Resources
Environmental Systems and Societies study guides
13 published, listed by title. Topic explanations written to be read once and understood.
All 13, by title
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Study Guides
IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies: Syllabus Guide
The eight-topic syllabus structure, teaching hours at SL and HL, the three HL-only lenses, and the experimental programme of IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS), for first assessment 2026.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Atmosphere, climate change and stratospheric ozone Study Guide
Study guide for IB DP ESS Topic 6: the atmosphere, greenhouse effect, climate change causes, impacts and responses, and stratospheric ozone.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Biodiversity, human impacts and conservation Study Guide
Study guide for IB DP ESS Topic 3: biodiversity and evolution, human impacts on biodiversity, and conservation and regeneration, with worked examples.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Climate, biomes, zonation and succession Study Guide
IB DP ESS study guide to climate and biomes, the tricellular model, zonation, succession and disturbance, with worked data examples.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Ecosystems, energy flow and biogeochemical cycles Study Guide
Study guide for IB DP ESS 2.1-2.3: populations and niches, productivity and ecological efficiency, and the carbon and nitrogen cycles, worked through.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – HL lenses: environmental law, economics and ethics Study Guide
Study guide to the three IB DP ESS HL lenses – environmental law, environmental and ecological economics, and ethics – with worked examples.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Human populations, urban systems and urban air pollution Study Guide
Study guide for IB DP ESS Topic 8: population dynamics and models, urban systems and planning, and urban air pollution, with worked data examples.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Natural resources, energy and solid waste Study Guide
Study guide for IB DP ESS Topic 7: natural resource use and management, energy sources and energy security, and solid domestic waste strategies.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Perspectives, systems and sustainability Study Guide
Study guide for IB DP ESS sections 1.1-1.3: value systems, storages and flows, feedback, tipping points, natural capital and footprints.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Soil, agriculture and food Study Guide
IB DP ESS study guide to Topic 5 Land: soil as a system, texture, degradation and conservation, farming systems, food security and sustainability.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies – Water systems, security, aquatic food production and pollution Study Guide
IB DP ESS Topic 4 study guide: the water cycle, water security, fisheries and aquaculture, and water pollution, with worked data examples.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies Topic 1: Foundations
Perspectives, systems and sustainability – IB Diploma Programme ESS Topic 1, the foundation unit the specification explicitly revisits throughout the course, first assessment 2026.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies Topic 2: Ecology
Ecosystem structure, energy flow, nutrient cycling and ecosystem change – IB Diploma Programme ESS Topic 2, the largest syllabus topic at both SL and HL, and how it applies Topic 1's systems concepts to real ecosystems.
Environmental Systems and Societies · International Baccalaureate · IB
All study guides by subject · Environmental Systems and Societies subject page