DP IB Environmental Systems Your notes

& Societies (ESS): SL

1.1 Perspectives
Contents
Factors Influencing Perspectives
Values & Environmental Perspectives
Worldviews & Environmental Perspectives
The Environmental Movement

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 Factors Influencing Perspectives
Your notes
Understanding Perspectives
What is a perspective?
A perspective is how an individual sees and understands a particular situation
Perspectives are formed based on individual assumptions, values and beliefs
They are shaped by a combination of personal experiences, cultural background
and societal influences
For example, perspectives are often informed and justified by various factors
including:
Sociocultural norms
Scientific understandings
Laws
Religion
Economic conditions
Local and global events
Lived experience (i.e. events someone has personally experienced during their
lives)
Perspectives are not fixed and can evolve over time as individuals gain new experiences
and insights

Influence of perspectives
Perspectives vary widely among individuals and groups, leading to diverse views on
environmental and social issues
For example, perspectives on climate change may differ based on factors such as
education, political beliefs, cultural background or geographical location
Perspectives influence people's choices and actions
For example, someone with an environmentalist perspective might prioritise
sustainability in their lifestyle choices, even if this is more financially costly to them,
while others may prioritise economic considerations (i.e. they may choose things
that are less expensive but also less environmentally friendly)
Perspectives shape how individuals interpret information and events
For example, someone with a pessimistic perspective might view an environmental
issue as evidence of inevitable wider ecological collapse, whereas an optimist
might see it as a temporary challenge to overcome and find solutions to

Environmental perspectives

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 Different perspectives on environmental issues can lead to contrasting approaches to
conservation and resource management
Your notes
For example, those with a more human-based perspective may prioritise human
interests and well-being in environmental decision-making
This perspective might support conservation measures that benefit humans
directly, such as clean water initiatives
In contrast, those with an environmentalist perspective may place great value on
the intrinsic worth of nature and ecosystems
Supporters of this perspective may prioritise biodiversity conservation and
ecosystem health, even if it does not directly benefit humans

Social perspectives
Social perspectives shape attitudes and responses to social issues such as poverty,
inequality and justice
For example, a collectivist perspective may prioritise the well-being of the
community over individual rights
Policies based on this perspective might focus on social welfare programs and
taxes
In contrast, an individualistic perspective emphasises personal responsibility and
freedom of choice
Policies based on this perspective might involve promoting entrepreneurship
and reducing government intervention

Distinction between perspectives and arguments

It is important to note that a perspective is not the same as an argument
Arguments are constructs used to support or challenge a particular perspective
They are logical or reasoned explanations presented to persuade other people of
the validity of a perspective (i.e. that a particular viewpoint is credible and true)
Arguments can be constructed to defend a personally held perspective or to criticise
and counter an opposing viewpoint
For example, someone who is advocating for stricter environmental regulations
might present arguments based on scientific evidence to support their perspective
On the other hand, someone opposing these regulations might present
counterarguments based on economic concerns or individual freedoms

Examiner Tips and Tricks

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Remember—perspectives are highly subjective and can vary widely based on
someone's individual experiences and beliefs.
Your notes

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 Values & Environmental Perspectives
Your notes
Understanding Values
What are values?
Values are qualities or principles that people believe have worth and importance in life
They guide our behaviours, attitudes and decisions
Examples include honesty, integrity, fairness and compassion

Influence of values
Values affect people’s priorities, judgements, perspectives and choices
They are deeply personal, but a variety of cultural and social factors also play a role.
For example, in some cultures, respect for elders is highly valued, shaping how
individuals interact within society
In line with the principles of sustainability and conservation, movements like Greta
Thunberg's Fridays for the Future call for immediate action on climate change

Values in community
Within our communities, we share and shape our values
They are reflected in how we communicate and interact with others, both within our
own community and with external communities
For example, a community that values environmental sustainability may organise
clean-up events or support green policies

