Teachers guide by British Council Polska

Teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Content & Language Integrated Learning and Climate Change

Preface Climate change is the biggest single issue facing us today. The scale far outweighs any environmental crisis humans have faced. Climate change scientists are in agreement that climate change is increasing, and human activity is pushing it to dangerous levels. Cuts in carbon emission of between 50-80% are needed by 2050 if we are to stabilise climate change. Politicians and businesses are slowly catching up too. But to avert climate change will require a huge shift in thinking. This pack aims to enhance young peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meaningful understanding of climate change and the impact of our actions. By using this pack you can help students understand the root causes of climate change, the likely effects it will have on ourselves and the planet, and empower students so that they take positive action as groups and/or individuals to reduce the effects of climate change. The materials in this pack have been written especially bearing in mind the language demands for students studying the topic of climate change through medium of English as a foreign language. Teachers will find a range of activities which aim to develop the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking as well as a vocabulary focus at the beginning of each unit of work. It is not intended that teachers try to carry out all of the activities, but that the materials are there to support the study of the topic and that teachers can dip into the materials where they fit the purpose and there is a need for language support.

Contents

Content and Language Integrated Learning 1.1. 1.2. 1.3.

Introducing Climate Change. 2.1. 2.2. 2.3. 2.4. 2.5.

Introducing CLIL Good Practice Dealing with Vocabulary

Is climate changing? Where do the extra degrees come from? What might happen in the future? How are the environment, society and the economy related? What we can do to solve the problem of climate change

Sample Lessons for CLIL and Climate Change 3.1. 3.2.

Myths and Facts sample lesson plan Lifestyles sample lesson plan

1. 1.1.

Content and Language Integrated Learning Introducing CLIL

Content and Language Integrated Learning is a term which has become popular in language teaching recently to explain the contexts where teachers have introduced content materials into their language teaching. This may not be new, but it does suggest that teachers take a non-linguistic focus to plan their teaching. CLIL also describes classrooms where content teachers work through the medium of a foreign language. This may be Biology in English as a foreign language, or other similar context. In both cases there is a need for support and guidance. Jim Cummins writes about the ‘contextual embedding’ of learning and also of scaffolding for learners to help them succeed in the language of learning. Language in the classroom is one important element of this support. ‘Scaffolding’ itself is a useful term since it reflects the structural support which can be offered by visuals for learners working in subjects in a foreign language. It is also a useful analogy for describing ‘language support sheets’ at the heart of CLIL. Good CLIL practice and materials, then, are full of scaffolding through visuals and language support. A helpful paper on this area is ‘Seeing through texts: developing discourse-based materials in teacher education’ (http://www.melta.org.my/ET/1998/main4.html,) which offers an insight into ‘graphic literacy’ (Cortazzi, M. et al 1998). This study is of value to the CLIL teacher and gives a number of techniques which the CLIL teacher can employ when designing tasks for second language content education with specific reference to visuals for guiding reading. Diagrammatical structures of knowledge as scaffolding for guiding learners through a reading text is an important part of good CLIL material and method. The same kind of support may be necessary for listening experiences and Burgess (1994: 315) offers a very useful article entitled ‘Ideational Frameworks in Integrated Language Learning’ for the System journal in 1994 which presents a lot of ideas regarding the structuring and organisation of thinking within specific language contexts and suggestions for diagrams which could be useful for teaching these areas. Burgess outlines diagrams of tabular information, tree diagrams, flow diagrams as well as starbursts which are combinations of the above and the suggestion is that these diagrams are a tool for helping learners to gather core knowledge as well as a structure for supporting the production of language when talking or writing about the subject area in question. ‘Diagrams of thinking’ is a simple way of expressing the ideational frameworks in Burgess’ work. CLIL takes these diagrams one step further than focussing on grammar through visuals to offering a method for organising the entire knowledge base of a subject in diagrammatical form which subsequently can then lend itself to providing guidance for listening or reading and support the production of language through speaking and writing. M Geddes, as early as 1978, writes about the use of the ‘semi-script’ not only to guide learners in their listening experiences but also as a tool for teachers to produce the language themselves in their own words. A semi-script is, of course, not a script and the suggestion is that by making use of such an instrument teachers can simulate authentic speech and in doing so offer valuable training for learners in listening to language which they are likely to meet outside the classroom. Subject teachers have access to a plethora of visual materials, tables, diagrams, charts, data, timelines, and many others which can

be exploited as ‘semi-scripts’ to produce this speech which is approaching authenticity in the classroom. Imagine a teacher using a diagram of the a recylcing plant copied from a textbook, which normally is used simply as an illustration. The teacher copies the visual for each of the learners and then gives a key of terms from the illustration on the board. The teacher then begins a monologue on how the plant works and the students are instructed to write the given terms in the correct place on the illustration in front of them. This kind of listening activity where the teacher is not reading from a script offers real training for learners in listening skills. 1.2.

