International Baccalaureate · IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies. What it covers, how it is assessed, a link to the official syllabus, and the free study material Marlbridge publishes for it.
- Syllabus
- DP Environmental Systems and Societies
- Qualification
- IB Diploma Programme
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Topics and resources
Each topic below is from the official International Baccalaureate document for International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies, with its study guides, revision notes and practice questions together. Everything here is for IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies only.
- Learn with study guides
- Revise with revision notes
- Practise with practice questions
The IB's subject brief confirms the eight topic names, Foundation subtopics 1.1-1.3 and the three HL lenses. The subtopic names shown for topics 2-8 are not printed in the brief and have not yet been checked against the IB's own ESS guide, so treat them as provisional and confirm them with your teacher or school.
Searches topic names and resource titles for this course only.
No IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies resources match “”.
- Try one shorter word, or check the spelling.
- Try the wording the syllabus uses for the topic, as listed below once you clear the search.
- Some topics have no Marlbridge resource yet; they are still listed.
- Topic 1
Foundation
Covers Perspectives, Systems, Sustainability
Study guides
Revision notes
- Topic 2
Ecology
Covers Individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems, Energy and biomass in ecosystems, Biogeochemical cycles, Climate and biomes, Zonation, succession and change in ecosystems
Study guides
Revision notes
- Topic 3
Biodiversity and conservation
Covers Biodiversity and evolution, Human impact on biodiversity, Conservation and regeneration
Study guides
Revision notes
- Topic 4
Water
Covers Water systems, Water access, use and security, Aquatic food production systems, Water pollution
Study guides
Revision notes
- Topic 5
Land
Covers Soil, Agriculture and food
- Topic 6
Atmosphere and climate change
Covers Introduction to the atmosphere, Climate change – causes and impacts, Climate change – mitigation and adaptation, Stratospheric ozone
Study guides
Revision notes
- Topic 7
Natural resources
Covers Natural resources – uses and management, Energy sources – uses and management, Solid waste
Study guides
Revision notes
- Topic 8
Human populations and urban systems
Covers Human populations, Urban systems and urban planning, Urban air pollution
Study guides
Revision notes
- Topic 9
HL.a Environmental law
Study guides
Revision notes
Practice questions
- Topic 10
HL.b Environmental and ecological economics
Study guides
Revision notes
Practice questions
- Topic 11
HL.c Environmental ethics
Study guides
Revision notes
Practice questions
Covering more than one topic
Course guides, exam preparation and pages that span several topics.
Revision notes
Practice questions
Source: International Baccalaureate Organization, Diploma Programme Subject Brief – Environmental systems and societies, first assessment 2026, published 2023 — First assessment 2026. Verified 2026-09-08. Subtopics are shown where Marlbridge has entered them; a topic may have more in the official document. A topic listed here is part of the syllabus; it does not mean Marlbridge has published material for it. Always check the current syllabus for your examination year.
About this course
- Qualification
- IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies
- Spec code
- DP Environmental Systems and Societies
- Does Marlbridge teach it?
- Not at the moment — free study resources only
- Are resources available?
- Yes — 40 published
- Is enrolment open?
- No — classes are not currently offered in this subject
- Official syllabus
- International Baccalaureate syllabus
- Topic checklist
- Printable DP Environmental Systems and Societies checklist
- Where was this verified?
- 2026-09-05, official International Baccalaureate specification
Compiled and maintained by the Marlbridge Academic Team, checked against the official International Baccalaureate specification on 2026-09-05.
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report an error — see the corrections policy.
The qualification
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies
Marlbridge's summary of the course
Environmental systems and societies is an interdisciplinary course integrating scientific and sociocultural perspectives on environmental issues, offered at Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) under a single shared syllabus.
The board's own description is on the official International Baccalaureate syllabus page.
First assessment 2026 (confirmed against the official public subject brief on 2026-09-05). Sourced from that official subject brief for weighting and duration, plus independently corroborated third-party sources for exact mark totals – see the matching assessment record for the full sourcing and confidence reasoning, including one figure (Higher Level mark totals) resting on weaker single-source evidence than the rest of the record. See the matching assessment record for the sourced paper-by-paper breakdown, modeled at both tiers.
