We have curated some helpful (and free) resources for students and educators developed by our member universities or their partners. We will continue to update this space on a regular basis. If you have some good educational resources you would like to share please email the Climate Alliance Secretariat.
Climate Science
Here are some great resources to give you an introduction to climate change science.
1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius of additional global warming: Does it make a difference? It ends up that just a half degree C – less than 1 degree F – leads to far more serious impacts. Read More
Why is it raining so hard? Global warming is delivering heavier downpours. Climate scientists attribute increasingly extreme precipitation events to warmer air and its ability to “hold” more water vapor than cooler air. Read More
Global warming is real, so why is it cold outside? Polar vortex got you down? When a cold snap occurs in your region, don’t lose sight of the big picture. Read More
Case Study: Integrated Solutions in the cryosphere
The cryosphere is a term for the regions of our globe which are covered in ice and snow – either seasonally or year-round. Climate change is happening in the cryosphere faster and more dramatically than anywhere else on earth. Open field and forest burning contributes to regional and global climate change by producing CO2, methane, and – of special interest near cryosphere regions – black carbon (BC), which deposits on nearby snow and ice, speeding melting. Open burning is the single largest source of black carbon globally, at 42% dwarfing all other sources (biomass burning for residential cooking and heating is 18%, diesel transport 14%). Read more about what the ICCI is doing to help
Show me more! Short online courses…
Climate Solutions: Through the award-winning teaching approaches of the University of Edinburgh’s faculty team this open access course brings an engaging and action-focussed approach to tackling the climate emergency. Learn more
Climate Change Science and Negotiations: Humanity is up against a tight timeline to address climate change. Learn how we can deeply decarbonize the global energy systems, and put the world on a 2°C pathway. Enrol Here
Explore 50 years of carbon change all in a few clicks
Teal is a free visual tool that enables you to explore climate variables and carbon emissions for the past 40+ years, from 1950 to near real time. A global map shows climate data by country and sub-country. These show as temporal resolutions. Teal provides free access to easy-to-use climate data. You don’t need technical expertise in complex datasets to use Teal. The hard work has already been done for you by WEMC climate data specialists. In a few clicks you can visualise and download the data, as well as graphs, that can be used to inform your decisions.
The psychology of climate change
If we can start to be ‘citizen architects’ and nudge ourselves to make changes in those areas where we have some control – transport, food, energy, clothing – Then our governments and markets will follow. The pandemic has provided us with a pivotal moment – the status quo has been overthrown, and we are being forced to stop and think about how we live our lives. We must use this opportunity to develop new, pro-environmental habits. Read More
Countering Climate Misinformation
The Cranky Uncle game uses cartoons and critical thinking to fight misinformation. The game was developed by Monash University scientist John Cook, in collaboration with creative agency Autonomy. The game is now available for free on iPhone and Android.
The Scientific Guide to Global Warming Skepticism looks at both the evidence that human activity is causing global warming and the ways that climate ‘skeptic’ arguments can mislead by presenting only small pieces of the puzzle rather than the full picture.
The art & science of storytelling
Digital technology has surged, and we are exposed to a much higher degree of designed visual messages than we used to be. But climate change is incredibly politicised – especially in Australia – and despite a wealth of literature on climate change communication strategies, little is understood about how visual communication contributes to uptake of the message. Read More
Climate Alliance Secretariat
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International Universities Climate Alliance
universitiesforclimate@unsw.edu.au
The Climate Alliance brings together researchers, educators & practitioners globally towards accelerating climate action