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Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered around the world this week in advance of a United Nations climate summit, where over 100 world leaders will discuss the impact of climate change. Scientists have found that global temperatures have been rising since the late 1800s due to the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and gas, which releases greenhouse gases, such as carbon, into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, causing the Earth’s temperature to increase. Researchers found that carbon pollution increased more in 2013 than in the preceding 20 years, and the decade from 2001-2010 was the hottest on record. Slowing the global temperature rise will require a large-scale change in behavior, environmental activists say. The People’s Climate March in Manhattan drew an estimated 310,000 people, making it the largest climate protest in history. Participants included communities that have been affected by climate change as well as groups that are proposing solutions to the issue. It drew activists from all over the world along with political figures and artists. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former Vice President Al Gore joined protesters, along with actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Edward Norton. “I will link arms with those marching for climate action. We stand with them on the right side of this key issue for our common future,” Ki-moon said in a Sept. 16 press conference. Following the march, hundreds gathered on Wall Street in New York City to protest what they called capitalism’s role in climate change. The financial institutions that are centered on Wall Street invest in industries that depend on fossil fuels and harm the environment, according to Ananda Lee Tan, spokesman for the Climate Justice Alliance. “Wall Street itself profits from the destruction of this planet and its human and natural resources. So we have to stop them,” he said. A report by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate earlier this year suggested that reducing carbon emissions would cut trillions of dollars of future costs on fossil fuels.

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Warm up questions

1. What is climate change? Does it affect you on a daily basis?


2. How might people view climate change differently depending on where they live?


3. What are some examples of peaceful ways to speak out on a large scale?

Critical thinking questions

1. What does the scientific community suggest is causing climate change?


2. Why is it important that climate change is addressed globally and not just by a few nations?


3. What challenges do you anticipate the populations of different countries will face as they try to change behavior to lower greenhouse gas emissions?


4. What can you do as an individual to help be part of the solution?