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Research to reduce the impact of waste.

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The Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub will provide research to reduce the impact of plastics, support sustainable people-environment interactions, and offer management options for hazardous substances and pollutants to minimise environmental and human-health impacts.

The Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub will deliver:

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research that supports maintained and improved air quality.

The hub will also drive coordinated research across all 4 new hubs under NESP's 'waste impact management' cross-cutting mission. This research will support policy development, program management and regulatory processes in both marine and terrestrial environments.

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Research to reduce the impact of waste. About this hub The Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub will provide research to reduce the impact of plastics, support sustainable people-environment interactions, and offer management options for hazardous substances and pollutants to minimise environmental and human-health impacts.

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What is a sustainable community and how do we become one?

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What is a Sustainable Community? - Institute for Sustainable Communities

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Throughout the world, people want the same things: access to clean air and water; economic opportunities; a safe and healthy place to raise their kids; shelter; lifelong learning; a sense of community; and the ability to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. A sustainable community ta…

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Conflict Between Maori and Western Perspectives

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Conflict Between Maori and Western Perspectives

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Getting Started with Sustainability in Schools

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"Education for sustainability develops the knowledge, skills, values and world-views necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living. It enables individuals and communities to reflect on ways of interpreting and engaging with the world.

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With the current expansion of universal preschool and transitional kindergarten and other early childhood programs, as well as national attention to children's health and issues of planetary sustainability, nature and environmental education is poised to play a critical role in preservice and inservice early childhood teacher education. In pursuing high-quality and accessible nature and environmental education for all teachers and children, though, teacher educators will need to redesign and create new courses and programs to strengthen conceptual knowledge and instructional expertise for novice and veteran teachers. As co-editors of this special section, we are pleased to present three articles that deepen and expand our understanding of how early childhood teacher educators can envision and implement high-quality, innovative nature and environmental education.

Before we provide an overview of the articles, let us first problematize the challenge of reconceptualizing nature and environmental education in early teacher education. First, environmental education remains a relatively new field and curricular emphasis, and early childhood teacher educators have the task of learning the relevant research, policy, and practice. This necessitates a measure of professional development at the teacher-education level as well as additional research into this process. Second, since early childhood teacher-education programs typically cover a great deal of curricular ground, nature and environmental education are often not prioritized in required course offerings or even as course electives. This factor might involve both curricular and programmatic restructuring. Third, given the increasing variety of early childhood settings in terms of structure, curriculum, and expectations, teacher educators face the challenge of designing nature and environmental courses and practica for settings as diverse as small family childcare in a home to large urban preschools. Fourth, given the broad spectrum of early childhood education at the AA-, BA-, and MA-degree levels, nature and environmental education curriculum and programs will need to account for inter- and intrainstitutional articulation and consistency.

There is growing evidence that, despite potential challenges, the need for teachers to integrate nature and environmental studies into their curriculum is essential. At a most basic level, we know that time in nature positively impacts a whole host of factors that impact educational outcomes, from stress levels to creativity to interest in science (Faber & Kuo, ; Louv, ; Wells & Evans, ). At a cognitive level, research has made clear that rich content knowledge is a precursor to the acquisition and retention of abstract reasoning (Duschl, Schweingruber, & Shouse, ; Metz, ). Current cognitive research shows that knowledge reasoning skills are domain specific, and so, in order for children to engage in deep reasoning about science, they need frequent firsthand experiences as well as structured opportunities for knowledge building and vocabulary development that are science specific (Gelman & Brenneman, ). By providing both unstructured and structured experiences in nature from an early age, children build an understanding of the natural world that allows them to engage in increasingly complex investigation and knowledge building over time. Further, in a time when access to nature is increasingly lacking in children's lives outside of school, making time and space for nature-based experiences as part of the school program has become more critical (White, ). Finally, early experiences with science and nature play a role in children's future interest in the sciences (Maltese & Tai, ). While early childhood classrooms are not primarily focused on future career development, it is nonetheless important to note the increase in equity that may come from providing early experiences in science and nature for all children.

While the need for nature experiences in early childhood education is clear, many teachers feel unprepared to facilitate meaningful and enriching nature activities and instruction. In general, teachers in the early childhood and elementary years have limited college coursework in science, and most report science as an area they feel unprepared to teach. The push for prioritizing literacy and math education has exasperated this issue, relegating science and nature studies to an "extra," rather than a critical part of the educational program (McMurrer, ). The work of the researchers in each of the following articles seeks to disrupt the current state of nature education in teacher preparation, studying the impact of making nature education a priority, both in teacher education and in the classrooms in which these teachers begin and continue their careers.

The articles in this special section represent varied geographical areas (Massachusetts, Nebraska, Oregon), degree levels (AA, BA, MA), teacher-education programs and courses (foundational child development, nature and environmental education, assessment, and practica), and early childhood settings (campus based childcare, private independent, and state- and federally-funded public sites). In "Fostering Connections to Nature - Strategies for Community College Early Childhood Teachers," Debra Murphy, who teaches at Cape Cod Community College, Massachusetts, examines the value of her gradual integration of nature-education curriculum for a part-time student population who are primarily first-generation college students. Murphy examines the benefits of an integrated nature curriculum that builds on her own nature involvement, the collaborative structure of professional learning communities, and the framework from Reggio Emilia, Italy, that emphasizes children as inquisitive and capable learners. Murphy's nature-education curriculum also makes use of varied art forms as integrated with nature, and Cape Cod's biodiversity and nature museums. Based on an examination of students' nature activities and conversations, Murphy argues that preservice teachers at the AA-level benefit from environmental education that integrates science inquiry, documentation, art, and creative problem solving.

Julia Torquati, Jennifer Leeper-Miller, Erin Hamel, Soo-Young Hong, Susan Sarver, and Michelle Rupiper in "‛I Have a Hippopotamus!' Preparing Effective Early Childhood Environmental Educators" examine the integration of nature and environmental education in four BA-level courses across three different certification tracks at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Torquati et al. also look at the value of three specific courses connected to a university-based childcare site that emphasizes outdoor play and a nature curriculum. The preservice students learn to plan meaningful and content-rich nature curriculum through immersion in nature experiences and projects, and a practicum course involves an innovative nature-education collaboration between master teachers and student teachers. The student teachers were also found to benefit from increased interaction with children's families, the use of new technology tools, and a collaboration with local environmental groups to promote a high-quality nature-education curriculum.

In "Fostering Intelligent Moderation in the Next Generation: Insights from Remida Reuse Materials Education," Will Parnell, Christine Downs, and Julianne Cullen present their work with a small group of early childhood MA students at Portland State University and local early childhood teachers at a local recycling and repurposing center. Parnell et al. examine how the Inventing Remida Portland Project can promote a deeper understanding for inservice teachers of powerful new ways to conserve and reuse materials for educational purposes in the community. Through documentation of the teachers' investigations and collaboration, the authors examine the value of a series of creative reuse workshops on the teachers' understanding of and commitment to local sustainability. They argue that centers like the Inventing Remida Portland Project are proactive avenues for teacher educators to promote environmental awareness and to link teacher-education programs and community organizations.

Taken together, this collection of three articles provide new ideas and strategies for teacher educators and teachers to both problematize and promote nature and environmental education as we move forward in addressing environmental issues as a profession and society.

References

, & (2006). Is contact with nature important for healthy child development? State of the evidence. In & (Eds.), Children and their environments: Learning, using and designing spaces (pp. 124-140). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

, & Brenneman, K. (2004). Science learning pathways for young children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 19, 150-158. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2004.01.009

(2007, March/April). Leave no child inside. Orion Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/240/

, & (2010). Eyeballs in the fridge: Sources of early interest in science. International Journal of Science Education, 32(5), 669-685. doi:10.1080/09500690902792385

(2008). Instructional time in elementary schools: A closer look at changes for specific subjects. Washington, DC: Center on Education Policy.

(2008). Narrowing the gulf between the practices of science and the elementary school science classroom. The Elementary School Journal, 109(2), 138-161. doi:10.1086/590523

, & (2003). Nearby nature: A buffer of life stress among rural children. Environment and Behavior, 35, 311-330. doi:10.1177/0013916503035003001

(2004). Young children's relationship with nature: It's importance to children's development and the earth's future. Taproot, 16(2), 1-9. Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group.

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Nature and Environmental Education in Early Childhood

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With the current expansion of universal preschool and transitional kindergarten and other early childhood programs, as well as national attention to children's health and issues of planetary sustainability, nature and environmental education is poised to play a critical role in preservice and inservice early childhood teacher education.

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The benefits of beginning education for sustainability (EfS) in early childhood education are becoming widely known. There is growing concern in the western world that children's access to the outside world is decreasing and children are becoming disconnected from nature and thus not gaining a foundational ethic of care toward the environment. Concern for the state of the environment and fostering children's connections to nature has led to a growing number of early childhood services in Aotearoa/New Zealand implementing sustainable practices, however, EfS is not widespread throughout the sector. This paper examines how early childhood teachers can become leaders for sustainability and presents a pedagogical approach that sustainability leaders can use to enable children to become active citizens who enact change for a more sustainable community.

Introduction

When the United Nations declared 2004-2015 as the 'Decade of Education for Sustainable Development', early childhood did not feature as a significant part of resulting governmental policies related to EfS, either in Aotearoa/New Zealand or internationally. In response to this, an international workshop was held in 2007 on "the role of early childhood education for a sustainable society" (Hägglund & Pramling Samuelsson, 2009, p. 51). The workshop found that early childhood education had a key role in teaching EfS to support young children to develop connections with nature and become active citizens within their communities to help make change toward a more sustainable society.

The term sustainability is complex as it holds different meanings for different groups of people. This paper takes a position of sustainability from the UnitedNations Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) for there to be changes to thinking and behaviour patterns to "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (chap 2, para. 1). This means that environmental, cultural, social, political and economic actions undertaken today must have both present and future generations at the core of their decisions. Thus, EfS must ensure that humans learn they are not independent of the environment, rather they need to work interdependently with the environment to ensure a secure world for future generations.

Education has been recognised as a key factor in creating a society that lives in a sustainable manner. This first became evident when the 1977 Tbilisi Declaration outlined recommendations to world governments to implement environmental education into their education systems (UNESCO-UNEP, 1978). The Tbilisi Declaration identified that humans and the environment were interdependent on each other and governments should consider both the needs of the present and the needs of the future in their policies. It emphasised that for significant change to happen countries had to engage in environmental education for people of all ages engaged in both formal and informal education to solve the problems that were affecting the health of the planet. A framework was developed that outlined five goals for environmental education. These goals were awareness, knowledge, attitudes, skills and participation (Bolstad, 2003).

Subsequently, in recent years environmental practices have been implemented in early childhood services across the globe, resulting in EfS becoming embedded in some early childhood communities through hands-on practical experiences that have real life meaning for children (Pramling Samuelsson & Kaga, 2008). This embedded approach has shown that with the guidance of individuals who care about sustainability issues, very young children can lead change toward a more sustainable future (Davis, 2005; Duhn, Bachmann, & Harris, 2010; Kelly & White, 2012; Ritchie, 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008).

Sustainability leadership calls for individuals to become leaders to make change for the environment, communities and local and global economies. Studies have shown that a top-down style of leadership is limited when trying to make and sustain change (Ferreira, Ryan, & Davis, 2015). Therefore, sustainability leadership moves beyond models of leadership that imply there is a designated person who leads their team toward a particular outcome. Rather sustainability leadership is a more collaborative form of leadership where individuals work with others to "explore, learn, and devise a realistic course of action to address sustainability challenges" (Ferdig, 2007, p. 31). This means that anyone can become a leader, be it centre owners and managers, teachers, student teachers, or children. Such leaders are deeply aware of the impact their actions on the environment and those around them and interact with others to inspire change (Ferdig, 2007).

Education for sustainability and early childhood education in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Currently, EfS is not mandatory in the Aotearoa/New Zealand early childhood sector (Duhn, 2012). The sector is guided by the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 2017), which has recently been revised and released this year. Te Whāriki continues to have no explicit links to EfS within its principles, strands and goals. However, the aspiration for children and content within the principles, strands and goals do implicitly provide guidance for teachers to include sustainability practices within their centre curricula (Duhn et al., 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008). As the approach for how they will implement EfS, or even if they will implement EfS, is determined by each individual centre, and in some cases individual teachers, EfS is not widespread across the early childhood sector in Aotearoa/New Zealand (Carr & May, 2000; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008).

Despite EfS being non-mandatory in Aotearoa/New Zealand, dedicated teachers in the early childhood sector have been implementing environmental practices with children for a number of years. These practices include gardening, worm farming, composting and recycling (Kelly & White, 2012; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008). However, this is not widespread within the sector. It has been suggested that early childhood teachers may not engage fully in EfS due to historical beliefs that providing young children with experiences in nature is enough to gain a connection with nature, and that children in early childhood are too young to comprehend the issues of sustainability (Elliott & Davis, 2009). Early childhood EfS has been built on a tradition of providing young children with experiences in nature. This has been viewed as a platform from which children's curiosity can develop into sensitivity toward the natural world. However, recognition has grown that providing experiences in nature is not enough for children to develop conceptions of the environment and understanding of sustainability issues (Cutter-Mackenzie, Edwards, & Moore, 2014; Elliott, 2014).

Connections to nature and environmental care

Wilson (2012) outlines how the early childhood years are fundamental in developing "environmental attitudes and a commitment to caring for the Earth" (p. 87). The natural world can give children instant responses to their curiosity through all of their senses as they touch, taste, smell, see and hear what is going on around them. Such connections tend to foster an ethic of care for the natural environment and the life systems within it (Phenice & Griffore, 2003). Positive experiences in nature can support children to develop the understanding that humans are interconnected with the earth and its life supporting systems, and that all humans have a responsibility to ensure its survival for future generations (Chawla, 2007).

However, there is growing evidence to show that in the western world, the present generation of children do not have the same opportunities for connection with nature as previous generations (Elliott, 2015; Louv, 2008; Wilson, 2012), and this has become a subject of concern for environmental educators. Wilson (2012) highlights this concern, contending that when children are not regularly exposed to nature, they may develop physical and emotional difficulties or "unfounded fears of the natural world" (p. 86). This has implications for early childhood, as more children than ever before are enrolled in early childhood services, highlighting the increasing need for teachers to provide a curriculum that ensures there are ongoing and frequent experiences in and with nature for children (Elliott & Davis, 2009; Prince, 2010). To develop a connection to, and "cognitive knowing" (Elliott, 2015, p. 47) about nature children need lots of opportunities for unstructured play outside. They also need opportunities to engage in joint attention with sensitive adults who can share their sense of wonder at their discoveries and support their growing understanding of the world around them (Ashby & Agius, 2015; Chawla & Cushing, 2007; Elliott & Davis, 2009).

Therefore, for connections to nature and environmental attitudes to be fostered in children, they will need the support and guidance of ecologically-aware teachers who engage in intentional teaching pedagogies that encourage children to engage with sustainability issues such as water conservation, rubbish reduction, and connections to nature and each other. Such guidance will help children to comprehend the implications of their own actions, and those of others, on the environment. Furthermore, as children act on their understandings and enact change within and beyond their centre environments, they become active citizens within the wider community (Duhn, 2012; Phillip, 2014; Ritchie, 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008), and uphold the key aspiration of Te Whāriki that they will make "a valued contribution to society" (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 9).

Values and beliefs of sustainability

One way that ecologically-aware teachers can begin to enact change is if they understand their role as a sustainability leader within their centre communities. However, as mentioned earlier in this article, sustainability means different things to different groups of people. Similarly, values and beliefs toward sustainability differ widely too. One of the difficulties with EfS is that it is a complex and values-laden concept. With a wide range of values and beliefs toward sustainability between different interest groups, actions and behaviours may look different in practice (Tilbury, 1995). Whilst one of the roles of EfS is to support children to shape their values toward an environmental ethic and become active citizens who make change toward a more sustainable society (Burns, Diamond-Vaught, & Bauman, 2015; Murray, 2011; Tilbury, 1995), knowledge alone is not enough to change behaviour. It is also "dependent on personal motivation and a sense of responsibility which results from the development of a personal environmental ethic" (Tilbury, 1995, p. 201). When values and beliefs about the issues associated with sustainability are strong, they become part of the teacher's identity and provide a personal motivation to incorporate those values into their teaching (Kennelly, Taylor, & Maxwell, 2008).

Sustainability leadership

Sustainability leaders are guided by values and beliefs that are grounded in connectedness with nature and other living beings, and they are committed to making change toward a sustainable world and supporting others to do the same. Their approach goes beyond their self-interest to a personal ethic that has the belief that they can make change individually and with others (Ferdig, 2007). A teacher guided by such beliefs has the ability to become a sustainability leader within their centre.

Early childhood in Aotearoa/New Zealand has an advantage in providing a context for sustainability leaders to emerge. As the sector is required to apply a team approach to their teaching, Clarkin-Phillips (2009) found that distributed leadership was an effective way for teachers to become leaders. In a distributed leadership model, the responsibility for leading change does not fall on the shoulders of the person in the position of 'leader'. Rather leadership draws on the strengths and abilities of all individuals in the setting, and recognises that all are able to make change when they work together in a collaborative manner. Similarly in Australia, Gibson (2010) found that when leadership was distributed within her centre, and teachers were encouraged to create their own goals and visions, a deep cultural shift occurred in the centre, and sustainability became the core value upon which all teaching was based.

In order to become a sustainability leader, the individual has to have a self-belief that they can enact change. They need to be able to show commitment to the action they want to take, and be able to clearly articulate the key issues in order to advocate for change (Ferreira et al., 2015). Tilbury (1995) outlines components that make up the complex nature of EfS. These components include a holistic approach that integrates EfS across curriculum areas, issues-based and action-based learning where children develop an understanding of environmental and sustainability problems and how they can address these problems, and finally political literacy and critical thinking skills so children are able to engage in democratic decision-making and action to make change (Tilbury, 1995). Sustainability leaders understand these complexities and are able to apply these to their early childhood settings to make transformational change. Studies show that such leadership is evident within centres where passionate individuals inspire others to engage with environmentally aware practices. Numerous studies in early childhood have shown that when sustainability leaders (teachers) fostered children's democratic understanding of sustainability issues, children enacted change through their active engagement in decision making (Davis, 2005; Mackey, 2012; Phillip, 2014; Ritchie, 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008).

Integrating education for sustainability into early childhood

It has been found that EfS is most effective when there is a whole centre approach that is holistic and integrates it across the curriculum, which places early childhood at a "pedagogical advantage" (Elliott, 2010, p. 35). Teaching pedagogies in early childhood tend to be holistic, involving an interactive approach to teaching and learning that engages children fully within the learning experience. The studies mentioned above engaged the whole centre community and leadership was shared between teachers and children. Teachers observed and listened to children's ideas. They took their cues from the children and engaged them in meaningful discussion to support their learning. A culture of shared understanding developed as children and teachers worked alongside each other, learning about caring for their environment, both within the centre and within the local community, through a variety of projects (Davis, 2005; Mackey, 2012; Phillip, 2014; Ritchie, 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008).

Pedagogical approach to education for sustainability that fosters leadership and change

It has been recognised that for EfS to be effective to action change for the future, then its pedagogy needs to be not only underpinned by constructivist theory, it must also "change from the transmission model of education to a transformational model" (Jenkins, 2009, p. 32). Similarly, leaders of sustainability adopt an approach that is underpinned by the transformational model that can result in a deep shift in values and beliefs within the person that alters their view of the world (Burns et al., 2015).

One such pedagogical approach considers all elements of sustainability and engages learners in experiential learning 'in, about and for' the environment (Barker & Rogers, 2004). This approach is underpinned by social constructivist theory that provides learners with opportunities to learn alongside others to gain knowledge and develop their values and beliefs, whilst engaging in hands-on learning about the environment or sustainability issue. Education 'in' the environment is a teaching approach that has children engaged in activities in the environment, whereas 'about' the environment has children gaining knowledge of environmental issues, and 'for' the environment is teaching children how to make change guided by their experience in the environment and the knowledge they have gained (Barker & Rogers, 2004). These three concepts cannot be taught independently of each other, rather they need to be taught together as a whole.

Education 'for' the environment deems that it is not enough to just bring the issues to the knowledge of the children and engage them in the environment. Knowledge in isolation may increase the risk of raising children' anxiety levels and a sense of helplessness about the state of the environment (Jensen & Schnack, 1997). Education 'for' the environment gives children opportunities to discuss these issues, develop critical thinking skills, political understanding and the ability to make decisions and action change (Tilbury, 1995).

Teachers lead and support children to develop a greater awareness of environmental issues, develop their own set of values that prompt them to want to make change, and develop skills to perform democratic action that will have a positive impact for the future (Jensen & Schnack, 1997). Action competence has the capacity to teach learners from early childhood through to adulthood. Research has shown that even very young children have the capacity to understand environmental issues and make change in their own lives and influence their families (Duhn et al., 2010; Gambino, Davis, & Rowntree, 2009). For example, children were found to be policing their parents' actions leading to changes in the goods that they purchased, as children were checking for triangles on plastic items to make sure they can be recycled, or asking parents to not use plastic wrap for wrapping lunch as it had to go to the landfill (Ritchie, 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008).

A pedagogical approach such as 'in', 'about' and 'for' the environment gives teachers the opportunity to become sustainability leaders within their centres. Ferdig (2007) contends that a sustainability leader "possesses a spirit of inquiry and learning...and model learning in action...encouraging people around them to do the same while developing a deeper understanding of challenges and solutions" (p. 33). Engaging in education 'for' the environment creates scope for sustainability teacher leaders to work with children, colleagues and families in a collaborative and collective way to understand sustainability issues and create solutions to help address the issues.

Some early childhood centres already engage in a number of practices that give children hands-on experiences of environmental practices, learning 'in' and 'about' the environment. However, they often do not engage in 'for' the environment (Elliott, 2010). This may be because they believe that teaching children 'in' and 'about' is enough as children in early childhood are too young to understand the deeper issues in order to make decisions on how they can effect change (Elliott & Davis, 2009). However, studies cited in this article and elsewhere demonstrate that children have the capacity to understand and willingness to make change within their centres, at home and in some instances the wider community (Davis, 2005; Duhn et al., 2010; Ritchie, 2010; Vaealiki & Mackey, 2008).

Conclusion

Whilst raising awareness is a way of encouraging teachers to engage in EfS and may result in an increase in sustainability practices, it may not be enough to create a change in thinking toward a culture of EfS in early childhood. Therefore, there is a need for teachers with a passion and belief in sustainability to become leaders who can facilitate a change in thinking that transforms centre culture to embrace the values of EfS. These leaders will need to be aware of their own deeply held values and beliefs so they are able to clearly articulate their ideas in order to gain the support of centre owners, management, colleagues and the wider centre community to make effective change. This will take time as teachers need to engage in dialogue with their colleagues and centre management, share their visions and ideas and possibly undertake professional development.

Change could also come from centre management and centre owners who have a personal motivation to create a centre culture that has EfS as a core value (Gibson, 2010). As such, they are likely to employ teachers who have a shared motivation toward sustainability. This could lead to opportunities for teachers with a passion for EfS to become sustainability leaders within their centres. It could also provide a platform from which a distributed model of leadership can emerge where individuals take responsiblity for aspects of the programme that interest them and lead change that builds on the principles of sustainability.

Whether a change of culture comes from within the organisation or from management and ownership, sustainability teacher leaders will need to have a belief in what they are doing, the motivation to engage others, and an understanding of the best pedagogical approach to achieve sustained change within the centre culture so they support children to be active citizens in the community they live in. It is recommended that research into the value of sustainability leadership for making change is undertaken in early childhood in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

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Kelly, J., & White, E. J. (2012). Pedagogy beyond the gate: The ngahere project. Early Childhood Folio, 16(2), 5-11.

Kennelly, J., Taylor, N., & Maxwell, T. (2008). A student teacher's personal pathway to education for sustainability. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 24, 23-33.

Louv, R. (2008). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.

Mackey, G. (2012). To know, to decide, to act: the young child's right to participate in action for the environment. Environmental Education Research, 18(4), 473-484. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2011.634494

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā o Aotearoa, Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Murray, P. (2011). The sustainable self: A personal approach to sustainability education. United Kingdom: Earthscan.

Phenice, L., & Griffore, R. (2003). Young children and the natural world. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 4(2), 167-171.

Phillip, L. (2014). I want to do real things: Explorations of children's active community participation. In J. Davis & S. Elliott (Eds.), Research in Early Childhood Education for Sustainability: International Perspectives and Provocations. Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge.