Good practice

There are a number of lessons which CLIL practitioners can learn from the writings of the colleagues above yet CLIL does not represent any new approach as such. More is it a gathering of good material and method from a variety of different sources. In simple terms Content and Language Integrated Learning is Guiding the processing of language. This can be expressed with regards to listening where the support is offered through use of frames and visuals for guiding listening. As far as reading is concerned, there are many activities which help learners through a reading experience such as information transfer, note taking, sequencing and many more. There is another important branch of the CLIL ‘methodology’ and that is Supporting the production of language. When students write in a second language they may need to be provided with writing frames and language support sheets when they speak they may need to be given speaking frames and language support sheets of the kind inlcuded in these materials. Vocabulary learning should not be forgotten and in this area questions regarding techniques for memorising, consolidating, activating new words are important. 1.3.

Dealing with Vocabulary

Much of content teaching and learning involves the processing and learning of a large amount of new terminology. The following is a variety of activities for memorising and activating vocabulary which teachers may find useful for working with new terminology in the Climate Change pack. We can present new words by giving examples of the words and asking students for examples: If we wants to introduce the term ‘fossil fuel’ she can explain that we use these fuels in our everyday lives and there are several kinds such as coal and oil. We can translate the words: Task - Find the words in the text and write out their meaning from the context and give a translation. Compare your tranlsations with a partner. Check in a dictionary. We can get the students to use dictionaries when dealing with new words: Task - Find the adverb and adjectives in the dictionary from the following words. We can draw words to represent their meaning: Task - Draw pictures of activities you do which consume energy. List the new vocabulary from the text in your picture. We can give students new words with synonyms: Task - Read the text and find the words which mean the same as the following words.

We can make the students guess from context: Task - Look at the graph and data and write the meaning of the following words. We can demonstrate new words through mime: Write a list of new terms on the board. Ask the students to find a new word in the dictionary and make up a mime action for it. Students mime their words and the others guess. We can use realia and visuals Bring in objects which represent the new words and show them while explaining. We can concentrate on how words are built and group them Task - Find and list words which end in a similar form, e.g., ‘ation’ We can match words in pairs The students match new words with explanations, or with pictures, or with synonyms. Words can be matched with opposites. We can group words Match words by topic, similarity, idioms, in a series, in word families, according to activity or process, by placing words with hyponyms or under a superordinate. We can write words in collocations Find this word …x… in the text and see which other words are written around it. How is the word used in phrases with other words?

2. 2.1.

Introducing Climate Change. Is the climate changing?

Climate change has occurred naturally on the earth many times in its past; the difference today is that the change is occurring extremely quickly and is heavily influenced human activity. Climate change is seen as one of the biggest threats to the global environment and has potentially devastating effects on human society. The rapid nature of current climate change means that the earth’s eco-systems have a much more limited opportunity to adapt and many may become destroyed. This reduces the capacity of the earth to support human life through a well regulated environment providing clean air, water, soils and other resources essential to life. 2.1.2. What is climate? Climate is a combination of • Temperature • Precipitation • Wind

• •

Pressure Humidity

Under normal circumstances climate follows a very similar pattern in a particular place over a yearly cycle, only occasionally being affected by other events. In recorded human history global climate has been affected by natural phenomena. The 1815 Mount Tambora volcanic eruption in Indonesia, which as well as lowering temperature locally in Asia due to the smoke blocking out the sun, also affected the seasons in Europe contributing to famine and some speculate also to the socio-political movements of the time. This global climate phenomenon, caused by an Asian volcano, only lasted approximately 2 years before returning to normal but it caused huge disruption to human life far from its original source. In contrast the climate change that is occurring today is predicted to have a very long term impact, probably affecting generations to come. 2.1.3. What evidence is there of past global climate change? There is a huge amount of evidence pointing to previous global climate change. Dinosaur bones, tree rings and ice cores in addition to recorded observations by ancient and modern human communities all record the changing climate. See the Box 1 for more details.

