Theme 1: Environmental Change

Environmental change is influenced by human interaction with ecosystems and by changes in the global climate. As the world’s population grows, the demand for the resources and services provided by ecosystems is increasing in an unsustainable way. The increasing size of our ecological footprint impacts on the availability of resources, the efficiency of natural services, and the amount and type of land cover, and is a major factor contributing to climate change. Global and local responses to the impact of climate change are integral to ensuring the sustainability of the world’s ecosystems.

Topic 1: Ecosystems and people

Ecosystems provide resources and services that are used by the world’s population. These resources and services are naturally provided by a range of ecosystems including forests, grasslands, and deserts. As the world’s population increases, so does the demand for resources. The impact of people on ecosystems is evident in changes to land cover, land degradation, and loss of biodiversity. Increasing demand for resources results in an increase in our ecological footprint, and the impact on the Earth becomes unsustainable. Holistic management of ecosystems and a reduction in the size of our ecological footprint is a necessary consideration for the future of our planet.

Students develop their knowledge and understanding through case studies in the following areas:

• characteristics of ecosystems and ecosystem functions, including the interconnections between water, soil, atmosphere, vegetation, and other living things
• resources provided by ecosystems, including food, water, wood, and medicines
• services provided by ecosystems, including the regulation of climate, natural hazard mitigation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and erosion control
• the impacts of people on ecosystems, including land-cover changes, land degradation, and biodiversity loss
• an ecological footprint and how it is measured
• the relationship between population change, resource use, biocapacity, biodiversity, sustainability, and ecological footprints
• analysis of variation of ecological footprints between countries
• contemporary case studies of strategies to reduce the ecological footprint of people and improve sustainability of ecosystems.

Topic 2: Climate change

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the human population today. More resources are used to fuel the needs of growing populations, and levels of consumption are increasing in an unsustainable way. This contributes to climate change. Responses to climate change at local and global levels are evolving with the growth of alternative energy.

Students develop their knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

• the enhanced greenhouse effect and key causes
• impacts and responses to global warming.
  The focus of this study may include one or more of the following:
  • environmental consequences, such as atmospheric and biological hazards, desertification, and sea-level rise
  • socioeconomic consequences, such as increasing numbers of environmental refugees (including Indigenous communities), lifestyle changes, and the rising cost of food
  • political and community responses, such as carbon trading, energy-policy development, international cooperation, buying local products, and recycling.