Climate Education
What role can the IPCC play?

IPCC Reports (1990 – 2014)

Robin Matthews
IPCC Working Group I Technical Support Unit

Three challenges of Climate Change

Scientific &TechnicalPolicy &PracticeCommunication &Education
Adapted from Sir John Beddington

Growing Calls for Climate Education

IAP Statement on Climate Changeand Education (2017)

International Youth White Paper on
Climate Change (2018)

ClimateScience

Local toGlobal

Mitigation
Impacts

Targets

Adaptation

EcologyC L I M A T E
E D U C A T I O N
Empowerment;
Equity; Empathy

Universaldesign

Dynamic systems
thinking

Arts +STEM
Criticalthinking

Innovative
teaching

Traditional &Local Knowledge

Non-climatic
factors

Opinions vs.
facts

Where does the IPCC fit in?

Types of IPCC reports

WGIReports
PhysicalScience

WGII
Reports

WGIII
Reports

Impacts,
Adaptation &Vulnerability

Mitigation

SpecialReports

Synthesis
Reports

The IPCC Risk
Framework

The IPCC Risk
Framework

The IPCC Risk
Framework

A Conceptual Framework to access IPCC reports
Time scales

NaturePaleoclimate to 2300 and beyond

Space scales
Global to local

Rates of change
Climatic and Socio-economic changes

Magnitudes of risks
Climatic and Socio-economic risks

Uncertainties

HumansClimate forcing &processes
Hazards

Impacts
Mitigation

Emissions

Adaptation

Climate forcing &processes

WGIHazards

WGII

WGIII

Impacts
Mitigation

Emissions
Socio-economicchanges

Adaptation

Bringing Climate Education into
Disciplinary Subjects

Bringing Climate Education into
Disciplinary Subjects

Bringing Climate Education into
Disciplinary Subjects

Human-natureinteractions

Bringing Climate Education into
Disciplinary Subjects
Emissions & Mitigation

Climate forcing/processes & Hazards

Impacts & Adaptation

Biological impacts & Adaptation

Human-natureinteractions

Bringing Climate Education into
Disciplinary Subjects
Emissions & Mitigation

Climate forcing/processes & Hazards

Impacts & Adaptation

Biological impacts & Adaptation

Environmental Science
Agriculture
Hydrology

Guide to IPCC Reports for Educators
FAQs

Executivesummaries

Report overview

Concepts

Quantitative info

Cross-chapter boxes

GlossaryReferences

Topic overview

Concepts

Specific studies

SPMSPM

Using IPCC reports
in education
GlobalOthermaterials
Othermaterials

International teachingmaterials
Lesson plans fornational or local
audience

IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C:
Summary for Teachers

Teacher trainers

LocalTeachers
StudentsHow can the IPCC help educators?

Have educational usage in mind
during report development

Connect educationalorganizations withIPCC authors

Help locatematerials

For the Special Report on 1.5°C contact:

wg1tsu@ipcc-wg1.fr

Examples

The Smart Ice project
Hazards Sea ice
retreat

Impacts
Emissions

Transport

HealthAdaptation
ExposureSnowpiercer (2013)
Climate forcing & processes+Hazards
SnowballEarth

Raised Earth’s Albedo

Adaptation
Exposure

CW-7

Impacts

Geoengineering
Emissions

HealthThe IPCC itself as a Teaching TopicThe Science–Policy interface

IPCC Uncertainty languagecf. the Iñupiaq language

Synopsis
Climate education is much more than climate science
Educators can approach IPCC reports using a conceptual framework
IPCC Reports quantify rates of change and magnitudes of risks
Report FAQs, Cross-Chapter Boxes and Glossaries explain concepts
Multi-step translation required to use reports in local ed. contexts

Front Cover for the Special Report on 1.5°C
Alisa Singer
Environmental Graphiti

Melissa Gomis

Robin Matthews

IPCC Working Group I Technical Support Unit

Front Cover Committee

AR5AR4TARSARFAR

1992 Supp.
reports

Climate EducationPanel Discussion

The IPCC Sixth Assessment Cycle
Three Special Reports and a Methodology ReportThree Working Group Reports
A Synthesis Report
October
GlobalWarmingof 1.5°C
2018

2019

October
Ocean &Cryosphere

April

October
Impacts,
PhysicalScience
Adaptation &Basis
Vulnerability
2022

2020 2021
Land
September

Synthesis
ReportMitigation
July

April

2023

The Industrial period
Climate forcing & processes

Hazards
Warming+Sea level rise

Ocean
acidification

Ecosystems

Health &security

Fossil fuel combustion

Land use change

Impacts Agriculture
Emissions
Population
growthEconomic
growthMelting
iceChanges inheatwaves

Freshwater
Livelihoods
InfrastructureAlbedo change

GreenhouseeffectHazards
Climate forcing& processes
Feedbacks

Other stressors
Mitigation
Emission reduction

Impacts
Emissions

Negative emissions

Adaptation

Vulnerability and Exposure
Socio-economicchanges