Slide 1: What Is Climate Change?
- Climate is the long-term pattern of weather in a place over many years
- Climate change means these patterns are shifting in unusual and rapid ways
- Scientists have been tracking these changes for over 150 years
Speaker note: Ask students what they think the difference is between "weather" and "climate" before revealing the bullets.
Slide 2: Earth's Natural Greenhouse Effect
- The atmosphere acts like a blanket, trapping heat from the sun
- Gases like water vapour and CO₂ keep Earth warm enough for life
- Without any greenhouse effect, Earth would be about −18°C on average
Speaker note: Use the analogy of a car heating up on a sunny day to explain how heat gets trapped.
Slide 3: How Humans Are Making It Worse
- Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) releases extra CO₂ into the atmosphere
- Cutting down forests removes trees that absorb CO₂
- Farming and industry add other powerful greenhouse gases like methane
Speaker note: Show a simple before/after diagram of CO₂ levels pre- and post-industrial revolution if available.
Slide 4: The Evidence — What the Data Shows
- Global average temperatures have risen by about 1.1°C since the 1800s
- Arctic ice is melting and sea levels have risen roughly 20 cm in 100 years
- Extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods are becoming more frequent
Speaker note: Emphasise that 1°C may sound small, but even tiny average shifts have huge effects on ecosystems.
Slide 5: How It Affects People and Nature
- Rising seas threaten coastal cities and low-lying island nations
- Changing rainfall patterns cause droughts in some regions and floods in others
- Wildlife habitats shift or disappear, pushing many species toward extinction
Speaker note: Invite students to find their own country or city on a climate impact map for a personal connection.
Slide 6: Tipping Points and Feedback Loops
- A tipping point is when a change becomes self-reinforcing and hard to reverse
- Example: melting ice exposes darker ocean water, which absorbs more heat, causing more melting
- Passing too many tipping points could make climate change unstoppable
Speaker note: Compare a feedback loop to a microphone held too close to a speaker — small input, huge escalating output.
Slide 7: What the World Is Doing About It
- The Paris Agreement (2015) set a goal to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels
- Countries are switching to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power
- Governments, businesses, and individuals all have roles to play in cutting emissions
Speaker note: Briefly mention COP climate summits as the annual meetings where world leaders review progress.
Slide 8: What YOU Can Do
- Reduce energy use at home — switch off lights, eat less meat, fly less when possible
- Speak up and raise awareness at school, with family, and on social media
- Support and vote for policies and leaders who take climate action seriously
Speaker note: Close by reminding students that the decisions made by their generation will shape the climate of the next 100 years.