Unit 4: Decarbonization
Teacher Resources
Slowing global temperature rise depends on one key factor: reducing emissions. Explore why that’s been so difficult to do, and what our best strategies are moving forward.
Lesson 4.1
The Grand Challenges
51 billion tons of greenhouse gases every year. Make sense of a number that big by exploring the Grand Challenges—the major categories responsible for emissions.
Lesson 4.2
Decarbonization Solutions
While there’s no magic bullet to solve climate change, some solutions will make more of an impact. Research the most promising decarbonization solutions and what it will take to get them into widespread use.
Lesson 4.3
Implementing Decarbonization Strategies
Discover how we can move from goals to action through government policies at local, national, and international levels.
Lesson 4.4
A Climate Future
Investigate how a future with climate change might look based on our current path, and what can be done to shape the future we want to see.
Featured Materials
Emissions Image Sort
Opener
Emissions Image Sort
Sort images of greenhouse gas emissions into different categories to prepare to learn more about the sources of these emissions.
The Grand Challenges
Infographic
The Grand Challenges
The Grand Challenges represent the main areas responsible for carbon emissions. Understanding these categories is the first step to addressing the problem.
Can We Make Electricity Without Fossil Fuels? Crash Course Climate & Energy #3
Video
Can We Make Electricity Without Fossil Fuels? Crash Course Climate & Energy #3
How can the electricity that powers your internet or midnight pizza come from carbon-free sources? Dig into ways we can decarbonize our electricity supply.
Decarbonization Goals
Article
Decarbonization Goals
To get to net zero, we will need clearly set, ambitious goals at all levels, from the international to local level. Each set of goals will play an important role in getting us to zero through coordinating efforts and adapting to local conditions and realities.
Climate Expert Exploration
Activity
Climate Expert Exploration
Take a look at the wide variety of careers that are dedicated to addressing climate change. Can you see yourself in any of these careers?
Envisioning a Climate Future
Article
Envisioning a Climate Future
Explore the ways our health, our jobs, and the systems we use to manage a complex world will shift as climate change continues to impact our future and what we can do to create the future we want to inhabit.
Teaching This Unit