Values in organisations
Organisations also have values, which can be seen in their communication and actions
These values are often expressed through advertisements, social media, policies
and organisational decisions
For example, a company that values diversity and inclusion may have policies
supporting equal opportunities and representation in their workforce
Companies like Patagonia demonstrate values of environmental stewardship
through initiatives like donating a portion of profits to environmental causes

Tensions from different values

Different values often lead to tensions between individuals or between organisations
Conflicts can happen when important values clash, like when some people want to
freely express themselves but others want to be respectful of different cultures
In multicultural societies, navigating these tensions requires understanding and
respecting diverse values

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Value Surveys
Understanding perspectives on environmental issues Your notes

Values surveys investigate the perspectives of social groups towards various

environmental issues
They help us understand how environmental concerns are viewed and prioritised by
individuals or communities
For example, a survey could explore attitudes towards renewable energy adoption,
waste reduction, or conservation efforts
Another survey could ask about attitudes towards using public transportation to
reduce carbon emissions

Effective design of value surveys

A well-designed environmental value survey is able to:
Take different viewpoints into account
Look at the whole range of opinions within a group about environmental matters
The results of an effective survey should be able to:
Give insights into attitudes, beliefs and values that influence how people view and
respond to local and global environmental challenges

Implementation of surveys
Surveys, questionnaires, or interviews can be used to gather data on environmental
attitudes
Using online survey tools can be very useful for:
Collecting data from a wider audience
Collecting a greater volume of data
Collecting data in a shorter amount of time
Efficient analysis of data
Closed-ended questions are good for quantitative analysis (i.e. they provide
structured data that can be easily quantified and analysed statistically)
Closed-ended questions are those that provide respondents with a fixed set of options
to choose from
Examples include multiple-choice questions, rating scales and Likert scale items
For example, in a survey about environmental attitudes, closed-ended questions
could include:
Which of the following renewable energy sources do you believe is most
effective in reducing carbon emissions? (a) Solar (b) Wind (c) Hydroelectric (d)
Geothermal

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 Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement: "Using
public transportation is an effective way to reduce air pollution". Strongly agree,
Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly disagree Your notes
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very likely, how likely are you to recycle paper
products?
Responses to these questions can be easily quantified (given a value or score)
This allows statistical analysis to be used on the data
This helps identify trends, correlations and patterns in attitudes towards specific
environmental issues
For example, there is an environmental education campaign designed to
increase recycling rates
It is important to measure the effectiveness of this campaign
A survey can be used to collect quantitative data on attitudes towards recycling
This can then be correlated with data on actual actual recycling rates
Surveys or interviews can also include open-ended questions to help capture more
detailed responses
These types of response are more difficult to analyse
However, they can still be valuable for gaining deeper insights into individual
viewpoints
Behaviour-time graphs
If value surveys are repeated over time, the results can be used to produce behaviour-
time graphs
Behaviour-time graphs show changes in behaviours or lifestyles over time
They help to visualise trends, patterns and shifts in behaviour related to
environmental actions
Behaviour-time graphs can track changes in daily habits over a set period of time, such
as:
Energy consumption
Waste generation
Transportation choices
For example, a graph could illustrate a decrease in household electricity usage over
several months
This could be due to energy-saving measures like installing LED lights or adjusting
thermostat settings
These graphs can also illustrate changes in environmental behaviours, such as:
Recycling rates

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 Composting practices
Water conservation efforts Your notes
Behaviour-time graphs can be valuable tools for:
Monitoring progress towards sustainability goals
Evaluating the effectiveness of environmental initiatives
They can help to:
Visualise the impact of interventions
Identify areas for further improvement

An example of a behaviour-time graph showing the number of whales killed between

1900 and 1999

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 Your notes

Another example of a behaviour-time graph showing the number of tourists visiting

Antarctica between 1992 and 2020

Examiner Tips and Tricks

It is important to consider the diversity of perspectives within a social group when
designing value surveys and analysing the results. You cannot assume that everyone
will have had the same experiences or facing the same challenges. This means their
views may be very different, even if they are from the same group or community.