Pramling Samuelsson, I., & Kaga, Y. (2008). Introduction. In I. Pramling Samuelsson & Y. Kaga (Eds.), The Contribution of Early Childhood Education to a Sustainable Society (pp. 9-17). Paris, France: UNESCO. Retrieved from: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001593/159355E.pdf

Prince, C. (2010). Sowing the seeds: Education for sustainability within the early years curriculum. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 18(3), 423-434. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2010.500082

Ritchie, J. (2010). Notions of wellbeing and interdependence embedded within ecologically sustainable early childhood pedagogies in Aotearoa. Retrieved from: http://unitec.researchbank.ac.nz/handle/10652/1487

Tilbury, D. (1995). Environmental education for sustainability: Defining the new focus of environmental education in the 1990s. Environmental Education Research, 1(2), 195-212.

UNESCO-UNEP. (1978). The Tblisi declaration. Connect: Environmental Education Newsletter, 3(1), 1-8.

United Nations. (1987). Report of the World Commission on environment and development: Our common future. Retrieved from: http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm

Vaealiki, S., & Mackey, G. (2008). Ripples of action: Strengthening environmental competency. Early Childhood Folio, 12, 7-11.

Wilson, R. (2012). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

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Leading the change toward education for sustainability in early childhood education

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The benefits of beginning education for sustainability (EfS) in early childhood education are becoming widely known. There is growing concern in the western world that children's access to the outside world is decreasing and children are becoming disconnected from nature and thus not gaining a foundational ethic of care toward the environment.

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Building managers and operators know that saving money is an important part of staying within an available budget. One way to save hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars a year is to make sustainable, eco-friendly changes to everyday operations. From natural cleaning products to energy-efficient windows, there are countless ways to help your organization go green this year.

There are countless technologies and products that boast sustainable outcomes, but if you're worried about time or budget, here are five easy ways to start going green in your facilities that are simple enough to start today.

How to Make Your Building More Eco-FrienDly

1. Take a smart approach to lighting and energy usage.

A simple way to improve your facility's energy consumption is to invest in energy-efficient lighting solutions. "Smart lighting" refers to high-efficiency lighting options - including energy-efficient light fixtures, automatic light dimmers and lighting systems that connect to occupancy sensors, motion detectors or daylight sensors. Retrofitting your facility's outdated lighting is a great way to see a quick, guaranteed return on investment.

If funds are tight, start by upgrading standard light bulbs to LEDs, which can last 15 to 25 times longer than traditional light bulbs. Or, consider installing skylights to take advantage of natural light during the day. With efficient lighting solutions, your organization will be empowered to better understand its energy needs, automate consumption and adapt to constant changes in space occupancy.

2. Reduce your building's water consumption.

Lowering your water bills is easier than you may think. Start by installing low-flow plumbing fixtures in your facility's restrooms. You may find it useful to utilize low-flow versions of flush valves, sink aerators and faucets. If your budget allows, consider installing touch-free faucets. These faucets keep water running only when a person's hands are underneath. One of the greatest benefits of touch-free faucets is preventing users from accidentally leaving faucets running for longer than intended.

Next, boost the efficiency of your building's cooling towers. Cooling towers operate by removing heat from a building's air conditioning system by evaporating condenser water. Since cooling towers are constantly losing water through evaporation, they can make up a large portion of a building's water usage. Remember to regularly inspect and repair your cooling towers and boiler systems.

Pro Tip: Equip your building's cooling tower with overflow alarms. An alarm will prevent overflow of the sump in case of makeup water valve failure.

3. Leverage a strong preventative maintenance plan.

Another way to make your facilities more sustainable is by implementing a preventive maintenance routine. Equipment lasts longer if it's correctly maintained, so that means less waste from assets not being used for their full useful life, which cost you more money, and more savings because you're not constantly replacing equipment.

The best way to implement a preventive maintenance plan is by choosing a software that can automate the process and keep detailed records on your assets. The right software lets you track an asset's age, previous issues, maintenance history and schedule any future appointments. As an added benefit, using an automated facility software eliminates any need for paper work orders and service requests that ultimately pile up, get lost, or thrown away. Plus, your team's efficiency will likely improve and you'll eliminate paper waste in the process.

4. Find green cleaning alternatives.

Another easy way to see green results in your facilities is by choosing environmentally friendly cleaning supplies for your janitorial staff. While these cleaners have a direct impact on the world we live in (less runoff into water bodies and fewer toxic chemicals being released into the air), they can also provide a safer working environment for your team.

Just like in the consumer industry though, be wary of products stamped with eco-friendly or biodegradable, since they're buzz words and don't always have the data to support them. Instead, look for the EPA's Safer Choice label, which designates a product as meeting the expectations for its Design for the Environment (DFE) program.

An easy way to track when and which cleaners are being used where is with an automated work order system that includes which cleaners should be used to meet O&M standards. These specifications, along with any supporting guidelines or product information, can be easily stored in a work order system at the asset level and connected to the central document library.

Are green cleaning products really they worth the cost?

Many suppliers are beginning to offer greener alternatives for cleaning supplies at competitive prices. In addition to helping the environment, green cleaning supplies also keep the air quality and working conditions healthier for employees, mitigating risk from exposure to dangerous substances and decreasing the chances employees miss work due to health issues.

5. Utilize energy-saving electrical sockets.

A significant energy cost that many facilities forget is "standby power draw." This term refers to power consumed by electronics, even when they are switched off or in standby mode. Television sets, DVD players, sound systems, computers and telephones are all examples of devices that can use standby power.

Did you know that standby power can cost your facility hundreds of dollars per year? One foolproof way of preventing devices from consuming extra power is by unplugging them completely. However, facilities can also utilize automatic shutdown sockets to cut power to devices. These "smart" sockets use infrared sensors or timers to shut off power to a room that is unoccupied, or to devices that aren't in use. Devices can also be plugged into power strips with on/off switches. When switched off, power strips ensure devices do not draw power when they're not actively being used.

How does your organization "go green?"

Does your facility do anything unique to be more environmentally friendly? What are some challenges you've had to making these sustainable switches? We'd love to hear from you, so please don't hesitate to comment below!

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5 Ways to Make Your Building More Environmentally Friendly

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Building managers and operators know that saving money is an important part of staying within an available budget. One way to save hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars a year is to make sustainable, eco-friendly changes to everyday operations. From natural cleaning products to energy-efficient windows, there are countless ways to help your organization go green this year.

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Sustainable Building Principles — Building Biology and Ecology InstituteSustainable Building PrinciplesSustainable Building Principles

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Building Biology and Ecology Institute of New Zealand (BBE), is committed to researching and promoting the most sustainable, healthy and harmonious building solutions possible, and making them accessible to everyone.

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Quick summary: In this social action lesson, students will consider actions that they can take in their local community to ensure that human rights are enjoyed by all people. Students will explore what human rights are, research some of the work being done to address human rights issues through a variety of different initiatives, and then consider the changes that could occur in their local community to ensure access to human rights for all. They will plan and deliver an action to improve the way human rights are experienced in their local community. Students will then reflect on the effectiveness of their action and the personal development that they experienced.
Essential question:

How can we improve how human rights are experienced in the community?
21st Century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping
This lesson can be used with all learning areas of the Australian Curriculum.
General capabilities: Literacy, Information and Communication Capability, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding.

Topic: Human Rights

Time required: 210+ mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: High - facilitate class discussion, student research and project planning. Coordinate student delivery and showcasing of projects.

Resources required: Student Worksheet - one per student. Device capable of presenting a website and video to the class. Human rights areas of work posters, Human Rights in Our Community table (one per group). Devices capable of web-research (enough for one per pair). Sticky-notes, butcher's paper, markers. Project-specific resources, as identified by students in their planning (such as stationary, access to computers, etc.) Project Planning Tool, Project Checklist.
rights, freedoms, social action, community.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Story of Our Rights and Freedoms - Human Rights in Our Community - Social Action - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this social action lesson, students will consider actions that they can take in their local community to ensure that human rights are enjoyed by all people.

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will participate in a Social Action Project to improve recycling practices within their school. They will learn about the positive impact recycling can have, research recycling procedures and habits within their school, develop ideas for improvement and change and then take action. Participation in this lesson will support students to develop a broad range of skills relating to planning, organisation, collaboration and communication skills as well as positively contributing to individual wellbeing. It supports students to develop skills they will need to be successful contributors to society in the 21st century.

This activity has been developed in partnership with Visy. For over 70 years Visy has been committed to finding sustainable solutions for Australia’s recyclables and helping to reduce local landfills. Visy collects, receives and sorts paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, steel and aluminium from households, businesses and schools with the purpose of reusing these products in the re-manufacture of new packaging products.

Learning intentions:

Students will understand why recycling has a positive impact on our environment

Students will understand their own and their community’s choices and practices

Students will be able to enact positive change within their community.

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Year 7 Geography

Causes, impacts and responses to an atmospheric or hydrological hazard (ACHGK042).

Year 8 Geography

Human causes and effects of landscape degradation (ACHGK051).

Year 9 Geography

Challenges to food production, including land and water degradation, shortage of fresh water, competing land uses, and climate change, for Australia and other areas of the world (ACHGK063).

The capacity of the world’s environments to sustainably feed the projected future global population (ACHGK064).

The effects of the production and consumption of goods on places and environments throughout the world and including a country from North-East Asia (ACHGK068).

Year 10 Geography

Human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability (ACHGK070).

Year 7 Science

Some of Earth’s resources are renewable, including water that cycles through the environment, but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116).

Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120).

People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE121).

Year 8 Science

Scientific knowledge has changed peoples’ understanding of the world and is refined as new evidence becomes available (ACSHE134).

Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology, may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135).

People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE136).

Year 9 Science

Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE228).

Year 10 Science

Global systems, including the carbon cycle, rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere (ACSSU189).

People use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims, explanations or predictions, and advances in science can affect people’s lives, including generating new career opportunities (ACSHE194).

Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE230).

Syllabus outcomes: GE4-2, GE4-3, GE4-4, GE4-5, GE5-2, GE5-3, GE5-5, SC4-12ES, SC4-11PW, SC4-13ES, SC4-15LW, SC5-11PW, SC5-12ES, SC5-13ES.

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1, OI.2, OI.3, OI.4, OI.5, OI.6, OI.8, OI.9.

Relevant parts of Year 7-10 Geography Achievement Standards:

Year 7 & 8: Students explain interconnections between people and places and environments and describe how these interconnections change places and environments. They describe alternative strategies to a geographical challenge referring to environmental, economic and social factors.

Year 9: Students analyse interconnections between people, places and environments and explain how these interconnections influence people, and change places and environments. They predict changes in the characteristics of places over time and identify the possible implications of change for the future. Students analyse alternative strategies to a geographical challenge using environmental, social and economic criteria.

Year 10: Students explain how interactions between geographical processes at different scales change the characteristics of places. Students identify, analyse and explain significant interconnections between people, places and environments and explain changes that result from these interconnections and their consequences. They predict changes in the characteristics of places and environments over time, across space and at different scales and explain the predicted consequences of change. They evaluate alternative views on a geographical challenge and alternative strategies to address this challenge using environmental, economic, political and social criteria and draw a reasoned conclusion.

Relevant parts of Year 7–10 Science Achievement Standards:

Year 7: Students analyse how the sustainable use of resources depends on the way they are formed and cycle through Earth systems.

Year 8: Students explain how evidence has led to an improved understanding of a scientific idea and describe situations in which scientists collaborated to generate solutions to contemporary problems. They reflect on implications of these solutions for different groups in society.

Year 9: Students analyse how biological systems function and respond to external changes with reference to interdependencies, energy transfers and flows of matter. They describe social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments and predict how future applications of science and technology may affect people’s lives.

Year 10: Students explain how chemical reactions are used to produce particular products and how different factors influence the rate of reactions. Students describe and analyse interactions and cycles within and between Earth’s spheres.

Topic: Recycling, Sustainability.

Unit of work: Visy Education – Secondary Mathematics, Secondary Science and Secondary Literacy Skills.

Time required: 4-5 sessions.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – the teacher will lead students in discussion and class activities and oversee group work.

Resources required:

Device capable of presenting a video to the class

Social Action Student Workbook (one copy per student)

Tongs to sort rubbish with

Large piece of poster paper.

Keywords: Recycling, sustainability, environment, resources, materials.

The information and statistics included in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Visy Education - Towards Zero Waste - Social Action - Years 7 to 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will participate in a Social Action Project to improve recycling practices within their school. They will learn

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will investigate the way language is portrayed in the feature documentary, In My Blood It Runs. They will explore how language can be a source of cultural identity and political power. Using bilingualism as a context within the film, students will examine the interactions between different languages and cultures and how these create meaning in the film. They will then relate these themes back to the Australian context, to explore how language can have meaning and power in the community.

We recommend that before you teach this lesson, you have taught one or both of the first lessons in the sequence ( Identity and Diverse Perspectives), accessed the free professional learning resource, which has been co-developed by Reconciliation Australia's Narragunnawali team, and watched the film with your class.

Learning intentions: Students understand...

... how language is connected to place, culture and identity

... the context and significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages

... how languages change and borrow from each other

... how language can be used for inclusion and exclusion.

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:
Year 9 English:

Understand that Standard Australian English is a living language within which the creation and loss of words and the evolution of usage is ongoing (ACELA1550)

Understand that roles and relationships are developed and challenged through language and interpersonal skills (ACELA1551)

Interpret and compare how representations of people and culture in literary texts are drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1633)

Year 10 English :

Understand that Standard Australian English in its spoken and written forms has a history of evolution and change and continues to evolve (ACELA1563)

Understand how language use can have inclusive and exclusive social effects, and can empower or disempower people (ACELA1564)

Compare and evaluate a range of representations of individuals and groups in different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1639)

Syllabus outcomes: EN5-3B, EN5-5C, EN5-8D.

General capabilities: Literacy.

Cross-curriculum priority: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures (OI.4, OI.8).

Relevant parts of Year 9 & 10 achievement standards: Students interpret, create, evaluate, discuss and perform a wide range of literary texts in which the primary purpose is aesthetic, as well as texts designed to inform and persuade. These include various types of media texts, including newspapers, film and digital texts, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, dramatic performances and multimodal texts, with themes and issues involving levels of abstraction, higher-order reasoning and intertextual references. Students develop a critical understanding of contemporary media and the differences between media texts.

Topic: Learning Through Film, Social Issues, Indigenous Education.

This lesson is part of the wider unit of work In My Blood It Runs.

Time required: 80 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - facilitate class discussion based themes and events in the film.
Resources required:

Device with internet access capable of displaying videos for the whole class

Sets of dominoes or packs of cards

Student Worksheet.

Keywords: In My Blood It Runs, film, film study, language, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Indigenous, bilingualism, power, culture, empower, borrow, loan word, inclusion, exclusion.

Cool Australia would like to thank the In My Blood It Runs Advisory Committee who supported the writing of this resource. Special thanks to Alanna Raymond, Tessa Keenan, Stephanie Woerde, Esma Livermore and Julie Bover from Reconciliation Australia, Alex Shain from Shark Island, Maria Katsabanis from Australian Human Rights Commission, Renee Phillips from National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition, and Keren Shlezinger.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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In My Blood It Runs - Speaking Power - English - Years 9 & 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will investigate the way language is portrayed in the feature documentary, In My Blood It Runs. They will explore how language can be a source of cultural identity and political power. Using bilingualism as a context within the film, students will examine the interactions between different languages and cultures and how these create meaning in the film.

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Aspire Generation: Learning to Learn - Work Studies - Years 9 & 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students consider what learning is by working together to create a structure using limited materials and then reflect on what and how they learned throughout the process. They complete […]

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Quick summary: This lesson is designed for a flipped classroom, where students learn new content by watching a video in their own time. This strategy provides the opportunity for students to build their knowledge, attitudes and values by themselves, thereby freeing up class time for hands-on work.

This lesson has been created in partnership with WWF-Australia. Earth Hour is the world's largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of educators use Earth Hour's education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

For the most up to date Earth Hour dates, times, and events, check here.
Learning goals:

Students explore climate change.

Students build their thinking and questioning skills.

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and creative thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability O1.1, O1.2.
Australian Curriculum content descriptions: This l esson can be used with all the learning areas of the Australian Curriculum that relate to energy and climate change.
Time needed: 20 minutes.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low - allow students to explore the topic independently by watching the video in the Student Worksheet.

Resources required: Internet, laptops and earphones, Student Worksheet.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Key words: Climate change, Earth Hour, impacts, future.

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Earth Hour: Flipped Classroom - Tuning into Climate Change - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson is designed for a flipped classroom, where students learn new content by watching a video in their own time. This strategy provides the opportunity for students to build their knowledge, attitudes and values by themselves, thereby freeing up class time for hands-on work.

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Quick summary: Working in pairs students are asked to investigate how news stories about climate change were reported 10 years ago compared to the present day. They then imagine the news about climate change 10 years in the future based upon the actions they can take for climate change today. Students begin by investigating articles about climate change from the past and the present day, comparing and analysing the language and techniques used to attract the attention of readers. Students then determine an action they could do now to fight climate change, and what news this might create 10 years in the future. They then create a news piece around this story, presented to audiences from the future.

This lesson has been created in partnership with WWF-Australia. Earth Hour is the world's largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of teachers use Earth Hour's education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

For the most up to date Earth Hour dates, times, and events, check here.
Learning goals:

Students recognise actions we can all take to limit climate change.

Students identify some of the ways that messages about climate change have been communicated through the news, both in the past and in the present.

Students recognise some of the techniques and language strategies used to portray information in news articles.

Students understand some of the steps involved in creating a news piece, including the purpose of headlines and leading paragraphs.

Students recognise that their own actions for climate change now may become the news stories of the future.

Students understand the role of Earth Hour in communicating messages about climate change and climate change action.

21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions: Year 9 English

Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts (ACELY1739)

Interpret, analyse and evaluate how different perspectives of issue, event, situation, individuals or groups are constructed to serve specific purposes in texts (ACELY1742)

Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that present a point of view and advance or illustrate arguments, including texts that integrate visual, print and/or audio features (ACELY1746)

Review and edit students' own and others' texts to improve clarity and control over content, organisation, paragraphing, sentence structure, vocabulary and audio/visual features (ACELY1747)

Year 10 English

Use comprehension strategies to compare and contrast information within and between texts, identifying and analysing embedded perspectives, and evaluating supporting evidence (ACELY1754)

Create sustained texts, including texts that combine specific digital or media content, for imaginative, informative, or persuasive purposes that reflect upon challenging and complex issues (ACELY1756)

Review, edit and refine students' own and others' texts for control of content, organisation, sentence structure, vocabulary, and/or visual features to achieve particular purposes and effects (ACELY1757)

Syllabus outcomes: EN5-8D, EN5-2A, EN5-1A, SC5-12ES.

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability.

Cross-curriculum priority: S ustainability OI.1, OI.6.

Relevant parts of Year 9 English achievement standards: Students understand how to use a variety of language features to create different levels of meaning. In creating texts, students demonstrate how manipulating language features and images can create innovative texts. Students create texts that respond to issues, interpreting and integrating ideas from other texts. They edit for effect, selecting vocabulary and grammar that contribute to the precision and persuasiveness of texts and using accurate spelling and punctuation.

Relevant parts of Year 10 English achievement standards: Students show how the selection of language features can achieve precision and stylistic effect, and create a wide range of texts to articulate complex ideas. They demonstrate understanding of grammar, vary vocabulary choices for impact, and accurately use spelling and punctuation when creating and editing texts.

Topic: Earth Hour, Climate Change.

Unit of work: Earth Hour - Secondary.

Time required: 120+ minutes

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - lead students in discussion, guide students through creating a news piece.

Resources required: Student Worksheet - one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Device capable of presenting a website to the class. How to be persuasive presentation ( PDF version here), Inverted pyramid model of journalistic writing, Tips for writing a news article - Secondary, Tips for creating a news report - Secondary, Assessment Rubric - Years 9 & 10, Pledge poster.

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Keywords: Earth Hour, climate change, past, present, future, news makers, action.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Earth Hour - Switch off to join the future - English - Years 9 & 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Working in pairs students are asked to investigate how news stories about climate change were reported 10 years ago compared to the present day. They then imagine the news about climate change 10 years in the future based upon the actions they can take for climate change today.

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Flipped Classroom - Nature is Speaking: Harrison Ford is The Ocean - Year 7 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson is designed for a flipped classroom, where students learn new content by watching a video in their own time. This strategy provides the opportunity for students […]

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In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040, focusing on actions they can take that has positive benefits both now and in the future. Students begin by looking at examples of young people who have taken action for the future through social and environmental projects. They then work as a class or in groups to choose a topic they are concerned about, and design, plan and implement a project to get the community involved in taking action on the topic.
The social action created can be used to engage another class, the whole school or the wider community, if you choose. Following project completion, students will celebrate and reflect on the success of their project and their participation in the project.

This lesson can be used as a stand-alone lesson or can be used to consolidate and extend learning if you have completed any of the other lessons in this unit.

We've taken elements of this lesson and adapted them for remote learning. You can find this activity here.
Learning Intentions

Students will understand that they have a role to play in creating the future they want to see.

Students will understand and be able to drive the processes required for planning and executing an action-based project.

Lesson & Curriculum Details

Topic: Sustainability, Energy, Consumption.

Unit of work: 2040 - Integrated Unit - Years 5 & 6.

Time required: 210+ mins. (this time allows students to plan and conduct their social action project)

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - oversee activities and facilitate class discussions.

Keywords: 2040, documentary, transport, energy, food, sustainability, future, social action.

To view our Australian Curriculum alignment click here. To view our NZ Curriculum alignment click here. Resources Required Accessing the Film

2040 is an innovative feature documentary that looks to the future, but is vitally important NOW! Director Damon Gameau embarks on a journey to explore what the future could look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them rapidly into the mainstream.

In Australia: Order the Schools Version of the 2040 DVD. The Schools Version includes an educational license and is for Australian primary and secondary schools that wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host free on-site screenings for the school community.

In New Zealand: Order the Schools Version of the 2040 DVD. The Schools Version includes an educational license and is for New Zealand primary and secondary schools that wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host free on-site screenings for the school community.

If you are teaching in either New Zealand or Australia, you can now organise a virtual screening of the film for your class. To enquire about this option, simply email [email protected] and the 2040 team will help you set this up! If you have already bought a DVD of the film and you have a ClickView account, you can email the team for permission to upload the film to your account to make it more easily accessible for your teachers and students.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Cool Australia, GoodThing Productions and Regen Pictures would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of Good Pitch Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation and our philanthropic partners in the development of these teaching resources.

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2040 - Taking Action For Your 2040 - Years 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040, focusing on actions they can take that has positive benefits both now and in the future. Students begin by looking at examples of young people who have taken action for the future through social and environmental projects.

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Quick summary: This lesson explores key themes showcased in the AFLW 'Player Stories' vlog-doc: 'A New Hero - Sabrina Frederick-Traub'. Students will complete a 'Think-Pair-Share' visible thinking routine to establish what they understand about identity, then view 'A Strong Foundation' and frame their viewpoints about stereotypes by responding in groups to a set of prompts. Students will share their understanding of gender stereotypes in a 'Stand on the line' activity, then work with their peers to identify the ways Sabrina overcame the stereotypes she faced as a female Australian rules footballer.

This lesson has been developed in conjunction with the AFLW in celebration of the advancement of women in sport and the promotion of equal opportunity for all people in all facets of life.
Learning intentions:

Students understand stereotypes and stereotypical thinking.

Students identify stereotypes as an influencer of identity.

Students identify strategies to overcome stereotypes.

21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:
Year 9 & 10 Health and Physical Education

Evaluate factors that shape identities and critically analyse how individuals impact the identities of others (ACPPS089)

Investigate how empathy and ethical decision making contribute to respectful relationships (ACPPS093)

Syllabus outcomes: PDHPE 5.1, 5.3, 5.11, 5.13.

Relevant parts of Year 9 & 10 HPE achievement standards: Students critically analyse contextual factors that influence identities, relationships, decisions and behaviours. They analyse the impact attitudes and beliefs about diversity have on community connection and wellbeing. They apply decision-making and problem-solving skills when taking action to enhance their own and others' health, safety and wellbeing.

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capacity.

Topic: Social Issues.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - facilitate class discussion.

Resources required: Student Worksheets - printed, one copy per student. Device capable of presenting a video to the class. Chalk-Talk visible thinking routine prompts (printed, enough for one per group of 3-4). 'Strongly agree' and 'Strongly disagree' signs, printed. Blu-Tack. Mind-Map: Strategies to Overcome Stereotypes (printed, enough for one per group of 3-4).

Keywords: AFLW, stereotype, societal norms, expectations, adversity, resilience, strategies.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
© Cool Australia and the Australian Football League

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Investigating Identity - HPE - Years 9 & 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson explores key themes showcased in the AFLW 'Player Stories' vlog-doc: 'A New Hero - Sabrina Frederick-Traub'. Students will complete a 'Think-Pair-Share' visible thinking routine to establish what they understand about identity, then view 'A Strong Foundation' and frame their viewpoints about stereotypes by responding in groups to a set of prompts.

