Burnet News Club 2018/19

ISSUE 6

THE CLIMATE
EMERGENCY
SESSION 4

Kevin J. Frost / Shutterstock.com

 THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY
SESSION 4
STEP ONE STEP ONE STEP TWO STEP TWO STEP THREE STEP THREE
–Build knowledge– –Build knowledge– –Evaluate & decide– –Evaluate & decide– –Prepare & present– –Prepare & present–

Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6

Objective: Decide your opinion

Before the session you will need to:

– Print one copy of the Remind and recap stills
– Print the Action examples, enough for one set between four

ACTIVITY TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS TIME

Remind and Split the group into five small groups and give each a Remind and recap still. Ask the groups to 10 mins
recap summarise what they have learnt about their image. They should present this back to the group.

Would Give your students two options to choose between. 15 mins

you rather 1. Everything in your life could stay the same.
2. Everything in your life could become more difficult and more expensive.
Ask for feedback on which they would choose.
Now say: what if I tell you that your life would be a bit better in 50 years’ time, if you choose option
two. Would you choose it? What if it didn’t benefit you but made other people’s lives better?
Explain that often, the ways to reduce climate change are more expensive or more difficult. For
example, renewable energy can cost more.
Ask your students:
– How can we encourage people to do things that are more difficult and/or expensive?
– Should we bother making difficult or expensive changes, when we might not be the ones to benefit?
– Should governments force people and companies to make difficult and/or expensive changes, to
reduce climate change?

Action Tell students that just because something is difficult or hard, doesn’t mean people don’t want to do it. 20 mins
examples Split the class into groups of four and give each group a set of Action examples. Ask them to read
them together. Then, students should order the examples in the following ways, making sure to justify
their decisions each time.
1. Easiest to hardest for a young person to do
2. Biggest to smallest potential impact
3. Most to least likely to be successful
Afterwards, ask students: what are the barriers and challenges for each kind of action?
Encourage students to share personal experiences of taking action and whether they felt they were
successful.

Action and Students should work in pairs and stand facing each other. Ask them: what is the best way to tackle 10 mins
barriers climate change?
Partner one should give their opinion in one minute and partner two should challenge this in 30
seconds, referring back to the challenges and difficulties that have been mentioned during this
session. Partner one can respond to them in 15 seconds.
 REMIND AND RECAP STILLS

Liv Oeian / Shutterstock.com

REMIND AND RECAP STILLS
REMIND AND RECAP STILLS
 REMIND AND RECAP STILLS

UNFCC
REMIND AND RECAP STILLS

How much carbon dioxide have

countries been emitting each year?
10000
China

7500

Europe

5000

Metric tonnes of carbon dioxide

2500

Saudi Arabia
Bangladesh
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 The Gambia
THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY
ACTION EXAMPLES

LUCAS
13 years, Argentina
I ’m trying to stop climate change by changing parts of my lifestyle. I am now vegan so
don’t eat anything that comes from an animal - no meat, no cheese, no eggs! Eating
less meat, particularly beef, helps the environment because cows burp lots (gross!)
and release large amounts of methane, which is a greenhouse gas.
The change has been more difficult than I thought. At home it’s OK because my
whole family is trying veganism out, but I have to ask for special meals at school,
which I don’t always like.

SARAH
16 years, United Kingdom
I wrote a letter to my local Member of Parliament to tell them how worried I am
about climate change. Although the UK has cut emissions, we were one of the worst
polluters in the past. I told my MP that I think the UK really needs to take a lead on
combating climate change and that I think a good way to do this is to start generating
and using way more renewable energy. It’s our MP’s job to listen to our community
and respond to us. MPs are very busy but I think if enough people write letters, they
are more likely to act and make new policies. I’m not old enough to vote but when I
am, I’ll vote for an MP who cares about climate change.
 KAI
14 years, Hong Kong
I decided to join a protest about climate change. There were about 1,000 young
people who joined in my local town and across the world millions of children took
part! We all shared the same message - that governments need to act now. Having
so many young people involved internationally gives me hope that governments will
take notice. People in power are all from the older generation so they won’t suffer
most from climate change. This is why I don’t think they take it seriously. I’m inspired
by protests that have led to change, like the suffragettes who helped women to get
the vote, but success isn’t guaranteed. That’s why we have to keep on going!

NICKI
16 years, South Africa
I’ve been trying to influence people about climate change online. I’ve radically
changed my lifestyle; I’ve stopped buying new clothes, stopped flying and I try not
to waste food. I make vlogs explaining why I’ve made changes and keep people
updated with how it’s going. It’s hard to make big changes so I’m trying to inspire and
encourage others. I think some people don’t realise that individual people can make
a difference or they don’t realise that climate change is urgent! Almost everyone
uses the internet so you can reach people all over the world, but it’s difficult to make
people notice my videos as there is so much other stuff out there.

ALEX
18 years, United States
I really like science and so I’ve decided to study environmental technology when I
go to university. I think it’ll be hard to get people in my country to make big changes
to their lives - we are used to being able to fly and drive and buy what we want. So I
think the best way we can tackle climate change is by developing new technologies
that remove greenhouse gases from the air.
I hope that after my course I’ll be able to work as a scientist and will be able to apply
what I’ve learnt to make a big impact all around the world. It’s a really exciting time
for this kind of work and I can’t wait to be part of it!