Reading: The climate in our hands – Ocean and Cryosphere

The Office for Climate Education (OCE) presents a Teacher’s Guidebook that aims to support teachers in carrying out various activities on climate change and the ocean and cryosphere in their classrooms, and targets students of ages 9 to 15. 

Teaching Module: Analyzing Climate Science Data through Simple Statistical Techniques

A teaching module that demonstrates the use of linear and quadratic regression to analyze Arctic sea ice extent data and the use of graphs, sample correlations, and multiple regression to analyze atmospheric CO2 level data, solar irradiance data, and average global temperature data.

Reading: Ecosystem-Based Conservation in Central Africa

A case study titled ‘Mountain Gorillas Ecosystem Services and Local Livelihoods in Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo’ from the report ‘Biodiversity, Climate Change and Sustainable Development – Harnessing Synergies and Celebrating Successes’. This case study describes ecosystem-based conservation of the mountain gorilla in Central Africa. It focuses on the vulnerability of mountain gorillas as well as the local communities in the region due to climate change and its impacts. 

Students will learn about threats faced by mountain gorillas, in terms of habitat loss, community use of forest resources, and climate change. They will also learn of ecosystem-based approaches of mountain gorilla conservation. Additionally, students will understand how mountain gorilla habitat conservation is linked to livelihoods of local communities in the region. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. What are the threats faced by the mountain gorilla of Central Africa due to climate change?
  2. Discuss ecosystem-based conservation approaches for the conservation of mountain gorilla and their habitat.
  3. Discuss the role of different stakeholders in ecosystem-based conservation.

About the Tool 

Tool Name 9.8. Case #8 Mountain Gorillas Ecosystem Services and Local Livelihoods in Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo from Biodiversity, Climate Change and Sustainable Development harnessing synergies and Celebrating Successes
Discipline Biological Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline Conservation, Ecosystem-based Conservation, Habitat Loss, Mountain Gorilla
Climate Topic Climate and the Biosphere
Type of Tool Reading
Grade Level High School, Undergraduate
Location Africa, Central Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo
Language English
Translation
Developed by Guy Midgley, Sarshen Marais, Mandy Barnett and Katinka Wågsæther, University of South African National Biodiversity Institute, Conservation South Africa and Indigo Development and Change
Hosted at UNFCCC
Link Reading Link
Access Online, Offline
Computer Skills Basic

Differential Calculus using Methane Data

A classroom/laboratory activity for Mathematics teachers to teach about Differential Calculus, specifically, about polynomial differentiation focusing on  Tangent Line Problem and Curve Fitting. This activity contains yearly data of the globally averaged marine surface methane from 1984 to 2019. Methane is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions – a potential cause of global warming.

Students will learn the use of scatter plot and curve fitting to derive the polynomial differentiation function. Further this activity will allow students to predict future methane concentrations.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. What are polynomial differentiation functions?
  2. Derive a polynomial function using the given methane concentration date.
  3. Calculate future methane concentration using polynomial differentiation.

About the Tool

Tool Name Global Marine Surface CH4
Discipline Mathematics and Statistics
Topic(s) in Discipline Differential Calculus, Polynomial Differentiation, Tangent Line Problem, Scatter Plot, Curve Fitting
Climate Topic Classroom/Laboratory Activity
Type of Tool Video (64 mins)
Grade Level High School, Undergraduate
Location  Global
Language English
Translation
Developed by Thomas J. Pfaff (Ithaca College)
Hosted at Sustainability Math
Link Link
Access Offline
Computer Skills Basic

Classroom/Laboratory Activity: Linear Regression using Global Temperatures

A classroom/lab activity for Statistics teachers to teach about Linear Regression. This activity is based on a dataset on average global temperature anomalies from 1850 to 2019. 

Students will learn about introductory linear regression techniques and will learn to make scatter plots of the data provided. This tool will allow the student to understand changes in the average global temperatures since the industrial revolution. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. What is linear regression?
  2. Plot the average global temperature anomalies on a scatter plot.
  3. What are confidence intervals? What are the confidence interval slopes for global temperature at 25, 50, 100 and 150 years before 2019?
  4. How have human activities impacted average global temperatures since the Industrial revolution?