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Looking to inspire your students to engage with real-world social issues?

Every night 22,000 Australian teenagers are experiencing homelessness. That was the shocking revelation of the 2008 feature documentary The Oasis, which shook Australia with its gritty insight into the lives of wayward teens at a chaotic inner-city youth refuge.

Ten years and six Prime Ministers later, with social inequality and homelessness worse than ever, Life After the Oasis revisits the original participants, who show how their lives have changed since those fraught times.

Cool Australia has designed a suite of Year 9 & 10 English, Mathematics, Civics and Citizenship and HPE lessons to support students to safely and meaningfully engage with Life After The Oasis. The film producers have generously made both The Oasis and Life After the Oasis freely available to schools. The Oasis is currently available for viewing and once Life After The Oasis has aired on SBS Australia, teachers will be able to access via Cool Australia lessons.

Teacher Preparation: Working across the curriculum & forward planning

It is essential that teachers watch the Life After the Oasis documentary in full before showing it to students. There are many themes, concepts and events in the film that teachers need to be aware of and reflect upon so that they can provide sufficient safety and support for students. Find out more about the film.

Life After the Oasis is yet to be classified, but it contains confronting content including strong language, drug use and adult themes.

Although these lessons can be taught in isolation, a cross-curriculum approach drawing on all the different units will achieve the best results. You may also wish to include a study of the first documentary, The Oasis, with its English and HPE curriculum-aligned lessons, to help students develop a deeper understanding of the topic and issues. Click here to find out more about The Oasis.

Life After The Oasis can be viewed
online for use in your classroom.
You need to Register your details and Login to access the film using the link below.

theoasismovie.com.au

Life After The Oasis: Years 9 & 10

English - Years 9 & 10

Designed to explore youth homelessness, both as lived experience and as portrayed in media and popular culture.

Teach students about text structures, literary devices and language use in the context of a contemporary social issue.

Civics & Citizenship - Years 9 & 10

Designed to explore social and policy changes since the 2008 documentary film The Oasis was released.

Teach students about t he role of government, institutions and citizens in improving society.

HPE - Years 9 & 10

Designed to explore the social issues associated with lived homelessness, including mental health, addiction and trauma.

Teach students about identifying and developing the skills needed for personal and community health and wellbeing.

Mathematics - Years 9 & 10

Designed to explore the Australian Census data relating to homelessness and how the media represents statistics.

Teach students about mathematical modelling in the context of a real-world issue.

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Homelessness: What are the statistics?

On any given night in Australia, 1 in 200 people are experiencing homelessness. This alarming statistic raises many questions about homelessness in Australia and what is being done by government and non-government institutions to combat the problem.

Homelessness is not just the result of there being too few houses available. It is often a result of a number of complex issues and situations: a shortage of affordable housing can be one factor, but so are things like domestic violence, unemployment, mental illness, family breakdown, financial hardship, leaving state care or prison and drug and alcohol abuse.

Hear from Paul on homelessness then and now

More about the film

Life After The Oasis is a 75-minute documentary that explores the issues, interventions and mindsets associated with lived youth homelessness in Australia. The film revisits people from the original 2008 documentary The Oasis and explores how opportunities and experiences have shaped their lives over the last ten years.

Watch a trailer of the film

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Didn't see the first film?

Life After The Oasis uses footage from the original film and provides context and background to show the participants 10 years later.

It is not necessary to watch The Oasis to understand Life After The Oasis. However, we encourage teachers to revisit the original film as part of their broader unit of study. Curriculum resources for the original Oasis film include English and Health and Physical Education Units, both aligned to Years 9 & 10.

To access the English Oasis lessons, click here.

To access the HPE Oasis lessons, click here.
Warning: The Oasis contains frequent coarse language, drug use and drug references.

Accessing The Oasis

The Oasis can be viewed
online or
schools can purchase a
DVD from our partners at
Shark Island Productions.

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Every night 22,000 Australian teenagers are experiencing homelessness. That was the shocking revelation of the 2008 feature documentary The Oasis, which shook Australia with its gritty insight into the lives of wayward teens at a chaotic inner-city youth refuge.

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The Oasis - HPE - Years 9 & 10 - Building Empathy and Understanding - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students watch Part 8 of THE OASIS and identify the social and emotional challenges that young people experiencing homelessness face. Students empathise with a character’s experience of homelessness by […]

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Quick summary: This lesson emphasises student voice and choice and scaffolds the process of increasing their awareness of youth homelessness within the community, identifying a health and wellbeing problem or issue, forming an inquiry question and taking action to address the issue. Students apply the knowledge and understanding they have gained throughout the Finding Out section of this unit to identify and address one of the social issues that lies within the broader issue of youth homelessness. They are given the opportunity to remember the sections of THE OASIS that affected them, then name the health and wellbeing issues that are raised in the documentary. Students frame the issues as questions to be responded to, then help each other to think about an action that could be taken to address the issue. Students then form project groups based on common interests, with a view to planning and delivering a social action project to to enhance health and wellbeing. This is the first of three social action project lessons, all of which provide a framework for developing, planning and carrying out social action.
Key ideas to explore:

Homelessness is an issue that can be faced by young people.

The reasons that young people experience homelessness are varied.

The issue of homelessness is multi-faceted and complicated.

Students have the ability to make positive change in their own world.

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Learning Area: Health and Physical Education
Content descriptions:

Plan, implement and critique strategies to enhance health, safety and well being of their communities (ACPPS096)

Plan and evaluate new and creative interventions that promote their own and others' connection to community and natural and built environments (ACPPS097)

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Ethical understanding, Literacy, Personal and Social Capability.

Syllabus Outcomes: PDHPE5.6, PDHPE5.7, PDHPE5.8, PDHPE5.9, PDHPE5.14.

Topic: THE OASIS, Social Issues

Unit of work: The Oasis - HPE

Time required: 90 minutes

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - facilitate discussion

Resources required: Student Worksheet - one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Device capable of presenting a website to the class and access to THE OASIS documentary on Vimeo. Bubble.us or mindmeister (if desired). Coloured A4 paper, Blu-Tack, butcher's paper and sticky-notes.

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for extension.

Keywords: Home, homelessness, youth, health, wellbeing, The Oasis, social action, community, project

Acknowledgement: This resource has been adapted from 'Teaching Social Issues Through English' developed with English Teachers Association NSW and 'Youth Homelessness Matters Resource' developed by Janice Atkin. You can find these resources here.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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The Oasis - HPE - Years 9 & 10 - Considering the Issues - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson emphasises student voice and choice and scaffolds the process of increasing their awareness of youth homelessness within the community, identifying a health and wellbeing problem or issue, forming an inquiry question and taking action to address the issue.

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Quick summary: Students identify stereotypes about homelessness and reflect on the negative impacts stereotypes may have for people experiencing homelessness accessing health services. They complete a table where they look at views that may be responsible for reinforcing particular stereotypes about homelessness. Students then 'burst' their stereotypes by physically popping balloons.
Key ideas to explore:

Negative stereotypes are sometimes attached to people experiencing homelessness.

A more realistic view of the problem of youth homelessness is needed in order to help address the issue.

There are many ways to effectively challenge and address negative stereotypes about youth homelessness.

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Learning Area: Health and Physical Education

Content descriptions:

Investigate how empathy and ethical decision making contribute to respectful relationships (ACPPS093)

Critique behaviours and contextual factors that influence health and well being of diverse communities (ACPPS098)

Evaluate factors that shape identities and critically analyse how individuals impact the identities of others (ACPPS089)

Examine the impact of changes and transitions on relationships (ACPPS090)

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Literacy, Personal and Social Capability.

Syllabus Outcomes: PDHPE5.1, PDHPE5.3, PDHPE5.3, PDHPE5.11, PDHPE5.13.

Topic: THE OASIS, Social Issues

Unit of work: THE OASIS - HPE

Time required: 60 minutes

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - facilitate discussion.

Resources required: Student Worksheet - one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Device capable of presenting websites/videos to the class and access to THE OASIS documentary on Vimeo. One balloon per student, thumbtacks and permanent markers.

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for extension.

Keywords: House, home, homelessness, youth, THE OASIS, community development, stereotypes.

Acknowledgement: This resource has been adapted from 'Teaching Social Issues Through English' developed with English Teachers Association NSW and the 'Youth Homelessness Matters Resource' developed by Janice Atkin. You can find these resources here.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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The Oasis - HPE - Years 9 & 10 - Bursting Stereotypes - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students identify stereotypes about homelessness and reflect on the negative impacts stereotypes may have for people experiencing homelessness accessing health services. They complete a table where they look at views that may be responsible for reinforcing particular stereotypes about homelessness. Students then 'burst' their stereotypes by physically popping balloons.

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Quick summary: Students watch the opening sequence of THE OASIS twice - once on mute and once with the volume up in order to help them focus on the experiences of the young homeless people that they are viewing. Students use the See, Think, Feel, Wonder visible thinking tool to reflect on the opening sequence. They consider the factors surrounding the issue of youth homelessness through a teacher led class discussion and written reflection.
Key ideas to explore:

Youth homelessness is often invisible.

There are a number of different ways to view an issue.

There are a range of socio-economic factors may influence youth homelessness.

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Learning Area: Health and Physical Education.
Content descriptions:

Critique behaviours and contextual factors that influence health and well being of diverse communities (ACPPS098)

Propose, practise and evaluate responses in situations where external influences may impact on their ability to make healthy and safe choices (ACPPS092)

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Literacy

Syllabus Outcomes: PDHPE5.13.

Topic: THE OASIS, Social Issues
Unit of work: THE OASIS - HPE
Time required: 60 minutes

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - facilitate discussion.

Resources required: Student Worksheet - one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Device capable of presenting websites/videos to the class and access to THE OASIS documentary on Vimeo. Sticky-notes.

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for extension.

Keywords: House, home, homelessness, youth, THE OASIS, community development, health, well being.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Acknowledgement: This resource has been adapted from 'Teaching Social Issues Through English' developed with English Teachers Association NSW and the 'Youth Homelessness Matters Resource' developed by Janice Atkin. You can find these resources here.

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The Oasis - HPE - Years 9 & 10 - Tuning In to Youth Homelessness - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students watch the opening sequence of THE OASIS twice - once on mute and once with the volume up in order to help them focus on the experiences of the young homeless people that they are viewing. Students use the See, Think, Feel, Wonder visible thinking tool to reflect on the opening sequence.

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Magna Carta – The story of our freedom – Years 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students will explore the evolution of democratic ideas and principles stemming from Magna Carta. They will understand how these ideas have shaped key features of Australian democracy, such as […]

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Quick summary: Students explore the role of technology in developing solutions to real world problems. They begin by exploring what is meant by the term 'technology'. They then look at how technology is used in the real-world problem presented in the Global Problem Solvers series. They analyse this technology, recognising a range of challenges to using it, including social and environmental challenges. Students are then asked to develop their own technological solutions to the GPS broken well problem and to create a technical drawing to present and share their ideas. Finally, students reflect on the value of testing and retesting ideas to ensure successful solutions to real world problems.

These lessons have been developed in partnership with Cisco. Cisco believes that our future will be defined by global problem solvers - global citizens ready to thrive in a connected and digital future by thinking like entrepreneurs, innovating like technologists, and acting as agents of social change.

Learning intentions: Students understand...

... different types of technology

... that technology can play an important role in real world problems

... that there are challenges with using technological based solutions

... the value of testing a solution before implementing it.

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:
Year 3 HASS

Reflect on learning to propose actions in response to an issue or challenge and consider possible effects of proposed actions (ACHASSI060)
Year 4 HASS

Reflect on learning to propose actions in response to an issue or challenge and consider possible effects of proposed actions (ACHASSI081)
Year 3 and 4 Design and Technologies

Recognise the role of people in design and technologies occupations and explore factors, including sustainability that impact on the design of products, services and environments to meet community needs (ACTDEK010)

Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (ACTDEP015)

Evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions based on criteria for success developed with guidance and including care for the environment (ACTDEP017)

Syllabus outcomes: GE2-4, ST2-5WT, ST2-11LW, ST2-14BE, ST2-15I, ST2-16P.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking.

Relevant parts of Year 3 HASS achievement standards: Students reflect on their learning to suggest individual action in response to an issue or challenge.

Relevant parts of Year 4 HASS achievement standards: Students reflect on their learning to propose action in response to an issue or challenge, and identify the possible effects of their proposed action.

Relevant parts of Years 3 and 4 Design and Technologies achievement standards: Students explain how products, services and environments are designed to best meet the needs of communities and their environments. They explain needs or opportunities and evaluate ideas and designed solutions against identified criteria for success, including environmental sustainability considerations. They develop and expand design ideas and communicate these using models and drawings including annotations and symbols.

Topic: Enterprise Learning.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Cisco Global Problem Solvers - HASS - Years 3 & 4. Resources required:
Time required: 60 mins.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - lead students in guided discussion, oversee group activities.

Keywords: Cisco, Global Problem Solvers, technology, challenges, social, environmental.

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Cisco GPS - Using Technology for Good - HASS - Years 3 & 4 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students explore the role of technology in developing solutions to real world problems. They begin by exploring what is meant by the term 'technology'. They then look at how technology is used in the real-world problem presented in the Global Problem Solvers series.

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will be introduced to food security in Australia and globally. A class discussion is used to identify key aspects of food security before students work in groups to critically analyse a range of clips about food production and food security. Groups then move between stations around the classroom contributing answers to a range of questions related to what they have seen. During student-led class discussions at each station the class completes mind maps to summarise their learning. Finally, students connect food security to the produce on their plates by create a supermarket cheat sheet that can be used by their families to make more informed food choices.

This lesson has been created in partnership with ACT for Bees. ACT for Bees is a not-for-profit organisation taking action to preserve these essential pollinators, ensuring a food-secure future.
Learning intentions:
● Students know the key features of food security in Australia.
● Students understand a range of challenges to improving food security with a focus on food production.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:
Year 9 Geography
● The capacity of the world's environments to sustainably feed the projected future global population ( ACHGK064).● Human alteration of biomes to produce food, industrial materials and fibres, and the use of systems thinking to analyse the environmental effects of these alterations ( ACHGK061).
● Challenges to food production, including land and water degradation, shortage of fresh water, competing land uses, and climate change, for Australia and other areas of the world ( ACHGK063).
Year 10 Geography
● Human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability ( ACHGK070).
● The application of geographical concepts and methods to the management of the environmental change being investigated ( ACHGK074).

Syllabus outcomes: GE5-2, GE5-3, GE5-4, GE5-5.

General capabilities: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability, Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability.

Relevant parts of Year 9 achievement standards: Students analyse interconnections between people, places and environments and explain how these interconnections influence people, and change places and environments. They predict changes in the characteristics of places over time and identify the possible implications of change for the future. Students analyse alternative strategies to a geographical challenge using environmental, social and economic criteria. Students synthesise data and information to draw reasoned conclusions.

Relevant parts of Year 10 achievement standards: Students explain how interactions between geographical processes at different scales change the characteristics of places. Students identify, analyse and explain significant interconnections between people, places and environments and explain changes that result from these interconnections and their consequences. Students use initial research to develop and modify geographically significant questions to frame an inquiry. They critically evaluate a range of primary and secondary sources to select and collect relevant, reliable and unbiased geographical information and data.

Topics: Love Food? Love Bees!, Biodiversity, Consumption.
Unit of work: Love Food? Love Bees! - Food Security and Sustainability - Year 9 & 10
Time required: 90 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - the teacher will need to create learning stations prior to class and facilitates class discussions and group work.

Resources required: Six internet-enabled devices capable of playing online clips. Six large sheets of butchers paper or whiteboards and markers. A piece of string or masking tape at least five meters long. Three pieces of A4 paper. Student Worksheets - one copy per student. One copy of the Food Security Stations Worksheets (cut along the dotted lines).
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Keywords: Bees, food security, food insecurity, physical access to food, economic access to food, food desert, biodiversity, pollinators, sustainability, land degradation.

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Love Food? Love Bees! - Introduction to Food Security - Geography - Years 9 & 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will be introduced to food security in Australia and globally. A class discussion is used to identify key aspects of food security before students work in groups to critically analyse a range of clips about food production and food security.

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Roots & Shoots – What Should I Buy? – Upper Primary - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will explore and discuss what factors should be considered when deciding to make a product purchase. They discuss the production, transportation and disposal of […]

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Dr Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots video produced by National Geographic Television

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What do We Need to Know About How We Need the Ocean

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What do We Need to Know About How We Need the Ocean

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Quick summary: Students think about how we are connected to the ocean through the ways we need it and impact it. Students begin by looking at how we need the ocean by watching a clip and thinking about what else they would need to know in order to understand this topic more deeply. Students then create a range of questions around how we need the ocean that can be used to guide an inquiry into the driving question; 'How are we connected to the ocean?'

Take 3 is an Australian charity removing rubbish from the environment through education programs, international campaigns and clean-ups. Take 3's call to action is simple: Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or... anywhere and you have made a difference.

Learning intentions:

Students understand some of the ways that we need the ocean

Students understand how to generate questions to guide an inquiry.

21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Year 7 Geography
Content descriptions:
Year 8 Geography

Classification of environmental resources and the forms that water takes as a resource (ACHGK037)

The way that flows of water connects places as it moves through the environment and the way this affects places (ACHGK038)

Economic, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic value of water for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and peoples of the Asia region (ACHGK041)

Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry, using appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts (ACHGS047)

Year 9 Geography

Different types of landscapes and their distinctive landform features (ACHGK048)

Spiritual, aesthetic and cultural value of landscapes and landforms for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACHGK049)

Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry using appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts (ACHGS055)

Year 10 Geography

Distribution and characteristics of biomes as regions with distinctive climates, soils, vegetation and productivity (ACHGK060)

The perceptions people have of place, and how these influence their connections to different places (ACHGK065)

Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry that identifies and applies appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts (ACHGS063)

Human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability (ACHGK070)

Develop geographically significant questions and plan an inquiry that identifies and applies appropriate geographical methodologies and concepts (ACHGS072)

Syllabus outcomes: GE4-1, GE4-2, GE4-3, GE4-4, GE4-5, GE4-6, GE4-7, GE5-1, GE5-3, GE5-7.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability (OI.2), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures (OI.2, OI.3).

Relevant parts of Year 7 Geography achievement standards: Students explain interconnections between people and places and environments and describe how these interconnections change places and environments. Students identify geographically significant questions to frame an inquiry.

Relevant parts of Year 8 Geography achievement standards: Students explain interconnections within environments and between people and places and explain how they change places and environments. Students identify geographically significant questions from observations to frame an inquiry.

Relevant parts of Year 9 Geography achievement standards: Students analyse interconnections between people, places and environments and explain how these interconnections influence people, and change places and environments. Students use initial research to identify geographically significant questions to frame an inquiry.

Relevant parts of Year 10 Geography achievement standards: Students identify, analyse and explain significant interconnections between people, places and environments. Students use initial research to develop and modify geographically significant questions to frame an inquiry.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Take 3 For The Sea - Project-based Learning - Years 7 to 10.
Topic: Ocean Conservation, Sustainability.

Time required: 60-120 minutes.
Resources required:
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - oversee discussion and student activities.

Butchers paper and pens

Device capable of presenting a website and video to the class

Extra paper or workbooks

Student Worksheet - one copy per student.

These lessons have been created in partnership with Take 3 and are made possible thanks to their funding partner SC Johnson. Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Keywords: Take 3 For The Sea, oceans, plastic waste, systems, questions, inquiry.

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Take 3 - What Do We Need To Know About How We Need The Ocean? - Geography - Years 7 to 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students think about how we are connected to the ocean through the ways we need it and impact it. Students begin by looking at how we need the ocean by watching a clip and thinking about what else they would need to know in order to understand this topic more deeply.

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Quick summary: Students reflect on the ways in which plastic waste harms our oceans and consider the actions they can take to reduce the impact of plastic waste on our oceans. They begin by reviewing their prior knowledge of the ways we need and impact the ocean before watching a clip about the power of small actions in relation to plastic waste. They research and select their own actions for reducing plastic waste before thinking about their circle of influence and how they can share messages and actions about plastic waste with the people in their lives. Finally, students produce communication materials to share with these people.

Take 3 is an Australian charity removing rubbish from the environment through education programs, international campaigns and clean-ups. Take 3's call to action is simple: Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or... anywhere and you have made a difference.
Learning intentions:

Students understand that we can all take action to stop plastic waste from harming our oceans

Students recognise their circle of influence and understand why this is important in inspiring others to take action.

21st century skills: Year 4 HASS
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Year 5 HASS
Content descriptions:
Year 6 HASS
Depending on the activities you choose, you may meet the following content descriptions:

The use and management of natural resources and waste, and the different views on how to do this sustainably (ACHASSK090)

The importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people (ACHASSK088)

Reflect on learning to propose actions in response to an issue or challenge and consider possible effects of proposed actions (ACHASSI081)

Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms (ACHASSI082)

The influence of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental characteristics of Australian places (ACHASSK112)

Reflect on learning to propose personal and/or collective action in response to an issue or challenge, and predict the probable effects (ACHASSI104)

Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI105)

Reflect on learning to propose personal and/or collective action in response to an issue or challenge, and predict the probable effects (ACHASSI132)

Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI133)

Syllabus outcomes: GE2-1 , GE2-2, GE2-3, GE2-4, GE3-2, GE3-3, GE3-4

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability (OI.7, OI.8, OI.9).

Relevant parts of Year 4 HASS achievement standards: Students identify the interconnections between components of the environment and between people and the environment. They reflect on their learning to propose action in response to an issue or challenge and identify the possible effects of their proposed action. Students present ideas, findings and conclusions using discipline-specific terms in a range of communication forms.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Take 3 For The Sea - Project-based Learning - Years 4 to 6.
Relevant parts of Year 5 HASS achievement standards: Students identify and describe the interconnections between people and the human and environmental characteristics of places, and between components of environments. They work with others to generate alternative responses to an issue or challenge and reflect on their learning to independently propose action, describing the possible effects of their proposed action. They present their ideas, findings and conclusions in a range of communication forms using discipline-specific terms and appropriate conventions.

Relevant parts of Year 6 HASS achievement standards: Students reflect on their learning to propose action in response to an issue or challenge and describe the probable effects of their proposal. They present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of communication forms that incorporate source materials, mapping, graphing, communication conventions and discipline-specific terms.
Resources required:
Topic: Ocean Conservation, Waste, Sustainability.

Time required: 120+ mins.
These lessons have been created in partnership with Take 3 and are made possible thanks to their funding partner SC Johnson. Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - oversee discussions and activities.

Device capable of presenting a website and video to the class

Materials for communication piece, e.g. device capable of making a short clip, art-making materials

Plastic Pollution Factsheet (optional)

Student Worksheet - one copy per student

Keywords: Take 3 For The Sea, oceans, plastic, personal actions, action, project.

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Take 3 - Take Action For The Ocean - HASS - Years 4 to 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students reflect on the ways in which plastic waste harms our oceans and consider the actions they can take to reduce the impact of plastic waste on our oceans. They begin by reviewing their prior knowledge of the ways we need and impact the ocean before watching a clip about the power of small actions in relation to plastic waste.

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Quick summary: Students explore the ways that we are connected to the ocean through the ways we impact it. They begin by completing a prior knowledge activity to help them understand that our connection to the oceans can be split into two categories: the ways we need the ocean and the ways we impact it. Students then think about some of the ways we impact the ocean before focusing on plastic waste. They watch a clip from Take 3 For The Sea and reflect on some of the themes around plastic waste described in this clip. They use these themes to identify gaps in their knowledge around plastic waste and create questions around these knowledge gaps that can be used to guide an inquiry.

Take 3 is an Australian charity removing rubbish from the environment through education programs, international campaigns and clean-ups. Take 3's call to action is simple: Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or... anywhere and you have made a difference.
Learning intentions:

Students understand that we impact the oceans in a range of ways, including through plastic waste

Students recognise some of the ways that plastic waste harms marine environments and animals.

