New
New
Year 9

What is the relationship between climate change and migration?

I can explain how migration and climate change are linked.

New
New
Year 9

What is the relationship between climate change and migration?

I can explain how migration and climate change are linked.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Climate change refers to long-term changes in the Earth’s climate system. It is mostly caused by human activities.
  2. These changes can affect human health, food and water supplies, and people’s ability to live in certain areas.
  3. As a result, climate change is becoming a growing push factor for migration, forcing people to leave their homes.
  4. Some people migrate temporarily or permanently within their own country, while others cross international borders.
  5. Climate refugees are not recognised by law. Many face difficulties with migration, such as a lack of legal protection.

Keywords

  • Climate change - the long-term changes in the Earth's weather patterns and temperatures, often caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation and pollution

  • Migration - the movement of people from one place to another, for example, moving from one country to another

Common misconception

Anyone forced to leave their home because of a risk to life is automatically recognised as a refugee and protected by international law.

People who migrate due to environmental reasons are not currently recognised as refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention. That law only protects people fleeing persecution based on, for example, race, religion, nationality, political opinion.


To help you plan your year 9 citizenship lesson on: What is the relationship between climate change and migration?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to look into more examples, like Kiribati, to help them connect emotionally and critically with the topic, for instance, Tuvalu. These examples make abstract issues like legal recognition and climate migration more relatable, encouraging deeper discussion and empathy.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
is when people move from one place to another to live.

Correct Answer: Migration, migrating, to migrate

Q2.
Which of these is a reason why people might migrate?

to find better jobs
because their home has been damaged by floods
to live closer to family
Correct answer: all of the above

Q3.
What type of migration happens when people move within the same country?

international migration
Correct answer: internal migration
circular migration
global migration

Q4.
Put these types of migration in order from smallest distance to largest.

1 - moving to the next village
2 - moving to another town in the same country
3 - moving to a neighbouring country
4 - moving to a different continent

Q5.
Match the type of migration to the correct example.

Correct Answer:cross-border migration,a family moves from Brazil to Spain

a family moves from Brazil to Spain

Correct Answer:forced migration,a family leaves home due to war

a family leaves home due to war

Correct Answer:voluntary migration,a person moves abroad for better leisure opportunities

a person moves abroad for better leisure opportunities

Q6.
What is one possible consequence of climate change for people living near the coast?

Correct answer: rising sea levels
colder winters
warmer summers
more droughts

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word or phrase to its definition.

Correct Answer:climate change,long-term changes in Earth's weather patterns, often caused by humans

long-term changes in Earth's weather patterns, often caused by humans

Correct Answer:migration,the movement of people, e.g., moving from one country to another

the movement of people, e.g., moving from one country to another

Correct Answer:greenhouse effect,gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat, warming the Earth

gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat, warming the Earth

Q2.
Climate change is mostly caused by human activities such as burning fossil , deforestation and pollution.

Correct Answer: fuels

Q3.
Which of these is a push factor linked to climate change?

better schools in another country
a new job offer in the city
Correct answer: drought making it impossible to grow crops
family reunion in another town

Q4.
What type of refugee does the 1951 Refugee Convention not recognise?

people fleeing war
people fleeing persecution
people fleeing violence
Correct answer: people fleeing climate change

Q5.
Put these stages of a possible climate migration journey into the correct order.

1 - Sea level rise damages homes.
2 - Crops fail due to saltwater in the soil.
3 - A family struggles to grow food or find clean water, leading to health issues.
4 - The family migrates to a safer area within their country.

Q6.
What is one difficulty that climate migrants may face after moving to a new place?

they are always welcomed into good, safe housing
they are protected by special climate migration laws
Correct answer: they may face high housing costs and limited school places
they are guaranteed a job in their new area