Introduction
Land is one of the most valuable natural resources, and how societies use it has direct consequences for sustainability. In IB Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS), the 2026 first assessment syllabus emphasizes the links between land use, resource management, and environmental impacts.
Understanding land use is crucial because it ties together multiple themes in ESS: soil, food production, population growth, biodiversity, and climate change. To succeed in exams, students must show how different land use choices affect both local ecosystems and global sustainability.
Quick Start Checklist for ESS Students
When revising land use and sustainability, make sure you can:
- Define land use in terms of agriculture, urbanization, forestry, and conservation.
- Explain how land use decisions affect ecosystems, soil, and water.
- Link land use to ecological footprints.
- Use case studies to illustrate sustainable and unsustainable practices.
- Evaluate strategies to manage land sustainably.
Land Use in the ESS Syllabus
The syllabus treats land use as a systems issue—where human demands interact with environmental limits. You need to study:
- Agricultural land use: intensive vs. extensive farming, subsistence vs. commercial.
- Urban land use: expansion of cities, urban systems, and their footprints.
- Forestry: logging, deforestation, and reforestation.
- Conservation land use: protected areas, national parks, biosphere reserves.
