IB Economics HL · 2022 to 2025

2.8 Market failure: externalities and common pool resources

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HL archive · 2022 to 2025

2.8 Market failure: externalities and common pool resources

Latest exam session: May 2025

questions
26
questions
papers
17
papers
exam sessions
6
exam sessions
micro-topics
3

Micro-topics in 2.8 Market failure: externalities and common pool resources

In syllabus order. The ring is the share of papers each appears in.

  • 38

    2.8.1

    Negative externalities

    15 questions · in 38% of papersAppears in 12 of the 32 Economics HL papers analysed (38%), at least once each.

    Frequently tested

    last May 25 P2 TZ3

  • 19

    2.8.2

    Positive externalities

    6 questions · in 19% of papersAppears in 6 of the 32 Economics HL papers analysed (19%), at least once each.

    Rising

    last May 25 P3

  • 6

    2.8.3

    Common pool resources

    5 questions · in 6% of papersAppears in 2 of the 32 Economics HL papers analysed (6%), at least once each.

    Occasional

    last May 24 P3

Exam pattern

How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.

Does it repeat?

Questions per year for each micro-topic.

fewermore

Micro-topic20222023202420252026
2.8.1Negative externalitiesFrequently tested
4Negative externalities, 2022: 4 questions2Negative externalities, 2023: 2 questions6Negative externalities, 2024: 6 questions3Negative externalities, 2025: 3 questions·Negative externalities, 2026: 0 questions
2.8.2Positive externalitiesRising · last May 25 P3
1Positive externalities, 2022: 1 question·Positive externalities, 2023: 0 questions1Positive externalities, 2024: 1 question4Positive externalities, 2025: 4 questions·Positive externalities, 2026: 0 questions
2.8.3Common pool resourcesOccasional
·Common pool resources, 2022: 0 questions4Common pool resources, 2023: 4 questions1Common pool resources, 2024: 1 question·Common pool resources, 2025: 0 questions·Common pool resources, 2026: 0 questions
  • Frequently testedin at least a quarter of all papers, and still appearing in the last two years
  • Risingappearing more often in the last two years than before
  • Occasionalin about one paper in ten

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Questions on 2.8 Market failure: externalities and common pool resources, by exam session

Which papers asked about 2.8 Market failure: externalities and common pool resources, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.

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Frequently asked questions

Short answers about this page.

Which Economics HL exam sessions are covered for 2.8 Market failure: externalities and common pool resources?

8 exam sessions from 2022 to 2025, the latest May 2025. Every Paper 1, 2 and 3 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 17 papers in this archive.

Which 2.8 Market failure: externalities and common pool resources topic comes up most?

Negative externalities (2.8.1): in 38% of papers, last seen May 25 P2 TZ3. Usually "explain / justify", worth about 7.8 marks in a paper that includes it.

Can I see the original question and mark scheme?

No. The wording belongs to the IB. You get the citation, the marks, the command term and the skill tested, plus our own matched practice questions with worked answers and AI marking.

What do "banker", "due" and "rising" mean?

Banker: examined in at least one sitting in four and still appearing. Due: regular before, but absent for the last two exam sessions. Rising: clearly more common in the last two years. Our classification of real papers, not an IB statistic.

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