IB ESS HL 6.2 Climate Change Causes and Impacts Questions

Practise IB ESS HL 6.2 by linking emissions and climate evidence to feedback loops, model uncertainty, climate impacts and unequal community vulnerability.

Exam points

Calculate or compare anthropogenic CO₂ emissions and carbon footprints across years, sectors or development levels.
Explain how human emissions enhance greenhouse warming, distinguishing this mechanism from other drivers of climate trends.
Explain climate feedbacks through albedo, cloud and methane loops, identifying when warming is amplified or moderated.
Evaluate climate-data reliability from measurement methods and uncertainty in pollutant or sea-level observations.
Evaluate climate models as simplified, data-based predictions by weighing their uses, assumptions and limitations.
Explain ecosystem impacts of warming, drought, sea-level rise and extreme events using species, habitat or service examples.
Compare societal impacts and vulnerability through effects on water, health, food, infrastructure and adaptive capacity.
Evaluate climate-justice cases by linking exposure, low-lying location and limited capacity to adapt.

Covered syllabus points

6.2.1—Climate definition 6.2.2—Anthropogenic CO₂ emissions 6.2.3—Ice core, tree ring, sediment data 6.2.4—Enhanced greenhouse effect 6.2.5—Climate change impacts on ecosystems 6.2.6—Climate change impacts on societies 6.2.7—Climate change models 6.2.8—Climate change planetary boundary 6.2.9—Perspectives on climate change 6.2.10 (HL)—Climate data collection 6.2.11 (HL)—Global climate models 6.2.12 (HL)—Climate model scenarios 6.2.13 (HL)—Critical thresholds and tipping points 6.2.14 (HL)—Tipping cascades 6.2.15 (HL)—Climate justice

[Maximum number: 1]

Figure:Global carbon-dioxide emissions from 1992 to 2012

Figure 6: The graph below shows the global CO₂ emissions from 1992 to 2012.

Calculate the percentage increase of global $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ emissions from 1992 to 2012.

[Maximum number: 1]

Table:Global crude birth and death rates from 2003 to 2011

Figure 9 shows the crude birth rate and the crude death rate per thousand of the global human population between 2003 and 2011.

Outline one way in which a larger world population may cause an increase in the rate of global warming.

larger population uses more energy/fossil fuels, so produces extra carbon dioxide/greenhouse gases;
larger population uses more land for growing food eg rice / keeps more livestock, so produces extra methane/greenhouse gases;
more people results in more respiration increasing $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ and contributing to global warming

Marking guidance:

Accept other reasonable suggestions.

[Maximum number: 2]

Figure:Fact file on Mindo cloud forest

Figure 10(a): Fact file on Mindo cloud forest
Only one third of Ecuador’s identified cloud forest sites are protected. The Mindo-Nambillo cloud forest reserve forms part of several protected areas across Ecuador. The Mindo cloud forest covers 268 km2 and is home to several indigenous subgroups of the Quichua people. The village of Mindo is west of the reserve and is known for chocolate made from locally grown cacao. Organizations work with local farmers to find alternatives to cattle ranching and with indigenous groups to develop more sustainable agricultural practices, reducing habitat destruction.

Describe two ways in which climate change could affect the cloud forest ecosystem.

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Covered syllabus points

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3