After many years of waiting and lobbying, there is finally a Higher Level (HL) offering for the IB Environmental Systems and Societies course!
HL ESS consists of three lenses: Environmental law, Environmental economics, and Environmental ethics.
In the Environmental Law HL lens, we examine the rules that govern the use of natural resources and human impact on natural systems. We discuss how laws can address questions of sustainability and environmental justice, and we evaluate how effective environmental laws may be in different jurisdictions or under varying political and economic landscapes.
You can find resources for each higher level lens by following the links below the HL assessment outline.
Assessment in HL ESS
The HL ESS assessments are similar to, but slightly different from, the Standard Level ESS assessments. At Higher Level, the external examinations account for 80% of a student’s overall grade: Paper 1 is worth 30% and Paper 2 is worth 50%. Thee Internal Assessment comprises the remaining 20% of a student’s overall grade. Below is an outline of ESS assessment at the Higher Level.
External Assessment (IB ESS Exams) = 80%
Paper 1 (30%)
- 2 hours, 70 marks
- Previously unseen case study based on data in a variety of forms
- Questions require analysis and evaluation of the data
- All questions are mandatory
Paper 2 (50%)
- 2.5 hours, 80 marks
- Section A (40 marks) is made up of short-answer and data-based questions.
- Section B (40 marks) consists of two structured essays from a choice of three.
Internal Assessment (the IA) = 20%
- At least 10 designated hours in class (frequently more)
- 30 marks total
- Internally assessed by the teacher, then
- Externally moderated by the IB at the end of the course.
HL.a Environmental Law
- How can environmental law help ensure the sustainable management of Earth systems?
HL.b Environmental Economics
- How can environmental economics ensure sustainability of the Earth’s systems?
- How do different perspectives impact the type of economics governments and societies run?
HL.c Environmental Ethics
- To what extent do humans have a moral responsibility towards the environment?
- How does environmental ethics influence approaches to achieving a sustainable future?
Pages for the current ESS syllabus will remain active through the last exams scheduled for 2025.
Happy learning!
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