Practise IB ESS HL 1.1.6 by analysing how cultural identity and historical experience create competing environmental worldviews.
Discuss why societies have different perspectives on the issue of Global Warming.
Reasons for different perspectives:
Religious/cultural imperatives: eg some societies have cultural beliefs that hold the natural environment in high regard; so will be opposed to human activity that leads to global warming;
or may value national happiness over economic growth;
may believe global warming stems from western capitalist greed; eg perspective of Buddhist cultures/first generation Americans; some are more pragmatic/consumer-oriented/pro-economic development eg Western capitalism; so may be less concerned with global warming issues / less willing to compromise lifestyles;
Political ideology:
more capitalist societies may rely heavily upon market forces to drive solutions to global warming; and will value marketable goods over non-marketable services affected by global warming; so may see global warming as a negative but necessary result of economic growth / be less concerned with addressing the issue;
State of development:
MEDCs can better afford to address global warming issues through more expensive alternative technologies/resources;
MEDCs have more extensive media availability/education and so may have more informed perspectives on global warming;
…or be more sceptical about causes/existence of the phenomenon of global warming; high profile of science/technology in MEDCs may lead them to seek scientific/technological solutions rather than changes in lifestyle;
LEDCs may prioritise catching up in development with MEDCs rather than environmental/global warming issues;
LEDCs may not have the funding/expertise to address issues of global warming;
Imminence of impacts; societies already experiencing possible impacts of global warming (eg flooding/severe weather patterns/drought) may be more sensitive to global warming issues;
Geographical location:
Northern societies may welcome benefits of climate change and be less concerned / societies in more vulnerable locations (eg coastal locations/low altitude) may be more concerned;
Marking guidance:
Award [1 mark] for a list of 3 or more general influences similar to those in the headings above.
Award [6 max] to responses that do not identify specific societies (eg Buddhist cultures; MEDCs; Northern societies etc)
Accept other reasonable responses of equivalent significance, validity \& relevance.
Expression of ideas: [2 max]
Total: [20]