21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Year 4 HASS
Content descriptions:
Year 4 English
Depending on the activities you choose, you may meet the following content descriptions:
Year 4 Science

Pose questions to investigate people, events, places and issues (ACHASSI073)

The diversity of Australia's first peoples and the long and continuous connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Country/Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) (ACHASSK083)

The importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people (ACHASSK088)

Optional: Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms (ACHASSI082)

Year 5 HASS

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features (ACELY1694)

Re-read and edit for meaning by adding, deleting or moving words or word groups to improve content and structure (ACELY1695)

Year 5 English

Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties that can influence their use (ACSSU074)
Year 5 Science

Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI094)

The influence of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental characteristics of Australian places (ACHASSK112)

Optional: Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI105)

Year 6 HASS

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Re-read and edit student's own and others' work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features (ACELY1705)

Year 6 English

Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties and behave in different ways (ACSSU077)

Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI122)

The world's cultural diversity, including that of its indigenous peoples (ACHASSK140)

Optional: Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI133)

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)

Re-read and edit students' own and others' work using agreed criteria and explaining editing choices (ACELY1715)

Syllabus outcomes: GE2-1, GE2-2, GE2-3, GE2-4, GE3-1, GE3-2, GE3-4, EN2-2A, EN3-2A, ST3-12MW, ST2-13MW

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability (OI.2), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures (OI.2, OI.3).

Relevant parts of Year 4 HASS achievement standards: Students develop questions to investigate. They identify the interconnections between components of the environment and between people and the environment. They present findings using geographical terminology in a range of texts.

Relevant parts of Year 4 English achievement standards: Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They reread and edit their work to improve meaning.

Relevant parts of Year 5 HASS achievement standards: Students develop questions for an investigation. They identify and describe the interconnections between people and the human and environmental characteristics of places. They present their ideas, findings and conclusions in a range of communication forms using discipline-specific terms and appropriate conventions.

Relevant parts of Year 5 English achievement standards: Students create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for different purposes and audiences. They edit their work for cohesive structure and meaning.

Relevant parts of Year 5 Science achievement standards: Students apply the observable properties of materials to explain how objects and materials can be used.

Relevant parts of Year 6 HASS achievement standards: Students develop appropriate questions to frame an investigation. They describe how people, places, communities and environments are interconnected. They present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of communication forms that incorporate source materials, mapping, graphing, communication conventions and discipline-specific terms.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Take 3 For The Sea - Project-based Learning - Years 4 to 6.
Relevant parts of Year 6 English achievement standards: Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences.

Topic: Ocean Conservation, Sustainability.
Resources required:
Time required: 175+ mins.
These lessons have been created in partnership with Take 3 and are made possible thanks to their funding partner SC Johnson. Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - lead class discussions, oversee question generation activities.

Keywords: Take 3 For The Sea, oceans, impacts, plastic waste, animals, people.

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Take 3 - Questions To Explore How You Impact The Ocean - HASS - Years 4 to 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students explore the ways that we are connected to the ocean through the ways we impact it. They begin by completing a prior knowledge activity to help them understand that our connection to the oceans can be split into two categories: the ways we need the ocean and the ways we impact it.

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Quick summary: Students explore the question 'how are you connected to the ocean?' They begin by completing a thinking routine around their thoughts, feelings and questions about the ocean before being immersed in the topic of human connections to the ocean through images, written texts and clips. They then reflect on these materials to generate questions they would like answered about our connection to the ocean. These questions can be used to guide further inquiry or used in other lessons in this unit.

Take 3 is an Australian charity removing rubbish from the environment through education programs, international campaigns and clean-ups. Take 3's call to action is simple: Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or... anywhere and you have made a difference.
Learning intentions:

Students understand that we are connected to the ocean in many ways, including in the ways that we need or take from the ocean and the ways that we impact the ocean.
21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:
Year 4 HASS

Pose questions to investigate people, events, places and issues (ACHASSI073)

The diversity of Australia's first peoples and the long and continuous connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Country/Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) (ACHASSK083)

The importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people (ACHASSK088)

Year 5 HASS

Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI094)

The influence of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental characteristics of Australian places (ACHASSK112)

Year 6 HASS

Develop appropriate questions to guide an inquiry about people, events, developments, places, systems and challenges (ACHASSI122)

The world's cultural diversity, including that of its indigenous peoples (ACHASSK140)

Syllabus outcomes: HT2-5, HT3-5, GE2-1 , GE2-1 , GE2-3, GE2-4, GE3-1, GE3-2, GE3-2, GE3-4

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability (OI.2), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures (OI.2, OI.3).

Relevant parts of Year 4 HASS achievement standards: Students develop questions to investigate. They identify the interconnections between components of the environment and between people and the environment.

Relevant parts of Year 5 HASS achievement standards: Students develop questions for an investigation. They identify and describe the interconnections between people and the human and environmental characteristics of places.

Relevant parts of Year 6 HASS achievement standards: Students develop appropriate questions to frame an investigation. They describe how people, places, communities and environments are interconnected.

Topic: Ocean Conservation, Sustainability.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Take 3 For The Sea - Project-based Learning - Years 4 to 6. It is also aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #14, Life Below Water. By taking three bits of rubbish from the sea, we can help reduce marine pollution, protect and restore ecosystems, and conserve coastal and marine areas. Resources required:
Time required: 60 mins.
These lessons have been created in partnership with Take 3 and are made possible thanks to their funding partner SC Johnson. Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Level of teacher scaffolding: High - requires preparation from teachers. Teachers will also need to oversee class discussions and activities.

Keywords: Take 3 For The Sea, connections to the ocean, humans, gallery, ocean conservation, country.

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Take 3 - How Are You Connected To The Ocean? - HASS - Years 4 to 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students explore the question 'how are you connected to the ocean?' They begin by completing a thinking routine around their thoughts, feelings and questions about the ocean before being immersed in the topic of human connections to the ocean through images, written texts and clips.

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Quick summary: In this activity students look at a range of energy resources and make assessments about their suitability for use in Australia in the context of climate change. Students begin by brainstorming energy resources and environmental impacts, and then work in groups to research one type of energy resource in detail. They present their findings to the class, and working as a class vote for their preferred future energy resources.
Learning goals:

Students understand that there are a range of energy resources.

Students recognise that energy can have significant impacts on our environment and can contribute to climate change and global warming.

Students understand that there are energy alternatives that have lower environmental and climate impacts.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Literacy, ICT capability.
Australian Curriculum content description: Year 7 Science

Some of Earth's resources are renewable, but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116)

Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS124)

Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS133)

Year 8 Science

Energy appears in different forms including movement (kinetic energy), heat and potential energy, and causes change within systems (ACSSU155)

Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135)

Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS148)

Syllabus Outcomes: SC4-11PW, SC4-4WS, SC4-9WS, SC4-12ES, SC4-10PW.

Topic: Climate change

Time required: 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - oversee and facilitate activity

Resources required: Internet access, student worksheet, black/smart board (optional).

Digital technology opportunities: Presentation tools (PowerPoint or Prezi or movie making program), mind-mapping tools ( bubbl.us or mindmeister), digital sharing capabilities

Homework and extension opportunities: None.

Keywords: Energy, climate change, global warming, coal, gas, nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, biofuel.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Energy and climate change - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this activity students look at a range of energy resources and make assessments about their suitability for use in Australia in the context of climate change. Students begin by brainstorming energy resources and environmental impacts, and then work in groups to research one type of energy resource in detail.

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Quick summary: In this activity students investigate the topic of geoengineering. Working in groups students analyse one geoengineering scheme and justify it scientifically and technologically, and assess its environmental and social costs and benefits. Students then create a presentation to share their analysis with the class.
Learning goals:

Students understand the role of geoengineering in addressing climate change.

Students recognise that there are costs and benefits associated with geoengineering solutions.

Students understand some of the environmental costs of geoengineering.

Students understand some of the social costs of geoengineering.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Ethical understanding, ICT capability.
Australian Curriculum content description: Year 7 Science

Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120)

Water is an important resource that cycles through the environment (ACSSU116)

Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS124)

Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS133)

Year 8 Science

Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135)

Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS139)

Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS148)

Syllabus Outcomes: SC4-11PW, SC4-4WS, SC4-9WS, SC4-12ES.

Topic: Climate change

Time required: 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - oversee discussion and facilitate activity

Resources required: Internet access, student worksheet, presentation program (PowerPoint or Prezi).

Digital technology opportunities: Presentation creation (PowerPoint or Prezi), digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: This activity includes opportunities for homework or extension.

Keywords: Climate change, global warming, geoengineering, ethics, social, future generations, impacts.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Geoengineering for a better future? - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this activity students investigate the topic of geoengineering. Working in groups students analyse one geoengineering scheme and justify it scientifically and technologically, and assess its environmental and social costs and benefits. Students then create a presentation to share their analysis with the class.

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Quick Summary: Students will investigate the levels of CO ₂ in the air from Cape Grim, one of the cleanest sources of air in the world. Using authentic data they will analyse a graph and plot data points on a set of axis. After students have plotted data points they will consider the historic trends by calculating gradients of line segments and comment on what the gradient represents. They will also have the opportunity to investigate another greenhouse gas (GHG) observed at Cape Grim and use this to comment on the levels in more populated areas.
Learning goals:

Students understand how gradient and rate of change relates to authentic data.

Students know how to calculate midpoints and gradient.

Students discover the impact of air pollution on a global scale and how the levels of greenhouse gas are changing over time.

Students take personal action to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions.

General capabilities: Numeracy, Critical and creative thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1
Year 9 Mathematics:

Solve problems involving direct proportion. Explore the relationship between graphs and equations corresponding to simple rate problems (ACMNA208)

Find the midpoint and gradient of a line segment (interval) on the Cartesian plane using a range of strategies, including graphing software (ACMNA294)

Syllabus Outcomes: MA3‑2WM.
In line with the Australian Curriculum questions are graded to cover understanding, fluency, problem solving and reasoning.
Topic: Number and Algebra

Time required: 40-60 min

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low/Medium - teacher may need to demonstrate some calculations.

Resources Required: Student Worksheet, internet access, Climate Change Digital Toolbox.

Homework and extension opportunities: Students will research another GHG and compare it with the changes they observed in CO ₂ levels.

Key words: Cartesian plane, coordinate points, gradient, rate, midpoint, data, greenhouse gas, climate change, carbon emissions.

Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Graphing Greenhouse Gases - Year 9 - Cool Australia

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Quick Summary: Students will investigate the levels of CO 2 in the air from Cape Grim, one of the cleanest sources of air in the world. Using authentic data they will analyse a graph and plot data points on a set of axis.

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Quick summary: As a 'thought starter', students watch a short clip about a method of open-sea farming created by Sealeaf. To investigate the real-world application of this innovative farming method, students explore global mean sea levels from 1880 to 2013. Using a graph containing authentic data, your class will consider historic trends, calculate gradients of line segments, and comment on what the gradient represents. Finally, students will hypothesise who will be most affected by future sea level rise.
Learning goals:

Students understand how gradient and rate of change relates to authentic data.

Students know how to calculate midpoints and gradient.

Students discover the impact of sea level rise on a global scale and how the levels are changing over time.

Students take personal action by undertaking further investigation and increasing community awareness.

21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions: Year 9 Mathematics:

Solve problems involving direct proportion. Explore the relationship between graphs and equations corresponding to simple rate problems (ACMNA208)

Find the midpoint and gradient of a line segment (interval) on the Cartesian plane using a range of strategies, including graphing software (ACMNA294)

Syllabus outcomes: MA3‑2WM.
General capabilities: Numeracy, ICT Capability, Critical and Creative Thinking
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1

Relevant parts of year 9 achievement standards: Students make sense of the position of the mean and median in skewed, symmetric and bi-modal displays to describe and interpret data. Students find the distance between two points on the Cartesian plane and the gradient and midpoint of a line segment.

Topic: Number and Algebra, Climate change

Time required: 60 min.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low - teacher may need to demonstrate skills.

Resources Required: Student worksheet, internet access, and Climate Change Digital Toolbox.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Keywords: Cartesian plane, mid-point, gradient, coordinate points, data, sea level, climate change.

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Rates of Sea Level Rise - Year 9 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: As a 'thought starter', students watch a short clip about a method of open-sea farming created by Sealeaf. To investigate the real-world application of this innovative farming method, students explore global mean sea levels from 1880 to 2013.

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Quick summary: During this lesson students investigate how biodiversity in their school yard will be affected by climate change. They begin by identifying aspects of biodiversity in their school yard, and then undertake research to identify the causes and impacts of climate change, particularly in regards to biodiversity. Finally, students create an interactive walk through their school yard that describes how various aspects of biodiversity in their school yard might be affected by climate change.

This lesson is designed to be taught outside. It contains all the tools required for students to reap the benefits of being outdoors while learning the outcomes of the Australian Curriculum. By spending time outdoors and connecting to nature, students are more likely to care for and conserve nature as adults.
Learning goals:

Students recognise some of the causes and impacts of climate change, particularly the impacts on biodiversity in Australia.

Students understand how to communicate messages about the impacts of climate change in different ways.

Students recognise the mental, physical and academic benefits of completing classroom activities outside.

21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions: Year 10 Science

Global systems, including the carbon cycle, rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere (ACSSU189)

Syllabus outcomes: SC5-12ES.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1., OI.2., OI.7.

Relevant parts of Year 10 Science achievement standards: Students describe and analyse interactions and cycles within and between Earth's spheres.

Topic: Outdoor Learning, Climate Change, Biodiversity.

Unit of work: Outdoor Learning Unit.

Time required: 120-180 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low - oversee activity and lead discussions.

Resources required: Student Worksheet - one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Device capable of presenting a website to the class. Computers/tablets for pairs of students to share.

Each student will also need:

A map of the school grounds that they can write on (photocopies or maps printed from Google Maps are fine)

Pens for writing on maps

Device for taking photos (phone, tablet, camera, etc)

Workbook to record notes

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Keywords: Climate change, biodiversity, school yard, interactive walk, outdoor learning.

Cool Australia would like to thank The Albert George & Nancy Caroline Youngman Trust - managed by Equity Trustees.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Outdoor Learning - Climate Change in the School Yard - Year 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: During this lesson students investigate how biodiversity in their school yard will be affected by climate change. They begin by identifying aspects of biodiversity in their school yard, and then undertake research to identify the causes and impacts of climate change, particularly in regards to biodiversity.

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Can wildlife adapt to climate change? - Year 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson is designed for a flipped classroom, where students learn new content by watching a video in their own time. This strategy provides the opportunity for students […]

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students investigate the environmental impacts of bottled water. They conduct a '5 whys' investigation into some of the reasons why people use bottled water, then watch a video that explores what happens to plastic bottles once they've been thrown away. Students then explore the concept of life cycle analysis and work in groups to create a 3D model of a bottled water life cycle. Their aim is to encourage others to work towards closing the recycling loop by purchasing beverage bottles made from recycled plastic.

This activity has been developed in partnership with Visy. For over 70 years Visy has been committed to finding sustainable solutions for Australia's recyclables and helping to reduce local landfills. Visy collects, receives and sorts paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, steel and aluminium from households, businesses and schools with the purpose of reusing these products in the re-manufacture of new packaging products.
Learning intentions:

Students will understand the concept of closing the recycling loop

Students will be able to communicate the value of closing the recycling loop to others

Students will be able to create a representation of the life cycle of a plastic bottle.

21st century skills: Year 7 Science Year 8 Science
Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Some of Earth's resources are renewable, including water that cycles through the environment, but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116).

People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE121).

Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS129).

Chemical change involves substances reacting to form new substances (ACSSU225).

Scientific knowledge has changed peoples' understanding of the world and is refined as new evidence becomes available (ACSHE134).

Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology, may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135).

Syllabus outcomes: SC4-12ES, SC4-13ES, SC4-7WS, SC4-16CW, ACSHE134, SC4-11PW.

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability.

Relevant parts of Year 7 Science achievement standards: Students analyse how the sustainable use of resources depends on the way they are formed and cycle through Earth systems. Students describe situations where scientific knowledge from different science disciplines and diverse cultures has been used to solve a real-world problem. They communicate their ideas, methods and findings using scientific language and appropriate representations.

Relevant parts of Year 8 Science achievement standards: By the end of Year 8, students compare physical and chemical changes and use the particle model to explain and predict the properties and behaviours of substances. They explain how evidence has led to an improved understanding of a scientific idea and describe situations in which scientists collaborated to generate solutions to contemporary problems. They reflect on implications of these solutions for different groups in society.

Topic: Recycling, Sustainability.

Unit of work: Visy Education - Secondary Science.

Time required: 120 mins.
The information and statistics included in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose. Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - teacher will facilitate an innovative design process.

Resources required:

Keywords: Bottled water, environmental impact, recycled plastic, closing the loop, materials.

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Visy Education - Bottled a Better Way - Science - Years 7 & 8 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students investigate the environmental impacts of bottled water. They conduct a '5 whys' investigation into some of the reasons why people use bottled water, then watch a video that explores what happens to plastic bottles once they've been thrown away.

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Quick summary: Students will collect and analyse data related to the usage of plastic bottles. They will learn about the difference between recyclable and recycled plastic and calculate the different energy costs to manufacture plastic bottles from raw and recycled materials.

This activity has been developed in partnership with Visy. For over 70 years Visy has been committed to finding sustainable solutions for Australia's recyclables and helping to reduce local landfills. Visy collects, receives and sorts paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, steel and aluminium from households, businesses and schools with the purpose of reusing these products in the re-manufacture of new packaging products.
Learning intentions:

Students will understand the difference between recycled and recyclable materials

Students will know about the environmental effects of using recycled materials

Students will be able to analyse the data they collect and use graphs to synthesise findings.

21st century skills: Content descriptions: Year 7 Maths Year 8 Maths Year 9 Maths Year 10 Maths
Australian Curriculum Mapping

Explore the variation of means and proportions of random samples drawn from the same population (ACMSP293).

Identify everyday questions and issues involving at least one numerical and at least one categorical variable, and collect data directly and from secondary sources (ACMSP228).

Evaluate statistical reports in the media and other places by linking claims to displays, statistics and representative data (ACMSP253).

General capabilities: Numeracy, Critical and creative thinking, Ethical understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8.

Relevant parts of Year 7 Mathematics achievement standards: Students identify issues involving the collection of continuous data.

Relevant parts of Year 8 Mathematics achievement standards: Students explain issues related to the collection of data and the effect of outliers on means and medians in that data.

Relevant parts of Year 9 Mathematics achievement standards: Students compare techniques for collecting data from primary and secondary sources.

Relevant parts of Year 10 Mathematics achievement standards: Students describe statistical relationships between two continuous variables. They evaluate statistical reports.

Topic: Recycling, Sustainability.
Resources required:
Unit of work: Visy Education - Secondary Mathematics.

Time required: 70 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low to medium - the teacher will need to guide students through various pieces of information and stimulus, and assist them to complete a student-guided survey.

Keywords: Area, paper usage, recycling, conversion, large figures.

The information and statistics included in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Visy Education - Drastic Plastic Usage - Maths - Years 7 to 10 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students will collect and analyse data related to the usage of plastic bottles. They will learn about the difference between recyclable and recycled plastic and calculate the different energy costs to manufacture plastic bottles from raw and recycled materials. This activity has been developed in partnership with Visy.

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Quick summary: Students will investigate the amount of waste being produced by Australians each year, as well as recycling rates and greenhouse gas emissions, by analysing graphs and statistics. They will then learn about Waste to Energy (WtE) technologies employed at Visy's Kraft Mill in Tumut and compare energy output and efficiency with coal power plants. Students will also investigate calorific value and how WtE facilities can reduce large quantities of waste from landfill and prevent the associated carbon emissions. Students will use a variety of mathematical skills to complete this investigation including percentage, rate, formulas (efficiency), data analysis and problem solving.

This activity has been developed in partnership with Visy. For over 70 years Visy has been committed to finding sustainable solutions for Australia's recyclables and helping to reduce local landfills. Visy collects, receives and sorts paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, steel and aluminium from households, businesses and schools with the purpose of reusing these products in the re-manufacture of new packaging products.
Learning intentions:

Students will understand how materials that aren't recycled can cause problems

Students will understand how clean and sustainable technologies, including waste-to-energy facilities, can reduce environmental impacts

Students will understand how to use a variety of mathematical skills to solve problems and how to identify trends in data.

21st century skills: Content descriptions: Year 7 Maths Year 8 Maths Year 9 Maths
Australian Curriculum Mapping

Find percentages of quantities and express one quantity as a percentage of another, with and without digital technologies (ACMNA158).

Investigate, interpret and analyse graphs from authentic data (ACMNA180).

Solve problems involving the use of percentages, including percentage increases and decreases, with and without digital technologies (ACMNA187).

Solve a range of problems involving rates and ratios, with and without digital technologies (ACMNA188).

Solve problems involving direct proportion. Explore the relationship between graphs and equations corresponding to simple rate problems (ACMNA208).

Additional - Express numbers in scientific notation (ACMNA210).

General capabilities: Numeracy, Critical and creative thinking, Ethical understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8.

Relevant parts of Year 7 Mathematics achievement standards: Students solve problems involving percentages and all four operations with fractions and decimals. They interpret simple linear representations and model authentic information.

Relevant parts of Year 8 Mathematics achievement standards: Students solve everyday problems involving rates, ratios and percentages.

Relevant parts of Year 9 Mathematics achievement standards: Students interpret ratio and scale factors in similar figures. They apply the index laws to numbers and express numbers in scientific notation.

Topic: Recycling, Sustainability.
Resources required:
Unit of work: Visy Education - Secondary Mathematics.
The information and statistics included in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose. Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Time required: 75 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - the teacher will need to provide context and scaffolding where necessary and lead the investigation.

Keywords: Percentage, rate, efficiency, waste-to-energy, landfill, graphs, statistics.

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Visy Education - Waste To Energy - Maths - Years 7 to 9 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students will investigate the amount of waste being produced by Australians each year, as well as recycling rates and greenhouse gas emissions, by analysing graphs and statistics. They will then learn about Waste to Energy (WtE) technologies employed at Visy's Kraft Mill in Tumut and compare energy output and efficiency with coal power plants.

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Visy Education - Design Thinking - Empathise - Understanding the Waste Problem - Years 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson forms part of a Design Thinking Unit in which students identify issues relating to recycling, build an understanding of the impact that not recycling can have […]

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Quick summary: This lesson forms part of a Design Thinking Unit in which students identify issues relating to recycling, build an understanding of the impact that not recycling can have in their own community, work to find and prototype a solution, then take action in their community that addresses the issues they have identified. In this lesson, students will be introduced to the environmental impact of materials that aren't recycled, and will explore how recycling can reduce these impacts. They will gather further information about attitudes and habits in this local context by planning and conducting surveys, interviews, observations and audits in their community. This planning will lead into subsequent lessons where they will gather and synthesise their findings to inform how they will take action to address the issue.

This activity has been developed in partnership with Visy. For over 70 years Visy has been committed to finding sustainable solutions for Australia and New Zealand's recyclables and helping to reduce local landfills. Visy collects, receives and sorts paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, steel and aluminium from households, businesses and schools with the purpose of reusing these products in the re-manufacture of new packaging products.
Learning intentions:

Students will understand more about issues relating to the ways we produce and manage materials to be recycled

Students will recognise some of the habits and practices that people have that create problems in relation to waste and recycling.

21st century skills: To view our Australian Curriculum alignment click here To view our NZ Curriculum alignment click here Unit of work: Visy Education - Using Design Thinking to Solve Problems - Year 5 & 6. Resources required: The information and statistics included in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose. Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Curriculum Mapping

Topic: Recycling, Sustainability.

Time required: 120 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - Tasks within this Design Thinking Unit will enable students to work independently and in groups to develop their own ideas and actions. The teacher will need to observe and monitor groups, conduct conferencing sessions when suitable and provide support when interpreting data, presenting data and planning and implementing actions.

Device capable of presenting a video to the class

Design Thinking Workbook (one per student)

Devices to access internet, view online videos and to use for word processing (at least one per three students)

Sticky notes

At least six sheets of butcher's paper

'How Might We' Table (printed A3 size).

Related professional development: Introduce Primary Students to Design Thinking.

Keywords: Sustainability, resources, recycling, landfill, pollution, environmental impact.

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Visy Education - Design Thinking - Empathise - Discovering the Waste Problem - Years 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson forms part of a Design Thinking Unit in which students identify issues relating to recycling, build an understanding of the impact that not recycling can have in their own community, work to find and prototype a solution, then take action in their community that addresses the issues they have identified.

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Visy Education - How Do We Recycle? - Mathematics - Year 1 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will practise data collection and graphing while auditing the recycling habits of their class. They will consider the importance of recycling, the items that […]

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Quick sum mary: Children are introduced to recycling. Younger children use their senses to investigate different types of paper and cardboard, working to sort the paper and cardboard based on size, weight and texture. Older children are invited to consider what the word 'recycling' means, and think about how the recyclable objects that go into the recycling bin can be turned into new items that we need or want. They are then invited to find new ways to use recyclable objects in craft activities.

This activity is designed to help connect children to the wonders of the natural world through sensory and play-based learning.

This activity has been developed in partnership with Visy. For over 70 years Visy has been committed to finding sustainable solutions for Australia's recyclables and helping to reduce local landfills. Visy collects, receives and sorts paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, steel and aluminium from households, businesses and schools with the purpose of reusing these products in the re-manufacture of new packaging products.

