IB ESS · 2021 to 2026
1.3 Sustainability
56 past paper questions from 32 papers across 18 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
Starter set across the most-tested skills, with AI marking and model answers.
SL archive · 2017 to 2026
1.3 Sustainability
Latest exam session: May 2026
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Micro-topics in 1.3 Sustainability
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of papers each appears in. 8 of them have no matching questions in this archive.
- Regular
last May 26 P1 TZ1
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- Less common
last May 21 P1
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- Less common
last Nov 20 P1
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- Less common
last May 17 P1
- Less common
last Spec 26 P2
- Less common
last Nov 17 P2
- Less common
last May 21 P1
- Less common
last Nov 19 P2
- Frequently tested
last May 26 P2 TZ3
- Less common
last May 26 P1 TZ3
- Rising
last May 25 P1 TZ3
- Less common
last May 26 P2 TZ1
1.3.17
Sustainability frameworks and models
No question tagged to this topic in the 50 ESS papers analysed
No matches in this archiveRevise it- Less common
last May 26 P1 TZ2
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
- No matches in this archiveRevise it
Exam pattern
How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.
Does it repeat?
Top 4 of 13 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.3.1Sustainability | 1Sustainability, 2017: 1 question | 2Sustainability, 2018: 2 questions | 1Sustainability, 2019: 1 question | ·Sustainability, 2020: 0 questions | 1Sustainability, 2021: 1 question | 2Sustainability, 2022: 2 questions | 1Sustainability, 2023: 1 question | ·Sustainability, 2024: 0 questions | 2Sustainability, 2025: 2 questions | 2Sustainability, 2026: 2 questions |
1.3.13Ecological footprints | 1Ecological footprints, 2017: 1 question | 3Ecological footprints, 2018: 3 questions | 4Ecological footprints, 2019: 4 questions | ·Ecological footprints, 2020: 0 questions | 2Ecological footprints, 2021: 2 questions | 1Ecological footprints, 2022: 1 question | 5Ecological footprints, 2023: 5 questions | 3Ecological footprints, 2024: 3 questions | 1Ecological footprints, 2025: 1 question | 2Ecological footprints, 2026: 2 questions |
| 1Biocapacity, 2017: 1 question | ·Biocapacity, 2018: 0 questions | ·Biocapacity, 2019: 0 questions | ·Biocapacity, 2020: 0 questions | ·Biocapacity, 2021: 0 questions | 3Biocapacity, 2022: 3 questions | ·Biocapacity, 2023: 0 questions | ·Biocapacity, 2024: 0 questions | 3Biocapacity, 2025: 3 questions | 2Biocapacity, 2026: 2 questions | |
| ·Carbon and water footprints, 2017: 0 questions | ·Carbon and water footprints, 2018: 0 questions | ·Carbon and water footprints, 2019: 0 questions | ·Carbon and water footprints, 2020: 0 questions | ·Carbon and water footprints, 2021: 0 questions | ·Carbon and water footprints, 2022: 0 questions | ·Carbon and water footprints, 2023: 0 questions | ·Carbon and water footprints, 2024: 0 questions | ·Carbon and water footprints, 2025: 0 questions | 3Carbon and water footprints, 2026: 3 questions |
4 more micro-topics with a free account
- Risingappearing more often in the last two years than before
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Questions on 1.3 Sustainability, by exam session
Which papers asked about 1.3 Sustainability, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.
May 2026
7 questions across 5 papers
Specimen 2026
3 questions across 2 papers
May 2025
5 questions across 3 papers
November 2024
1 question across 1 paper
May 2024
2 questions across 2 papers
November 2023
2 questions across 2 papers
May 2023
3 questions across 3 papers
November 2022
2 questions across 2 papers
May 2022
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2021
2 questions across 1 paper
May 2021
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2020
1 question across 1 paper
November 2019
3 questions across 2 papers
May 2019
1 question across 1 paper
November 2018
1 question across 1 paper
May 2018
2 questions across 1 paper
November 2017
3 questions across 2 papers
May 2017
2 questions across 1 paper
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Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which ESS exam sessions are covered for 1.3 Sustainability?
18 exam sessions from 2017 to 2026, the latest May 2026. Every Paper 1 and 2 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 32 papers in this archive.
Which 1.3 Sustainability topic comes up most?
Sustainability (1.3.1): in 24% of papers, last seen May 26 P1 TZ1. Usually "To what extent", worth about 6 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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Reading this page and the exam pattern is free. A free account generates three sets of ten questions and launches one practice set. Pro opens every question in any scope, sets of twenty or all, and unlimited practice.
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