New
New
Year 8

Cities and climate change

I can describe how cities cause, and are affected by, climate change.

New
New
Year 8

Cities and climate change

I can describe how cities cause, and are affected by, climate change.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Urban areas are vulnerable to climate impacts such as increasing temperatures.
  2. Many of the world's cities are vulnerable to sea level rise.
  3. Cities contribute to climate change through emissions.
  4. Planners can adopt strategies that help cities mitigate the impacts of climate change and help populations adapt.

Keywords

  • Emissions - gases released into the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide from human activity

  • Mitigation - efforts to reduce or prevent the release of greenhouse gases and their effects

  • Adaptation - actions taken to adjust to current or future climate impacts

Common misconception

Only big cities in rich countries cause climate change.

Cities of all sizes, in both rich and poorer countries, contribute to climate change through emissions, especially from transport, energy use, and waste.


To help you plan your year 8 geography lesson on: Cities and climate change, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage students to link climate impacts to their own experiences (like heatwaves or flooding in the UK) to make the topic more relatable and highlight that climate change affects cities here too.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Urban,A built-up area like a town or city

A built-up area like a town or city

Correct Answer:Population,The number of people living in an area

The number of people living in an area

Correct Answer:Migration,Moving from one place to live in another

Moving from one place to live in another

Q2.
Why might someone migrate to a city?

To find worse transport
Correct answer: To access more jobs and services
To escape clean air
To avoid education

Q3.
Which of these is a challenge of rapid urban growth?

Correct answer: Overcrowding
More farmland
Cleaner air
Fewer people

Q4.
Why do some people believe that life in cities is always better?

They think rural areas have better internet
Correct answer: They focus only on the advantages
Cities are always cleaner
Cities always have more wildlife

Q5.
Which of these is true about city living?

Correct answer: Cities can offer both opportunities and challenges
All cities are the same size
Everyone enjoys city life
Cities are all safe and quiet

Q6.
Which of these is not always found in cities?

Housing
Roads
Correct answer: Farmland
Shops

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

5 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Emissions,Gases released into the atmosphere

Gases released into the atmosphere

Correct Answer:Mitigation,Reducing or preventing greenhouse gas release

Reducing or preventing greenhouse gas release

Correct Answer:Adaptation,Adjusting to current or future climate impacts

Adjusting to current or future climate impacts

Q2.
Which of these is an example of emissions?

Growing trees in a park
Saving electricity
Correct answer: Exhaust fumes from cars
Collecting rainwater

Q3.
What is an example of climate adaptation in cities?

Correct answer: Building flood barriers
Burning more fossil fuels
Using petrol cars
Making more landfill sites

Q4.
Which statement is true about cities and climate change?

Only countryside areas cause emissions
Cities never prepare for floods
Correct answer: Cities both cause and suffer from climate change
Cities are not affected by climate impacts

Q5.
Some people think only rich, large cities cause climate change. What’s a better understanding?

Cities in poor countries don’t produce any emissions
Only rural areas are to blame
Climate change is not linked to cities
Correct answer: Cities in all countries contribute to emissions