How is climate change a threat to nations?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the human and environmental impact of climate change on nations.
Key learning points
- Climate change drives species extinction, habitat loss, and soil erosion, worsening the environmental crisis.
- Positive action is happening at individual, group, and government levels to combat climate change.
- Climate change impacts human rights, with vulnerable communities facing food insecurity, health risks, and displacement.
- Resource scarcity from climate change threatens global stability, increasing the risk of conflict and civil unrest.
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
Human rights - basic rights and freedoms that all people are entitled to
Resource scarcity - the limited availability of natural resources, such as food, water, fuel, and raw materials, which are required to meet the needs of the population
Common misconception
Climate change only affects the environment.
Climate change also impacts human rights, causing issues like food insecurity, displacement, and health risks, particularly for vulnerable communities.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to think about climate change from both an environmental and human perspective. Ask them to consider how vulnerable communities are directly affected, and how climate change can lead to larger social and political issues.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Complete this sentence: refers to the long-term shift in temperature and weather patterns.
Q2.What do we call the UN's goals that they aim to achieve by 2030?
Q3.Climate refugees are people who are fleeing what?
Q4.Where is the UN based?
Q5.Which of the following is an example of soft power?
Q6.Match the sentence starter to its end.
people have been forced from their homes due to climate change.
and in 2025, it has 193 Member States.
Côte d'Ivoire due to a breakdown in the Government.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.How does climate change affect human rights?
Q2.Which of the following are national security threats caused by climate change?
Q3.Match the terms to the definitions.
the limited amount of natural resources such as food and fuel
the process of a species no longer existing
the natural home of a plant or animal species
Q4.Which of the following is working on tackling resource scarcity in 120 countries worldwide?
Q5.Complete the sentence: Positive action is happening to tackle the climate crisis at individual, group, and levels.
Q6.Which pressure group is attempting to change UK policy on the climate through legal challenges and publicity?
To help you plan your 11 citizenship lesson on: How is climate change a threat to nations?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 citizenship lesson on: How is climate change a threat to nations?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 citizenship lessons from the How effective is the UN and SDGs on promoting sustainability? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.