Gas oil flare at a refinery
Image © iStockphoto.com/Joe Gough
For almost 200 years, we have been burning large amounts of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. This has enabled us to build the industrial societies that exist today. However, what we didn’t know was that along the way we have been creating the biggest problem that we have ever faced.
That problem is climate change, and it works like this: burning fossil fuels produces gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂) which collect in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a so-called ‘greenhouse gas’. Such gases exist naturally in the atmosphere and help keep the planet warm enough for life to exist. But by massively adding to them we’re trapping far too much heat in the system. This is creating more extreme weather, melting the ice caps and causing more floods and droughts.
Climate change can seem very complicated and hard to understand. You may be confused about the science, or unsure about what the solutions might be, or about what governments are (or aren’t) doing. Use the resources on this page to get better informed and find the answers to some of your climate questions.
Climate Change Briefing
People & Planet produced this briefing in summer 2006 to provide a short introduction to the causes and impacts of climate change. If you want a brief, easy to understand introduction to the key issues, this is a good place to start.
Download the Stopping Climate Chaos briefing
About People & Planet’s climate change campaigns
More detailed briefings on the specific issues People & Planet campaigns on are also available. The Go Green campaign aims to transform the environmental impact of universities, schools and colleges. Ditch Dirty Development focuses on the negative effects of investing in fossil fuel extraction, and the potential for transforming energy supply through switching investment to renewable energy.
Ditch Dirty Development Briefing
Climate Change Workshops
Students at Bridgnorth took part in a P&P climate change workshop earlier this year
People & Planet provides free workshops for sixth form and university student groups on climate change, and how you can take action to do something about it.
For sixth form groups, we provide an introductory climate change workshop, and a follow up workshop on taking action to get your school or college to Go Green.
For university groups, we offer workshops on the Go Green and Ditch Dirty Development campaigns.
Workshops for Sixth Form Groups
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Educational resources for teachers
If you’re a teacher looking for resources about climate change, check out People & Planet’s searchable Teachers’ Resource Library. Here we have selected publications, websites and other materials we hope you will find useful for your students. Most of the materials are adaptable to different curriculum needs as well as being a good resource to assist your students in taking action on global issues.
Useful links and further reading
There is a wealth of information out there about climate change. Our links page provides a guide to some of the websites we’ve found most useful on the key issues.