M17/4/ENVSO/SP1/ENG/TZ0/XX/T

Environmental systems and societies

Standard level
Paper 1

Friday 5 May 2017 (afternoon)

1 hour

Resource booklet
Instructions to candidates
� Do not open this booklet until instructed to do so.
� This booklet contains all the resources to answer paper 1.

2217 – 6302
13 pages © International Baccalaureate Organization 2017
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Figure 1: World map showing the location of Brazil

Equator

Brazil

[Source: adapted from CIA World Factbook]

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Figure 2: Map of Brazil’s vegetation including location of Cerrado and Atlantic Rainforest

Ri v e r Amazon Basin
Ne g
ro
Belém
River Amazo Manaus
n

ra

apajós
ei Brazilian
ad
r M

Highlands

rT
e
R iv Riv
e

 Brasilia
aragua

Mato Grosso
Plateau
River P

Key

Tropical Rainforest Rio de Janerio

São Paulo

Cerrado (savanna)

Caatinga (thorny shrub)

Pantanal (periodically wet land)

Atlantic Rainforest 600 km

(tropical semideciduous forest)

Pampas (grassland)

[Source: adapted from https://mapcollection.wordpress.com]

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Figure 3(a): Fact file on biodiversity in Brazil

� Brazil is the largest country in South America, covering an area of over 8.5 million square kilometers.
� The country contains an exceptionally high number of species, many of which are endemic.
� Estimates of species numbers vary from 1.4 to 2.4 million, of which only a small fraction has
been identified.
� Regions of high biodiversity include the Atlantic Rainforest (also known as the Mata Atlântica)
and Cerrado (Savanna).
� The Atlantic Rainforest originally covered about 15 % of Brazil mainly along the Brazilian coast as well
as extending into neighbouring countries of Paraguay and Argentina. The region comprises of various
ecosystems including tropical and subtropical forests.
� The Cerrado region covers about 20 % of the land area in central Brazil and extends into the
neighbouring countries of Paraguay and Bolivia. It comprises a range of ecosystems including
grasslands, savanna regions and forests.

[Sources: www.conservation.org and www.nature.org]

Figure 3(b): Estimated number of species found within the

Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado region

Atlantic Rainforest Cerrado

Plants 20 000 (8000 endemic) 10 000 (4400 endemic)
Birds 934 (144 endemic) 607 (17 endemic)
Mammals 264 (72 endemic) 195 (14 endemic)
Amphibians 456 (282 endemic) 186 (28 endemic)
Reptiles 311 (94 endemic) 225 (33 endemic)

[Source: www.cepf.net]
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Figure 4: Photographs showing examples of species found in Brazil

Paraná pine trees (Araucaria angustifolia) Pau brasil (Caesalpinia echinata)

IUCN Red List status – critically endangered IUCN Red List status – endangered
[Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_angustifolia#/ [Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paubrasilia#/media/
media/File:Araucaria-caxias-do-sul.jpg, by Ricardo Frantz] File:ClosedeflordePaubrasil.jpg, by Mauroguanandi]

Golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) Brazilian merganser (Mergus octosetaceus)

IUCN Red List status – endangered IUCN Red List status – Critically endangered
[Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_lion_tamarin#/ [Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_merganser#/
media/File:Golden_lion_tamarin_portrait3.jpg, by Jeroen media/File:Mergus_octosetaceus_2.png, by Prof. Sávio Freire
Kransen] Bruno – http://www.wikiaves.com.br/182433&t=s&s=10048]

Broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) Giant metallic ceiba borer (Euchroma gigantea)
IUCN Red List status – least concern IUCN Red List status – none, has not yet been
[Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad-snouted_
assessed by the IUCN
caiman#/media/File:Jacare_de_papo_amarelo_zoo.jpg, by [Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euchroma_gigantea#/
Miguelrangeljr] media/File:Buprestidae_-_Euchroma_gigantea.JPG, by
Hectonichus]

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Figure 5(a): Fact file on population

• Brazil’s population is approximately 204 million (July 2015).

• Approximately 86 % of the population live in urban areas.
• 240 indigenous tribes make up 0.4 % of the population.
• Over 70 % of the total country population live in the Atlantic Rainforest region.
• São Paulo is the largest city with a population of about 21 million, followed by Rio de Janeiro with a
population of about 13 million.
• Brasilia, the capital city, is located in the Cerrado region and has a population of about 4 million.
• Birth rate: 14.46 births/1000 population (2015 estimate).
• Death rate: 6.58 death/1000 population (2015 estimate).
• Median age of population: 31.1 years.

[Sources: www.wwf.org.uk and www.survivalinternational.org]

Figure 5(b): Age-gender pyramid for Brazil, 2014

Male Female
100+
95–99
90–94
85–89
80–84
75–79
70–74
65–69
60–64
55–59
50–54
45–49
40–44
35–39
30–34
25–29
20–24
15–19
10–14
5–9
0–4

9 7.2 5.4 3.6 1.8 0 0 1.8 3.6 5.4 7.2 9

Population (in millions) Age Group Population (in millions)

[Source: www.cia.gov]
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Figure 6(a): Fact file on the human impacts on biodiversity

There have been a number of processes at work in Brazil that have caused significant losses in
biodiversity. Of the original Atlantic Rainforest only about 10 % remains, and of the original Cerrado
vegetation only around 20 % remains. These losses have occurred as a result of:
� Land clearance for crop production eg sugar cane, coffee, soy beans and biofuel crops. The amount
of food and biofuel crops grown has increased significantly over the past 20 years.
� Land clearance for cattle ranching. Brazil has the largest number of cattle of any country in the world.
� Land clearance for forest plantations eg pine and eucalypt plantations
� Expansion and development of urban areas eg:
– Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in the Atlantic Rainforest region.
– Brasilia the capital city in the Cerrado region.
� Infrastructure development eg road building schemes to support industrialization.
� Commercial logging.

