Sustainability, Environmental Policy, and Ethics — HS Environmental Science practice questions

Paris Agreement (2015):

1. Solely about trade
2. Just developed countries
3. Binding nation-by-nation cuts
4. International treaty under UNFCCC where ~196 parties pledged voluntary emissions reductions to limit warming to 'well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C' above pre-industrial — nationally determined contributions (NDCs)
5. Trade tariffs

Answer: D — International treaty under UNFCCC where ~196 parties pledged voluntary emissions reductions to limit warming to 'well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C' above pre-industrial — nationally determined contributions (NDCs)

Paris Agreement: replaced Kyoto Protocol. Pledge-and-review structure. NDCs set by each country. Bottom-up approach. Critics: not legally binding emissions. Supporters: nearly universal participation. Stocktake mechanism every 5 years. Current pledges insufficient for 1.5°C.

The "reduce, reuse, recycle" principles:

1. Are listed in reverse priority order
2. Are ordered by environmental priority — reducing consumption first, then reusing items, then recycling materials
3. Are unrelated to waste policy
4. All have equivalent environmental impact

Answer: B — Are ordered by environmental priority — reducing consumption first, then reusing items, then recycling materials

B) Reduction prevents waste; reuse extends life; recycling requires energy. A/C/D) Each misstates the hierarchy.

Sustainable development as commonly defined (Brundtland, 1987) means:

1. Maximizing economic growth at all costs
2. Banning all natural-resource extraction
3. Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
4. Returning to pre-industrial conditions

Answer: C — Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

C) Brundtland Commission definition. A/B/D) Each contradicts the formulation.

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) primarily regulates:

1. Domestic hunting seasons in each member country
2. National park boundaries
3. Captive breeding inside zoos
4. International commercial trade in listed wildlife and plants — restricting or banning trade in species threatened by commerce

Answer: D — International commercial trade in listed wildlife and plants — restricting or banning trade in species threatened by commerce

D) CITES's specific scope (international trade). A/B/C) Each is outside CITES's mandate.

The Kyoto Protocol (1997) differed from the Paris Agreement (2015) primarily in that Kyoto:

1. Required developing nations to cut emissions more than developed ones
2. Was never adopted
3. Was led by China alone
4. Set binding emissions reduction targets only for developed (Annex I) countries, while Paris uses nationally determined contributions (NDCs) from all parties

Answer: D — Set binding emissions reduction targets only for developed (Annex I) countries, while Paris uses nationally determined contributions (NDCs) from all parties

D) Standard distinction — Kyoto's top-down binding cuts vs Paris's universal voluntary NDCs. A/B/C) Incorrect.

The "tragedy of the commons" describes how:

1. Pollution always solves itself
2. National parks always avoid overuse by design
3. Private property is unreliable
4. Shared, open-access resources can be overused or degraded when individuals act on private incentives without bearing the full cost

Answer: D — Shared, open-access resources can be overused or degraded when individuals act on private incentives without bearing the full cost

D) Hardin's classic framing. A/B/C) Each contradicts the model.

Common HS Environmental Science course covers:

1. Just animals
2. Just pollution
3. Ecosystems, biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, population dynamics, pollution (air/water/soil), climate change, energy resources, conservation, sustainability, environmental policy — NGSS HS-LS2 + HS-ESS3 aligned
4. Only animals
5. Just history

Answer: C — Ecosystems, biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, population dynamics, pollution (air/water/soil), climate change, energy resources, conservation, sustainability, environmental policy — NGSS HS-LS2 + HS-ESS3 aligned

HS Environmental Science: interdisciplinary. NGSS HS-LS2 (Ecosystems), HS-ESS3 (Earth & Human Activity). Topics span biology, chemistry, earth science, policy, economics, ethics. APES (AP Environmental Science) is more rigorous version. Real-world focus.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 1970) requires:

1. The EPA to ban all pollution
2. Carbon taxes on all industry
3. Federal agencies to prepare Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for major federal actions significantly affecting the environment
4. Mandatory recycling in every state

Answer: C — Federal agencies to prepare Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for major federal actions significantly affecting the environment

C) NEPA's core EIS requirement. A/B/D) Not NEPA.

Environmental careers?

Environmental scientist, conservation biologist, sustainability manager, environmental engineer, urban planner, policy analyst.

Dust Bowl?

1930s US Plains drought + poor farming → soil erosion. Led to soil conservation programs.

Carbon tax vs cap-and-trade?

Tax: set price per ton CO₂ emitted. Cap-and-trade: total emissions limited, permits traded. Both market-based.

Tragedy of the commons?

Shared resource depleted when individuals act in self-interest. Fisheries, atmosphere.