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 Worldviews & Environmental Perspectives
Your notes
Understanding Worldviews
What are worldviews?
Worldviews can be described as the lenses through which groups of people to see and
understand the world around them (it is just their "view of the world")
They are made up of cultural beliefs, philosophical ideas, political opinions, religious
teachings and many other factors
For example, in some cultures, the idea of family and community is highly valued,
while in others, individual achievement and success are prioritised
Worldviews shape how people think, what they believe and how they behave
They influence our moral compass, our judgments and our decisions
For example, a person who grew up in a religious household may have different
views on topics like abortion or marriage compared to someone who didn't

How do worldviews differ from perspectives?

Worldviews generally encompass a broader and deeper set of beliefs, values and
ideologies that shape how individuals or groups perceive and interpret the world around
them, whereas perspectives are usually more specific and immediate viewpoints or
attitudes individuals hold on particular issues or topics
Perspectives are often more situational and may be more likely to change based on
circumstances or new information

Impact of technology and media

With the rise of the internet and social media, people are exposed to a wide range of
worldviews beyond their local community
For example, a teenager from one part of the globe can quickly learn about different
world cultures, religions, and political ideologies just by scrolling through their social
media feed
Attempts to categorise different perspectives into groups can be challenging because
individuals often have a complex mix of beliefs and opinions
For example, a person might identify as liberal on social issues but be more
conservative on economic policies

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Remember that worldviews are diverse and complex, and individuals may hold a
variety of beliefs that don't fit neatly into categories.

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 You should be able to use real-world examples to illustrate different worldviews and
their impact on society. Whilst studying the ESS course, make a note of any case
studies or examples you come across that could be used to demonstrate certain Your notes
worldviews.

Environmental Value Systems

An environmental value system (EVS) is the way that an individual, or any group of people,
perceives the environment and the resources it provides them with
That includes you - your environmental value system determines the way that you
perceive and evaluate environmental issues, as well as the course of action you
might decide to take regarding these issues
A person’s or group’s environmental value system is shaped and influenced by a variety
of factors, including cultural, religious, social, political, economic and environmental
factors
These factors act as flows of information into individuals within societies
Individuals then process and transform this information into their perception of the
environment and how to act on environmental matters

EVS inputs and outputs

An environmental value system is considered as a system because it is determined by a
set of inputs (i.e. the factors described above) and generates a set of outputs (in the
form of the person’s or group’s perceptions, evaluations, decisions and actions)

Like any system, an environmental value system (EVS) has a set of inputs and a set of
outputs

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Environmental value system categories
Although there is a very wide spectrum of environmental value systems, environmental Your notes
perspectives or worldviews can be broadly divided into three categories. These are:
Ecocentric environmental value systems (ecocentrism)
Anthropocentric environmental value systems (anthropocentrism)
Technocentric environmental value systems (technocentrism)

There is a very broad range of environmental value systems held by people and groups
around the world—on a basic level these EVSs usually fall into one of three main
categories

Ecocentrism
Ecocentrism is a philosophical and ethical approach that prioritises the intrinsic value
of nature and the environment over human needs and interests

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 This approach emphasises that all living organisms and ecosystems have inherent worth
and should be protected for their own sake
Your notes
Ecocentrism advocates for sustainable practices that maintain the balance and
integrity of ecosystems and the natural world, rather than exploiting them for human
benefit
This approach is often associated with environmental movements and conservation
efforts that aim to protect biodiversity, ecosystems and natural resources
Anthropocentrism
Anthropocentrism is a worldview that places human beings at the centre of the universe,
prioritising human needs and interests over those of other living beings and the
environment
This approach emphasises that humans have the right to use natural resources and
ecosystems for their own benefit
Although an anthropocentric viewpoint would ideally involve sustainable managing
global systems, in reality, anthropocentrism often results in unsustainable practices
such as overexploitation of natural resources, habitat destruction, and pollution
This approach only values preserving biodiversity when it can provide economic and
ecological advantages to humans
This approach is often criticised by environmentalists and conservationists for ignoring
the intrinsic value of nature and its ecosystems

