New
New
Year 11

Have climate conferences made a positive impact?

I can evaluate whether climate conferences have made a positive impact on the UN’s work on tackling climate change.

New
New
Year 11

Have climate conferences made a positive impact?

I can evaluate whether climate conferences have made a positive impact on the UN’s work on tackling climate change.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. COP meetings allow countries to negotiate climate action and set goals such as global emission reduction targets.
  2. COP meetings help ensure that all nations have a voice in shaping climate solutions.
  3. The Kyoto Protocol was the first international treaty to set legally binding emissions targets.
  4. The Paris Agreement focused on limiting temperature rise and promoted flexible, self-set targets for all nations.
  5. Active citizenship, through protests and citizen assemblies, helps influence climate action at global conferences.

Keywords

  • COP - stands for Conference of the Parties, an annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

  • Paris Agreement - an international treaty on climate change that came into force in 2016; the treaty addresses climate change mitigation, adaptation and climate finance

  • Active citizenship - the process of learning how to take part in democracy and use Citizenship knowledge, skills and understanding to work together and try to make a positive difference in the world

Common misconception

Climate conferences are just an opportunity to talk, nothing gets done.

They are a chance to bring together world leaders to agree positive actions and work out problems. COP have secured important international agreements that have really helped to tackle climate change; the Paris Agreement is an example of this.


To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: Have climate conferences made a positive impact?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to explore both sides of arguments around climate conferences. Use real-world examples like protests and citizen assemblies to help pupils understand how active citizenship influences climate action.
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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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6 Questions

Q1.
What international organisation brings together all nations of the world to discuss issues?
Correct Answer: United Nations, UN, the United Nations, the UN
Q2.
What term do we use for tackling climate change through deliberate acts?
climate anxiety
Correct answer: climate action
climate mitigation
climate refugee
Q3.
Match the word to its definition.
Correct Answer:policy,actions or goals people plan or are currently working to achieve

actions or goals people plan or are currently working to achieve

Correct Answer:industrialisation,the process of developing & expanding industries in a country

the process of developing & expanding industries in a country

Correct Answer:human rights,basic rights and freedoms that all people are entitled to

basic rights and freedoms that all people are entitled to

Q4.
Which human activity releases the most greenhouse gas emissions?
walking
driving an electronic car
recycling
Correct answer: burning fossil fuels
Q5.
Which of the following energy sources would help to tackle climate change?
coal
Correct answer: wind power
gas
oil
Q6.
How might a person help tackle climate change?
buy a diesel car
burn more wood
Correct answer: reduce their plastic consumption
vote for climate sceptic governments

6 Questions

Q1.
Complete the sentence: COP is an annual meeting of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Correct Answer: United Nations, UN
Q2.
Which of the following best explains how COP meetings help ensure that all nations have a voice in shaping climate solutions?
Only high income countries can speak at COP meetings.
Correct answer: All nations, regardless of income, can present views and negotiate action.
Environmental groups are the only participants at COP discussions.
COP focuses only on emission reductions from emerging nations.
Q3.
How does active citizenship influence climate action at COP?
Active citizenship can only influence local policies, not global.
Correct answer: Displays of active citizenship help raise awareness and push for change.
Only governments have the power to influence global climate actions.
Citizens' involvement is limited to signing petitions at climate conferences.
Q4.
Match the COP to an outcome / action.
Correct Answer:COP21,Paris Agreement

Paris Agreement

Correct Answer:COP26,100,000 people marched through Glasgow

100,000 people marched through Glasgow

Correct Answer:COP3,Kyoto Protocol

Kyoto Protocol

Q5.
What was the primary goal of the Kyoto Protocol?
promote nuclear energy
reduce biodiversity loss
Correct answer: reduce greenhouse gas emissions
fund climate education
Q6.
Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement...
only applied to emerging countries
was legally binding with penalities
Correct answer: included voluntary emissions targets for all countries
did not require any emissions reduction