DP Environmental Systems and Societies at GESS
At GESS, Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) is an interdisciplinary course that explores the complex interactions between human societies and the natural environment. The course allows students to investigate global environmental issues through both scientific and socio-cultural perspectives, providing a holistic view of sustainability and the challenges of balancing human development with ecological preservation. Students will gain an understanding of key environmental concepts such as systems thinking, sustainability, and the interconnectivity of social, political, and environmental factors.
💠 Why Study Environmental Systems and Societies at GESS?
👉 Interdisciplinary Learning – ESS integrates knowledge from both the sciences and social sciences, enabling students to understand environmental systems from multiple perspectives, including ecological, economic, and cultural viewpoints.
👉 Global Context – The course encourages students to apply systems theory and sustainability concepts to both local and global environmental challenges. Topics include climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource management, allowing students to understand the role of human societies in shaping environmental outcomes.
👉 Practical Research and Data Analysis – Students engage in fieldwork, experiments, and data analysis to investigate environmental systems, applying scientific methods and research tools to address real-world problems.
👉 Critical Thinking and Ethical Engagement – The course emphasizes the development of critical thinking skills, enabling students to evaluate different perspectives and propose solutions to pressing environmental issues.
💠 Core Units
The ESS curriculum is structured around several key themes:
Perspectives – Understanding how values, beliefs, and worldviews shape people's views and actions regarding environmental issues.
Systems – Exploring systems theory to understand the interconnections between natural and human systems, and how feedback loops and tipping points influence environmental processes.
Sustainability – Focusing on sustainable practices and resource management to ensure long-term environmental stability.
Ecology – Studying ecosystems, biodiversity, and the relationships between organisms and their environments.
Human Populations and Urban Systems – Examining human population dynamics, urbanization, and the environmental impacts of human development.
💠 Assessment
🔸 Internal Assessment (IA) – Students conduct an individual investigation into an environmental issue of their choice, demonstrating their ability to apply scientific research methods and analyze data.
🔸 Examinations
Paper 1 (SL & HL) – Case studies focused on environmental issues, assessing knowledge and understanding of key concepts.
Paper 2 (SL & HL) – Essays that require students to apply knowledge to analyze and evaluate environmental issues and propose solutions.
Collaborative Sciences Project – An interdisciplinary project where students work together to explore a real-world environmental problem and propose solutions.
💠 Environmental Systems and Societies at GESS: HL vs. SL
🔹 Higher Level (HL): HL students study more advanced topics, such as environmental law, ethics, and economics, and engage with complex environmental issues at greater depth. They also complete additional content and more comprehensive projects as part of the Collaborative Sciences Project.
🔹 Standard Level (SL): SL students focus on foundational environmental principles and gain a solid understanding of systems, sustainability, and ecology, with a practical emphasis on fieldwork and data collection.
At GESS, Environmental Systems and Societies provides students with the tools to understand environmental challenges and empowers them to contribute to sustainable solutions, preparing them for future careers in environmental science, policy, conservation, and global sustainability.