BOX 1 – Evidence of Climate Change INSERT PICTURES OF PERSON REMOVING ICE CORE AND WEATHER BALLOON Millions of years ago Dinosaur bones found in areas that are desert today show that they lived on a diet of juicy tropical vegetation, indicating that the area was not always desert. Thousands of years ago Ice cores taken from the North and South poles have pollen and gases trapped in them. These indicate that climatic conditions were often very different in the past. Changes hundreds of years ago Archaeological evidence from the south western United States indicates that the Anasazi people may have suffered from the effects of localised climate change (possibly brought on by their own environmental destruction). The UK has weather statistics going back over 200 years. According to the data since 1850 the earth’s temperature has increased by 2 ºC, and even since 1970 the evidence indicates a rise of nearly half a degree, showing that temperature rise is speeding up. More recent changes Lake Chad, previously the fourth largest in Africa, has almost completely dried up and disappeared (it is less than 1/20 the size it was 40 years ago). This is partly due to changing rainfall patterns in sub-Saharan Africa but primarily due to human activity, in this case demand for water. Recent changes in Poland Poland has seen changes to its weather patterns in the last three decades, these changes include less predictable rainfall patterns, increased flooding in some areas, more prolonged and harsher droughts. Evidence today The increasing number and intensity of natural disasters in the last 2-3 decades is cited as further evidence for climate change. This evidence includes • Radically changed rainfall patterns with dry countries getting less rain and countries prone to flooding (such as Bangladesh and India) with more rain often falling in a shorter time frame • Increasing incidence of forest fires in many countries including; Indonesia, America (California) and Australia • Intense hurricanes in the Southern USA (Hurricane Katrina) and the Caribbean.

2.1.4. Why does climate change matter It matters because scientists predict that mass global extinction not seen since the dinosaur era could be on the verge of happening. Moreover, the potential of a mass environmental collapse and catastrophe on a global scale is a definite possibility. Even those scientists who disagree with these dire predictions believe that at the least changes might include • the loss of hundreds of animal and plant species • displacement of millions of people due to natural disasters • loss of livelihoods of millions • global temperature rise of between 1.5 - 5.5º C over the next 100 years • sea level rise between 9-88 cm by 2100

Need an image of climate change effects in Poland e.g. drought.

IMAGE 1 Source:

These changes will impact differently in different regions around the global. Changes to Poland will probably include • Increases in agricultural yields due to warmer and longer growing seasons, but not for the potato, but an increase in crop pests and diseases. • Changes in composition of Polish forests from broadleaved to evergreen species.

• • •

2.2.

Rising sea levels on the Baltic coast subjecting low lying areas to flooding. Increasingly variable weather patterns and flooding. Increases in disease as the climate gets warmer.

Where do the extra degrees come from?

The climate of Earth is favourable for the development of varied forms of plant and animal life and these organisms in turn help regulate the climate through natural processes in the bio-sphere. This delicate balance ensures that the Earth supports human life. Critical to maintaining this balance are global temperatures If this balance were to change the resulting climate might not be favourable for humans. Key to maintaining a stable climate is the greenhouse gases of which carbon BOX 2 Gaia Theory is the most important. The concentration of carbon in the atmosphere currently Thirty years ago the British scientist James Lovelock stands at 380 parts per million…higher worked out that the Earth processed a planetary-scale that any period in the last 650,000 years. control system that kept the environment fit for life. He Scientists predict that once we reach 450 called it Gaia. parts per million rapid and unavoidable According to Gaia theory all the living beings in the climate change will happen. 2.2.1. The Greenhouse Effect The manner in which the atmosphere absorbs heat is called the Greenhouse Effect. Without it the temperature of the planet would be less than -20 ºC and life as we know it today would not exist. The greenhouse effect was necessary for the evolution of human life and for our continued existence. However, if the conditions in the ‘greenhouse’ alter and become unbalanced the resulting climate change can create conditions unsuitable for

biosphere are interconnected, keeping the planet in balance as if it were one living organism. Lovelock defines Gaia "as a complex entity involving the Earth's biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and soil; the totality constituting a feedback or cybernetic system which seeks an optimal physical and chemical environment for life on this planet." Through Gaia, the Earth sustains a kind of homeostasis, the maintenance of relatively constant conditions which were essential for the evolution of life on earth. Human activity is now threatening these conditions.

human life.

