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IB ESS HL 6.3 Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Questions

Practise IB ESS HL 6.3 by distinguishing emissions cuts from climate adaptation, then judging how energy choices, policy and social capacity shape responses.

Syllabus
First assessment 2026
Course
ESS HL
Level
HL

Exam points

  • Distinguish mitigation from adaptation by whether a strategy cuts emissions or reduces climate impacts.
  • Evaluate biofuel, reforestation and renewable-energy choices against carbon savings, land use and trade-offs.
  • Use country emissions and energy data to judge whether mitigation plans balance pledges with sector-level cuts.
  • Compare adaptation for two societies using flood defences, water access, resilient crops or building measures.
  • Evaluate UN climate agreements through cooperation, participation, implementation and policy limits.
  • Explain how finance, national priorities and climate beliefs shape countries’ capacity to act.
  • Assess emissions trading by weighing incentives against cheap credits, weak caps and business costs.

Covered syllabus points

6.3.1—Global action required6.3.2—Decarbonization6.3.3—Mitigation strategies6.3.4—Adaptation strategies6.3.5—Adaptation plans6.3.6 (HL)—Response types6.3.7 (HL)—UN role6.3.8 (HL)—IPCC emissions scenarios6.3.9 (HL)—Technology development6.3.10 (HL)—Climate action barriers6.3.11 (HL)—Geoengineering6.3.12 (HL)—Stakeholders and climate perspectives6.3.13 (HL)—Variation in climate perspectives6.3.14 (HL)—Climate tragedy of the commons

Question 1

[Maximum number: 3]
Figure 6: Planned changes in energy supply in Cape Town, 2025-2050

Figure:Planned changes in energy supply in Cape Town, 2025-2050

Evaluate how the planned changes in the energy supply, shown in Figure 6, are likely to influence carbon emissions in Cape Town.

Question 2

[Maximum number: 6]
CO₂ emissions for selected countries in 2007 and projected for 2030

Figure:CO₂ emissions for selected countries in 2007 and projected for 2030

There are concerns that increased carbon dioxide ( CO2\mathrm{CO}_{2} ) emissions are leading to changes in the global climate.

Question (a)

(a)

Identify one reduction strategy that the United States might use to achieve its projected change in CO2\mathrm{CO}_{2} emissions.

[ 1 ]

Question (b)

(b)

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

[ 1 ]

Question (c)

(c)

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

[ 4 ]

Question 3

[Maximum number: 2]
Figure 5(a): The Canterbury region on the South Island, New Zealand

Figure:The Canterbury region on the South Island, New Zealand

Figure 5(c): Agriculture on the Canterbury Plains

Figure:Agriculture on the Canterbury Plains

Figure 5(d): Cattle numbers, the Canterbury region, New Zealand, 1990-2019

Figure:Cattle numbers, the Canterbury region, New Zealand, 1990-2019

Suggest two ways in which agriculture in the Canterbury Plains could be adapted to deal with the impacts of climate change.

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