Get to know your carbon footprint:
The responsibility for global warming lies primarily with industrialised countries. Go through the following three tasks to find out what a carbon footprint is, and how we can reduce it.
Step 1: What is a carbon footprint?
Take a look at this video to better understand what a carbon footprint is. You can use the arrow in the left-hand corner to navigate.
Write a list of the dos and don'ts that the video presents.
Step 2: Find out how big your carbon footprint is:
Use the carbon footprint calculator below to find out where you can reduce your impact on the planet.
What is your carbon footprint? Find out by following the link: link to a carbon footprint calculator on the webpage of the WWF.
Step 3: Compare the global carbon footprint of different countries:
Work with the information you find in this map: link to Global Footprint Network.
Study the following three categories that you can find below the map:
ecological deficit / reserve
total ecological footprint
ecological footprint pr person
You will find a description of each category below the map. You can also use the following glossary if there are any terms that you don’t understand: link to glossary.
To find information about specific countries you can click on the desired country.
Discuss in groups:
Which countries have a clear ecological deficit (i.e. they're using more resources than their landmass would indicate)?
Where do you find the world’s greatest ecological reserves?
Which three countries have the greatest total ecological footprint?
Which group of countries score the highest on ecological footprint per person?
How does Norway compare to other countries?
Can you see a pattern in the information you have found?
What can you say about the development of the world as a whole? (Click somewhere in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, and you'll get data for the entire world.)
In your opinion: Who has to bear the responsibility for reducing the total global carbon footprint?
Vocabulary:
In pairs, take turns and explain the meaning of these words:
- climate
- weather
- greenhouse gases
- carbon dioxide
- methane
- emission
- fossil fuels
- renewable energy
- atmosphere
- greenhouse effect
- ozone
- carbon footprint
Research:
This video presents some of the consequences of climate change already observed in some African countries. Watch the video before you move on to the tasks below.
Find out about the consequences of climate change on different African countries
Step 1:
Work in groups of four or five. Each group is going to work with an African country and try to find information about how climate change affects this specific country – now and in the future. Make sure each group chooses a different country.
Suggested countries could be: South Africa, Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Chad or Kenya.
Use the internet and find information about 'your' country. Look for information about:
- Changes in the ecosystem: Will plants and animals be affected by the changing weather? (Locust swarms, endangered animals, loss of biodiversity …)
- An increase in the number of natural disasters: Will there be more storms, fires, droughts or heavy rainfalls? What will the results be?
- Food and water insecurity: Will there be enough food and water for everyone? Will the quality of the water deteriorate?
- Displacement of people: Will there be more migration as a result of climate change? If so, why? And where will they go?
- Possible political or social conflicts: What will a possible conflict in the country be about? And between whom?
Possible rising ocean levels: What are the possible consequences? (Not all countries are affected by this as they don't have a shore line.)
Step 2:
Present your findings. You can do this in two ways:
You can either present your findings to the class as a group,
OR
You can form new groups where all the different countries are represented by at least one student. Teach your fellow students about 'your' country.
Talk:
Work in groups or in pairs. Take turns and address some of the misconceptions that you find below. Remember to use the vocabulary from the previous task. How would you answer someone who told you the following things:
'How can global warming be real when winter this year was so cold?'
'Isn’t this just a normal fluctuation in Earth’s temperature?'
'Rising sea levels don't really affect me; it can’t be that big of a deal. There’s nothing we can do about it anyway.'
'It would hurt our economic interests too much to do anything about climate change.'
'It’s not going to be a problem for a long time, so why worry now?'
'Africa is lucky – I wish we had the same temperature as they have.'
'The weather seems normal today!'
'What happens in Africa doesn’t really concern me.'
'Scientists still disagree about whether climate change is really happening.'
'It’s not my fault!'