(Diagram 1 - Boxed text and greenhouse effect diagram) 2.2.2. An unbalanced system As a result of increasing population growth and increased human atmospheric pollution since the beginning of the industrial revolution the greenhouse effect has increased resulting in increased global temperatures. During the last century global temperatures rose by about 0.7oC. The United BOX 3 What are Greenhouse Gases? Nations Intergovernmental Panel on There are many gases that affect the atmosphere’s capacity to Climate Change predicts a further absorb the heat from the sun. These are called greenhouse warming of 1.5 - 5.5º C by 2100. A gases. There ratios in the atmosphere are: rise of only 2oC is predicted to result Carbon dioxide (CO2) 60% Methane (CH4) 15% in irreversible climate change! Rising Freon (CCl3F2) 12% temperatures can me mitigated by the Ozone (O 8% 3) Earths natural regulatory systems…but Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 5% only over millions of years. The rapid climate change experienced today cannot be ameliorated in the short term as eco-systems will not have time to adapt.

2.2.3. Human activity and natural sources of Carbon Dioxide Even without human activity the planet would BOX 4 Source of CO2 in Poland produce CO2 from natural sources such as forest fires or volcanic eruptions. These types of CO2 emissions are sometimes known as natural pollution. The Earth absorbs this natural pollution through the carbon cycle and prevents climate change Human activity, primarily the demand for energy, is producing more CO2 than the planet has the ability to cope with. In addition to increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere human activity is reducing the ability of the earth to absorb it through the destruction of natural habitats such as rainforests, thus causing a double problem.

2.3.

Source: Earth Trends Carbon dioxide causes 25% of the greenhouse effect and accounts for 62% of human induced warming. Human activity produces about 8 billion tonnes of CO2 per year!

What might happen in the future?

Life in 2050 could be very different to today! Sea level rise. Predicted to rise by 15cm by the year 2050 and 34cm by 2100. Stabilising emissions by the year 2025 could cut the rate of sea level rise in half.

Air Pollution image from Poland

Deforestation. Could account for 15% of the CO2 in the atmosphere by 2050, mostly from the Amazon. At current rates 73% of the world’s tropical forests will have been felled by 2100. Crops Collapse. By 2050 current crop yields must double to keep up with increasing population. Research suggests that some crop yield in Poland may go up but others will go down. Water Conflict. Humans are already using more than half the world’s fresh water. By 2025 this could be more that 70%. Some of the fastest growing populations live along rivers shared by two or more nations. Tropical Storms. Around 50 tropical storms reach hurricane force each year. Warmer oceans mean that figure could double. Tropical atolls like the Maldives, which are less than 1.8 metres above sea level, could disappear for ever. Fishing. Two thirds of fish species in the North Sea have moved north to find colder waters. Temperature rises in the oceans will force fish to migrate to more favourable waters…if they can. Disease. The percentage of the Earth where mosquitoes transmit malaria is likely to rise from 45% today to about 60% in 2050. Increases in cholera, salmonella, asthma and cardio respiratory diseases are also likely.

Wildlife. Between 15 and 37% of all species could become extinct by 2050 if current levels of climate change continue. The global climate system is so complex and interrelated that there may be other changes that scientists have not predicted. Furthermore, although global temperature is set to rise, some places may actually get colder! 2.3.1. A complex system The British Isles experience varied weather with a good deal of rain. This is because there are three different weather systems acting on them. Some scientists predict that the Gulf Stream, the weather system which brings hot air from the Sahara desert to the British Isles, will be cut off due to global warming and this will actually mean a fall in temperature for the British Isles!

BOX 5 Tipping Point Scientists fear that slight changes in the Earth’s temperature could have huge effects. Western Siberia is heating up faster than anywhere else in the world, having experienced a rise of some 3oC in the past 40 years. Trapped beneath Siberia’s tundra are billions of tonnes of methane 20 times more potent than CO2. If slight increases in temperatures cause the tundra to melt and release the stored methane a rapid 10-25% increase in global warming could be the result.