Technocentrism
Technocentrism is a worldview that places technology and human ingenuity at the
centre of all problem-solving and decision-making processes, often overlooking the
impact on the environment and other living beings
This approach emphasises the use of technology to overcome environmental problems
and maintain human well-being
Technocentrism often assumes that all environmental problems can be solved through
technological innovation and economic growth, which may lead to neglect of the need
for conservation and sustainability
This approach is often criticised by environmentalists for being short-sighted and
ignoring the complex and interconnected nature of environmental issues
Strengths and Limitations of Contrasting EVSs

EVS Advantages Disadvantages

Ecocentrism Reuses materials so more Conservation can be expensive with no

sustainable obvious or quick economic return
Minimises environmental Many countries are still developing
impact by encouraging economically and argue they should be
restraint allowed to continue

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 Better for long-term human Difficult to change individual attitudes
wellbeing
Your notes
No need to wait for
technology to develop

Technocentrism Substitutes materials so Allows even greater rates of resource

avoids costly industrial consumption
change
May give rise to further environmental
Provides solutions so problems
people are not
inconvenienced High cost

Allows social and economic Humans increasingly disconnected

progress from nature

Case Study
Plastic pollution in the oceans
Plastic pollution in the oceans is a major environmental problem. Humans might use
an ecocentric approach or a technocentric approach to try and solve this problem.

Plastic pollution and juvenile fish—Indonesia (Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen on

Unsplash)

Ecocentric approach:

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The ecocentric approach prioritises the preservation of natural ecosystems and
biodiversity. In the context of plastic pollution, an ecocentric approach would focus
on reducing the amount of plastic waste that enters the oceans in the first place. Your notes
This could involve reducing the production and use of single-use plastic items,
implementing stricter regulations and enforcement to prevent illegal dumping of
plastic waste into the oceans and promoting sustainable alternatives to plastic
products. Additionally, an ecocentric approach would prioritise the restoration and
protection of marine ecosystems that have been impacted by plastic pollution, such
as coral reefs and sea turtle nesting habitats.
Technocentric approach:
The technocentric approach relies on technological solutions to environmental
problems. In the context of plastic pollution, a technocentric approach would focus
on developing new technologies to clean up plastic waste from the oceans and
prevent further pollution.
This could involve the use of advanced filtration systems or autonomous robots to
remove plastic waste from the oceans, as well as the development of biodegradable
plastics that break down more quickly in marine environments.
Conclusion:
Overall, the ecocentric approach emphasises the need for systemic change
(fundamental changes in human behaviour and resource use) in order to reduce the
amount of plastic waste entering the oceans and preserve marine ecosystems, while
the technocentric approach focuses on developing new technologies to address the
problem (allowing current rates of plastic use to continue).

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 The Environmental Movement
Your notes
Dynamics of Environmental Perspectives
Environmental perspectives (and the beliefs they are built on) shift and change over
time in all societies
Although many different factors can cause these changes in perspectives, they are
often influenced by government or non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
campaigns or through social and demographic changes
For example, in the 1970s (and as early as the 1950s), there was a significant rise in
environmental awareness due to campaigns against pollution
Government initiatives like the Clean Air Act in the UK (1956) and the establishment of
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the US (1970) played important roles in
highlighting pollution issues
NGOs like Greenpeace (1971) and Friends of the Earth (1969) also spearheaded
campaigns, raising public awareness about the detrimental effects of pollution on
health and the environment