Children are connected with and contribute to their world

4. Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

Children are involved and confident learners

1. Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity

4. Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies, and natural and processed materials

Children are effective communicators

1. Children interact verbally and non verbally with others for a range of purposes

3. Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media

Resources required: Ages 0 to 2

A printed copy of this Tree Image or source a small tree in a pot

A range of different types of paper and cardboard, including:

Newspaper

Blank white paper

Paper that has been used

Coloured paper

Coloured cardboard

Rippled cardboard

Textured paper

Tissue paper

Paper labels and tags

Ages 3 to 5

A range of recyclable materials such as empty boxes, containers, cans, lids, paper and cardboard, and milk cartons and bottles. Make sure all items are clean and sharp edges are covered with masking tape

Craft materials close by, such as tape, paint, glue etc.

Recycling Flashcards - Flashcards can be printed and cut in half, with questions glued to the back of the corresponding picture

OPTIONAL - Makedo kit (https://au.make.do/).

The information and statistics included in this document are approximate and have been simplified for educational/illustrative purposes. They should not be relied upon for any other purpose. The team at Cool Australia continually reviews and refines our Early Learning resources in line with expert advice and current educational practices.

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Visy Education - What Is Recycling? - Early Learning - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Children are introduced to recycling. Younger children use their senses to investigate different types of paper and cardboard, working to sort the paper and cardboard based on size, weight and texture.

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Quick summary: This lesson is one of six lessons for Years 3-8, designed to support you and your students to produce quality films for the MobileMuster Film Competition, with the aim of encouraging the community to recycle more of their old and unused mobile phones. The 2021 MobileMuster Film Competition is open and the theme is 'Protect the Planet'. For information about the Film Competition, visit the MobileMuster website.

This lesson introduces students to some of the key barriers to mobile phone recycling as identified by MobileMuster. Through exploring the role of emotion in changing behaviour and applying Design Thinking processes, students will develop a film that will aim to help mobile phone users overcome their resistance to recycling their old phones. For a more thorough investigation of mobile phone recycling and to learn about the cradle to cradle life cycle, there is an introductory lesson: MobileMuster Film Competition - Designing for Sustainability 1 - Years 7 & 8.
Learning intention:

Students will understand the barriers to mobile phone recycling.

Students will understand the role that emotion plays in behaviour.

Students will understand how to apply Design Thinking processes.

21st century skills:

Content descriptions: Years 7 & 8 Design & Technology

Investigate the ways in which products, services and environments evolve locally, regionally and globally and how competing factors including social, ethical and sustainability considerations are prioritised in the development of technologies and designed solutions for preferred futures (ACTDEK029)

Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas (ACTDEP035)

Generate, develop, test and communicate design ideas, plans and processes for various audiences using appropriate technical terms and technologies including graphical representation techniques (ACTDEP036)

Syllabus outcomes: T4.1.1, T4.1.2, T4.1.3, T4.2.1, T4.2.2, T4.5.2, T4.4.1, T4.6.2
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Year 7 and 8 achievement standard: Students explain a range of needs, opportunities or problems and define them in terms of functional requirements and constraints. They independently and safely plan, design, test, modify and create a range of digital solutions that meet intended purposes. Students use appropriate protocols when collaborating, and creating and communicating ideas, information and solutions face-to-face and online.

Topic: Sustainability, Creative Thinking.

Unit of work: MobileMuster Film Competition.

Time required: 100 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - guide students through design activities and monitor project progress.

Resources required: Student Worksheets - one copy per student. A device capable of presenting a video to the class. Butcher's paper and coloured markers. Sticky notes. Assessment Matrix. Storyboard Template (optional). Reasons For Not Recycling Mobile Phones (optional).
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Keywords: Sustainability, recycling, mobile, film, competition, design thinking, sustainable design, emotion, empathy, define, ideate, prototype, test.

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MobileMuster Film Competition - Designing for Sustainability 2 - Years 7 & 8 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson is one of six lessons for Years 3-8, designed to support you and your students to produce quality films for the MobileMuster Film Competition, with the aim of encouraging the community to recycle more of their old and unused mobile phones.

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In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040, focusing on actions they can take that has positive benefits both now and in the future. Students begin by looking at examples of young people who have taken action for the future through social and environmental projects. They then work as a class or in groups to choose a topic they are concerned about, and design, plan and implement a project to get the community involved in taking action on the topic.
The social action created can be used to engage another class, the whole school or the wider community, if you choose. Following project completion, students will celebrate and reflect on the success of their project and their participation in the project.

This lesson can be used as a stand-alone lesson or can be used to consolidate and extend learning if you have completed any of the other lessons in this unit.

We've taken elements of this lesson and adapted them for remote learning. You can find this activity here.
Learning Intentions

Students will understand that they have a role to play in creating the future they want to see.

Students will understand and be able to drive the processes required for planning and executing an action-based project.

Lesson & Curriculum Details

Topic: Sustainability, Energy, Consumption.

Unit of work: 2040 - Integrated Unit - Years 5 & 6.

Time required: 210+ mins. (this time allows students to plan and conduct their social action project)

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - oversee activities and facilitate class discussions.

Keywords: 2040, documentary, transport, energy, food, sustainability, future, social action.

To view our Australian Curriculum alignment click here. To view our NZ Curriculum alignment click here. Resources Required Accessing the Film

2040 is an innovative feature documentary that looks to the future, but is vitally important NOW! Director Damon Gameau embarks on a journey to explore what the future could look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them rapidly into the mainstream.

In Australia: Order the Schools Version of the 2040 DVD. The Schools Version includes an educational license and is for Australian primary and secondary schools that wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host free on-site screenings for the school community.

In New Zealand: Order the Schools Version of the 2040 DVD. The Schools Version includes an educational license and is for New Zealand primary and secondary schools that wish to utilise the film as a learning tool or host free on-site screenings for the school community.

If you are teaching in either New Zealand or Australia, you can now organise a virtual screening of the film for your class. To enquire about this option, simply email [email protected] and the 2040 team will help you set this up! If you have already bought a DVD of the film and you have a ClickView account, you can email the team for permission to upload the film to your account to make it more easily accessible for your teachers and students.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Cool Australia, GoodThing Productions and Regen Pictures would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of Good Pitch Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation and our philanthropic partners in the development of these teaching resources.

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2040 - Taking Action For Your 2040 - Years 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040, focusing on actions they can take that has positive benefits both now and in the future. Students begin by looking at examples of young people who have taken action for the future through social and environmental projects.

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will explore the fact that as individuals we all have different strengths, and that working with others with different skills can allow us to be more successful. They will begin by considering the image associated with the familiar phrase "if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid," discussing whether asking seven different animals to complete the same 'test' is fair. They will then consider how giving the animals tasks suited to their strengths would allow them to shine, and apply this same thinking to take on roles within a group to create a dance video. The lesson concludes with a discussion about the importance of expressing our own needs and advocating for ourselves, and an exploration of an example video in which making assumptions about the needs of an individual had a detrimental impact on their learning.
Learning intentions:

Students understand that they all have different strengths and demonstrate their capabilities in different contexts..
21st century skills:

.

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:
Years 5 & 6 Health and Physical Education:

Explore how participation in outdoor activities supports personal and community health and wellbeing and creates connections to natural and built environments (ACPPS059)

Identify how valuing diversity positively influences the wellbeing of the community (ACPPS060)

Practise specialised movement skills and apply them in a variety of movement sequences and situations (ACPMP061)

Participate positively in groups and teams by encouraging others and negotiating roles and responsibilities (ACPMP067)

Syllabus outcomes: ALS3.6, COS3.1, INS3.3, IRS3.11, GSS3.8, GYS3.10, MOS3.4.

General capabilities: Literacy, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding, Critical and Creative Thinking.

Relevant parts of Year 5 & 6 Health and Physical Education achievement standards: By the end of Year 6, students investigate developmental changes and transitions. They explain the influence of people and places on identities. They recognise the influence of emotions on behaviours and discuss factors that influence how people interact. They describe their own and others' contributions to health, physical activity, safety and wellbeing. They examine how physical activity, celebrating diversity and connecting to the environment support community wellbeing and cultural understanding. Students demonstrate fair play and skills to work collaboratively. They perform specialised movement skills and sequences and propose and combine movement concepts and strategies to achieve movement outcomes and solve movement challenges. They apply the elements of movement when composing and performing movement sequences.

Topic: Social Issues.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Including Everyone. Resources required:
Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low - students are to work independently, making their own decisions about organisational aspects of the independent task.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Device capable of displaying an image to the class (or a printed copy of the picture prompt)

devices for students to record videos on.

Keywords: Down Syndrome Australia, difference, diversity, self-advocacy, inclusion, strengths, success.

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Including Everyone - The Strength in Me - HPE - Years 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students will explore the fact that as individuals we all have different strengths, and that working with others with different skills can allow us to be more successful.

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students begin by watching a video which embraces difference in appearance. They then engage in a range of activities to explore how we are different on the 'inside' as well as the 'outside' by considering their various personality traits. The students then create a lift-the-flap image of themselves to represent their inside and outside characteristics. The lesson concludes with students discussing the importance of everyone being able to self-advocate, exploring an example of a situation in which making assumptions about the needs of an individual had a detrimental impact on their learning.
Learning intentions:

Students understand that they are all different and that they are the only ones who can accurately express what they think and feel..
21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:
Year 3 and 4 Health and Physical Education

Adopt inclusive practices when participating in physical activities (ACPMP048)

Practise and refine fundamental movement skills in a variety of movement sequences and situations (ACPMP043)

Explore how success, challenge and failure strengthen identities (ACPPS033)

Describe how respect, empathy and valuing diversity can positively influence relationships (ACPPS037)

Year 3 English

Understand that successful cooperation with others depends on shared use of social conventions, including turn-taking patterns, and forms of address that vary according to the degree of formality in social situations (ACELA1476)

Listen to and contribute to conversations and discussions to share information and ideas and negotiate in collaborative situations (ACELY1676)

Use interaction skills, including active listening behaviours and communicate in a clear, coherent manner using a variety of everyday and learned vocabulary and appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume (ACELY1792)

Year 4 English

Understand that social interactions influence the way people engage with ideas and respond to others for example when exploring and clarifying the ideas of others, summarising their own views and reporting them to a larger group (ACELA1488)

Syllabus outcomes: COS2.1, INS2.3, IRS2.11, MOS2.4, GDS2.9, GSS2.8, GYS2.10, EN2-1A, EN2-6B.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Literacy, Personal and Social Capability.

Relevant parts of Year 3 and 4 Health and Physical Education achievement standards: By the end of Year 4 students identify influences that strengthen identities. They investigate how emotional responses vary and understand how to interact positively with others in a variety of situations. Students apply strategies for working cooperatively and apply rules fairly.

Relevant parts of Year 3 English achievement standards: By the end of Year 3 students read texts that contain varied sentence structures, a range of punctuation conventions, and images that provide extra information. They understand how language can be used to express feelings and opinions on topics. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, asking questions, providing useful feedback and making presentations. They demonstrate understanding of grammar and choose vocabulary and punctuation appropriate to the purpose and context of their writing. They re-read and edit their writing, checking their work for appropriate vocabulary, structure and meaning.

Relevant parts of Year 4 English achievement standards: By the end of Year 4 students listen for and share key points in discussions.They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, varying language according to context. They demonstrate understanding of grammar, select vocabulary from a range of resources and use accurate spelling and punctuation, re-reading and editing their work to improve meaning.

Topic: Social Issues.

This lesson is part of the wider unit of work Including Everyone.

Time required: 90 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - some students may find it difficult to think critically and objectively about aspects of their own personality and identity.
Resources required:

Plain A4 white paper (2 per student)

student stationery

a device capable of displaying video to the class

task example (can display digitally or print)

scaffold sheet (optional)

Keywords: diversity, difference, inclusion, self-advocate, support, appearance, personality, characteristics, Down syndrome, Down Syndrome Australia.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Including Everyone - What Makes Me Me - HPE - Years 3 & 4 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this lesson, students begin by watching a video which embraces difference in appearance. They then engage in a range of activities to explore how we are different on the 'inside' as well as the 'outside' by considering their various personality traits.

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Quick summary: Students explore the importance of problem finding in creating solutions to real world problems. They begin by identifying a range of problems they are aware of in the world around them and think about how they might begin to generate solutions to these problems. They are then introduced to the Global Problem Solvers (GPS) animated series, which will guide them through the problem finding and problem solving process. Finally students work collaboratively to research background information about the country their GPS series will focus on and create a factsheet about that place.

These lessons have been developed in partnership with Cisco. Cisco believes that our future will be defined by global problem solvers - global citizens ready to thrive in a connected and digital future by thinking like entrepreneurs, innovating like technologists, and acting as agents of social change.

Learning intentions: Students understand...

... what is meant by the term problem finding

... the relationship between problem finding and successful problem solving

... features and characteristics of a country outside of Australia (depending on GPS series).

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Year 3 HASS:

The main climate types of the world and the similarities and differences between the climates of different places (ACHASSK068)

The similarities and differences between places in terms of their type of settlement, demographic characteristics and the lives of the people who live there, and people's perceptions of these places (ACHASSK069)

Locate and collect information and data from different sources, including observations (ACHASSI053)

Record, sort and represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in different formats, including simple graphs, tables and maps, using discipline-appropriate conventions (ACHASSI054)

Year 4 HASS:

The main characteristics of the continents of Africa and South America and the location of their major countries in relation to Australia (ACHASSK087)

Locate and collect information and data from different sources, including observations (ACHASSI074)

Record, sort and represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in different formats, including simple graphs, tables and maps, using discipline-appropriate conventions (ACHASSI075)

Year 5 HASS:

Locate and collect relevant information and data from primary sources and secondary sources (ACHASSI095)

Organise and represent data in a range of formats including tables, graphs and large- and small-scale maps, using discipline-appropriate conventions (ACHASSI096)

Year 6 HASS:

Differences in the economic, demographic and social characteristics of countries across the world (ACHASSK139)

Locate and collect relevant information and data from primary sources and secondary sources (ACHASSI123)

Organise and represent data in a range of formats including tables, graphs and large- and small-scale maps, using discipline-appropriate conventions (ACHASSI124)

Syllabus outcomes: GE2-1, GE2-2, GE2-4, GE3-1, GE3-4.

General capabilities: Literacy.

Relevant parts of Year 3 HASS achievement standards: Students describe the characteristics of different places at local scales and identify and describe similarities and differences between the characteristics of these places. Students collect information from different sources to answer these questions. They record and represent data in tables and simple graphs and the location of places and their characteristics on labelled maps that use the cartographic conventions of legend, title and north point.

Relevant parts of Year 4 HASS achievement standards: Students describe and compare the characteristics of places in different locations at local to national scales. They locate, collect and sort information and data from different sources to answer these questions. They record and represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in simple graphic forms, including large-scale maps that use the cartographic conventions of scale, legend, title and north point.

Relevant parts of Year 5 HASS achievement standards: Students locate, collect and organise data and information from a range of sources to answer inquiry questions. They represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in graphic forms, including large-scale and small-scale maps that use the cartographic conventions of border, scale, legend, title and north point.

Relevant parts of Year 6 HASS achievement standards: Students describe and explain the diverse characteristics of places in different locations from local to global scales. They locate, collect and organise useful data and information from primary and secondary sources. They record and represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in different graphic forms, including large-scale and small-scale maps that use cartographic conventions of border, source, scale, legend, title and north point.

Topic: Enterprise Learning.

This lesson is part of the wider units of work Cisco Global Problem Solvers - HASS - Years 3 & 4 and Cisco Global Problem Solvers - HASS - Years 5 & 6.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - Oversee discussions and lead students in activities.
Resources required:

BOLTSS Mapping Conventions

Device capable of presenting a website to the class.

Enough sticky notes or small pieces of scrap paper (printed on one side is fine) so that each student can have between two and five (depending on age or ability)

Pens/pencils

Student Worksheet - one copy per student.

Keywords: Cisco, Global Problem Solvers, problem finding, problem solving.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Cisco GPS - Tuning In To Global Problem Solvers - HASS - Years 3 - 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students explore the importance of problem finding in creating solutions to real world problems. They begin by identifying a range of problems they are aware of in the world around them and think about how they might begin to generate solutions to these problems. They are then introduced to the Global Problem Solvers (GPS) ...

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Quick summary: In this activity students investigate what physical features animals might need to help them adapt to climate change. Students look at an animal that is local to their area, and compare it to other similar animals in other parts of Australia and the world. They select adaptations from these similar animals that they believe would help their animal cope with climate change. Students present their ideas to the class.

This activity has been created in partnership with WWF-Australia. Earth Hour is the world's largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of teachers use Earth Hour's education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

For the most up to date Earth Hour dates, times, and events, check here.
Learning goals:

Students understand that animals have evolved physical features that help them survive in their habitat.

Students understand that similar animals in different habitats have developed different adaptations according to the needs of their habitat.

Students recognise that climate change may alter habitats.

Students recognise that changes to habitats can affect that animals that live in those habitats.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, ICT capability.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1, OI.2.
Australian Curriculum content description: Year 5 Science

Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043)

With guidance, plan appropriate investigation methods to answer questions or solve problems (ACSIS086)

Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)

Year 6 Science

The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094)

Sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can affect Earth's surface (ACSSU096)

Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS110)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST3-4WS, ST3-10LW, ST3-11LW, ST3-9ES.

Topic: Climate change

Time required: 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - facilitate discussion, oversee activity and presentations

Resources required: Internet access, student worksheet, drawing materials, or computer-based image editing or creating programs (e.g. Photoshop).

Digital technology opportunities: PowerPoint or Prezi, digital sharing capabilities.

Keywords: Climate change, animals, adaptation, physical features, local, global.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Earth Hour: Animals Adapting to Climate Change - 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this activity students investigate what physical features animals might need to help them adapt to climate change. Students look at an animal that is local to their area, and compare it to other similar animals in other parts of Australia and the world.

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Quick summary: Students explore the future they would like to create by examining how they experience the present and how climate change might affect the future. They begin by spending time outside experiencing nature and imagining how this nature will be changed in the future. They then look at the Choose Your Climate Future website and analyse how climate change might affect various aspects of Australian life in the future. Finally, students are asked to imagine the future they would like to see through a visual storytelling activity.

This lesson has been created in partnership with WWF-Australia. Earth Hour is the world's largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of teachers use Earth Hour's education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

For the most up to date Earth Hour dates, times, and events, check here.
Essential questions:

How are we affected by our environment?

How do we experience nature?

How do we affect our environment?

What is climate change and how will it affect our future?

How can we affect our future?

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions: This lesson can be used across multiple strands of the Australian Curriculum, including -
Year 5 English

Create literary texts using realistic and fantasy settings and characters that draw on the worlds represented in texts students have experienced (ACELT1612)

Create literary texts that experiment with structures, ideas and stylistic features of selected authors (ACELT1798)

Year 5 HASS - Geography

The influence of people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, on the environmental characteristics of Australian places (ACHASSK112)
Year 6 English

Create literary texts that adapt or combine aspects of texts students have experienced in innovative ways (ACELT1618)

Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using imagery, sentence variation, metaphor and word choice (ACELT1800)

Year 6 Science

Sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earth's surface (ACSSU096)

Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and reflects historical and cultural contributions (ACSHE098)

Year 5 & 6 PDHPE

Explore how participation in outdoor activities supports personal and community health and wellbeing and creates connections to natural and built environments (ACPPS059)

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Literacy, Personal and social capability.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.7., OI.9.

Syllabus Outcomes: EN3-7C, EN3-2A, ST3-9ES, ST3-4WS, ALS3.6.

Topic: Earth Hour, Climate change.

Time required: 60 mins x 2

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - Lead students in outdoor activity, initiate class discussion, oversee activities.

Resources required: Student Worksheet - one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Device capable of presenting a website to the class. Internet access and computers/tablets for students. Consequence wheel, Ranking ladder, Visual storytelling tips, Animation tips, Comic strip tips, Making a short film. Extension: About cool burning.

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities, acquiring information from website to complete activities.

Keywords: Climate change, future, present, nature, environment, visual storytelling.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Choose your climate future - Years 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students explore the future they would like to create by examining how they experience the present and how climate change might affect the future. They begin by spending time outside experiencing nature and imagining how this nature will be changed in the future.

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Earth Hour - The places you love - LOTE - Years 5 & 6 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: Students explore how nature makes them feel, the Australian places in nature that they love, and how these places might be affected by climate change. Students begin this […]

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Quick summary: In this interactive whiteboard lesson students explore the impact of droughts and floods on the Australian landscape. They build an understanding of how extreme weather events can impact on our food and farming.

This lesson has been created in partnership with WWF-Australia. Earth Hour is the world's largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of teachers use Earth Hour's education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

For the most up to date Earth Hour dates, times, and events, check here.

Requirements for this lesson: Interactive whiteboard, Smart Notebook software.
In this lesson students will:

Students use thinking tools to understand the impacts of flood and drought

Students are able to understand the impacts of climate change

Students begin to recognise the effect of climate change on Australian agriculture

Interactive components

Click to reveal

Rub and reveal

Interactive sharing techniques

Cross-curricular priorities: Sustainability General capabilities: Supportive resources: Cool Australia Foodie Webinar Download the file below! Critical and creative thinking.

OI.3 - Sustainable patterns of living rely on the interdependence of healthy social, economic and ecological systems.

OI.6 - The sustainability of ecological, social and economic systems is achieved through informed individual and community action that values local and global equity and fairness across generations into the future.

OI.9 - Sustainable futures result from actions designed to preserve and/or restore the quality and uniqueness of environments.

Year levels: Year 3 & 4, Year 5 & 6

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Earth Hour - 'The Impacts of Drought and Floods' SMARTboard Lesson - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: In this interactive whiteboard lesson students explore the impact of droughts and floods on the Australian landscape. They build an understanding of how extreme weather events can impact on our food and farming. This lesson has been created in partnership with WWF-Australia. Earth Hour is the world's largest community-driven climate change campaign.

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Finding Out

Students will need to obtain more information about the issues they are going to investigate. They can identify questions of interest and research these either in small groups or on their own. Once information is gathered, it can be shared using chosen communication methods e.g. short presentations. Students can continue finding out by completing a range of investigations, including gathering data. They use appropriate methods to present and communicate what they have found out.

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Students will need to obtain more information about the issues they are going to investigate. They can identify questions of interest and research these either in small groups or on their own. Once information is gathered, it can be shared using chosen communication methods e.g. short presentations.

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Introduction Units of work involving our environment enable your students to immediately apply their learning in the real world giving them greater motivation and opportunities to excel. Curriculum materials are […]

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Quick summary: This lesson presents students with some basic facts and figures regarding what poverty in Australia looks like and how a range of people may experience it. It will also introduce the number and percentage of people, such as children, who live in poverty, as well as some solutions that would reduce poverty. In small teams, students discuss their ideas about the likely or possible impacts of poverty on different people in the community. They then use elements of the persuasive text to structure and compose an orally delivered argument for reducing poverty in Australian communities.
Learning intentions:

Students will understand what poverty is and that poverty exists in Australia

Students will gain awareness of different groups of people in our community who are more likely to be in poverty at different times of their lives

Students work together to create a simple argument for reducing poverty for a particular group of people and present this verbally to the class.

21st-century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Year 3 English:

Listen to and contribute to conversations and discussions to share information and ideas and negotiate in collaborative situations (ACELY1676)

Plan and deliver short presentations, providing some key details in logical sequence (ACELY1677)

Year 4 English:

Interpret ideas and information in spoken texts and listen for key points in order to carry out tasks and use the information to share and extend ideas and information (ACELY1687)

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations incorporating learned content and taking into account the particular purposes and audiences (ACELY1689).

Syllabus outcomes: EN2-4A, EN2-2A, EN2-7B, EN2-9B, EN2-12E

General capabilities: Literacy, Creative and Critical Thinking, Ethical Understanding

Relevant parts of Year 3 achievement standards:

By the end of Year 3, students understand how language can be used to express feelings and opinions on topics. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, asking questions and providing useful feedback and making presentations, and they create a range of texts for familiar and unfamiliar audiences.

Relevant parts of Year 4 achievement standards:

By the end of Year 4, students understand how to express an opinion based on information in a text. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, varying language according to context and they use language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts. Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences.

Topic: Poverty and Inequality in Australia

Time required: 110 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium - present introductory PowerPoint; organise small group discussions and facilitate a whole-class discussion.
Resources required:

A device capable of presenting video, data and a PowerPoint to the class

Community Cards and Questions - (to be cut out and given out to each group)

PowerPoint presentation: The Facts about Poverty in Australia (provided).