So despite the fact the planet generally will get warmer, some locations may suffer from radically different effects (i.e. they get colder). We can therefore say with confidence that the consequences of climate change will be myriad, complicated and difficult to forecast accurately. 2.3.2. What is likely to happen in Poland Poland is likely to experience a lot of the effects listed above. Poland is a rapidly changing country relies heavily on its natural resources for economic growth and jobs. The effects of climate change could have serious BOX 6 The One Degree Factor consequences. Some unanswered Over the course of her own lifetime, physician Michele questions include: Monteil has found an alarming rise of childhood asthma in her native Trinidad. Meanwhile, marine biologist • What will happen to agricultural Ginger Garrison has noted an increasing incidence of exports? sea fan disease in the tropical waters around the • Will tourists still come if they can Caribbean. Could these two disparate events be have warm summers closer to connected? Independently, these researchers have home? linked their target ailments to a surprising single suspect • How will coastal communities survive – African dust containing fungal spores. Due to global if fisheries are reduced? warming the winds carrying the spores are increasing and spreading them further thus having unpredicted negative effects elsewhere. Scientists believe that the seasons are likely to become more extreme and rainfall patterns are most likely to become more polarised. Furthermore, severe storms will become more frequent and destructive.

2.3.3. Impacts on local and global human society The British Council NorthSouthEastWest project categorised the issues and impacts into ten areas: Physical Environment: extreme weather incidents are increasing, glaciers are melting, sea ice and snow cover are declining, and animals and plants are responding to earlier springs. Global warming is already increasing sea levels and predicted increases could affect at least 88 million people living on low lying land.

Development: already climate change is becoming a threat to the development of communities in Africa. Increased desertification and droughts is impacting on agriculture. Migration of people affected by sea level rise will put increased pressure on already stressed economies. Climate change could herald a shift to more sustainable development, if not then much of the progress made could be undone. Natural Environment: if we learnt one crucial lesson from climate change is should be that we are a sub-system of planet earth and not dominant over it. As the climate changes some species will adapt but others will not. Decreasing rainfall and increasing temperatures could also affect water cycles we rely to irrigate crops and provide our water needs. Human Rights: some people think climate change is a form of human rights violation. The emissions of greenhouse gases by industrialised nations is impacting on the development of developing nations, a right enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Right to Development. In 1998 the IPCC stated that global warming could lead to 150 million new refugees globally by 2050. Technology: cleaner technology, alternative energy and closed-loop production systems are just some of the technical solutions being developed. Businesses are increasingly seeing global warming as an opportunity to develop new markets and product innovation. Food: can the world continue to feed itself? The twin threats of climate change reducing agricultural output and increasing populations may lead to a fundamental rethink how we feed ourselves at home and the amount of feed aid we can provide to starving nations. Health: increasing temperatures will lead to an increase in malaria. Rising sea levels will threaten sources of clean water leading to more water borne disease. The spread of old diseases such as tuberculosis and new disease strains such as bird flu may also occur. Urban Life: many of our biggest coastal cities are under threat, and some like Bangkok routinely flood every year. But there is a great opportunity. Some cities are already trying to clean up their carbon addiction resulting in cleaner air, better public transport and a healthier population. Economy: the solar industry in Germany now employs more people that the pharmaceuticals industry. Economic markets have a critical role to play in combating climate change. Using price mechanisms products can reflect their real price to climate change and encourage business to innovate and create low carbon products. Governments can also act to stop using taxes and subsidies that encourage environmentally damaging activities. Leadership: without leadership we will not take the changes required. There is a growing awareness and willingness to act from both business and the general public. Although the difficult decisions risk criticism those that act early will reap the rewards.

2.4. How are the environment, society and the economy related? Environmental sustainability is achievable but requires us to think in new ways.

Einstein once said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can not solve the problems of the future with the thinking that created themâ&#x20AC;? Rising sea levels, drought, desertification and pollution all pose threats to eco-systems around the world. Case studies show that it is almost always far easier and more effective to protect healthy eco-systems than rehabilitation of damaged or destroyed eco-systems. Sustainability can not be achieved without addressing the relationship between ecosystems, society and the economy. If we do not address social inequality alongside environmental systems we risk exacerbating the problem. Increased environmental migration will increase pressure on already stressed cities and poorer countries. This could mean that by 2060 there might be over 150 million environmental refugees. While it is often useful and convenient to study environmental issues as separate from economic issues and society, for example if we wish to understand the science behind a particular issue, this is an artificial distinction. We must always remember that environment, society and economy are intimately linked. The relationship between environment-society-economy is often poorly understood and it is critical to our understanding of climate change and sustainable development. The planetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resources are finite and that the environment will ultimately be the final limiting factor in any given Economy scenario. The following diagrams help clarify the relationship between environment, society and the economy.