Specifications change between examination series. Always confirm the current syllabus and assessment structure on the International Baccalaureate syllabus page for your examination year.
Assessment structure
Component-based qualification
| Component | Duration | Marks | Weighting | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Paper 1 – Short-Answer and Data-Based Questions (SL) | 1h | 35 | 25% | Written exam |
| Paper 2: Paper 2 – Section A: Short Answer and Section B: Essay (SL) | 2h | 60 | 50% | Written exam |
| Internal Assessment: Internal Assessment – Individual Investigation (SL) | — | 30 | 25% | Coursework |
| Paper 1: Paper 1 – Short-Answer and Data-Based Questions (HL) | 2h | 70 | 30% | Written exam |
| Paper 2: Paper 2 – Section A: Short Answer and Section B: Essay (HL) | 2h 30m | 80 | 50% | Written exam |
| Internal Assessment: Internal Assessment – Individual Investigation (HL) | — | 30 | 20% | Coursework |
Not all of these figures come from International Baccalaureate documents: The mark totals shown come from teacher resource websites, not from a document published by the IB, and the Higher Level totals rest mainly on one of them. The durations and weightings match the IB's public subject brief.
Source: official International Baccalaureate specification, verified 2026-09-05. Both tiers modeled in full. Weighting and duration are read directly from the official public subject brief (first assessment 2026, read on 2026-09-05, which confirms the first-assessment year). Standard Level mark totals (Paper 1 35 marks; Paper 2 60 marks, Section A 40 + Section B one essay from a choice of two, 20 marks) are corroborated by three independent sources including a first-hand account from a student sitting this exact syllabus. Higher Level mark totals (Paper 1 70 marks; Paper 2 80 marks, Section A 40 + Section B two essays from a choice of three, 40 marks) rest primarily on one detailed, explicitly guide-citing teacher resource, with the weighting and duration pattern it describes matching the official brief exactly; a second detailed source corroborates the weighting percentages but not the Higher Level mark totals specifically. The Internal Assessment (an individual investigation into a self-chosen environmental issue, maximum 3,000 words, marked against six criteria A-F worth 4/4/4/6/6/6 marks, 30 marks total, identical at both tiers) is independently corroborated by two further sources, one explicitly citing the official IB Examiner Instructions 2026 document.
Questions about this course
How is International Baccalaureate Environmental Systems and Societies (DP Environmental Systems and Societies) assessed?
International Baccalaureate Environmental Systems and Societies (DP Environmental Systems and Societies) is assessed through: SL candidates take: Paper 1 (Paper 1 – Short-Answer and Data-Based Questions) — 1h, 35 marks, 25% of the qualification; Paper 2 (Paper 2 – Section A: Short Answer and Section B: Essay) — 2h, 60 marks, 50% of the qualification; Internal Assessment (Internal Assessment – Individual Investigation) — no fixed duration, 30 marks, 25% of the qualification. HL candidates take: Paper 1 (Paper 1 – Short-Answer and Data-Based Questions) — 2h, 70 marks, 30% of the qualification; Paper 2 (Paper 2 – Section A: Short Answer and Section B: Essay) — 2h 30m, 80 marks, 50% of the qualification; Internal Assessment (Internal Assessment – Individual Investigation) — no fixed duration, 30 marks, 20% of the qualification. It is a component based qualification. Source: official International Baccalaureate specification, verified 2026-09-05.
What topics does IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies cover?
11 topics in the current syllabus: Foundation; Ecology; Biodiversity and conservation; Water; Land; Atmosphere and climate change; Natural resources; Human populations and urban systems; HL.a Environmental law; HL.b Environmental and ecological economics; HL.c Environmental ethics. The printable topic checklist lists every topic and subtopic on one page.
Can I get a tutor for IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies?
Not at the moment. Marlbridge publishes free study resources for IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies but is not offering classes in it.
Are there free IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies revision notes and practice questions?
Yes. Marlbridge has published 40 free resources for this course (study guides, practice questions, revision notes, exam preparation guides, a subject guide), free to read with no sign-up.
The subject
IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies study resources. Marlbridge is not offering classes in this subject at the moment.
Environmental Systems and Societies at other qualifications
These are separate qualifications with different syllabuses and assessments — not different names for the same course. Check which one your school enters you for.
No other qualifications are published for this subject yet.
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