Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2024

First exams 2026

|

Unsustainable Use of Renewable Resources (HL) (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS)) : Revision Note

Alistair Marjot

Written by: Alistair Marjot

Reviewed by: Jacque Cartwright

Updated on

Unsustainable Resource Extraction

  • Even if a given resource is renewable, the way it is extracted, harvested, transported and processed may be unsustainable

    • Resource extraction is unsustainable when it:

      • Damages ecosystems

      • Depletes resources faster than they regenerate

      • Harms communities and economies

  • Key activities involved:

    • Extraction or harvesting (e.g. mining, logging)

    • Transportation (e.g. emissions from shipping)

    • Processing (e.g. industrial pollution, energy consumption)

Examples of unsustainable resource extraction

Timber harvesting

  • Problems:

    • Deforestation reduces biodiversity and disrupts carbon storage

    • Clear-cutting damages soil, leading to erosion and desertification

    • Illegal logging undermines sustainable forestry practices

  • Example:

    • The Amazon rainforest suffers from large-scale deforestation for agriculture and timber

    • Indonesia faces habitat loss for species like the orangutan due to logging and palm oil plantations

Overfishing

  • Problems:

    • Fish stocks are depleted faster than they can recover

    • Destructive fishing methods (e.g. trawling) damage marine habitats

    • Bycatch (catching non-target species) disrupts food webs

  • Example:

    • Cod overfishing in the North Atlantic led to the collapse of fisheries in the 1990s

    • The Great Barrier Reef on the north-east coast of Australia suffers from pressures due to unsustainable fishing and coral damage

Mining

  • Problems:

    • Habitat destruction and pollution from toxic mining waste

    • High energy consumption contributes to greenhouse gas emissions

    • Displacement of local communities

  • Example:

    • The Congo experiences environmental degradation and human rights issues due to cobalt mining for electronics

Hydropower development

  • Problems:

    • Dams disrupt river ecosystems and fish migration

    • Flooding upstream affects habitats and displaces communities

  • Example:

    • The Three Gorges Dam in China displaced over a million people and caused widespread habitat loss

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Renewable does not always mean sustainable. You need to be able to differentiate between these two concepts. For example, a renewable resource can still be unsustainably managed (e.g. overfishing).

Excessive Consumption

  • Excessive consumption refers to using resources faster than they can regenerate

    • This leads to environmental degradation and resource depletion

  • Key issue: economic interests often promote short-term gains

    • Economies often focus on high production and consumption rates without considering long-term sustainability

Impacts of excessive consumption

  • Impacts include:

    • Resource depletion

      • Finite resources like fossil fuels, minerals, and freshwater are consumed unsustainably

    • Environmental degradation

      • Excessive production creates waste, polluting air, water, and soil

    • Loss of biodiversity

      • Overconsumption of resources like fish and timber destroys habitats

    • Climate change

      • High levels of consumption and production drive greenhouse gas emissions

Case Study

Whaling as an example of excessive consumption

  • Whaling is a clear example of how excessive resource consumption can lead to severe environmental, ecological, and economic consequences

Historical context

  • Industrial-scale whaling:

    • Began in the 19th century, driven by demand for whale oil, which was used for lighting, lubrication, and soap

  • Species impacted:

    • Blue whales, humpbacks, and sperm whales were hunted to near extinction

  • Peak exploitation:

    • By the mid-20th century, technological advancements in whaling ships and harpoons allowed for unsustainable levels of hunting

Environmental impacts

  • Population collapse:

    • Overhunting caused dramatic declines in whale populations

  • Ecosystem imbalance:

    • Whales play a key role in marine ecosystems:

      • Their faeces fertilise ocean waters, promoting the growth of phytoplankton, which absorbs carbon dioxide

      • Whale population decline disrupts food chains, affecting other marine species

Socioeconomic impacts

  • Collapse of whaling economies:

    • Communities reliant on whaling e.g. Japan and Norway, faced economic difficulties when populations became too depleted to sustain hunting

  • Global bans and conservation:

    • The 1986 moratorium by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) banned commercial whaling

    • However, loopholes for "scientific research" and "cultural hunting" are still exploited

Current challenges

  • Illegal whaling:

    • Some countries, like Japan, Iceland, and Norway, continue whaling under controversial exemptions

  • Threats from other human activities:

    • Climate change and ocean pollution now threaten whale recovery

    • Collisions with ships and entanglement in fishing gear are additional pressures

Sustainable solutions

  • Ecotourism:

    • Whale-watching industries, like those in Australia and Canada, offer sustainable economic alternatives

  • International cooperation:

    • Organisations such as the IWC and NGOs like Greenpeace work to protect whales through monitoring and activism

  • Marine conservation zones:

    • Establishing protected areas allows whale populations to recover

Economic drivers of excessive consumption

Short-term economic gains

  • Focus on profit: industries prioritise immediate economic benefits over sustainability

    • E.g. fast fashion promotes cheap, disposable clothing, creating waste and overusing resources

Advertising and consumer culture

  • Encourages demand: media and advertising promote consumption as a lifestyle, encouraging overuse

    • E.g. marketing campaigns for new smartphones and seasonal trends encourage resource-intensive production

You've read 0 of your 5 free revision notes this week

Sign up now. It’s free!

Join the 100,000+ Students that ❤️ Save My Exams

the (exam) results speak for themselves:

Did this page help you?

Alistair Marjot

Author: Alistair Marjot

Expertise: Biology & Environmental Systems and Societies Content Creator

Alistair graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Biological Sciences. He has taught GCSE/IGCSE Biology, as well as Biology and Environmental Systems & Societies for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. While teaching in Oxford, Alistair completed his MA Education as Head of Department for Environmental Systems & Societies. Alistair has continued to pursue his interests in ecology and environmental science, recently gaining an MSc in Wildlife Biology & Conservation with Edinburgh Napier University.

Jacque Cartwright

Reviewer: Jacque Cartwright

Expertise: Geography Content Creator

Jacque graduated from the Open University with a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography before doing her PGCE with the University of St David’s, Swansea. Teaching is her passion and has taught across a wide range of specifications – GCSE/IGCSE and IB but particularly loves teaching the A-level Geography. For the past 5 years Jacque has been teaching online for international schools, and she knows what is needed to get the top scores on those pesky geography exams.

Download notes on Unsustainable Use of Renewable Resources (HL)