Society Environment

The modern world view assumes that resources from nature are free or at best their costs are minimal. Another assumption is that natural resources will not run out and that the environment can be considered a free dump for waste products. If consumption stays within ecological limits we are fins, but currently we have increasing population and resources consumption, and are moving beyond ecological limits. The ecological world view places the environment as a finite resource (on the outside of the diagram. The economy therefore sits in the middle and is limited by the environments capacity to absorb harmful economic effects such as pollution. The ecological world view is the only one that is sustainable.

BOX 7 Are we playing fair? Why should Thailand do anything about climate change? After all the USA emits 20.1 tons of carbon per person compared to 3.7 tons in Thailand (2002). But after reading this manual you will realise that we all need to take action. One proposed way to do this which takes into account the current inequality in carbon emissions is called Contraction & Convergence. The principle of C&C is that every person on earth should have an equal right to emit carbon…a carbon quota. But this will not happen overnight. Rich countries must reduce the amount of carbon they produce whilst poor countries must be allowed to emit more to help development (Convergence). At the same time the carbon quota per person needs to be reduced to a sustainable level (Contraction). C&C is the only widely accepted formula for the equitable reduction in carbon emissions.

The modern world view evolved from the scientific enlightenment and the industrial revolution. It views the economy as a machine that is mediated through the market and progresses in a linear manner. However, this is not a fact…only an idea! We need new ways of thinking…new ideas… before we take action of we are to become a sustainable society that tackles climate change effectively. In other words we need stars to steer by. “If we do not change where we’re going, we may get there. If we want to go somewhere else, we need stars to steer by. Perhaps the first step is to describe the sort of destination we want to reach.” (Amory Lovins (1999) Natural Capitalism ch 13) “Theory determines what we observe.”

Albert Einstein “The major problems in the world are the result of the difference between the way nature works and the way man thinks.” George Bateson, ecologist

2.5.

What we can do to solve the problem of climate change

Almost everything we do uses and consumes energy and making energy produces greenhouse gases. But simply asking people to consume less and/or reduce the amount of energy they use has failed to provide meaningful reductions in many campaigns around the world. The reasons for this are complex, people do not always act in their own self interest (see smoking for an example) and react to complex motivations. The challenge is Sustainable Housing in the UK to find solutions that are attractive, provide Image 5 personal incentives to join in and reward positive behaviour. Source: BedZED

Governments, business and individuals are starting to take climate change seriously. From governments this means new environmental legislation (or the enforcement of existing legislation), political pressure on other governments and financial resources. The chemical company Dupont has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by over 50% in the last 15 years. A recent report by WWF entitled ‘Target 2020: Policies and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the EU shows that by 2020 the EU’s energy demand could be reduced by 20 per cent without reducing living standards or damaging the economy! So positive changes are possible!

Individuals must also change their habits – the reason for this teacher’s pack is to empower Thai citizens to identify the changes they could make and how to make them. 2.5.1 International co-operation The Kyoto protocol was negotiated to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Thailand has ratified the Kyoto Agreement and has an energy efficiency plan in place. BOX 8 Will Kyoto work? A leading climate change scientist Professor Wallace Broecker of Columbia University says Kyoto will not work. The struggle by developed countries to cut back their emissions of carbon dioxide will always be overtaken by the rising new emissions of the developing nations, led by China and India, who are not parties to the Kyoto treaty. The reductions in carbon dioxide emissions originally mandated by Kyoto represented a mere 5 percent of the developed world’s emissions whereas scientists tend to agree that cuts on the order of 60-80 percent are needed.

Other countries are taking the lead in different areas. The UK is one of the leading figures in Education for Sustainable Development integrating climate change and other environmental issues into its regular school syllabus. Denmark employs over 20,000 people in its wind turbine industry – worth about B80 Billion a year!

2.5.2 Energy efficiency Up to 50% savings in energy could be made through efficiency gains without affecting lifestyles. So why aren’t these ‘simple’ efficiencies being made? The most likely reasons are high capital costs (to replace power cables that lose 30% of their energy to ones which only lose 2% of there energy would cost a lot of money in any country) and a lack of political will. But what cost no action? 2.5.3. Different types of energy Nearly 80% of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas), about 15% from burning wood and vegetation wastes and only about 5% from renewable energy. It is imperative that these figures change so that closer to 80% of the world’s energy needs come from renewable sources.

