Climate change and the air
| Links to the story | Key Stage 2 and 3 programmes of study | Possible learning outcomes | Big ideas |
| climate change and the air |
… a study of an aspect of history or a site … that is significant in the locality. History National Curriculum, KS2 weather and climate, including the change in climate from the Ice Age to the present … environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on the effective functioning of natural systems Geography National curriculum KS3 the production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the impact on climate Chemistry National Curriculum KS3 |
realise that since the industrial revolution, every society has produced more carbon dioxide than it has consumed. recognise the link between atmospheric carbon dioxide and climate change |
climate change the environment
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This story takes a different approach to thinking about climate change and atmospheric carbon. The development of our local town (Nailsea) has been dependent upon the industrialisation for wealth creation. This is especially clear, because of the importance of its local coal fields.
Suggested answer to the questions
There was no way that the businessmen of the 1700s could foresee the effects of increased carbon dioxide on the climate of the Earth, because the scientific evidence dod not exist back then. They would know that the burning of coal produces black soot, but they probably thought that this was not important.
However, we are now aware of the dangers, so perhaps we have no excuse to continue to add excess carbon dioxide to the air. This is controversial because some people choose to discredit the evidence because they feel that the financial costs of reducing carbon dioxide output are too high to pay.