IB ESS SL 1.1.6 Worldviews Question Bank
Practise IB ESS SL 1.1.6 by explaining why societies develop different environmental perspectives and worldviews.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Course
- ESS SL
- Level
- SL
Exam points
- Explain how culture, history or social experience can create different environmental perspectives.
- Use a case such as climate change or a cultural relationship with nature to compare worldviews.
- Identify how a worldview influences a society’s environmental priorities or actions.
1.1.6—Worldviews question 1
[Maximum number: 8]
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]
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