About the Tool

Tool Name Global Temperature Anomalies
Discipline Mathematics and Statistics
Topic(s) in Discipline Linear regression, Scatter Plot, Confidence Intervals
Climate Topic Climate Variability Record
Type of Tool Activity
Grade Level High School, Undergraduate
Location Global
Language English
Translation
Developed by IPCC, Thomas J. Pfaff (Ithaca College)
Hosted at Sustainability Math
Link Link
Access Offline
Computer Skills Basic

Classroom/Laboratory Activity: Statistical Methods to Determine Trends in Hurricane Intensity

A classroom/laboratory activity to learn about linear slope, trends, confidence intervals, and Student’s t-distribution by calculating trends and uncertainties using hurricane data records over 40 years.

Classroom/Laboratory Activity: Statistical Methods to Determine Historical Temperature Trends

A classroom/laboratory activity to learn about statistical methods to analyze average annual temperatures of major cities in the world (New York and Sydney) and to determine trends in the data.

Reading: Conflict and water wars

A guidebook of gender-sensitive approaches to climate change policy for city planning. It discusses the different ways in which women and men are affected by climate change. This guidebook includes discussions on gender inequalities such as gender division of labour, gender differentials in income, gender biases in decision making, and other factors contributing to climate vulnerability.

Students will understand how climate change impacts genders differently. They will also learn the importance of gender sensitivity in formulating climate change policies. Students will be introduced to gender sensitive climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience in cities.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change affect genders differently?
  2. Give a few reasons why climate change policies should use a gender-sensitive approach
  3. What are the priorities for gender-sensitive climate policies at urban levels?

About the Tool 

Tool Name Gender and Urban Climate Policy: Gender-Sensitive Policies Make a Difference
Discipline Humanities, Social Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline Gender, Gender and Climate Change, Gender Inequality, Urban Planning, Public Policy, Climate Change Policy, Climate Vulnerability
Climate Topic Climate and Society, Policies, Politics, and Environmental Governance
Type of Tool Reading
Grade Level Undergraduate, Graduate
Location  Global
Language English
Translation
Developed by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development 
Hosted at Giz, UN Habitat, Gender CC 
Link Reading Link
Access Online, Offline
Computer Skills Basic

 

Reading: Social Cost of Carbon 

A journal article by William Nordhaus on the critical role of the social cost of carbon (SCC) in determining climate change economics and policies. This paper estimates the SCC using the Dynamic Integrated model of Climate and the Economy (DICE model). 

Students will understand the application of the DICE model to calculate the SCC in the development of climate change policies. They will also learn how the SCC is central in climate change regulatory policies.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. “The most important single economic concept in the economics of climate change is the social cost of carbon (SCC).” Discuss.  
  2. Describe the DICE model and its application in determining the SCC.
  3. How does the SCC affect the economic growth of a country? Explain through examples

About the Tool 

Tool Name Revisiting the social cost of carbon
Discipline Economics
Topic(s) in Discipline Social Cost of Carbon, DICE model, Climate Change Policy, Climate Economics, Economic Policy, Econometrics
Climate Topic Energy, Economics and Climate Change
Type of Tool Reading
Grade Level Undergraduate, Graduate
Location  Global
Language English
Translation
Developed by William D. Nordhaus (Yale University)
Hosted at Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 
Link Reading Link
Access Online, Offline
Computer Skills Basic

Reading: Human behaviour and climate change

A guidebook of gender-sensitive approaches to climate change policy for city planning. It discusses the different ways in which women and men are affected by climate change. This guidebook includes discussions on gender inequalities such as gender division of labour, gender differentials in income, gender biases in decision making, and other factors contributing to climate vulnerability.

Students will understand how climate change impacts genders differently. They will also learn the importance of gender sensitivity in formulating climate change policies. Students will be introduced to gender sensitive climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience in cities.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change affect genders differently?
  2. Give a few reasons why climate change policies should use a gender-sensitive approach
  3. What are the priorities for gender-sensitive climate policies at urban levels?