Keywords: poverty, inequality, Australia, community, health.
Cool Australia's curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

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Poverty And Inequality In Australia - What Is Poverty And Why Does It Matter? - English - Years 3 & 4 - Cool Australia

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Quick summary: This lesson presents students with some basic facts and figures regarding what poverty in Australia looks like and how a range of people may experience it. It will also introduce the number and percentage of people, such as children, who live in poverty, as well as some solutions that would reduce poverty.

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Preamble

This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. We recognise that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnership, will implement this plan. We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet. We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets which we are announcing today demonstrate the scale and ambition of this new universal Agenda. They seek to build on the Millennium Development Goals and complete what these did not achieve. They seek to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. They are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental.

The Goals and targets will stimulate action over the next fifteen years in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet:

People

We are determined to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy environment.

Planet

We are determined to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations.

Prosperity

We are determined to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.

Peace

We are determined to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence. There can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development.

Partnership

We are determined to mobilize the means required to implement this Agenda through a revitalised Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, based on a spirit of strengthened global solidarity, focussed in particular on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable and with the participation of all countries, all stakeholders and all people.

The interlinkages and integrated nature of the Sustainable Development Goals are of crucial importance in ensuring that the purpose of the new Agenda is realised. If we realize our ambitions across the full extent of the Agenda, the lives of all will be profoundly improved and our world will be transformed for the better.

DECLARATION

Introduction

1. We, the Heads of State and Government and High Representatives, meeting at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 25-27 September 2015 as the Organization celebrates its seventieth anniversary, have decided today on new global Sustainable Development Goals.

2. On behalf of the peoples we serve, we have adopted a historic decision on a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative Goals and targets. We commit ourselves to working tirelessly for the full implementation of this Agenda by 2030. We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. We are committed to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions - economic, social and environmental - in a balanced and integrated manner. We will also build upon the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals and seek to address their unfinished business.

3. We resolve, between now and 2030, to end poverty and hunger everywhere; to combat inequalities within and among countries; to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies; to protect human rights and promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; and to ensure the lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources. We resolve also to create conditions for sustainable, inclusive and sustained economic growth, shared prosperity and decent work for all, taking into account different levels of national development and capacities.

4. As we embark on this great collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind. Recognizing that the dignity of the human person is fundamental, we wish to see the Goals and targets met for all nations and peoples and for all segments of society. And we will endeavour to reach the furthest behind first.

5. This is an Agenda of unprecedented scope and significance. It is accepted by all countries and is applicable to all, taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities. These are universal goals and targets which involve the entire world, developed and developing countries alike. They are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development.

6. The Goals and targets are the result of over two years of intensive public consultation and engagement with civil society and other stakeholders around the world, which paid particular attention to the voices of the poorest and most vulnerable. This consultation included valuable work done by the General Assembly Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and by the United Nations, whose Secretary-General provided a synthesis report in December 2014.

Our vision

7. In these Goals and targets, we are setting out a supremely ambitious and transformational vision. We envisage a world free of poverty, hunger, disease and want, where all life can thrive. We envisage a world free of fear and violence. A world with universal literacy. A world with equitable and universal access to quality education at all levels, to health care and social protection, where physical, mental and social well-being are assured. A world where we reaffirm our commitments regarding the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation and where there is improved hygiene; and where food is sufficient, safe, affordable and nutritious. A world where human habitats are safe, resilient and sustainable and where there is universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.

8. We envisage a world of universal respect for human rights and human dignity, the rule of law, justice, equality and non-discrimination; of respect for race, ethnicity and cultural diversity; and of equal opportunity permitting the full realization of human potential and contributing to shared prosperity. A world which invests in its children and in which every child grows up free from violence and exploitation. A world in which every woman and girl enjoys full gender equality and all legal, social and economic barriers to their empowerment have been removed. A just, equitable, tolerant, open and socially inclusive world in which the needs of the most vulnerable are met.

9. We envisage a world in which every country enjoys sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all. A world in which consumption and production patterns and use of all natural resources - from air to land, from rivers, lakes and aquifers to oceans and seas - are sustainable. One in which democracy, good governance and the rule of law as well as an enabling environment at national and international levels, are essential for sustainable development, including sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, environmental protection and the eradication of poverty and hunger. One in which development and the application of technology are climate-sensitive, respect biodiversity and are resilient. One in which humanity lives in harmony with nature and in which wildlife and other living species are protected.

Our shared principles and commitments

10. The new Agenda is guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including full respect for international law. It is grounded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international human rights treaties, the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document. It is informed by other instruments such as the Declaration on the Right to Development.

11. We reaffirm the outcomes of all major UN conferences and summits which have laid a solid foundation for sustainable development and have helped to shape the new Agenda. These include the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; the World Summit on Sustainable Development; the World Summit for Social Development; the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action; and the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development ("Rio+ 20"). We also reaffirm the follow-up to these conferences, including the outcomes of the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States; the Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries; and the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

12. We reaffirm all the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including, inter alia, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, as set out in principle 7 thereof.

13. The challenges and commitments contained in these major conferences and summits are interrelated and call for integrated solutions. To address them effectively, a new approach is needed. Sustainable development recognizes that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, combatting inequality within and among countries, preserving the planet, creating sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and fostering social inclusion are linked to each other and are interdependent.

Our world today

14. We are meeting at a time of immense challenges to sustainable development. Billions of our citizens continue to live in poverty and are denied a life of dignity. There are rising inequalities within and among countries. There are enormous disparities of opportunity, wealth and power. Gender inequality remains a key challenge. Unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, is a major concern. Global health threats, more frequent and intense natural disasters, spiralling conflict, violent extremism, terrorism and related humanitarian crises and forced displacement of people threaten to reverse much of the development progress made in recent decades. Natural resource depletion and adverse impacts of environmental degradation, including desertification, drought, land degradation, freshwater scarcity and loss of biodiversity, add to and exacerbate the list of challenges which humanity faces. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and its adverse impacts undermine the ability of all countries to achieve sustainable development. Increases in global temperature, sea level rise, ocean acidification and other climate change impacts are seriously affecting coastal areas and low-lying coastal countries, including many least developed countries and small island developing States. The survival of many societies, and of the biological support systems of the planet, is at risk.

15. It is also, however, a time of immense opportunity. Significant progress has been made in meeting many development challenges. Within the past generation, hundreds of millions of people have emerged from extreme poverty. Access to education has greatly increased for both boys and girls. The spread of information and communications technology and global interconnectedness has great potential to accelerate human progress, to bridge the digital divide and to develop knowledge societies, as does scientific and technological innovation across areas as diverse as medicine and energy.

16. Almost fifteen years ago, the Millennium Development Goals were agreed. These provided an important framework for development and significant progress has been made in a number of areas. But the progress has been uneven, particularly in Africa, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing States, and some of the MDGs remain off-track, in particular those related to maternal, newborn and child health and to reproductive health. We recommit ourselves to the full realization of all the MDGs, including the off-track MDGs, in particular by providing focussed and scaled-up assistance to least developed countries and other countries in special situations, in line with relevant support programmes. The new Agenda builds on the Millennium Development Goals and seeks to complete what these did not achieve, particularly in reaching the most vulnerable.

17. In its scope, however, the framework we are announcing today goes far beyond the MDGs. Alongside continuing development priorities such as poverty eradication, health, education and food security and nutrition, it sets out a wide range of economic, social and environmental objectives. It also promises more peaceful and inclusive societies. It also, crucially, defines means of implementation. Reflecting the integrated approach that we have decided on, there are deep interconnections and many cross-cutting elements across the new Goals and targets.

The new Agenda

18. We are announcing today 17 Sustainable Development Goals with 169 associated targets which are integrated and indivisible. Never before have world leaders pledged common action and endeavour across such a broad and universal policy agenda. We are setting out together on the path towards sustainable development, devoting ourselves collectively to the pursuit of global development and of "win-win" cooperation which can bring huge gains to all countries and all parts of the world. We reaffirm that every State has, and shall freely exercise, full permanent sovereignty over all its wealth, natural resources and economic activity. We will implement the Agenda for the full benefit of all, for today's generation and for future generations. In doing so, we reaffirm our commitment to international law and emphasize that the Agenda is to be implemented in a manner that is consistent with the rights and obligations of states under international law.

19. We reaffirm the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as other international instruments relating to human rights and international law. We emphasize the responsibilities of all States, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, to respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability or other status.

20. Realizing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will make a crucial contribution to progress across all the Goals and targets. The achievement of full human potential and of sustainable development is not possible if one half of humanity continues to be denied its full human rights and opportunities. Women and girls must enjoy equal access to quality education, economic resources and political participation as well as equal opportunities with men and boys for employment, leadership and decision-making at all levels. We will work for a significant increase in investments to close the gender gap and strengthen support for institutions in relation to gender equality and the empowerment of women at the global, regional and national levels. All forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls will be eliminated, including through the engagement of men and boys. The systematic mainstreaming of a gender perspective in the implementation of the Agenda is crucial.

21. The new Goals and targets will come into effect on 1 January 2016 and will guide the decisions we take over the next fifteen years. All of us will work to implement the Agenda within our own countries and at the regional and global levels, taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities We will respect national policy space for sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, in particular for developing states, while remaining consistent with relevant international rules and commitments. We acknowledge also the importance of the regional and sub-regional dimensions, regional economic integration and interconnectivity in sustainable development. Regional and sub-regional frameworks can facilitate the effective translation of sustainable development policies into concrete action at national level.

22. Each country faces specific challenges in its pursuit of sustainable development. The most vulnerable countries and, in particular, African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states deserve special attention, as do countries in situations of conflict and post-conflict countries. There are also serious challenges within many middle-income countries.

23. People who are vulnerable must be empowered. Those whose needs are reflected in the Agenda include all children, youth, persons with disabilities (of whom more than 80% live in poverty), people living with HIV/AIDS, older persons, indigenous peoples, refugees and internally displaced persons and migrants. We resolve to take further effective measures and actions, in conformity with international law, to remove obstacles and constraints, strengthen support and meet the special needs of people living in areas affected by complex humanitarian emergencies and in areas affected by terrorism.

24. We are committed to ending poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including by eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. All people must enjoy a basic standard of living, including through social protection systems. We are also determined to end hunger and to achieve food security as a matter of priority and to end all forms of malnutrition. In this regard, we reaffirm the important role and inclusive nature of the Committee on World Food Security and welcome the Rome Declaration on Nutrition and Framework for Action. We will devote resources to developing rural areas and sustainable agriculture and fisheries, supporting smallholder farmers, especially women farmers, herders and fishers in developing countries, particularly least developed countries.

25. We commit to providing inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels - early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, technical and vocational training. All people, irrespective of sex, age, race, ethnicity, and persons with disabilities, migrants, indigenous peoples, children and youth, especially those in vulnerable situations, should have access to life-long learning opportunities that help them acquire the knowledge and skills needed to exploit opportunities and to participate fully in society. We will strive to provide children and youth with a nurturing environment for the full realization of their rights and capabilities, helping our countries to reap the demographic dividend including through safe schools and cohesive communities and families.

26. To promote physical and mental health and well-being, and to extend life expectancy for all, we must achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care. No one must be left behind. We commit to accelerating the progress made to date in reducing newborn, child and maternal mortality by ending all such preventable deaths before 2030. We are committed to ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education. We will equally accelerate the pace of progress made in fighting malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis, Ebola and other communicable diseases and epidemics, including by addressing growing anti-microbial resistance and the problem of unattended diseases affecting developing countries. We are committed to the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases, including behavioural, developmental and neurological disorders, which constitute a major challenge for sustainable development.

27. We will seek to build strong economic foundations for all our countries. Sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth is essential for prosperity. This will only be possible if wealth is shared and income inequality is addressed. We will work to build dynamic, sustainable, innovative and people-centred economies, promoting youth employment and women's economic empowerment, in particular, and decent work for all. We will eradicate forced labour and human trafficking and end child labour in all its forms. All countries stand to benefit from having a healthy and well-educated workforce with the knowledge and skills needed for productive and fulfilling work and full participation in society. We will strengthen the productive capacities of least-developed countries in all sectors, including through structural transformation. We will adopt policies which increase productive capacities, productivity and productive employment; financial inclusion; sustainable agriculture, pastoralist and fisheries development; sustainable industrial development; universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy services; sustainable transport systems; and quality and resilient infrastructure.

28. We commit to making fundamental changes in the way that our societies produce and consume goods and services. Governments, international organizations, the business sector and other non-state actors and individuals must contribute to changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns, including through the mobilization, from all sources, of financial and technical assistance to strengthen developing countries' scientific, technological and innovative capacities to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production. We encourage the implementation of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production. All countries take action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries.

29. We recognize the positive contribution of migrants for inclusive growth and sustainable development. We also recognize that international migration is a multi-dimensional reality of major relevance for the development of countries of origin, transit and destination, which requires coherent and comprehensive responses. We will cooperate internationally to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration involving full respect for human rights and the humane treatment of migrants regardless of migration status, of refugees and of displaced persons. Such cooperation should also strengthen the resilience of communities hosting refugees, particularly in developing countries. We underline the right of migrants to return to their country of citizenship, and recall that States must ensure that their returning nationals are duly received.

30. States are strongly urged to refrain from promulgating and applying any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations that impede the full achievement of economic and social development, particularly in developing countries.

31. We acknowledge that the UNFCCC is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change. We are determined to address decisively the threat posed by climate change and environmental degradation. The global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible international cooperation aimed at accelerating the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions and addressing adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change. We note with grave concern the significant gap between the aggregate effect of Parties' mitigation pledges in terms of global annual emissions of greenhouse gases by 2020 and aggregate emission pathways consistent with having a likely chance of holding the increase in global average temperature below 2 °C or 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.

32. Looking ahead to the COP21 conference in Paris in December, we underscore the commitment of all States to work for an ambitious and universal climate agreement. We reaffirm that the protocol, another legal instrument or agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties shall address in a balanced manner, inter alia, mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity-building, and transparency of action and support.

33. We recognise that social and economic development depends on the sustainable management of our planet's natural resources. We are therefore determined to conserve and sustainably use oceans and seas, freshwater resources, as well as forests, mountains and drylands and to protect biodiversity, ecosystems and wildlife. We are also determined to promote sustainable tourism, tackle water scarcity and water pollution, to strengthen cooperation on desertification, dust storms, land degradation and drought and to promote resilience and disaster risk reduction. In this regard, we look forward to COP13 of the Convention on Biological Diversity to be held in Mexico in 2016.

34. We recognize that sustainable urban development and management are crucial to the quality of life of our people. We will work with local authorities and communities to renew and plan our cities and human settlements so as to foster community cohesion and personal security and to stimulate innovation and employment. We will reduce the negative impacts of urban activities and of chemicals which are hazardous for human health and the environment, including through the environmentally sound management and safe use of chemicals, the reduction and recycling of waste and more efficient use of water and energy. And we will work to minimize the impact of cities on the global climate system. We will also take account of population trends and projections in our national, rural and urban development strategies and policies. We look forward to the upcoming United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development in Quito, Ecuador.

35. Sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security; and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development. The new Agenda recognizes the need to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies that provide equal access to justice and that are based on respect for human rights (including the right to development), on effective rule of law and good governance at all levels and on transparent, effective and accountable institutions. Factors which give rise to violence, insecurity and injustice, such as inequality, corruption, poor governance and illicit financial and arms flows, are addressed in the Agenda. We must redouble our efforts to resolve or prevent conflict and to support post-conflict countries, including through ensuring that women have a role in peace-building and state-building. We call for further effective measures and actions to be taken, in conformity with international law, to remove the obstacles to the full realization of the right of self-determination of peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development as well as their environment.

36. We pledge to foster inter-cultural understanding, tolerance, mutual respect and an ethic of global citizenship and shared responsibility. We acknowledge the natural and cultural diversity of the world and recognize that all cultures and civilizations can contribute to, and are crucial enablers of, sustainable development.

37. Sport is also an important enabler of sustainable development. We recognize the growing contribution of sport to the realization of development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives.

38. We reaffirm, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the need to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of States.

Means of Implementation

39. The scale and ambition of the new Agenda requires a revitalized Global Partnership to ensure its implementation. We fully commit to this. This Partnership will work in a spirit of global solidarity, in particular solidarity with the poorest and with people in vulnerable situations. It will facilitate an intensive global engagement in support of implementation of all the Goals and targets, bringing together Governments, the private sector, civil society, the United Nations system and other actors and mobilizing all available resources.

40. The means of implementation targets under Goal 17 and under each SDG are key to realising our Agenda and are of equal importance with the other Goals and targets. The Agenda, including the SDGs, can be met within the framework of a revitalized global partnership for sustainable development, supported by the concrete policies and actions as outlined in the outcome document of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Addis Ababa from 13-16 July 2015. We welcome the endorsement by the General Assembly of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, which is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We recognize that the full implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda is critical for the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets.

41. We recognize that each country has primary responsibility for its own economic and social development. The new Agenda deals with the means required for implementation of the Goals and targets. We recognize that these will include the mobilization of financial resources as well as capacity-building and the transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed. Public finance, both domestic and international, will play a vital role in providing essential services and public goods and in catalyzing other sources of finance. We acknowledge the role of the diverse private sector, ranging from micro-enterprises to cooperatives to multinationals, and that of civil society organizations and philanthropic organizations in the implementation of the new Agenda.

42. We support the implementation of relevant strategies and programmes of action, including the Istanbul Declaration and Programme of Action, the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024, and reaffirm the importance of supporting the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the programme of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), all of which are integral to the new Agenda. We recognize the major challenge to the achievement of durable peace and sustainable development in countries in conflict and post-conflict situations.

43. We emphasize that international public finance plays an important role in complementing the efforts of countries to mobilize public resources domestically, especially in the poorest and most vulnerable countries with limited domestic resources. An important use of international public finance, including ODA, is to catalyse additional resource mobilization from other sources, public and private. ODA providers reaffirm their respective commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7% of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15% to 0.2% of ODA/GNI to least developed countries.

44. We acknowledge the importance for international financial institutions to support, in line with their mandates, the policy space of each country, in particular developing countries. We recommit to broadening and strengthening the voice and participation of developing countries - including African countries, least developed countries, land-locked developing countries, small-island developing States and middle-income countries - in international economic decision-making, norm-setting and global economic governance.

45. We acknowledge also the essential role of national parliaments through their enactment of legislation and adoption of budgets and their role in ensuring accountability for the effective implementation of our commitments. Governments and public institutions will also work closely on implementation with regional and local authorities, sub-regional institutions, international institutions, academia, philanthropic organisations, volunteer groups and others.

46. We underline the important role and comparative advantage of an adequately resourced, relevant, coherent, efficient and effective UN system in supporting the achievement of the SDGs and sustainable development. While stressing the importance of strengthened national ownership and leadership at country level, we express our support for the ongoing ECOSOC Dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the United Nations development system in the context of this Agenda.

Follow-up and review

47. Our Governments have the primary responsibility for follow-up and review, at the national, regional and global levels, in relation to the progress made in implementing the Goals and targets over the coming fifteen years. To support accountability to our citizens, we will provide for systematic follow-up and review at the various levels, as set out in this Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. The High Level Political Forum under the auspices of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council will have the central role in overseeing follow-up and review at the global level.

48. Indicators are being developed to assist this work. Quality, accessible, timely and reliable disaggregated data will be needed to help with the measurement of progress and to ensure that no one is left behind. Such data is key to decision-making. Data and information from existing reporting mechanisms should be used where possible. We agree to intensify our efforts to strengthen statistical capacities in developing countries, particularly African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and middle-income countries. We are committed to developing broader measures of progress to complement gross domestic product (GDP).

A call for action to change our world

49. Seventy years ago, an earlier generation of world leaders came together to create the United Nations. From the ashes of war and division they fashioned this Organization and the values of peace, dialogue and international cooperation which underpin it. The supreme embodiment of those values is the Charter of the United Nations.

50. Today we are also taking a decision of great historic significance. We resolve to build a better future for all people, including the millions who have been denied the chance to lead decent, dignified and rewarding lives and to achieve their full human potential. We can be the first generation to succeed in ending poverty; just as we may be the last to have a chance of saving the planet. The world will be a better place in 2030 if we succeed in our objectives.

51. What we are announcing today - an Agenda for global action for the next fifteen years - is a charter for people and planet in the twenty-first century. Children and young women and men are critical agents of change and will find in the new Goals a platform to channel their infinite capacities for activism into the creation of a better world.

52. "We the Peoples" are the celebrated opening words of the UN Charter. It is "We the Peoples" who are embarking today on the road to 2030. Our journey will involve Governments as well as Parliaments, the UN system and other international institutions, local authorities, indigenous peoples, civil society, business and the private sector, the scientific and academic community - and all people. Millions have already engaged with, and will own, this Agenda. It is an Agenda of the people, by the people, and for the people - and this, we believe, will ensure its success.

53. The future of humanity and of our planet lies in our hands. It lies also in the hands of today's younger generation who will pass the torch to future generations. We have mapped the road to sustainable development; it will be for all of us to ensure that the journey is successful and its gains irreversible.

Sustainable Development Goals and targets

54. Following an inclusive process of intergovernmental negotiations, and based on the Proposal of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals , which includes a chapeau contextualising the latter, the following are the Goals and targets which we have agreed.

55. The SDGs and targets are integrated and indivisible, global in nature and universally applicable, taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities. Targets are defined as aspirational and global, with each government setting its own national targets guided by the global level of ambition but taking into account national circumstances. Each government will also decide how these aspirational and global targets should be incorporated in national planning processes, policies and strategies. It is important to recognize the link between sustainable development and other relevant ongoing processes in the economic, social and environmental fields.

56. In deciding upon these Goals and targets, we recognise that each country faces specific challenges to achieve sustainable development, and we underscore the special challenges facing the most vulnerable countries and, in particular, African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, as well as the specific challenges facing the middle-income countries. Countries in situations of conflict also need special attention.

57. We recognize that baseline data for several of the targets remain unavailable, and we call for increased support for strengthening data collection and capacity building in Member States, to develop national and global baselines where they do not yet exist. We commit to addressing this gap in data collection so as to better inform the measurement of progress, in particular for those targets below which do not have clear numerical targets.

58. We encourage ongoing efforts by states in other fora to address key issues which pose potential challenges to the implementation of our Agenda; and we respect the independent mandates of those processes. We intend that the Agenda and its implementation would support, and be without prejudice to, those other processes and the decisions taken therein.

59. We recognise that there are different approaches, visions, models and tools available to each country, in accordance with its national circumstances and priorities, to achieve sustainable development; and we reaffirm that planet Earth and its ecosystems are our common home and that 'Mother Earth' is a common expression in a number of countries and regions.

Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*

Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.

Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births
3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
3.6 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes
3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all
3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
3.a Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate
3.b Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all
3.c Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States
3.d Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

5.1 End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
5.2 Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
5.3 Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
5.4 Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate
5.5 Ensure women's full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
5.6 Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences
5.a Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws
5.b Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
5.c Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels

Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
7.a By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
7.b By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support

Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

8.1 Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries
8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
8.10 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all
8.a Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries
8.b By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization

Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

12.1 Implement the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
12.a Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
12.b Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
12.c Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities

Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*

13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.a Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
13.b Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities

* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.

Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
15.3 By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
15.4 By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development
15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
15.6 Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed
15.7 Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
15.8 By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species
15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
15.a Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
15.b Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
15.c Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities

Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

16.1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
16.4 By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
16.8 Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
16.9 By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
16.a Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime
16.b Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Finance

17.1 Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection
17.2 Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries
17.3 Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
17.4 Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress
17.5 Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries

Technology

17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
17.7 Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
17.8 Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology

Capacity-building

17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

Trade

17.10 Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda
17.11 Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries' share of global exports by 2020
17.12 Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access

Systemic issues
Policy and institutional coherence
17.13 Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
17.14 Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.15 Respect each country's policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development
Multi-stakeholder partnerships
17.16 Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
Data, monitoring and accountability
17.18 By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
17.19 By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

Means of implementation and the Global Partnership

60. We reaffirm our strong commitment to the full implementation of this new Agenda. We recognize that we will not be able to achieve our ambitious Goals and targets without a revitalized and enhanced Global Partnership and comparably ambitious means of implementation. The revitalized Global Partnership will facilitate an intensive global engagement in support of implementation of all the goals and targets, bringing together Governments, civil society, the private sector, the United Nations system and other actors and mobilizing all available resources.

61. The Agenda's Goals and targets deal with the means required to realise our collective ambitions. The means of implementation targets under each SDG and Goal 17, which are referred to above, are key to realising our Agenda and are of equal importance with the other Goals and targets. We shall accord them equal priority in our implementation efforts and in the global indicator framework for monitoring our progress.

