IB · ESS · SL
IB ESS SL
Study IB ESS SL through environmental systems, societies and sustainability issues.
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IB ESS SL at a glance
Follow the live knowledge tree through environmental systems, societies and sustainability issues.
- 8
- syllabus units
- 27
- mapped topics
- 7
- study tools
What you study in IB ESS SL
Connect scientific evidence with social, economic, political and ethical perspectives on environmental issues.
Use the syllabus map to move from a topic to Concepts, Mastery or Question Bank.
Explore the IB ESS SL syllabus
Follow the live knowledge tree through environmental systems, societies and sustainability issues.
IB ESS SL exam skills
Practise the command terms, data handling and extended reasoning used across IB assessment.
- Follow command termsMatch the depth and structure of the response to the exact instruction.
- Use data as evidenceRead units and uncertainty, identify patterns and support conclusions with values.
- Build mark-efficient explanationsLink cause, evidence and subject vocabulary without repeating the prompt.
SourceCurrent IB subject guide and assessment objectives.
IB ESS SL assessment
The SL course combines two external papers with an individual investigation.
Paper 1 is 25%, Paper 2 is 50% and the individual investigation is 25%.
This page follows the IB Environmental Systems and Societies course with first assessment in 2026.
It combines scientific study of environmental systems with societal perspectives, resource decisions and sustainability.
It is an individual ESS research question developed into a written report and contributes 25% of the SL grade.