About the Tool 

Tool Name Gender and Urban Climate Policy: Gender-Sensitive Policies Make a Difference
Discipline Humanities, Social Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline Gender, Gender and Climate Change, Gender Inequality, Urban Planning, Public Policy, Climate Change Policy, Climate Vulnerability
Climate Topic Climate and Society, Policies, Politics, and Environmental Governance
Type of Tool Reading
Grade Level Undergraduate, Graduate
Location  Global
Language English
Translation
Developed by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development 
Hosted at Giz, UN Habitat, Gender CC 
Link Reading Link
Access Online, Offline
Computer Skills Basic

 

Reading: Climate change, mental health and well-being

A guidebook of gender-sensitive approaches to climate change policy for city planning. It discusses the different ways in which women and men are affected by climate change. This guidebook includes discussions on gender inequalities such as gender division of labour, gender differentials in income, gender biases in decision making, and other factors contributing to climate vulnerability.

Students will understand how climate change impacts genders differently. They will also learn the importance of gender sensitivity in formulating climate change policies. Students will be introduced to gender sensitive climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience in cities.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change affect genders differently?
  2. Give a few reasons why climate change policies should use a gender-sensitive approach
  3. What are the priorities for gender-sensitive climate policies at urban levels?

About the Tool 

Tool Name Gender and Urban Climate Policy: Gender-Sensitive Policies Make a Difference
Discipline Humanities, Social Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline Gender, Gender and Climate Change, Gender Inequality, Urban Planning, Public Policy, Climate Change Policy, Climate Vulnerability
Climate Topic Climate and Society, Policies, Politics, and Environmental Governance
Type of Tool Reading
Grade Level Undergraduate, Graduate
Location  Global
Language English
Translation
Developed by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development 
Hosted at Giz, UN Habitat, Gender CC 
Link Reading Link
Access Online, Offline
Computer Skills Basic

 

Reading: Coping with Climate Change

A guidebook of gender-sensitive approaches to climate change policy for city planning. It discusses the different ways in which women and men are affected by climate change. This guidebook includes discussions on gender inequalities such as gender division of labour, gender differentials in income, gender biases in decision making, and other factors contributing to climate vulnerability.

Students will understand how climate change impacts genders differently. They will also learn the importance of gender sensitivity in formulating climate change policies. Students will be introduced to gender sensitive climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience in cities.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change affect genders differently?
  2. Give a few reasons why climate change policies should use a gender-sensitive approach
  3. What are the priorities for gender-sensitive climate policies at urban levels?

About the Tool 

Tool Name Gender and Urban Climate Policy: Gender-Sensitive Policies Make a Difference
Discipline Humanities, Social Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline Gender, Gender and Climate Change, Gender Inequality, Urban Planning, Public Policy, Climate Change Policy, Climate Vulnerability
Climate Topic Climate and Society, Policies, Politics, and Environmental Governance
Type of Tool Reading
Grade Level Undergraduate, Graduate
Location  Global
Language English
Translation
Developed by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development 
Hosted at Giz, UN Habitat, Gender CC 
Link Reading Link
Access Online, Offline
Computer Skills Basic

 

Reading: Nuclear Energy, Security and Climate change

A guidebook of gender-sensitive approaches to climate change policy for city planning. It discusses the different ways in which women and men are affected by climate change. This guidebook includes discussions on gender inequalities such as gender division of labour, gender differentials in income, gender biases in decision making, and other factors contributing to climate vulnerability.

Students will understand how climate change impacts genders differently. They will also learn the importance of gender sensitivity in formulating climate change policies. Students will be introduced to gender sensitive climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience in cities.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change affect genders differently?
  2. Give a few reasons why climate change policies should use a gender-sensitive approach
  3. What are the priorities for gender-sensitive climate policies at urban levels?

About the Tool 

Tool Name Gender and Urban Climate Policy: Gender-Sensitive Policies Make a Difference
Discipline Humanities, Social Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline Gender, Gender and Climate Change, Gender Inequality, Urban Planning, Public Policy, Climate Change Policy, Climate Vulnerability
Climate Topic Climate and Society, Policies, Politics, and Environmental Governance
Type of Tool Reading
Grade Level Undergraduate, Graduate
Location  Global
Language English
Translation
Developed by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development 
Hosted at Giz, UN Habitat, Gender CC 
Link Reading Link
Access Online, Offline
Computer Skills Basic