62. This Agenda, including the SDGs, can be met within the framework of a revitalized global partnership for sustainable development, supported by the concrete policies and actions outlined in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda , which is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda supports, complements and helps contextualize the 2030 Agenda's means of implementation targets. These relate to domestic public resources, domestic and international private business and finance, international development cooperation, international trade as an engine for development, debt and debt sustainability, addressing systemic issues and science, technology, innovation and capacity-building, and data, monitoring and follow-up.

63. Cohesive nationally owned sustainable development strategies, supported by integrated national financing frameworks, will be at the heart of our efforts. We reiterate that each country has primary responsibility for its own economic and social development and that the role of national policies and development strategies cannot be overemphasized. We will respect each country's policy space and leadership to implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development, while remaining consistent with relevant international rules and commitments. At the same time, national development efforts need to be supported by an enabling international economic environment, including coherent and mutually supporting world trade, monetary and financial systems, and strengthened and enhanced global economic governance. Processes to develop and facilitate the availability of appropriate knowledge and technologies globally, as well as capacity-building, are also critical. We commit to pursuing policy coherence and an enabling environment for sustainable development at all levels and by all actors, and to reinvigorating the global partnership for sustainable development.

64. We support the implementation of relevant strategies and programmes of action, including the Istanbul Declaration and Programme of Action, the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024, and reaffirm the importance of supporting the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the programme of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), all of which are integral to the new Agenda. We recognize the major challenge to the achievement of durable peace and sustainable development in countries in conflict and post-conflict situations.

65. We recognize that middle-income countries still face significant challenges to achieve sustainable development. In order to ensure that achievements made to date are sustained, efforts to address ongoing challenges should be strengthened through the exchange of experiences, improved coordination, and better and focused support of the United Nations Development System, the international financial institutions, regional organizations and other stakeholders.

66. We underscore that, for all countries, public policies and the mobilization and effective use of domestic resources, underscored by the principle of national ownership, are central to our common pursuit of sustainable development, including achieving the sustainable development goals. We recognize that domestic resources are first and foremost generated by economic growth, supported by an enabling environment at all levels.

67. Private business activity, investment and innovation are major drivers of productivity, inclusive economic growth and job creation. We acknowledge the diversity of the private sector, ranging from micro-enterprises to cooperatives to multinationals. We call on all businesses to apply their creativity and innovation to solving sustainable development challenges. We will foster a dynamic and well-functioning business sector, while protecting labour rights and environmental and health standards in accordance with relevant international standards and agreements and other on-going initiatives in this regard, such as the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the labour standards of ILO, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and key multilateral environmental agreements, for parties to those agreements.

68. International trade is an engine for inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction, and contributes to the promotion of sustainable development. We will continue to promote a universal, rules-based, open, transparent, predictable, inclusive, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as meaningful trade liberalization. We call on all WTO members to redouble their efforts to promptly conclude the negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda. We attach great importance to providing trade-related capacity-building for developing countries, including African countries, least-developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing states and middle-income countries, including for the promotion of regional economic integration and interconnectivity.

69. We recognize the need to assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief, debt restructuring and sound debt management, as appropriate. Many countries remain vulnerable to debt crises and some are in the midst of crises, including a number of least developed countries, small-island developing States and some developed countries. We reiterate that debtors and creditors must work together to prevent and resolve unsustainable debt situations. Maintaining sustainable debt levels is the responsibility of the borrowing countries; however we acknowledge that lenders also have a responsibility to lend in a way that does not undermine a country's debt sustainability. We will support the maintenance of debt sustainability of those countries that have received debt relief and achieved sustainable debt levels.

70. We hereby launch a Technology Facilitation Mechanism which was established by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda in order to support the sustainable development goals. The Technology Facilitation Mechanism will be based on a multi-stakeholder collaboration between Member States, civil society, private sector, scientific community, United Nations entities and other stakeholders and will be composed of: a United Nations Interagency Task Team on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs, a collaborative Multistakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs and an on-line platform.

* The United Nations Interagency Task Team on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs will promote coordination, coherence, and cooperation within the UN System on STI related matters, enhancing synergy and efficiency, in particular to enhance capacity-building initiatives. The Task Team will draw on existing resources and will work with 10 representatives from the civil society, private sector, the scientific community, to prepare the meetings of the Multistakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs, as well as in the development and operationalization of the on-line platform, including preparing proposals for the modalities for the Forum and the on-line platform. The 10 representatives will be appointed by the Secretary General, for periods of two years. The Task Team will be open to the participation of all UN agencies, funds and programmes, and ECOSOC functional commissions and it will initially be composed by the entities that currently integrate the informal working group on technology facilitation, namely: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Environment Programme, UNIDO, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNCTAD, International Telecommunication Union, WIPO and the World Bank.
* The on-line platform will be used to establish a comprehensive mapping of, and serve as a gateway for, information on existing STI initiatives, mechanisms and programmes, within and beyond the UN. The on-line platform will facilitate access to information, knowledge and experience, as well as best practices and lessons learned, on STI facilitation initiatives and policies. The online platform will also facilitate the dissemination of relevant open access scientific publications generated worldwide. The on-line platform will be developed on the basis of an independent technical assessment which will take into account best practices and lessons learned from other initiatives, within and beyond the United Nations, in order to ensure that it will complement, facilitate access to and provide adequate information on existing STI platforms, avoiding duplications and enhancing synergies.
* The Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science Technology and Innovation for the SDGs will be convened once a year, for a period of two days, to discuss STI cooperation around thematic areas for the implementation of the SDGs, congregating all relevant stakeholders to actively contribute in their area of expertise. The Forum will provide a venue for facilitating interaction, matchmaking and the establishment of networks between relevant stakeholders and multi- stakeholder partnerships in order to identify and examine technology needs and gaps, including on scientific cooperation, innovation and capacity building, and also in order to help facilitate development, transfer and dissemination of relevant technologies for the SDGs. The meetings of the Forum will be convened by the President of the ECOSOC before the meeting of the High Level Political Forum under the auspices of ECOSOC or, alternatively, in conjunction with other fora or conferences, as appropriate, taking into account the theme to be considered and on the basis of a collaboration with the organizers of the other fora or conference. The meetings of the Forum will be co-chaired by two Member States and will result in a summary of discussions elaborated by the two co-chairs, as an input to the meetings of the High Level Political Forum, in the context of the follow-up and review of the implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
* The meetings of the HLPF will be informed by the summary of the Multistakeholder Forum. The themes for the subsequent Multistakeholder Forum on Science Technology and Innovation for the SDGs will be considered by the High Level Political Forum on sustainable development, taking into account expert inputs from the Task Team.

71. We reiterate that this Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, including the means of implementation are universal, indivisible and interlinked.

Follow-up and review

72. We commit to engage in systematic follow-up and review of implementation of this Agenda over the next fifteen years. A robust, voluntary, effective, participatory, transparent and integrated follow-up and review framework will make a vital contribution to implementation and will help countries to maximize and track progress in implementing this Agenda in order to ensure that no one is left behind.

73. Operating at the national, regional and global levels, it will promote accountability to our citizens, support effective international cooperation in achieving this Agenda and foster exchanges of best practices and mutual learning. It will mobilize support to overcome shared challenges and identify new and emerging issues. As this is a universal Agenda, mutual trust and understanding among all nations will be important.

74. Follow-up and review processes at all levels will be guided by the following principles:

a. They will be voluntary and country-led, will take into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and will respect policy space and priorities. As national ownership is key to achieving sustainable development, the outcome from national level processes will be the foundation for reviews at regional and global levels, given that the global review will be primarily based on national official data sources.
b. They will track progress in implementing the universal Goals and targets, including the means of implementation, in all countries in a manner which respects their universal, integrated and interrelated nature and the three dimensions of sustainable development.
c. They will maintain a longer-term orientation, identify achievements, challenges, gaps and critical success factors and support countries in making informed policy choices. They will help mobilize the necessary means of implementation and partnerships, support the identification of solutions and best practices and promote coordination and effectiveness of the international development system.
d. They will be open, inclusive, participatory and transparent for all people and will support the reporting by all relevant stakeholders.
e. They will be people-centred, gender-sensitive, respect human rights and have a particular focus on the poorest, most vulnerable and those furthest behind.
f. They will build on existing platforms and processes, where these exist, avoid duplication and respond to national circumstances, capacities, needs and priorities. They will evolve over time, taking into account emerging issues and the development of new methodologies, and will minimize the reporting burden on national administrations.
g. They will be rigorous and based on evidence, informed by country-led evaluations and data which is high-quality, accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability and geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts.
h. They will require enhanced capacity-building support for developing countries, including the strengthening of national data systems and evaluation programs, particularly in African countries, LDCs, SIDS and LLDCs and middle-income countries.
i. They will benefit from the active support of the UN system and other multilateral institutions.

75. The Goals and targets will be followed-up and reviewed using a set of global indicators. These will be complemented by indicators at the regional and national levels which will be developed by member states, in addition to the outcomes of work undertaken for the development of the baselines for those targets where national and global baseline data does not yet exist. The global indicator framework, to be developed by the Inter Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators, will be agreed by the UN Statistical Commission by March 2016 and adopted thereafter by the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, in line with existing mandates. This framework will be simple yet robust, address all SDGs and targets including for means of implementation, and preserve the political balance, integration and ambition contained therein.

76. We will support developing countries, particularly African countries, LDCs, SIDS and LLDCs, in strengthening the capacity of national statistical offices and data systems to ensure access to high-quality, timely, reliable and disaggregated data. We will promote transparent and accountable scaling-up of appropriate public-private cooperation to exploit the contribution to be made by a wide range of data, including earth observation and geo-spatial information, while ensuring national ownership in supporting and tracking progress.

77. We commit to fully engage in conducting regular and inclusive reviews of progress at sub-national, national, regional and global levels. We will draw as far as possible on the existing network of follow-up and review institutions and mechanisms. National reports will allow assessments of progress and identify challenges at the regional and global level. Along with regional dialogues and global reviews, they will inform recommendations for follow-up at various levels.

National level

78. We encourage all member states to develop as soon as practicable ambitious national responses to the overall implementation of this Agenda. These can support the transition to the SDGs and build on existing planning instruments, such as national development and sustainable development strategies, as appropriate.

79. We also encourage member states to conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels which are country-led and country-driven. Such reviews should draw on contributions from indigenous peoples, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders, in line with national circumstances, policies and priorities. National parliaments as well as other institutions can also support these processes.

Regional level

80. Follow-up and review at the regional and sub-regional levels can, as appropriate, provide useful opportunities for peer learning, including through voluntary reviews, sharing of best practices and discussion on shared targets. We welcome in this respect the cooperation of regional and sub-regional commissions and organizations. Inclusive regional processes will draw on national-level reviews and contribute to follow-up and review at the global level, including at the High Level Political Forum on sustainable development (HLPF).

81. Recognizing the importance of building on existing follow-up and review mechanisms at the regional level and allowing adequate policy space, we encourage all member states to identify the most suitable regional forum in which to engage. UN regional commissions are encouraged to continue supporting member states in this regard.

Global level

82. The HLPF will have a central role in overseeing a network of follow-up and review processes at the global level, working coherently with the General Assembly, ECOSOC and other relevant organs and forums, in accordance with existing mandates. It will facilitate sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, and provide political leadership, guidance and recommendations for follow-up. It will promote system-wide coherence and coordination of sustainable development policies. It should ensure that the Agenda remains relevant and ambitious and should focus on the assessment of progress, achievements and challenges faced by developed and developing countries as well as new and emerging issues. Effective linkages will be made with the follow-up and review arrangements of all relevant UN Conferences and processes, including on LDCs, SIDS and LLDCs.

83. Follow-up and review at the HLPF will be informed by an annual SDG Progress Report to be prepared by the Secretary General in cooperation with the UN System, based on the global indicator framework and data produced by national statistical systems and information collected at the regional level. The HLPF will also be informed by the Global Sustainable Development Report, which shall strengthen the science-policy interface and could provide a strong evidence-based instrument to support policy-makers in promoting poverty eradication and sustainable development. We invite the President of ECOSOC to conduct a process of consultations on the scope, methodology and frequency of the Report as well as its relation to the SDG Progress Report, the outcome of which should be reflected in the Ministerial Declaration of the HLPF session in 2016.

84. The HLPF, under the auspices of ECOSOC, shall carry out regular reviews, in line with Resolution 67/290. Reviews will be voluntary, while encouraging reporting, and include developed and developing countries as well as relevant UN entities and other stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector. They shall be state-led, involving ministerial and other relevant high-level participants. They shall provide a platform for partnerships, including through the participation of major groups and other relevant stakeholders.

85. Thematic reviews of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, including cross-cutting issues, will also take place at the HLPF. These will be supported by reviews by the ECOSOC functional commissions and other inter-governmental bodies and forums which should reflect the integrated nature of the goals as well as the interlinkages between them. They will engage all relevant stakeholders and, where possible, feed into, and be aligned with, the cycle of the HLPF.

86. We welcome, as outlined in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the dedicated follow-up and review for the Financing for Development outcomes as well as all the means of implementation of the SDGs which is integrated with the follow-up and review framework of this Agenda. The intergovernmentally agreed conclusions and recommendations of the annual ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development will be fed into the overall follow-up and review of the implementation of this Agenda in the HLPF.

87. Meeting every four years under the auspices of the General Assembly, the HLPF will provide high-level political guidance on the Agenda and its implementation, identify progress and emerging challenges and mobilize further actions to accelerate implementation. The next HLPF, under the auspices of the General Assembly, will take place in 2019, with the cycle of meetings thus reset, in order to maximize coherence with the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review process.

88. We also stress the importance of system-wide strategic planning, implementation and reporting in order to ensure coherent and integrated support to implementation of the new Agenda by the UN development system. The relevant governing bodies should take action to review such support to implementation and to report on progress and obstacles. We welcome the ongoing ECOSOC Dialogues on the longer term positioning of the UN development system and look forward to taking action on these issues, as appropriate.

89. The HLPF will support participation in follow-up and review processes by the major groups and other relevant stakeholders in line with Resolution 67/290. We call on these actors to report on their contribution to the implementation of the Agenda.

90. We request the Secretary General, in consultation with Member States, to prepare a report, for consideration at the 70th session of the General Assembly in preparation for the 2016 meeting of the HLPF, which outlines critical milestones towards coherent efficient, and inclusive follow-up and review at the global level. This report should include a proposal on the organizational arrangements for state-led reviews at the HLPF under the auspices of ECOSOC, including recommendations on a voluntary common reporting guidelines. It should clarify institutional responsibilities and provide guidance on annual themes, on a sequence of thematic reviews, and on options for periodic reviews for the HLPF.

91. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to achieving this Agenda and utilizing it to the full to transform our world for the better by 2030.

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Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

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Preamble This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. We recognise that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.

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Generation Yes: We CAN change climate change

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One of the best things about reusing and repurposing old things is that you can be really creative! Check out some of the examples below from Bored Panda's website. 1. Old Ladder into Bookshelf 2. Bicycle into Sink Stand 3. Chair into Shelf and Hanger 4. Old Cords into Bob Marley 5. Old DVDs and CDs into a Mosaic Plate 6. Plastic Spoons Into a Lamp Shade 7. Old Piano into a Bookshelf 8. Old Tyre into an Ottoman 9. Old Graters into Lamps 10. Tennis Racquets into Mirrors 11. Old Bike Parts into Chandeliers 12. Old Garden Rake into a Glass Holder 13. Old Ladder into a Shelf 14. Old Skateboards into Guitars 15. Old Spoons into Lampshades 16. Old Chairs into a Pet Feeding Station 17. Old Drum Kit into a Chandelier 18. Old Boat into a Hanging Bed 19. Old Guitar into a Shelf 20. Vintage Funnels into Candle Holders 21. Old Forks into Coat Hangers or Hanging Pegs 22. Vintage Suitcase into a Chair 23. Old Piano into a Fountain

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23 Creative Ways to Reuse Old Stuff - Cool Australia

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One of the best things about reusing and repurposing old things is that you can be really creative! Check out some of the examples below from Bored Panda's website. 1. Old Ladder into Bookshelf 2. Bicycle into Sink Stand 3. Chair into Shelf and Hanger 4. Old Cords into Bob Marley 5.

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If you don't already know about this, it could well blow your mind. If you do nothing else on this list, recycling your soft plastic packaging will dramatically reduce the volume of rubbish you send to landfill each week.
Any "scrunchable" plastic, including clingwrap, can be recycled via the RedCycle program. That means chip packets, frozen pea bags, pasta packets, the secret plastic bag in your cereal box. Even that silvery foil-like plastic used for biscuits can be deposited in the green bins and most Coles and selected Woolworths supermarkets across Australia.
2. Printer cartridges
The ink cartridges in your printer can either be refilled and reused at CartridgeWorld or the materials recycled and made into plastic wood that is used for all kinds of things like outdoor furnishing and marine products. Find out the closest drop-off point here.
3. Coffee pods
Do you own a Nespresso coffee machine? Those pesky plastic pods can be recycled into other plastic products thanks to a fantastic company called TerraCycle. Sign up for the Nespresso brigade, collect your pods and then post them in for free; they will be turned into plastic products like plant pots. More information here.
4. Mobile phones
The materials in mobile phones are almost 100 per cent recyclable, so make sure you send them in to MobileMuster. Find out where you can drop them off or pick up a postage-paid envelope to send it your old phone here.
5. Batteries
Every single Aldi store now has a battery-recycling bin, so collect your old batteries in a box and drop them off next time you go to the store.
6. Cigarette butts
For anyone who still smokes, TerraCycle will take all your butts, plus tobacco pouches and the plastic lining on the outside of cigarette packets. All you have to do is dump the entire contents of your ashtray into the bag provided, then post it away when it's full. Details here.
7. Bras
If you have bras that don't fit or you find uncomfortable, don't throw them in the bin. There are women in developing nations who would give their right breast for a quality brassiere. The Uplift Project will deliver your unwanted bras to women in the Pacific, all you have to do is send them in. Find out more here.
8. Toothpaste tubes & toothbrushes
TerraCycle also collects toothpaste tubes and turns them into useful products. You can either collect them yourself and post them to TerraCycle using a postage-paid envelope, or find your nearest drop off location here.
9. Triggers and pumps on beauty and cleaning products
Many products like moisturisers, body wash and cleaning solutions come in containers that can be recycled through your kerbside collection. But what about the pumps, triggers and lids? TerraCycle has a recycling program for them too: collect every hand wash pump, body wash pump, beauty product pump, cleaning product trigger, laundry liquid tap, dish tabs plastic bag, beauty product tube and face wipes packaging, then send them in to be recycled! Details here.
10. Old blankets, towels
Holey towels and blankies that aren't any use to humans will be welcomed by animal-rescue shelters who can use them to clean or to make a cosy corner for lost cats and dogs. Phone first, then drop them off!
Source: http://www.startsatsixty.com.au/living/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-recycle

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10 things you didn't know you could recycle - Cool Australia

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If you don't already know about this, it could well blow your mind. If you do nothing else on this list, recycling your soft plastic packaging will dramatically reduce the volume of rubbish you send to landfill each week.Any "scrunchable" plastic, including clingwrap, can be recycled via the RedCycle program.

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Creative houses from reclaimed stuff - Dan Phillips

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Our oceans make up 70% of the Earth's surface and are in constant motion. Driven by the sun and the wind, our oceans develop mighty currents, some of which can take years to travel around our planet.

The Adrift website, inspired by r esearch into ocean circulation by Dr Erik Van Sebille, generates an animation of the likely path and destination of floating debris in the world's oceans over a ten year period. Here you can explore how all kinds of objects drift through the ocean - from rubber duckies to plastic pollution - and where each object might end up if it is washed out to sea from your beach.

Visit http://adrift.org.au/ to find out more!

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Tracking Litter in the World's Oceans - Cool Australia

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Our oceans make up 70% of the Earth's surface and are in constant motion. Driven by the sun and the wind, our oceans develop mighty currents, some of which can take years to travel around our planet.

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Images of the typhoon-ravaged Philippines were terribly confronting, vividly conveying what an angry planet can dish up. But amid the destruction and death, an important point was largely missed: the world's freshwater supplies are being degraded by a seemingly endless sequence of extreme events.

While infrastructures such as dams, sewerage plants, pumps and aqueduct/ stormwater systems can be destroyed by supercharged events, natural disasters can also strike a blow against water security. They can contaminate surface water with fecal matter (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, parasites andexcreted drug products with a high level of persistence in the environment).

Toxic chemicals are released into soils and waterways from the flooding of polluted surfaces. Industrial containers are punctured, sewerage lines broken, latrines smashed, bodies decay and survivors defecate straight into the morass. Unpicking the pollutants from this witch's brew becomes an engineering and economic nightmare.

Storm surge (it reached 3m in the Philippines) is yet another headache. And it doesn't just affect poor countries: we saw it in the wealthy coastal communities of New York and New Jersey in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Apart from the physical damage to infrastructure, storm surge can leave surface and ground water adulterated by seawater. Stripping this mess of salt alone requires reverse osmosis treatment at incalculable carbon and financial cost. In most cases it doesn't go ahead because the sheer scale of the remediation effort is prohibitive.

What should we do? Responses inevitably turn to preventative engineering solutions such as raised groundwater wells or disaster resilient reservoirs. But could a point be approaching where the sheer scale of catastrophes overwhelm even "hardened" buildings and infrastructures? (Whether such modifications could be afforded by developing rural communities is another question entirely.)

Certainly, renowned climate scientist James Hansen and his co-researchers think that we could well reach that point if we burn all our reserves of fossil fuels, observing that the resultant extreme weather would be totally beyond our capacities to adapt to.

These high impact events are being overlain on a situation where, according to one estimate, 1500km ³ of global water is degrading every year.

The figures are rubbery, but we do know the number is growing at an exponential rate because of rising population and urbanisation in developing countries. As much as 90% of urban waste water in these places is being discharged to waterways and lakes insufficiently treated or directly untreated. This waste water constitutes a serious threat to human health, diversity of plants and animals, food security and the sustainability of water resources.

The gravity of the situation in developing countries is further highlighted by UNICEF and WHO's World Sanitation Ladder.

Although a general improvement can be seen, these proportions are probably offset by ballooning population growth, especially in Southern Asia and South Eastern Asia where there's still significant "open defecation" (straight to the ground). And that's not to mention arsenic contamination of drinking water stemming from over exploitation of groundwater, particularly in Bangladesh.

Such trends in water pollution have caught the attention of businesses, with global energy and minerals forecasting firmWood Mackenzie worried about "increased depletion of the resource over time, and growing concerns over contamination of dwindling water supplies".

In fact, many streams are now largely effluent. India'sYamuna River has no freshwater flow for almost nine months of the year: Delhi impounds water at a barrage constructed at Wazirabad, causing subsequent downstream flows to consist of sewage and other effluent. The oxygen-starved state of the river is evident from masses of rising sludge from the bottom, gas bubbles and floating solids on the surface.

The River Jordan is similarly blighted where extractions by Israel, Jordan (tributary) and Syria (tributary) have shrunk it to a meandering 100km stretch below Lake Kinneret that is mainly made up of effluent.

Then there's China, where domestic sewage and nutrient leaching from farms have affected waterways and lakes. Recent data showed that nearly two-thirds of 40 freshwater lakes surveyed were eutrophic or de-oxygenated, including the iconic Taihu, Hongze and Caohu lakes.

In all these places an unfathomable cocktail of previous discharges is sequestered in soils, lake sediments and stream banks. Any measure of past prevention would clearly have been better than trying to clean this mess up now.

A more realistic objective is to reduce wastewater at the source while preventing toxic waste streams entering sensitive environments.

Excreted antibiotics and resistant bacteria (aka superbugs), widely found in effluent, can persist in water as resistant bacteria which people can acquire through the food chain. This suggests vast quantities of global wastewater identified by the UN will require exacting treatment if they are to have any hope of being safely reused.

In particular, the explosive use of cheap, generic antibiotics in Asia and India could see them leaving a devastating mark on the environment, possibly leading to a major health crisis.

And, coming full circle, the plague of natural disasters should encourage us to concentrate our minds on toughening up water infrastructures to limit future disruption.

Read article at The Conversation

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The world has fresh water, but it's full of poison - Cool Australia

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Images of the typhoon-ravaged Philippines were terribly confronting, vividly conveying what an angry planet can dish up. But amid the destruction and death, an important point was largely missed: the world's freshwater supplies are being degraded by a seemingly endless sequence of extreme events.

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The rate at which the world has warmed over the past 50 years and is likely to continue to do so in the future poses problems for life on land and in the ocean. Most species have a defined range of temperatures within which they can live - and when temperatures exceed the upper limit for a particular species in a particular location, that species will struggle to survive there. Likewise, places can become newly habitable when temperatures become warmer than a species' lower limit.

