markband and the specific mark within that band.

Answers may include:

• understanding concepts and terminology of climate change;sustainability; fossil fuels & renewable energies; factors affecting energy choice; (energy security, availability, scientific and technological developments; cultural attitudes; political, economic and environmental factors); adaptation; mitigation; international negotiations; energy efficiency & conservation; etc;
• breadth in addressing and linking the role/significance of sustainability (eg renewable vs non-renewable) in a range of different national and international decision-making bodies, with a range of different value systems and states of economic development for addressing energy choice and response to climate change;
• examples could include a range of country-specific energy choices and climate change policies and plans;
• balanced analysis of extent to which energy choice and adaptation/mitigation strategies for climate change are, or are not, influenced or by concept of sustainability;
• a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by, analysis and examples given eg ‘Sustainability should be the driving factor in constructing energy and climate change policy and many countries demonstrate this, however some countries choose to prioritize other factors, such as short-term energy security and economic gain’.