| Date | May 2022 | Marks available | 2 | Reference code | 22M.1.SL.TZ0.9 |
| Level | Standard Level | Paper | Paper 1 | Time zone | Time zone 0 |
| Command term | Explain | Question number | 9 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Figure 10(b): Ecological footprint and biocapacity per person
in Costa Rica (1961–2016)
Biocapacity is the amount of biologically productive land, measured in hectares per person.
Global Footprint Network. Costa Rica (2022) [online] Available at: http://data.footprintnetwork.org/#/. Source adapted.
With reference to Figure 10(b), explain how sustainability in Costa Rica changed between 1961 and 2016.
Markscheme
EF must be lower than biocapacity to be sustainable / if EF is above biocapacity, it is not sustainable / overall sustainability declined overtime as EF increased and biocapacity declined;
until around 1990/1991 Costa Rica was sustainable as EF was lower than the biocapacity;
after 1990/1991, EF was greater than biocapacity and therefore Costa Rica was less/no longer sustainable;
Note: For credit, link must be made to change in sustainability.
Examiners report
A significant number of candidates struggled with this question. Many were able to correctly link the changes in ecological footprint (EF) and biocapacity to sustainability. A common error was to describe the trends in EF and biocapacity but not link this to sustainability. Only a small proportion of students were able to correctly explain why Costa Rica was sustainable prior to 1990/1 but not sustainable thereafter when EF became greater than the biocapacity.