Wind Farm in South America Image 6 Source: Greenpeace

2.5.4. Subsidies for renewable energy? Governments and international agencies need to consider subsidies for the renewable energy sector in order to encourage the public and private sector to invest in it and individual consumers to consider it. An alternative point of view is that maybe energy is too cheap prompting us all to waste it. Could a Polish school afford to pay for and service enough solar panels to power the school? With government subsidies and a payment plan of 3, 5 or 10 years it might be able to. Could individual homes in Poland afford solar panels (or a wind turbine) to power their homes? The main disincentive for such ideas is probably the initial high starting costs but with government subsidies this could BOX 9 Perverse Subsidies be overcome. Subsidies are a feature of the economic landscape. Less well recognised are ‘perverse’ subsidies which create an adverse effect on the environment and economy in the long term. Fossil fuels and nuclear power receive more that USD$110 billion per year in perverse subsidies, in effect subsidising people to use more fossil fuels and increase climate change. Similarly road transportation receives up to UDS$ 639 billion per year in perverse subsidies. Is it any wonder that new cleaner technology cannot compete when older more polluting industries get big subsidies?

This is an area that students could explore after completing some of the energy surveys in the activities section. 2.5.5. …or full cost accounting for fossil fuels? In many countries, including Poland, consumers do not pay the full costs of energy. Both petrol

and electricity receive heavy subsidies. If they were charged at their ‘true cost’ would demand for energy drop and less green houses gases be emitted by Poland? 2.5.6. The Polluter Pays Principal (PPP) The aviation industry, which currently produces about 12% of CO 2 (this is projected to rise to about 25% by 2025), gets an indirect subsidy as it pays no tax on airline fuel. In economic terms this is called an “externality” as the aviation industry makes a profit from its business but produces a negative by-product, in this case CO2, which has a negative impact on others but which the aviation industry does not have to pay for. This runs counter to the Polluter Pays Principal which most other industries have to abide by to an extent, i.e. if a factory discharges pollution it must either deal with the discharge itself or pay the full BOX 10 Congestion Charge Ken Livingston, Mayor of London, instigated a costs of dealing with the pollution. 2.5.7. New kinds of travel The two obvious way of reducing CO2 emissions by road vehicles, are to reduce the number of cars on the road and /or to change car engines so that they do not emit (or emit much less) green house gases.

congestion charge for vehicles entering the centre of London. In the first year traffic congestion was reduced by 30%. The charge stands at £8 a day and penalties for non compliance are up to £150. The system has been running since 2003 and has become accepted by most of the population. Prices are messages.

2.5.7.1.

Reducing the number of cars on the road Getting people to use public transport instead of private transport may be a solution. On any given BOX 11 Curitiba, Brazil Since 1950 Curitiba’s population has grown working morning in Warsaw we can see traffic jams to 1.6 million, but with careful planning the that barely move. Look at the traffic, at least ¾ of the city has become a global model for vehicles are private cars and the majority have either sustainable transport. Concentric circles of 1 or 2 people. One bus can transport 25-40 people, so local buses connect to five radial lines one full bus could mean 30 less cars on the road! In radiating from the city centre. Buses in their addition to reducing carbon emissions this would own lanes carry 300 people each. They go as speed up the flow of traffic. fast as the underground but at 1/80th the construction cost. Two thirds of all journeys in the city are made by bus!

If we can encourage even 20% of car drivers to take the bus Warsaw might experience a radical improvement in its traffic flow in a relatively short period of time. However, most campaigns to get people to leave their cars at home fail. This is possibly due to the amount of car advertising in society (which promotes the car as both sexy and convenient) and the widespread perception of cars as a status symbol. But London and Curitiba may have the answer (see boxes 10 & 11). 2.5.7.2. Clean cars - hybrid motors and fuel cells Hybrid cars and motorcycles are another possible answer. These vehicles have both an electrical powered and oil powered engine. At slow speeds, about 30kmph, the vehicles uses electrical power thus reducing emissions. Cars stuck in traffic and not moving would not be burning oil and emitting exhaust fumes. At higher speeds the vehicle uses its internal combustion engine as normal.

BOX 12 Car of the Stars! The ‘eco car’ of the stars. Toyota created the first breakthrough new technology vehicle accepted by a wide range of customers. A hybrid with batteries and engine which has all the consumer details and features and none of the disadvantages. Already being converted in California to run under battery alone in longer city trips (the ‘plug in’ hybrid) the engine is always there for out of town journeys. Economical on petrol it promises to be even more so in coming years.

Fuel cells burn oxygen and hydrogen to produce water as a by product and therefore do not produce polluting emissions.

