The Climate is in Our Hands

Climate change has become increasingly evident in recent years.  While we often notice its effects on land where we live, its impact reaches across the entire planet. The oceans and the cryosphere (the Earth’s snow and ice) are also being affected. It was once believed that these vast and distant regions were too large to be influenced by human activity. Today, we see rapid changes on land, in the oceans and in the cryosphere, driven by human-generated greenhouse gas emissions and other man-made factors, which affect both people and ecosystems.

In recent years, publications from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and global climate conferences have emphasized the crucial role of the oceans in sustaining life and their profound influence on our planet. The key messages from these reports are clear:

• The oceans sustain life on Earth .
• The oceans and cryosphere are under significant stress.
• The changes they are undergoing have a direct impact on our lives .
• The time to act is now.

Climate change is a complex topic that poses challenges for educators, who need a broad scientific understanding to teach it effectively, and for their students.

The following lesson plans include background materials for teachers and hands-on activities designed to help students explore the topic of climate change, inspire them to take action, and prepare them for life in a rapidly changing world.

These materials were developed with the support of the Ministry of Environmental Protection.