IB ESS Reading Check: 1.4, Sustainability

Which of the following units may be used to measure the size of an ecological footprint?

• hectare (ha)

• km³

• m³

• global hectares (gha)

• planets

Which countries will tend to have a lower ecological footprint?

• MEDCs

• LEDCs

One of the consequences of a growing human population is an increasing demand for marketable commodities such as timber (used for fuel, housing etc.). State whether timber is an example of natural capital or natural income.

• Timber is an example of natural capital.

• Timber is an example of natural income.

Natural (a)   is those goods and services that are obtained by proper and sustainable management of the Earth’s natural resources (natural capital). Other examples besides timber include grain or natural flood protection.

When does an ecological footprint show unsustainability?

• When the ecological footprint is greater than the area available to the population.

• An ecological footprint cannot show unsustainability.

• When the ecological footprint is smaller than the area available to the population.

• When the value of the ecological footprint is greater than 50.

An ecological footprint is a type of a model – what exactly does it reflect?

• The hypothetical area of land required by a population to obtain all the resources needed and assimilate all their wastes.

• The point at which a resource can no longer be exploited without rendering it non-renewable.

• The measure of all waste created by a population at a given period of time.

• The maximum size of a population that an environment can support without detrimental effects.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a detailed study undertaken prior to a development project. What does an EIA include?

• An assessment of environmental, social and economic impacts of the development project, as well as proposals for mitigation of the possible negative effects.

• A valuation of the development project providing guidance on budget planning to the contractors.

• An assessment of the environmental impact of the development project with particular emphasis on the possible losses of biodiversity in the given area.

• An outline of the positive effects that the development project can have for the local community.

What is natural capital?

• A store of natural resources that can produce a sustainable source of goods and services.

• Goods or services obtained by proper management of the Earth’s natural resources.

• Total area of land required to maintain food production for the growing human population.

• Total area of land required to assimilate waste produced by the growing human population.

With the rapidly growing human population and constant new pressures on the environment it gradually becomes more difficult to maintain sustainability. Choose the sentence which best explains what sustainability is.

• The exploitation of resources at such rate which allows for their natural replenishment and the recovery of the ecosystem affected by their use.

• The maximum population size that an area can support without detrimental effects.

• Engaging in the prevention of negative effects of human activities on the Earth’s resources through localised actions (recycling of waste, reduction in electricity consumption etc.).

• The area of land needed to provide all of the resources for a person’s lifestyle and to dispose of all their wastes.

The diagram below shows the use of natural resources.

Does it demonstrate sustainable or unsustainable management of those resources?

• Unsustainable

• Sustainable