| Date | November 2016 | Marks available | 15 | Reference code | 16N.1.bp.5 |
| Level | SL and HL | Paper | 1 | Time zone | |
| Command term | Discuss | Question number | 5 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
“The fact that the world’s population is now growing less rapidly means that there will be less pressure on the environment.” Discuss this statement.
Markscheme
Many responses are likely to agree with this statement saying that indeed slower growth in the world’s population will lead to less pressure on resources. They may give examples as to how and why the global natural increase rate has fallen in recent decades. They may identify certain environmental benefits that could result from this, such as less demand on resources and less environmental pressure, with some stated examples. However, to reach the higher markbands there should be an acknowledgement that the statement is over-simplistic as population growth as a rate is a percentage of an increasingly large number of people, so although the rate may be falling, the actual increased numbers of people on our planet every year are still very high.
More significantly, most environmental issues are a consequence of increased standards of living and not of population growth. If one compares the ecological footprint of individuals in different nations it is often very low in the most populous nations, as it is linked more to one’s level of consumption. Also, many previously less developed nations are developing and industrializing at an enormous rate, which is accompanied by increased use of fossil fuels and demands on other resources such as water, soil and forest products, all with associated environmental impacts. This said, development often correlates with increased rates of urbanization and reduced fertility; natural increase rates decline but the associated impact on the environment does not.
Answers that are simplistic and/or generalized with few or no relevant facts and figures are unlikely to progress beyond band C.
At band D, expect a balanced view supported by evidence linking demography and development with environmental degradation.
At band E, expect either a detailed explanation of how demography and development link to environmental degradation or discussion of a possible counter-view that pressure on the environment will continue or even increase due to changes in consumption.
At band F, expect both and an overall assessment of the statement.
Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.
[15 marks]
