Going for Green: Climate Change and Vancouver 2010

Background

Climate change and global warming are major issues facing the world today. There is consensus among the world's leading scientists that:

• Human activities are contributing to the warming of the earth.
• Higher surface temperatures are affecting climate.
• Changes in weather patterns are having significant social, economic and environmental impacts, both locally and globally.

There is also consensus that an important element in addressing climate change is the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is the most important of the six greenhouse gases (GHGs) responsible for global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions are caused in large part from the burning of fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas and coal.

Sports of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games depend on snow and ice, and are particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. The Winter Games also use considerable energy to heat buildings, make snow, freeze ice sheets and sliding tracks, power equipment, and transport people and goods. These actions all generate GHG emissions. This challenges the Olympic and Paralympic Movements to minimize GHG emissions and use the Games to raise awareness and inspire action among athletes and international audiences.

Development and delivery of a strategy to reduce GHG emissions from Games activities is now a requirement for any city interested in hosting the Summer or Winter Games. The Salt Lake 2002 Winter Games and the Torino 2006 Winter Games each had special programs in this area. Salt Lake also obtained independent verification that their Games were “climate neutral.” This means the Salt Lake Organizing Committee neutralized or “offset” the carbon emitted by the 2002 Games by securing and retiring credits for GHG reductions from projects elsewhere that were equivalent to their Games GHG emissions.

The Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation promised to address the impact of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on global warming and climate change by maximizing energy efficiency and conservation and by ensuring the Games do not create a net increase of GHGs in the atmosphere. For how VANOC is doing, have a look at its latest Sustainability Report (Click through to https://edit.vancouver2010.com/go/www.vancouver2010.com/en/Sustainability/SustainabilityReport or http://www.davidsuzuki.org/latestnews/dsfnews01240801.asp).

Objectives of the proposed classroom activities:

• To increase students’ awareness about climate change and its potential impacts.
• To promote attitude and behavioural changes that will lead to improved environmental stewardship.
• To enhance students’ research skills.

Recommended levels: grades 7 to 9 (12–15 years old)

Suggested classroom activities:

• Students will read the article Welcome to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_13/items/4049.php
• As a warm-up introductory activity, ask students to locate Indonesia, then to locate Bali on a world map. Engage students in a brainstorming activity to think about the reasons behind the high participation rates with representatives from more than 180 countries. Answers might include: importance of climate change, global nature of the issue, its potential impact on billions of people around the world.
• Ask students to identify other events that capture such worldwide attention. Answers may include: similar UN and international conferences focussing on health; combating poverty; artistic events such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscars; or sports events (for example, FIFA World Cup, Summer and Winter Olympic Games).
• As a follow up, remind students that the next Winter Games will be hosted in Canada. Ask students to write an article about the pillars of the Olympic Movement with specific emphasis on the rationale behind adding sustainability as a third pillar. As an extension, outline the objectives of the International Olympic committee (IOC) Sport for Sustainable Development program.
• Give students a research assignment to investigate various theories about the possible causes for climate change with special emphasis on the impacts of increasing emissions of greenhouse gases. When assessing the work, look for:
  • correct definitions of terms
  • thorough and relevant research, citing sources

• Divide students into various groups and organize a contest for a school-wide plan of action to reduce their school’s carbon footprint. As a backgrounder, students have to link today’s efforts to reduce their school’s carbon footprint to a particular historical effort or cultural perspective on environmental stewardship. For example, the students research Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and report in their backgrounder about the special significance of sustainable environmental practices in Aboriginal cultures. When judging the contest ensure that students:
  • provided accurate information in the backgrounder
  • clearly outlined all the major steps of their action plan
  • arranged all the steps in a logical sequence
  • opted for concrete and practical steps

Curricular Links:

Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes (CMEC, 1997):

• Science, technology, society, and the environment – General Learning Outcomes
• Skills - General Learning Outcomes
• Knowledge - General Learning Outcomes
• Attitudes - General Learning Outcomes

Social Studies:

• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of sustainability.
• Apply critical thinking skills to a range of problems and issues.
• Develop a plan of action to address a local or a global issue.

Language Arts:

• Use speaking and listening to improve and extend thinking.
• Communicate ideas to inform or persuade through effective informational writing.

Integration of Aboriginal content:

• Examine various aspects of Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of environmental stewardship in Aboriginal cultures.