Interpretation of behaviour-time graphs

Behaviour-time graphs illustrate how specific behaviours change over time
For example, a behaviour-time graph tracking smoking rates might show a decline
over decades due to anti-smoking campaigns and general increased health
awareness
The "Stoptober" campaign in the UK encourages smokers to quit during
October, resulting in noticeable dips in smoking rates during those periods
Other examples of using behaviour-time graphs include:
Littering tendencies
Water usage
Recycling rates
Use of renewable energy sources
Use of public transport
Consumption of meat
Shifts from traditional indigenous lifestyles to modern ones
For example, Indigenous groups are increasingly adopting Western clothing
and technologies due to globalisation
This transition can be seen in long-term studies that show changes in clothing
styles, housing structures, personal belongings and food consumption
patterns over time

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 Your notes
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You should familiarise yourself with interpreting behaviour-time graphs to identify
trends and perspective shifts over time. Pay attention to the axes, labels, and units to
understand the scale and significance of the changes shown.

The Development of the Environmental

Movement
The environmental movement is the term used to describe humanity’s increasing
awareness of the damage we are causing to the environment and the importance of
conserving the environmental health of our planet
The movement includes a diverse range of individuals, organisations and initiatives
united by a common goal: to address urgent environmental challenges such as climate
change, pollution, habitat destruction and species extinction
The movement promotes sustainable development, responsible resource
management, conservation of biodiversity and the transition to cleaner, renewable
energy sources
This can be achieved by implementing changes in public policy and encouraging
changes in our individual behaviours
Through education, advocacy, activism and policy-making, the environmental
movement aims to create a more sustainable and resilient future for both humanity
and the natural world
Various different factors, including people, books, films and historical events, have been
key in the development of the environmental movement
These events and influences have come from many different areas, including:
Individuals and environmental activists
Literature
Media
Major environmental disasters
International conferences and agreements
New technologies
Scientific discoveries
Individuals and Environmental Activists

Individual Field Description Effect on Environmental

Movement

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Wangarĩ Conservation Founded the Green Belt Mobilised grassroots
Maathai Movement, advocating activism and promoted
Your notes
for tree planting, environmental
conservation, and conservation on a local
women's rights and global scale

Greta Climate action Led global youth Inspired millions

Thunberg strikes for climate worldwide to join climate
action, raising activism, urging
awareness and policymakers to take
challenging political urgent climate action
leaders

Vandana Shiva Environmentalism Advocated for Raised awareness of the

sustainable agriculture impacts of industrial
and biodiversity agriculture and promoted
conservation, sustainable,
questioning corporate community-based
dominance alternatives

David Conservation Renowned naturalist Educated and inspired

Attenborough and broadcaster, audiences worldwide,
raising awareness of fostering greater
environmental issues appreciation and
through documentaries concern for the natural
world

Jane Goodall Primatology Pioneering Advancing our

primatologist, understanding of animal
advocating for wildlife behaviour and
conservation and conservation,
ethical treatment of empowering individuals
animals to protect biodiversity
and habitats

Literature

Author Year Work Description Effect on

Environmental
Movement

Aldo Leopold 1949 A Sand Advocated for a land Influential in shaping

County ethic, promoting modern conservation
Almanac conservation and ethics and inspiring
stewardship of the environmental activism
natural world

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Rachel Carson 1962 Silent Outlined the harmful Led to widespread
Spring effects of the pesticide concern about the
Your notes
DDT passing along food dangers of pesticide
chains to top predators use and increased
awareness of
environmental pollution

Donella 1972 The Limits A report, commissioned Increased awareness of

Meadows, to by the Club of Rome (a the dangers of
Dennis Growth global think tank), unsustainable natural
Meadows, (LTG) outlining the effects of a resource use (best-
Jørgen rapidly increasing global selling environmental
Randers, population on Earth’s publication in history)
William W. finite natural resources
Behrens III

James 1979 Gaia The first book to suggest Showed how humanity
Lovelock that Earth is like a ‘living has the power to upset
organism’ (a self- the delicate balance of
regulatory system that the Earth’s self-
maintains its climate and regulating processes,
biology) with potentially deadly
consequences

