In environmental science, different modeling approaches can provide insights into various ecological interactions.
Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative models in environmental science.
Compare and contrast open and closed systems with examples.
Explain how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) contribute to global sustainability efforts.
Analyze the following diagram showing the three pillars of sustainability:
Identify what the overlapping area in the center represents.
Explain why balancing all three aspects is challenging in practice.
To what extent would different environmental value systems be successful in reducing a society’s ecological footprint?
Explain how the growth in human population can affect local and regional water resources.
Outline two factors that enable a human population to increase its local carrying capacity.
Figure 4: A measure of the sustainability of individual countries from a comparison of their ecological footprint and their standard of living
[Source: adapted from Travelplanner/Wikimedia. File licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en. Data sourced from Global
Footprint Network 2008 report (2005 data) and UN Human Development Index 2007/08]
Using Figure 4, identify the country that is above the threshold for high human development and below the Earth’s biocapacity.
Outline the relationship between carrying capacity and ecological footprint.
To meet the minimum criteria for sustainability, a country needs to raise its human welfare above the threshold of high human development and have an ecological footprint below the Earth’s biocapacity.
Evaluate two strategies a country can implement to achieve the minimum criteria for sustainability.
Explain how the ecological footprint concept relates to sustainability.
Figure 2(b): Examples of ecosystems in London
[Source: (top left) O’Connor, P., 2015. GOC Walthamstow to Stratford 164: Old English Garden, Victoria Park. [image
online] Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/anemoneprojectors/25609419345/in/photostream/Attribution-
ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/[Accessed 22 May
2020]. Source adapted.
(top right) Taylor, J., 2009. Park Crescent, London NW1 private communal garden. [image online] Available at:
https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Park_Crescent,_London_NW1_private_communal_garden_-_geograph.org.
uk_-_1268358.jpg Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bysa/
2.0/ [Accessed 22 May 2020]. Source adapted.
(bottom left) Haywood, Jay., 2004. Grey Heron in London Wetlands Centre. [image online] Available at:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grey_Heron_in_London_Wetlands_Centre_-_geograph.org.uk_-
_795424.jpg Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/[Accessed 22 May 2020]. Source adapted.
(center left and right) Oberst, T., 2019 Untitled. [photograph].]
Figure 3: Climate graph for London
Figure 4(a): Green spaces in London
[Source:Greater London Authority, 2016. Draft Economic Evidence Base 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.london.
gov.uk/sites/default/files/draft-eeb-2016.pdf [Accessed 1 June 2020].]
With reference to Figures 2(b) and 3, identify an ecosystem found in London.
Outline one factor which limits the primary productivity of an ecosystem in London.
Identify one distribution pattern of green spaces seen in Figure 4(a).
Outline three ways that London’s green spaces are considered natural capital.
Outline what the "Gaia Hypothesis" is.
Describe the differences between anthropocentric, ecocentric, and technocentric environmental value systems.
