A smörgåsbord of climate literacy methods: Outlines & experiences

The Earth and humanity face real existential threats.  The problems are well known: global warming, climate change (CC), deforestation, pollution, temperature increase, biodiversity loss and so on.

CC is the most dangerous threat of our time.  It “affects every single living being and every ecological niche, with poorer communities suffering disproportionately” (session abstract).  Action and knowledge are needed to combat this crisis so that future generations are saved.

It is important that people learn about CC and its effects, and then learn how to act.  Climate literacy/learning (CL) is the only way in which people can come to understand and become literate so as to make decisions that are grounded in geoethical principles.  As the session abstract says, “the more people are knowledgeable about the changes affecting their lives, the more they will be able to make informed decisions and to adapt and mitigate”.  

Many CL paths exist, all the way down from masters level courses, through collective initiatives, to individual actions.  In our presentation, we will review a variety of CL actions and methods.  These include:

• En-ROADS, a simulation model, developed by Climate Interactive, for negotiating scenarios to limit future global warming. 
• Fridays For Future (FFF), “a global climate strike movement that started in August 2018”.  
• Online participatory simulation to learn about the effect of CC on the oceans, with people from many countries.
• PhD programme on CC impacts on natural coastal risks and adaptation pathways for the Mediterranean coast.
• University courses in environmental science and in ecology.
• Youth Climate Leaders (YCL), an organisation created by four Brazillain women “to offer solutions to help young people tackle [...] the climate crisis and structural unemployment”.  
• Associations, experience volunteering.
• Conferences, participation.
• Designing, playing and debriefing games.
• MOOCs, our experience with several online courses on CC and CL.
• Reading and video documentaries.

We also encourage attendees to share their thoughts and outline their own CL experiences and methods.  We will also attempt to answer questions that the audience may have.