13 marks
Outline how adding compounds of nitrogen, phosphorus and iron to the oceans is a climate change mitigation strategy.
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Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS): HL): Exam Questions
1 hour22 questions
21 mark
In the context of climate change and global warming, distinguish between mitigation strategies and adaptation strategies.
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31 mark
Despite significant climate change mitigation efforts, the impact of past greenhouse gas emissions will persist for decades.
Suggest the main reason for this.
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4a1 mark
Electric vehicles (EVs) are vehicles that are powered by electric motors instead of petrol or diesel engines.
EVs use batteries to store energy, which is then used to power the electric motors.
EVs are becoming increasingly popular.
In the context of climate change, identify whether our increasing use of electric vehicles represents a mitigation strategy or an adaptation strategy.
4b1 mark
Explain your answer to part a.
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51 mark
State one example of a geoengineering technique to address climate change.
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61 mark
Identify one economic measure that governments can use to encourage low-carbon practices.
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72 marks
Outline two disadvantages of geoengineering.
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81 mark
Briefly explain the purpose of the greenhouse gas emissions scenarios created by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
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93 marks
Outline how stratospheric aerosol injection is a climate change mitigation strategy.
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12 marks
Suggest two reasons for net gains in forested areas in some regions of the world.
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24 marks
Explain how biofuel production can be used as a strategy to control greenhouse gas emissions.
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33 marks
Outline three adaptation strategies that can be used to reduce the impacts of climate change.
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42 marks
Ecosystems vary greatly in their ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store this carbon within their living biomass or in the soil below ground.
The figure below contains some data on carbon storage for different ecosystems.
Carbon Storage (metric tons of carbon per hectare) | Marine Ecosystems | Terrestrial Ecosystems | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seagrass meadows | Saltmarshes | Mangroves | Tropical rainforest | Boreal forest | |
Soil | 580 | 850 | 1 000 | 100 | 130 |
Living biomass | 20 | 50 | 400 | 200 | 70 |
Total | 600 | 900 | 1 400 | 300 | 200 |
Referring to the data, outline the effectiveness of mangroves and tropical rainforests for mitigating climate change.
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53 marks
Explain how renewable energy technologies can be used as a strategy to control greenhouse gas emissions.
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62 marks
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies are being developed to mitigate climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it safely. Direct Air Capture (DAC) is one such technology that extracts CO₂ directly from ambient air.
The table below shows data on carbon capture rates and storage potential for different CCS technologies.
Technology | Carbon Capture Rate (tonnes CO₂ per year per facility) | Storage Potential (years) | Energy Requirements (MWh per tonne CO₂) |
|---|---|---|---|
Direct Air Capture (DAC) | 1,000 | 1,000+ | 1.5-2.0 |
Post-combustion capture | 500,000 | 50-100 | 0.3-0.5 |
Pre-combustion capture | 800,000 | 50-100 | 0.2-0.4 |
Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS) | 200,000 | 1,000+ | 0.1-0.3 |
Referring to the data, outline the effectiveness of DAC and BECCS technologies for mitigating climate change.
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73 marks
Explain how the concept of the tragedy of the commons can be applied to the atmosphere.
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83 marks
Explain why achieving carbon neutrality is challenging for developing countries.
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93 marks
Explain why achieving carbon neutrality is challenging for developed countries.
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17 marks
Discuss how an ecocentric environmental value system can affect the choice of mitigation strategies in response to climate change.
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29 marks
Evaluate the effectiveness of international efforts and conferences to address climate change.
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37 marks
Discuss how a technocentric environmental value system can affect the choice of mitigation strategies in response to climate change.
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49 marks
Evaluate the potential role of geoengineering in addressing climate change.
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