Edward Abbey 1975 The Novel about eco- Influenced

Monkey sabotage and resistance environmental activism
Wrench against environmental by promoting radical
Gang destruction, inspiring tactics and raising
direct action awareness of
conservation issues

Donella 1992 Beyond Follow-up to "The Limits Contributed to

Meadows the Limits to Growth", exploring discussions on
strategies for achieving sustainability and
sustainable influenced policy-
development making towards more
eco-friendly practices

Media

Media Year Description Effect on Environmental

Movement

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An 2006 A documentary film of former US The film got extensive
Inconvenient Vice President Al Gore giving a publicity, reaching a huge
Your notes
Truth lecture on climate change and its worldwide audience and
consequences triggering a major shift in
public opinion in the USA

No Impact 2009 Documentary film following a Raised awareness about

Man family's attempt to live a zero- individual carbon footprints
waste lifestyle in New York City and the potential for
sustainable living in urban
environments

Before the 2016 Documentary featuring Leonardo Raised awareness of climate

Flood DiCaprio exploring climate change issues and
change impacts and solutions advocated for renewable
energy and conservation
efforts

Our Planet 2019 Netflix documentary series Raised awareness of

showcasing Earth's natural beauty environmental conservation
and the impact of human activity and the need to protect
ecosystems and
biodiversity

Breaking 2021 Netflix documentary on how Highlighted pressing

Boundaries humans are pushing Earth beyond environmental issues and
the boundaries that have kept the the importance of global
planet stable for the last 10 000 cooperation for sustainable
years, narrated by David solutions
Attenborough

Major Environmental Disasters

Event Year Description Effect on Environmental

Movement

Minamata 1956 Chemical factories released Raised awareness of the risks of

disease in toxic methyl mercury into waste industrialisation and the need
Minamata, water— mercury for environmental regulations
Japan accumulation in fish and and checks to be imposed on
shellfish caused mercury industries
poisoning in local people, with
severe symptoms (neurological
disorders, paralysis, death, or
birth defects in newborns)

Industrial 1984 Explosion at a pesticide plant— Highlighted industrial risks and

accident in released 42 tonnes of toxic lack of safety measures, driving

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Bhopal, India methyl isocyanate gas, killing 10 demands for stricter
000 people in the first 72 hours regulations and corporate
and 25 000 in total accountability Your notes

Chernobyl 1986 Nuclear reactor exploded— Reinforced society’s fear and

nuclear radioactive fallout covered negative perceptions
meltdown, large areas of Ukraine, Belarus surrounding nuclear power,
Soviet and Russia—336 000 people strengthening calls for safer
Ukraine had to be evacuated and cancer energy alternatives and stricter
incidence increased in regulations on nuclear facilities
surrounding area

Fukushima 2011 Earthquake-generated tsunami Intensified global concerns

nuclear hit nuclear power station and about nuclear safety and
meltdown, caused a meltdown in three of encouraged shifts towards
Japan the six reactors—110 000 renewable energy sources—
people evacuated however, Japan temporarily
halted all nuclear power to carry
out new safety checks, leading
to increased dependence on
fossil fuels

International Conferences and Agreements

Event Year Description Effect on Environmental

Movement

Stockholm 1972 The first major United Nations Influential in setting

Declaration (UN) conference on environmental targets and
international environmental shaping action at the local and
issues, held in Stockholm, led to international level
this Declaration

Rio Earth 1992 UN Conference on Environment Had a global impact—led to the

Summit and Development, attended by adoption of ‘Agenda 21’ (a
172 nations—outlined that comprehensive action plan to
radical changes in attitudes ensure sustainable
towards the environment development) by over 178
needed to limit the damage to parties
the planet

Kyoto 1997 An international treaty building 192 parties committed to

Protocol on the UN Framework reducing their emissions of
Convention on Climate Change greenhouse gases such as
(UNFCCC) that committed carbon dioxide and methane
state parties to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions

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Rio+20 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Helped to assess progress on
Development, marking the 20th various internationally agreed
Your notes
anniversary of the Rio Earth targets (e.g. reduction of
Summit - aimed to secure greenhouse gas emissions) and
further political commitment identify emerging
from nations to sustainable environmental challenges
development

Paris 2015 An international treaty agreed 50% cut in greenhouse gas

Agreement by 195 parties at COP21 - aimed emissions needed by 2030—
to hold the increase in global every country (including
average temperature to below developing countries) agreed to
2 °C above pre-industrial set targets and regularly report
levels on their progress

Glasgow 2021 At COP26, an international First climate deal to explicitly

Climate Pact agreement between 197 commit to reducing coal use—a
countries was reached, which late intervention from China and
reaffirmed the Paris India weakened the pact's
Agreement's global wording to "phasing down" coal
temperature goal (rather than phasing it out)

COP27 2022 The 27th United Nations Climate Led to the creation of the first
Change conference, held in loss-and-damage fund and
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt addressed measures to limit
global temperature rise

COP28 2023 The 28th United Nations Climate The final agreement made at
Change conference, held in this conference commits
Expo City, Dubai, UAE signatory countries to move
away from carbon energy
sources to mitigate climate
change effects

New Technologies

Development Description Effect on Environmental

Movement

Green Agricultural advancements increasing crop Improved food security

Revolution yields in the mid-20th century, addressing and reduced pressure on
food scarcity natural habitats, but also
raised concerns about the
environmental impacts of
intensive farming
practices

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Enteric Methods to decrease methane emissions Reduces greenhouse gas
fermentation from livestock, reducing agriculture's (methane) emissions from
Your notes
control environmental footprint—strategies may agriculture, mitigating the
include dietary adjustments, such as environmental impact of
altering feed composition to improve livestock and lowering
digestion efficiency and reduce methane climate change impacts
production, or supplementing diets with
compounds that inhibit methane-
producing microorganisms

Plant-based Innovations creating meat substitutes from Reduces demand for

meats plant sources, offering environmentally- animal agriculture,
friendly alternatives mitigating deforestation,
habitat loss and
greenhouse gas
emissions

Electric cars Vehicles powered by electric motors Lowers carbon emissions

instead of internal combustion engines, and air pollution, driving
reducing reliance on fossil fuels and the transition to
emissions of greenhouse gases sustainable
transportation and
energy systems

Scientific Discoveries

Discovery Description Effect on Environmental Movement

Pesticide and Studies revealing the harmful Increased awareness of

biocide toxicity effects of pesticides and environmental risks, leading to
biocides on ecosystems and regulatory measures, pesticide bans,
human health and adoption of alternative pest
control methods

Species loss Research documenting the Raised alarm about biodiversity loss
rapid decline of species and the extinction crisis, driving
diversity globally due to conservation efforts and policy
human activities actions to protect ecosystems and
species

Habitat Investigations highlighting the Highlighted the urgent need for

degradation destruction and fragmentation habitat conservation and restoration,
of natural habitats worldwide leading to the establishment of
protected areas and restoration
initiatives

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Ocean Phenomenon of decreasing pH Raised concerns about marine
acidification levels in the Earth's oceans, ecosystem health and biodiversity,
Your notes
mainly due to increased carbon driving research and policy actions to
dioxide emissions address ocean acidification impacts

Climate Research documenting the Increased understanding of climate

change diverse effects of climate change risks and vulnerabilities,
impacts change on ecosystems, motivating adaptation and mitigation
economies and human efforts to address its impacts
societies

Examiner Tips and Tricks

You don't need to learn how ALL of these people and events have contributed to the
development of the environmental movement! It might be a good idea to select at
least one from each of the tables above, then learn what happened and make sure
you can explain why each one was important in shaping the environmental movement.

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