Various businesses, non-governmental and governmental organizations actively support projects within
the Atlantic Rainforest that:
� Restore forest habitats.
� Encourage sustainable use of natural forest resources.

Figure 6(b): Deforestation in the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado

Atlantic Rainforest Cerrado

N N

Palmas

Brasilia

Cuiaba Brasilia
Goiania

Rio de Janerio Campo Grande Belo

São Paulo Horizonte

600 km
Key
Forest Deforestation
600 km
Nonforest Rivers and lakes
Natural landcover Major cities
[Source: Atlantic rainforest map: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture/soy/soyreport/soy_and_deforestation/
the_atlantic_forest/
Cerrado map: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture/soy/soyreport/soy_and_deforestation/the_cerrado/

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Figure 7(a): Fact file on energy and economic development in Brazil

� Brazil has experienced fast economic growth and is one of the most influential nations in
South America.
� Major industries include mining, agriculture and the manufacture of products ranging from motor
vehicles and aircraft to computers.
� There has been significant growth in the service industries including the telecommunications, banking,
commerce and computing sectors.
� Over 80 % of Brazil’s gross domestic product (GDP) is generated in the Atlantic Rainforest region.
� Brazil is a major producer of oil. However about 70 % of its electricity comes from hydroelectric power
(HEP).
� Brazil is also the largest global producer of bioethanol, a biofuel produced from plants such as sugar
cane. Over 40 % of petrol (gasoline) use has been replaced by bioethanol.
� Brazil’s energy policy has involved:
– improving energy efficiency.
– increasing energy production from renewable sources.
– diversification of energy sources.

[Sources: adapted from www.economywatch.com, www.nature.org, http://sugarcane.org and www.reegle.info]

Figure 7(b): GDP, energy use, life expectancy and

under 5 mortality rate in Brazil from 1990 to 2012

Removed for copyright reasons

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Figure 8: Area used for grain production and quantity of grain produced between 1990 and 2014

250 000 Key 250 000

Grain production
Area used for grain production

200 000 Harvested area 200 000

thousand hectares (ha)

Grain production in
thousand tonnes
150 000 150 000

100 000 100 000

50 000 50 000

0 0
90

92

94

96

98

00

02

04

06

08

10

12

14
19

19

19

19

19

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20
Year

[Source: Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA)

http://sugarcane.org/sustainability/producing-food-and-fuel]

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Figure 9(a): Area used for bioethanol production and quantity of

bioethanol produced between 1990 and 2014

45 000 45 000

40 000 40 000
Area used for bioenthanol production

Key

35 000 Bioethanol production 35 000

Bioethanol production
thousand hectares (ha)

Harvested area
30 000 30 000

in million litres
25 000 25 000

20 000 20 000

15 000 15 000

10 000 10 000

5 000 5 000

0 0
90

92

94

96

98

00

02

04

06

08

10

12

14
19

19

19

19

19

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20
Year

[Source: http://sugarcane.org/sustainability/producing-food-and-fuel
Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA)]

Figure 9(b): Biofuel production versus food production

NO, BUT I CAN

OFFER YOU A
GALLON OF
ETHANOL!

[Source: CARLSON © 2008 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Reprinted with permission of

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION. All rights reserved.]
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Figure 10: Vehicle numbers by fuel type in Brazil

� Flex fuel vehicles use bioethanol, petrol or a mixed fuel.

� Ethanol vehicles use only biofuels.
� Gasoline vehicles use only gasoline (petrol).

60
Key

50 Flex fuel
Gasoline

40 Ethanol only
Millions of vehicles

30

20
68 % 86 %

10

0
03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20
11
20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20
Year

[Source: http://sugarcane.org/internal/images/national-light-duty-fleet
Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA)]

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Figure 11(a): Ecological footprint and biocapacity of Brazil

(Biocapacity can be defined as the amount of biologically productive land, measured in total hectares per
capita.)

25

Key
Biocapacity per capita
20
Ecological footprint per capita
Total hectares per capita

15

10

0
1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011
Year

[Source: © 2017 Global Footprint Network. www.footprintnetwork.org]

Figure 11(b): Estimated arable land available in selected countries

Arable land availability, hectares (millions)

In use Potential

0 100 200 300 400 500

Brazil
United States
Russia
India
China
Australia
Canada
Argentina

[Source: © The Economist Group Limited, London (Aug 26th 2010)]

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Figure 12(a): Bar chart showing the results of a Figure 12(b): Pie chart showing the
global attitudes survey in 2010. A thousand people proportion of the Brazilian population
in 22 countries were interviewed face to face willing to prioritize the environment over
economic growth

Please go to: http://www.pewglobal. Please go to: http://www.pewglobal.

org/2010/09/22/chapter-5-environmental- org/2010/09/22/chapter-5-environmental-
issues issues