The price of clean cars has fallen massively in the last few years and although they are not common at the moment, with intelligent marketing they may be the norm in the near future. 2.5.8. Cradle to Cradle Production New ways of producing existing products could help. Cradle to cradle production advocates that all components of a product are reused. For example, at the end of its life a television will be returned to the manufacturer where the technical parts are reused and any biological components recycled. Combined with a tax on natural resources this will encourage business to actively seek to have old products returned to them as the source of materials for new products – a closed loop system. This is already starting to happen under new EU Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment Directive. 2.5.8. Do your actions really have an impact? Yes they do, especially as a teacher!

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You have the ability to influence the thinking and actions not just of your students but of their families’ as well. If one student persuades their parents to take of positive action, such as buying an energy efficient fridge when the old one breaks down or replacing all the light bulbs in the house to energy efficient ones, then the energy saved will mean less greenhouse emissions.

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Remember today’s students are tomorrow’s politicians, business leaders, lawyers, journalists, teachers and consumers. If they have access to knowledge and are empowered they can make a massive difference, but we must start now!

Sample Lessons for CLIL and Climate Change

3.1.

Myths and Facts sample lesson plan

The Greenhouse effect (activity 2) Task 1 Warm up (5 mins) Ask the class what they know about the greenhouse effect. Ask for volunteers to explain to the class. Accept two or three students and repeat what they say, paraphrasing what they say to the class as it’s said. DIY reading (10 mins) Hand out the copies of the reading with the sheet faced down on the desk and tell the students not to look until you say so.

When you’ve handed out the sheets, tell the students that when you say ‘go’ they must turn over the sheet and scan the text as quickly as they can for key words and that they will only have 10 seconds to do this so they shouldn’t try and read every word. Tell the students that when you say stop they have to turn the sheet back over again and shout out to you any words they can remember and write them on the board. Do the speed read and stop the students after 10 seconds. Write down the words they shout out on the board. Explain that the words don’t mean much in isolation at the moment. Ask the students to make questions from isolated words and write them on the board. For example with the word ‘trapping’, a question might be ‘What is trapping?’ when you have 10 questions or so on the board tell the students to find answers to their questions. Have volunteers read out their answers. Diagram (10 mins) Hand out the diagram of the greenhouse effect and the text cards cut up, and if you can show the diagram on a projector or OHT. This would be a good pair reading task so that the students can discuss and agree/disagree on where the texts should go. Ask for a volunteer pair to describe their diagram filled in. If you can do this with the diagram showing on a screen. Now remove the text cards from the diagram and tell the students to turn over their text cards. Ask for a volunteer to try to describe the diagram without the text cards. Now tell the student in their pairs to talk to each other about the diagram without using their text cards trying to describe what is happening. Walk around and listen and facilitate. Task 2 Effects (15 mins) Group students in fours and ask them to discuss what they think the effects of the greenhouse will be and tell them to make rough notes of their ideas. Hand out the table briefly explaining the column headings and tell the groups to try to arrange their ideas in the table. Ask for volunteers to feedback their ideas to the class showing the table on a screen if possible. Make suggestions for any areas they haven’t filled in or you think they have not understood. 3.2.

Lifestyles sample lesson plan

Low Carbon Living Task 1 Warm up (5 mins)

Ask the class how they generate carbon during their daily activities. List the activities on a whiteboard. How do these activities generate carbon? (from energy use, burning fossil fuels, production of goods, etc). Card Sorting Activity (25 mins) In groups, ask students to read through the list of daily activities and rank them in order of preference. You could ask students to do this individually first and then share their results in pairs of small groups. Quickly ask each group to report back their top three preferred activities and note them on a whiteboard. Ask the groups to look through the activities again, but this time discuss which have the biggest impact on climate change. Activities that use the most energy or products will have the biggest impact. Ask groups to consider the quote below: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Many environmental groups ask us to give things up to reduce our impact on climate change.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ask groups to discuss and feedback on whether they would be prepared to give up some of the activities to prevent climate change or can they think of alternative? Task 2 Technology or Less Stuff? (20 mins) Hand out the sheet showing five different pieces of technology that help to reduce climate change. Do your students think that these are good ways to reduce climate change? Ask students in groups to brainstorm for and against technology as a solution to climate change. Ask for volunteers from each group to feedback their ideas. Finally, review the list of activities students brainstormed at the beginning of the lesson. What could they do to become more climate change friendly?