DP Environmental Systems and Societies Questionbank

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

The long term effects of global warming may influence the carrying capacity for human populations.

Discuss whether global warming is likely to increase or decrease carrying capacity for human populations around the world. Support your conclusion with valid reasons or evidence.

Discuss how different environmental philosophies can affect the choice of pollution management strategies in response to global warming.

The impacts of acid rain on terrestrial ecosystems may include acidified soils, leaching of nutrients, release of toxins and damage to vegetation. The impacts of global warming on these systems may include desertification, flooding, loss of species and shifting of biomes.

For terrestrial ecosystems, discuss the difficulty of managing the impacts of acid rain compared to that of managing the impacts of global warming.

Environmental value systems may lead to different approaches to addressing the issue of global warming. Discuss which environmental value system(s) you consider to be most appropriate in the management of global warming.

Identify four strategies for limiting the impact of burning fossil fuels without reducing their use.

With reference to Figure 6, outline the effectiveness of mangroves and tropical rainforests in the mitigation of climate change.

To what extent do anthropocentric value systems dominate the international efforts to address climate change?

Outline how Flows 1 and 2 shown in Figure 1 may contribute to the capture and storage of atmospheric carbon.

Identify two mitigation strategies to manage climate change, other than carbon capture and storage.

Outline how the mitigation strategy shown in Figure 1 is different to an adaptation strategy for managing climate change.

Explain how the ability to implement mitigation and adaptation strategies may vary from one country to another.

Identify one adaptation strategy that could be used to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Identify two possible reasons for the projected change in CO₂ emissions for China.

Figures 9(a) and 9(b) in the resource booklet provide information about the production of ethanol from sugar as a biofuel.

Outline one limitation for using biofuels as a strategy to control greenhouse gas emissions.

Figures 9(a) and 9(b) in the resource booklet provide information about the production of ethanol from sugar as a biofuel.

Explain how biofuel production can be used as a strategy to control greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil.