Teach Climate Action! before it is too late

Teach Climate Action! is a unique and radical event for UK teachers, exploring the issues around climate change and the active roles and responsibilities of teachers, ahead of the United Nations Climate Conference (COP 15) in Copenhagen in December.

When: Friday 19 June 2009, 11am to 4pm

Where: Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS

Tickets: Tickets are £10 and available from www.actionaid.org.uk/teachclimateaction or call 01460 23 8000.

7 May 2009: This December, world leaders and officials from nearly 200 countries will gather together in the city of Copenhagen to decide the global response to the threat of climate change. Hailed as one of the most important meetings of our time, it will set a target for the reduction of CO2, a decision that will directly impact on the lives of billions of people around the world, now and for the future.

In the lead up to this historic and critical event, international development charity ActionAid has teamed up with the Geography Department at Queen Mary, University of London to create a unique, exciting and radical one day event for teachers in the UK. 

Teach Climate Action! will question and explore the role of teachers in the fight against climate change and call for action now, before it is too late to learn about and influence the decisions made in Copenhagen.

Rich in practical ideas and activities for the classroom, the day will feature a series of fifteen fast paced, ground-breaking short seminars from experts at the forefront of climate change science, art, geography, comedy, economics, journalism and film.

Speakers include:

Dan Box, Journalist and winner of the RGS/IBG and BBC Journey of a Lifetime Award on his trip to the Carteret Islands in the Pacific to meet the world's first official climate refugees.

Alex Randall from CheatNeutral, on using comedy to teach about climate change.

Dr Victoria Johnson, New Economics Foundation on climate change and interdependence.

Professor David Lambert, Geographical Association and the Institute of Education, on the moral implications of teaching climate action

Yasmin McDonnell from the Emergencies and Conflict team at ActionAid on the Copenhagen Conference, climatic hazards and responding to climate change.

Lizzie Gillett, Producer of The Age of Stupid, on communicating and acting on climate change.

Boldly illustrating just why climate change is one of the most important social, economic, political and environmental issues of our time, Teach Climate Action! will inspire participants not just to teach climate change, but to work with young people to act on it. 

Participants will be able to meet and create links with like minded teachers and academics as well as pick up a free copy of the award winning ‘PowerDown’ toolkit.

‘Teach Climate Action!’ is open to teachers all over the UK and takes place on Friday 19 June.

Tickets are now on sale. To purchase tickets or for more information and the full list of speakers, log on to www.actionaid.org.uk/teachclimateaction or call 01460 23 8000.