Climate Change

Climate change is seen as one of the key global issues of our time. It is likely to be something that young people are already concerned about, so rather than teaching about 'doom and gloom' it's more productive to help them realise what action they can take as individuals and as part of society to make positive changes.

"A path to prosperity that ravages the environment and leaves a majority of humankind behind in squalor will soon prove to be a dead-end road for everyone."
Former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan

What is climate change?

“The climate of the Earth is always changing. In the past it has altered as a result of natural causes. Nowadays, however, the term climate change is generally used when referring to changes in our climate which have been identified since the early part of the 1900's. The changes we've seen over recent years and those which are predicted over the next 80 years are thought to be mainly as a result of human behaviour rather than due to natural changes in the atmosphere.

The greenhouse effect is very important when we talk about climate change as it relates to the gases which keep the Earth warm. It is the extra greenhouse gases which humans have released which are thought to pose the strongest threat.”

(Text taken from BBC Weather – Climate Change website, 2008)

Why teach about climate change?

Climate change is something that affects the whole planet, including all people, and if we ignore it we risk jeopardizing our very existence. Studying environmental changes was once seen as the remit of boffins and tree huggers, but overwhelming evidence is showing that everyone needs to understand how the Earth is changing, and how our lifestyles are having an impact. The impact of climate change is likely to be far worse for developing countries, who have less capacity to cope with dramatic environmental changes. Addressing our impact on the planet is an issue for every individual and every government.

However, teaching about climate change can lead to images of doom and gloom, and turn off your audience. The challenge for teaching today is to present sustainable living as something to aspire to, and something which young people see as an important part of their lives. Young people need to have the knowledge, skills and values to be able to question the world around them, and to be able to make positive decisions to protect the planet for themselves and future generations. It’s no easy task, but luckily there are plenty of sources of support and guidance available.

Teaching resources

There are over 50 relevant teaching resources listed on this website around the topic of 'Climate change'. To browse through them, choose ‘Climate change’ from the list of topics on the left hand side of the screen. Or you can narrow down your search according to age-range, curriculum subject, resource type and price, in the Search Resources box on the right.