made possible by:

Climate Reach is a pilot project bringing together participatory, learning methods with climate change awareness and action in excluded communities.

You can use the materials and tools offered on this page under a Creative Commons liscence. We can run climate change sessions and programmes using our participatory approach for or with you.

Please download our final report submitted to the Department of Business and Innovation earlier this year, together with a case study published by the funding intermediary (NIACE).

We've worked with a range of Oxfordshire residents to develop educational approaches and activities for involving people who contribute least to carbon emissions and global warming, yet are often most at risk from climate change impacts.

The activities and tools provided here can however be used with any group in any setting. We’ve found even specialists in climate change have also enjoyed taking part in sessions because of our engaging, empowering approach.

This initiative has been made possible by a small grant from the Department of Business Innovation and Skills Learning Transformation Fund, together with practical input from our partners:

• ClimateX, an Oxfordshire wide network co-ordinated by the Institute for Environmental Change, Oxford University
• Climate Change Information and Outreach Network (COIN)
  
• Cottsway Housing, Witney
  
• Rose Hill ICT Hub at Rose Hill Family Centre
  
• SMART CJS, Cowley Rd
  
• Starlight Express CIC at Blackbird/Greater Leys
  

Activity 1 What does climate change mean to you? A good way of people introducing themselves while getting straight into people's own knowledge, experiences and views on climate change: Spread a variety of colourful postcards (or magazine images) out on a table or on the floor. Invite everyone to reflect on the question “What does climate change mean to you?” while choosing a postcard that represents that meaning or experience for them. Ask people to also write down on a post it in just a one of two words why they choose their card. Everyone can then stick their postcard and accompanying post it on the wall for all to see. The group may discuss what they see and/or cluster the responses into themes and discuss the patterns and issues arising from there.

Activity 2 Climate Change timeline Useful for sharing and clarifying what's actually happening and the causes of climate change. Helps address confusion and/'or cynicism about whether its natural or created by humans: Stick together at least 3 flipcharts horizontally (landscape) with sellotape to create a giant time line graph. At the left far end mark out the range within which CO2 emissions have remained stable throughout many iceages until modern times. At the other end mark out degrees C. Invite participants to guess when major events took place since the beginning of time. They can write these events on post its or you can prepare slips they can bluetac on the timeline to show roughly when they happened. Include the Industrial Revolution, the post war rise of consumerism. Now people are ready to guess and debate exactly when CO2 emissions started rising sharply and when global temperatures shot up. Blue string going up and down throughout time until recently can represent carbon. Red string or ribbon can show the sudden recent rise in temperatures.

Activity 3 Whose global footprint? An interactive way to bring home the fact that it’s people in the world’s wealthier countries who produce by far the most emissions, despite the frequent finger pointing at places like China and India. Draw one large footprint on a flipchart sheet for each country you want to include; we used the UK, USA, China, India, Sweden, Bangladesh and Kenya. Lay them out randomly on the floor so the group can move the footprints around putting them in order by guessing which countries make most and least carbon emissions (and why). Once everyone has worked out the correct order for per country total emissions, invite them to guess the order by carbon emissions per person and move the sheets around again (use the web to check the latest data). Prompt people to think about why carbon emissions are so high in wealthy countries including the UK and so low in poor countries –  living standards, lifestyles, social justice and poverty issues are all part of the discussion arising.

Activity 4 What's in the news? Many people in the UK think that climate change is something happening only in far away places e.g. Pacific islands. Bringing home the message that its happening right here and now and effects all is important – though do avoid scaremongering. Search out local news headlines, photos and /or stories from your area about climate related impacts such as floods and drought – use the internet or your local library. Compile a collage showing what’s happening locally; include facts and figures and analysis from a well researched source e.g. climate change pages on your local council website. Or simply circulate selected different news and analysis items around the group so they can see them and pass them on one by one. Introduce the concept that it’s the poor and vulnerable in any country including the UK who are likely to suffer most from climate change even though they usually create least emissions. We used a few fact and figure A4 flash cards with key quotes and data to encourage further discussion and reflection.

Activity 5 Barriers and solutions With what’s happening, why its happening and who’s effected clarified, it’s a good time to look at why we aren’t all doing more about it given what’s known. Cut A4 red paper sheets into half to represent bricks and then either draw (or print off from the web) a simple image of a hammer on A4 (2 to a sheet) to represent what’s needed to break though each barrier in the wall. Also cut each to A3 size. Let people work into small groups or pairs to write up a range first of barriers and then of things that would make a difference. People can then bluetac their bricks and hammers onto the wall and talk about what they see. It may also be useful for everyone to group them into themes and patterns.

Activity 6 What is and isn’t working and what else is needed? A nifty exercise enabling people to say what they think isn’t working and express negatives before looking at the positives. Sellotape together at least 3 pieces of flipchart into a size and shape you can draw a large H shape - looks like rugby posts. Write a key question in the top middle space between the 2 posts e.g. “How can we best tackle climate change?”; mark the top left hand section with a negative sign, the top right hand corner with a positive sign. Label the bottom middle section ‘ideas and solutions’. Using post it notes people fill the different spaces with their thoughts on what’s not working, what’s already working and in the case of the last section, their proposals – what else is needed, what they’d like to see more of happening etc. Clustering of similar ideas and themes may be useful too. Any discussion could be complimented by prioritizing areas of interest or solutions using sticky dots.

Activity 7 The average UK citizen's footprint Now people are ready to look in more detail at carbon emissions in the UK – and start to take more responsibility. In order to avoid blame and embarrassment however this tool involves the group looking collectively at average impact. Detailed notes on how to set and facilitate this activity have been produced by COIN, one of our project partners. Download them here and here. Essentially you’ll need a space in your room or venue that is clear of furniture so that people can walk out a) the typical carbon emissions for common activities b) then turn around and walk back the way they came a step or two or a few inches depending on which of the many measures ordinary people can take to reduce their footprint by about two thirds. This is a useful point at which to introduce the UK government targets and timetables now set for drastic emissions cuts – and the latest debates about whether these are going to be enough given the scale and speed of climate change today. Use the web for the latest info.

Activity 8 The benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions It’s always worth looking at what the gains of shifting to a low carbon lifestyle and society are  – for the individual, the community or organisation, each country and the world. The issue of climate change can feel overwhelming and people often think there’s not much point in making changes when the ‘problem’ is so huge. A practical positive approach on the advantages rather than ‘doom and gloom’ can be very motivating. Invite people to brainstorm either in one large group or by breaking into smaller groups to look at different categories e.g. benefits for individuals, for society etc. The benefits can either be listed on flipcharts then shared with everyone or on post-its and clustered on the wall. There are many from saving money and a cutting-edge economy to more community and less stressful lifestyles, healthier food, etc. The list is endless and the point here is to show how much there is to be gained rather than cover all the bases in detail.

Activity 9 So what can we all do about it? Having established some of the benefits this is an opportunity to move people into mapping out what actions are needed by whom in order to make the difference. Divide people into at least 3 working groups and give each one a flipchart sheet marked with categories such as ‘governments’; communities’, ‘organisations’, ‘communities’, ‘individuals.’ Each group then brainstorms and lists what they think the government or group etc. needs to be doing, mapping out their roles and responsibilities. People from each group can present back to the whole group using the flipcharts for guidance. Other people can add to each list as things proceed.

Activity 10 Save carbon, save money Search out key facts and figures on the amount of carbon emissions created by households and everyday activities, plus information on how reducing these also cuts bills and saves money in other ways too. We mostly drew on information from our partner ClimateX and from Friends of the Earth practical handbook 'How can I stop climate change?' Either run this activity like a pub quiz with small groups trying to guess the answers and pooling information that way. Or prepare A4 or larger sheets summarising the examples you choose but leaving blank spaces for the ‘answers’ , then stick them on the wall. People can then walk around the room individually or in pairs or trios trying to guess how much CO2 is produced and how much money is saved by for example, going veggie, using the bus, saving water etc.

 Handouts

NB. If you haven’t already used the handouts below with earlier activities, distribute some now for people to either work with as part of Activity 10 (either to help them find and/or guess the answers), to read and reflect and comment on and/or take away with them for consolidation and follow up.

Climate Change - The Essentials
Useful to accompany and consolidate introductory activities and sessions on what’s actually happening and how and why etc.
Download (PDF)


The Low Carb Lifestyle
Contains lots of handy info and ideas on reducing carbon emissions including ways to save money and where to go next.
Download (PDF)


Low Carbon Transport
Helps clarify vital transport issues and supports people to think through the choices they are making on a daily basis.
Download (PDF)


The Science of Climate Change
Offers a visual summary of the key info that can often seem complicated. Links best to Activity 2  - history time line showing carbon emissions and global temperature rising.
Download (PDF)


Other resources
Climate Reach achievement certificate (PDF) - please do not distribute