The complex patterns and distribution of these ecological niches with specific temperatures and the varying rates at which they are changing around the globe make it hard to predict where these changes will be felt, and what consequences they will have. Our study, published in Nature, has taken a new look at these changes and their likely effects on biodiversity.

Our research group examined how fast and in which direction local temperatures have moved over the past 50 years. Based on the projections from current climate models we also looked projected forward oceanic changes to the year 2100 under two scenarios, one the "business-as-usual" scenario of largely unchanged greenhouse gas emissions and another modelling a global increase in temperature of 1.75°C.

Assuming that species move toward areas that suit their preferences for heat or cold, our findings provide some insight into how species have migrated over time, and where they may end up after years, decades or even a century of changing, warming world. This is a big assumption. Some species may adapt to the change in temperature and not move, while others may not be able to disperse and colonise new habitats fast enough, and may die off.

But in general, shifts in temperature have proved to be a good predictor for past changes in species distributions. Around the coasts of North America, for example, Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska, big skate on the US west coast and American lobster in the north-east have all shifted in the direction and over the distance predicted from thermal shifts.

Over the past few decades, numerous fish and invertebrate species have moved toward cooler regions, in some cases with important consequences for local biodiversity. For example, in the North Sea the areas where cod are found have shifted up to 100km northwards over the the 40 years between 1961-2001. In the same period, plankton in the North East Atlantic have similarly shifted 1,000km poleward.

However, a key finding of this study is that geographic features such as coastlines create barriers for marine life that may be tracking shifting temperatures. By mapping where these barriers influence potential migrations around the globe it may be possible to identify places where the movement of species biodiversity might be blocked.

These naturally existing blockages might cut some areas off from species migrating from warming seas. Blocked-off areas included the North Sea and the southern Mediterranean in the period since 1960, places without direct connections to warmer environments. In other places it might prevent migrating species from escaping, with potentially catastrophic results - blocked in to a region in which it cannot thrive, extinction becomes likely unless it can adapt to the new conditions.

Knowing where vulnerable areas occur can help focus and inform conservation efforts. Areas where temperature shifts are slow may be better suited to protecting endemic species or long-lived structural species, for example those forming forests or land or coral reefs underwater. Moving species from those warming places without cool refuges might be an option to prevent climate-driven extinctions, although care must be given to the potential negative ecological consequences of introducing these species to new places. For those species unable to move, conservations may need to find ways of enhancing species' natural adaptation wherever possible.

We are far from advocating that distribution shifts are the only issues for deciding what to do in the face of climate change. Biological factors such as a species' capacity to adapt and disperse need to be considered. But in an unprecedented period of climate change, economic development and fast-growing demand on an already pressured planet, we need to act fast to make sure the world's living resources survive that change.

Read article at The Conversation

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Fish may end up in hot water as climate warms the ocean - Cool Australia

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The rate at which the world has warmed over the past 50 years and is likely to continue to do so in the future poses problems for life on land and in the ocean.

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Is the Earth running out of clean water? - Cool Australia

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Despite water covering 71% of the planet’s surface, more than half the world’s population endures extreme water scarcity for at least one month a year.

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What Happens to the Plastic You Throw Away

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What Happens to the Plastic You Throw Away

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What really happens to the plastic you throw away - Emma Bryce

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Here’s What Happened When A Neighborhood Decided To Ban Cars For A Month - Cool Australia

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Two years ago, an average neighbourhood in the South Korean city of Suwon embarked on a radical experiment: For one month, the neighbourhood suddenly got

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Maya Penn is 14 years old and lives in the USA.

She is an eco-fashion designer, children's book author, artist, animator, coder, public speaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and environmentalist.

She founded her eco-fashion line, Maya's Ideas, when she was just 8 years old.

Maya spent a huge chunk of the past six years designing and hand-making clothing and accessories out of organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and vintage silks and wools. "No matter how big my company gets," she says, "I will always use eco-friendly materials. No matter what".

Maya donates 10 to 20 percent of her company's profits to organizations she admires including Live Thrive Atlanta and the Captain Planet Foundation.

Read more about Maya's story at https://grist.org/people/this-14-year-old-will-fix-the-planet-before-she-graduates/

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Maya Penn is 14 years old and lives in the USA. She is an eco-fashion designer, children's book author, artist, animator, coder, public speaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and environmentalist. She founded her eco-fashion line, Maya's Ideas, when she was just 8 years old.

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How Used Chopsticks Are Turned Into Tables

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How Used Chopsticks Are Turned Into Tables

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How Used Chopsticks Are Turned Into Tables, Tiles, And Other Furniture | World Wide Waste

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Coal is the fossilised remains of ancient forests. Many of these forests built up deep layers of peat (wet, rotten plant matter) at their base over time. As millions of years pass, this peat and the fallen trees are squashed by sediment that builds up on top of them.

This squashing slowly turns into carbon-filled coal. The prime coal-forming time on Earth was during the perfectly named Carboniferous period (300-360 million years ago).

Coal burning is the main source of electricity in Australia. A particular problem is Victorian coal, while plentiful, is of low grade (brown coal) and is wetter than black coal, which causes extra pollution when burned.

Put simply, the more coal we burn the more pollution we spew into our air, and the hotter it gets. How can we stop this pollution?

Big Coal says that it has the solution - to pump the carbon dioxide underground (geosequestration - not a new event at the Olympics involving horses!) where it will hopefully stay forever. Sounds great, let's keep burning the dirty stuff and dump the bad stuff underground. Hmmm. Why do we have to bury everything? Why can't we use all of this C02 for something good?

There are a few problems with this. The coal industry has made little effort to bury their mess. In fact, by their own admission, they will not even have the first trial on a large scale ready until 2020 and full-scale upgrades to all polluting coal power stations will not occur until 2030 at the earliest.

But many argue that we don't have that long.

Did you know that these polluters (AKA Big Coal) get $2 billion of our (taxpayers') money every year in kickbacks and subsidies? We know it sounds crazy, but it's crazy true - we pay the world's worst polluters extra, actively encouraging them to continue with their grubby ways.

Oh, these blokes also get petrol money (fuel subsidies) worth a few hundred million every year - as much funding as the entire clean energy industry could expect over the same period. Feeling a bit confused?

While we are on Big Polluters our Government pays coal, oil and gas companies subsidies to the tune of $9-10 billion (with a B) every year just to turn up.

Interestingly clean energy industries like solar and wind receive $300-500 million to support their work.

Big Coal has hailed carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as our savior. If this CCS can be safely done, that's great, we will have a market for our coal for generations.

To pump the Carbon underground you need to have the correct type of rock below to hold the gas. This rock does not occur at many coal-fired power plants.

The cost to bury this Carbon will hugely add to the cost of making electricity from coal to make it more expensive than the clean technologies available to us now.

Our governments (both state and federal) have announced that they will pay for Big Coal's attempt to bury this carbon dioxide underground rather than invest more in existing clean renewable energy. Many Australians are concerned if CCS doesn't work, we have wasted a lot of time and money.

After attending several coal industry talks the take out is that they simply have no clue how to stop their pollution and have less idea of a time frame in which CCS can be done.

You may be wondering why wasn't Big Coal fixing this pollution problem 30 years ago? It seems they were too busy trying to turn coal into oil at that time - more profitable. We could be using this technology now.

Every day we burn the oil equivalent of 50 million barrels worth of coal.

The World Coal Association says proven coal reserves will run out in 2130 worldwide. Coal is not a renewable resource. It will run out in a little more than 100 years, if we burn it all and move it from the ground to our atmosphere.
Click here to return to the Energy toolbox.

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Coal is the fossilised remains of ancient forests. Many of these forests built up deep layers of peat (wet, rotten plant matter) at their base over time. As millions of years pass, this peat and the fallen trees are squashed by sediment that builds up on top of them.

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9 things you can do about climate change

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With so many experts on climate change here at Imperial, many people ask us what they personally can do about it?

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Looking for simple ways to help reduce your energy use and lower your power bill?

We've put together a few habits that will help you start saving energy straight away. A few small changes can make a big difference over time. If you're a Genesis customer, you can also use Energy IQ online or in the mobile app to help monitor and manage your energy use.

Energy saving habits around your home

Switch off lights in rooms you aren't using or won't be in for a while

Shut the curtains before the sun sets to keep the warmth in

Avoid running a second fridge all the time unless you really need to

Unplug devices that are charging (phones, laptops etc.) once the battery is full

Turn your hot water cylinder down - NOTE: The Ministry of Health recommend 60 degrees Celsius or higher to prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria

Close doors of the rooms that you don't need to heat or cool

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20 Simple Energy Saving Tips | Genesis NZ

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Looking for simple ways to help reduce your energy use and lower your power bill? We've put together a few habits that will help you start saving energy straight away. A few small changes can make a big difference over time.

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The tourism sector is highly vulnerable to climate change and at the same time contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG), which cause global warming. Accelerating climate action in tourism is therefore of utmost importance for the resilience of the sector. Climate action is understood as the efforts to measure and reduce GHG emissions and strengthen adaptive capacity to climate induced impacts.
There is a growing consensus among tourism stakeholders as to how the future resilience of tourism will depend on the sector's ability to embrace a low carbon pathway and cut emissions by 50% by 2030

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a 7% reduction of GHG emissions globally in 2020, providing a tangible reference to the magnitude of the effort still ahead in order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, which will require around 7% reduction of emissions on an annual basis throughout the next decade.

According to UNWTO/ITF latest research, released in December 2019 at UNFCCC COP25, CO emissions from tourism are forecasted to increase by 25% by 2030 from 2016 levels, against the current ambition scenario. Therefore, the need to scale up climate action in tourism remains urgent as emissions could rapidly rebound once operations restart and, ultimately, the cost of inaction with regards to climate will be in the long run larger than the cost of any other crisis.

UNWTO is committed to accelerate progress towards low carbon tourism development and the contribution of the sector to international climate goals, in line with the recommendations of the One Planet Vision for a Responsible Recovery of the Tourism Sector from COVID-19 to:

Strengthen the measurement and disclosure of CO₂ emissions in tourism

Accelerate the decarbonization of tourism operations

Engage the tourism sector in carbon removal

The Glasgow Declaration: A Commitment to a Decade of Climate Action in Tourism

The Glasgow Declaration aims to act as a catalyst for increased urgency about the need to accelerate climate action in tourism and to secure strong actions and commitment.

The signatories of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism are committing to act now and accelerate climate action to cut global tourism emissions by at least a half over the next decade and reach Net Zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050. Their actions are aligned with 5 pathways defined in the Declaration: measure, decarbonize, regenerate, collaborate, finance.

The Declaration unites those leading tourism's transformation around a common set of pathways for climate action, by:

defining a clear and consistent sector-wide message and approach to climate action in the coming decade, aligned with the wider scientific framework and urgency to act now.

outlining the pathways and specific actions that will accelerate tourism's ability to transform tourism and achieve net zero as soon as possible.

encouraging signatories across all sectors of tourism to demonstrate their public support for scaling up the sector's response to the climate emergency.

Learn how to become a signatory.
Learn more about the launch of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism:Side-event at the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference
Learn more about the Glasgow Declaration from two information sessions held on 21 September 2021.
Learn more about theGlasgow Declaration.
Frequently Asked Questions

The Road to Climate Neutrality: Experiences, Challenges and Support" for the Caribbean tourism sector

In July 2021, the UNFCCC secretariat, through its Climate Neutral Now initiative and in collaboration with UNWTO, RCC Saint George's, and other partners, held this webinar for the Caribbean tourism sector. During the session, the discussions touched upon policies and actions in place and called for those still needed to accelerate the transition of the tourism sector towards climate neutrality. Leading speakers from companies, organizations, and governments in the region shared their experiences in two round tables. In addition, Climate Neutral Now specialists presented the enhanced version of their initiative, and the criteria for participation.

Learn more about the webinar " How to Get Started on the Road to Climate Neutrality and Net Zero? Practical Actions and Examples."

Transport-related CO ₂ emissions from the tourism sector - Modelling results

The report released in December 2019 provides insights into the evolution of tourism demand across the different global regions from 2016 to 2030. It presents the expected transport-related CO ₂ emissions of the tourism sector against the current (2019) ambition scenario for the decarbonization of transport concluding that in 2016 transport-related emissions from tourism contributed to 5% of all man-made emissions and were set to increase to 5.3 % by 2030 against a current ambition scenario.

Transforming tourism for climate action requires embracing a low carbon pathway with awareness and optimization as key elements. Awareness: through measurement and disclosure of the emissions related to tourism activities and the setting of evidence-based targets. Optimization: through instruments and strategies to scale-up mitigation and adaptation in the tourism sector with all stakeholders having to play a role. In the side-event, policy makers discussed their strategic approaches to transform the tourism sector.

Related Links
1. View Goal 13 Targets
² Carbon Brief
3. Cut Global Emissions by 7.6 Percent Every Year for Next Decade to Meet 1.5°C Paris Target - UN Report

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The tourism sector is highly vulnerable to climate change and at the same time contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG), one of the causes of global warming. Accelerating climate action in tourism is therefore of utmost importance for the resilience of the sector.

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Student and climate activist Greta Thunberg, 18, burst improbably onto the world stage in late 2018 when what began as a one-person school strike outside the Swedish parliament ended up galvanizing a global climate movement to demand immediate action to prevent environmental catastrophe.

Thunberg's school strike spread in Sweden and around the world, inspiring a youth-led global climate strike movement, Fridays for Future, which urged cuts in carbon emissions. Her speeches at major political gatherings, including the World Economic Forum, the British Parliament, the U.S. Congress and, most recently, the United Nations climate summit known as COP26, have castigated leaders for failing future generations with their "fairy tales of eternal economic growth." Or, as she said in one speech, "How dare you! You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words."

Thunberg credits her Asperger's syndrome, which is considered part of the autism spectrum, for her truth-telling and focus as a climate activist. She lives in Stockholm.

You called COP26 a "failure" and a "PR event."

Well, in the final document, they succeeded in even watering down the blah, blah, blah. Which is very much an achievement, if you see it that way. Of course it's a step forward that, instead of coming back every five years, they're doing it every year now. But still, that doesn't mean anything unless that actually leads to increased ambition and if they actually fulfill those ambitions.

What do you mean when you say, "watering down the blah, blah, blah"?

As we all know, or as we might know, the so-called "f-word" was included for the first time in this document: fossil fuel. Which makes you wonder what they have been doing these decades without even mentioning fossil fuels for a problem which, to a very, very large extent, is caused by fossil fuels. And instead of "phasing out" [coal, the document's language became] "phasing down." So, yeah, that is one very clear example.

And also, one question that was very up in the air was the question about finance for loss and damage and the Green Climate Fund, which they again failed to agree on. The money that has already been promised, the bare minimum that the so-called global north have promised that they will deliver, they failed to come to any conclusions, and it's been postponed once again.

And what are positives that might have come out of COP26?

One of the positives is that it shows that, under the current circumstances, within current systems, we won't be able to solve the climate crisis unless there is massive pressure from the outside. Nothing will come out of these conferences unless there is a huge increase in the level of awareness and unless people actually go out on the streets and demand change. And these global events are a big opportunity to mobilize people and to redirect the focus onto the big climate crisis again and highlight the fact that nowhere near enough is being done about it.

I read recently that at the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions, we have 11 years until we get to 1.5 degrees Celsius change [the Paris agreement's aspirational temperature threshold for heading off the worst impacts of climate change]. How do you get people to focus on that?

Well, there are many different numbers that include many different things. But it's just the principle that we need to understand: that we have a very limited time, that we are using up the carbon dioxide budget right now - no matter which carbon dioxide budget you go for - and that cannot be undone in the future. Yes, we may be able to come up with new technologies and scale them up so that we can absorb carbon dioxide from the air, but you cannot undo the damage that has been done if we trigger feedback loops and irreversible tipping points.

But also, we need to understand that 1.5 is not a safe level. Already, as it is now - 1.1 or 1.2 - people are already suffering. Countless people are already bearing the brunts of the climate crisis and have been doing so for a long time. So this is not just a future problem. We need to understand that this is here and now. It's already happening - it has been happening for a long time - and many people have been bearing witness to this and trying to tell this, but they have been ignored.

You've been very successful in getting energy and attention on this issue over the last few years. Can you talk about first becoming aware of the climate crisis yourself, and being galvanized to action?

There's a big difference between the first time I heard about the climate crisis and when I actually understood its consequences. I heard about it in school maybe when I was 7, 8 or 9. They teach the ground principles: the greenhouse effect, and it's being amplified by us since we humans emit CO2 and so on. But then I read up on it more and more because it didn't seem real that they'd explain it as a very big problem - but it wasn't treated like one. It was kind of a long process because there's a lot to read and a lot to understand. And based on the things that I read, I drew the conclusion that this was very, very serious.

[My actions] started small at home, like turning off the lamps when I wasn't in the room and cutting down meat consumption and so on. And then I did more: I stopped flying, and I stopped buying new things. I became a vegetarian and a vegan. I tried to join organizations and marches and sign petitions and the things that they recommend us to do. But that didn't have an effect.

Was there a moment you moved from personal actions to a bigger scale?

I remember I was on a call with other young people who cared about the environment and were trying to figure out something to do, and we were going to plan a march. And then I thought, Okay, this could be something. And then I presented my idea of school striking, and they weren't very keen on the idea. They didn't think it was going to have an impact. They were like, "We can eat some cookies and drink coffee and tea and make it a pleasant event for young people to educate themselves about the climate crisis." And I was like, "No, you clearly haven't understood the climate crisis. This is an emergency. This is not only supposed to be nice, this actually has to be something important." And I think we who have the privilege and the opportunity to actually do something should go put ourselves out there. So I hung up on the call. Well, it was a Zoom call, so I just pressed "Leave Meeting" - so it wasn't as dramatic as it would have been otherwise. But I hung up, and I decided to go on and do it by myself.

And that's when you were 15, right?

Yeah. I just thought that someone needs to do something. I need to do something more because this isn't leading to anything. So I decided to school strike. And then many others did the same thing. And then we became a global movement.

But before that, when did the weight of the emergency hit you?

It was just the cognitive dissonance that I saw with everyone around me. My parents, my classmates, everyone I met. They were like, "Oh, what are your interests?" And I said, "I'm interested in the climate because it's an emergency." They're like, "Oh, that's fun." And I was like, "You clearly don't get this. " Because everyone said, "I care about climate change. I think it's very important." And then they don't do anything. And that got to me because I'm autistic, and I don't like when people say one thing and then do another thing. I have to live true to my values, so to speak. Like, I remember one time I was talking to my dad, and he said, "I want to buy a new car. This SUV looks really nice." And I was like, "But you said you cared about the climate." He was like, "I do, but you can still do both." And I was like, "No, you cannot." And I got really upset.

You've quipped that if more people had autism or Asperger's maybe we would do better in focusing on the climate crisis and not continuing to justify the trade-offs in our own minds.

Of course not to romanticize autism or say that people should have autism. Because, under the wrong circumstances, autism can be something that holds you back. But I think that there are definitely many elements of what makes you autistic that more people should have. For example, us not having as much cognitive dissonance and being able to focus on facts, it's a good thing. And being able to focus on an emergency and actually treat it as an emergency.

It feels like many today - neurotypical people, people in general - are so focused on following the stream, doing like everyone else, because they don't want to stand out. They don't want to be uncomfortable. They don't want to cause any problems. They just want to be like everyone else. And I think that's very harmful in an emergency where we are social animals. We're herd animals. In an emergency, someone needs to say that we're heading towards the cliff. And everyone is just following, saying like, "Well, no one else is turning around, so I won't either." That could be very dangerous.

Do you think one of the reasons you were so effective right away was because it was a shock to hear this small, young girl speaking uncomfortable truth to adults who were supposedly the experts?

Well, there have been many, many young people - many people - who have been speaking out on this. I'm not the only one who has gained attention on this. But, of course, many people have listened to me. And I'm very privileged to come from a part of the world where I have the opportunity to use my voice and to be listened to. But we just go straight to the point. We don't care for the blah, blah, blah, so to speak. We say just what we want to be said. And we are not scared of being uncomfortable. We are not scared of being unpopular. We are ridiculed and mocked and hated on and sent threats - and that's not something that should be romanticized in any way. But many are still going because we know that what we are doing is right. It's just the idea of: We don't care about our reputation; we care more about the planet.

There are clearly people interested in climate change who take a more diplomatic tack, aware that they have to compromise to get things done. Do you ever worry that the "blah, blah, blah," or more combative rhetoric, makes their job harder when they're trying to do the right thing, just from a more temperate position?

If you choose, as the media often do, like, 20 seconds from a 10-minute speech and just look at those 20 seconds, it may seem like we have undemocratic views and that we are very populist and so on. Which is not true. So I understand that some people might think that way and that they frame it that way.

Of course we need compromises. But we have to also understand that we cannot compromise with the laws of physics. If we are here [gestures], and we need to be there [gestures again] to have, say, safe living conditions, and they are talking about moving [just a tiny bit], then I would rather say no. Yes, it's better than nothing, but we have to zoom out and understand that we're not going to get there if we pretend that this is enough.

Strategically, do you ever feel the need to change your tack these days, to say, "Okay, this is what people might expect me to say now, and so here's a new way to shock people out of their complacency"?

At the speech I gave in the U.N. General Assembly, I said, " How dare you!" Of course, I said many other things, but that was what people took out of it. And me being emotional and angry, yelling at world leaders. And then I thought that, Okay, now I have people's attention, I will only speak facts. So in the speech [in Madrid] at COP25 after that, I basically only spoke about facts and numbers because so much attention was on that. And then people watched it, and it felt like no one understood a word I said. Because sometimes the news is just that I'm making a speech rather than what I have to say - very, very often. So that's a way of trying to, I don't know, surprise, if that's the right word.

Are you inspired by any of the world leaders, by President Biden?

If you call him a leader - I mean, it's strange that people think of Joe Biden as a leader for the climate when you see what his administration is doing. The U.S. is actually expanding fossil fuel infrastructure. Why is the U.S. doing that? It should not fall on us activists and teenagers who just want to go to school to raise this awareness and to inform people that we are actually facing an emergency.

People ask us, "What do you want?" "What do you want politicians to do?" And we say, first of all, we have to actually understand what is the emergency. We are trying to find a solution of a crisis that we don't understand. For example, in Sweden, we ignore - we don't even count or include more than two-thirds of our actual emissions. How can we solve a crisis if we ignore more than two-thirds of it? So it's all about the narrative. It's all about, what are we actually trying to solve? Is it this emergency, or is it this emergency?

You have become a hero to young people, yet you were bullied as a kid and socially isolated. It must be sort of complicated now that young people who previously didn't support you or give you the time of day are putting you on a pedestal.

Yeah, I was scared of other young people when I first started school striking. So it was very weird to have other young people join me; it was a very strange feeling. Because I didn't know how they would react and how they would think.

What can you tell other young people, both those experiencing bullying and maybe those doing the bullying, to help them move to a better place?

Just to those who are experiencing it that you are not alone. There are many, many others who are experiencing this same thing - many more than you think - beneath the surface. And it should not be like that. Children can be very, very mean. But being strange is a good thing. I think most people in the climate movement are a bit strange - very much including myself. And that is a good thing because, if you're not different, you are not able to envision another future, another world. And we need people who are able to think outside the box. So being different is something that should be celebrated.

Do you draw a connection between empathy for each other on a small level and empathy as a global community with climate change and climate justice?

Of course. Since there are no binding agreements that safely put us towards a safe future for life on Earth as we know it, that means that we have to use morals, and we have to be able to feel empathy with one another. That is all we have right now. Some people say that we shouldn't use guilt or this sense of morality. But that is, quite frankly, the only thing that we have to use. So, therefore, we have to use it. And we have to make sure that we don't lose that connection. We have to realize that we're in it for the long run and that we need to take care of each other.

As somebody who had been living in social isolation before speaking out, how did you handle both the positive adulation and the sometimes very personal negative criticism, even from world leaders, on Twitter and other places?

I don't know. I didn't think too much about it. I just thought: I'm doing what is right, and as long as I'm doing what's right, what I think is right, it doesn't matter what others think. But of course it was a huge shift from never talking to anyone whatsoever - in those days, I only spoke to my parents and my teacher and my sister. So to then be speaking, more or less, to the whole world, it was a very big shift. I don't think anyone in the world could have expected anything like that, no matter who you are or what you do. It just blew up completely in a way that is very hard to understand if you haven't experienced it yourself. But I think just the fact that I was so different before made it easier to stay grounded and not to listen too much to what other people were saying, both positively and negatively.

Can you get to the place in your mind where you say, Okay, it's 30 years hence, and we were successful? What does that look like? And then what do you get to focus on in your life?

I have no idea. I try not to think about that too much. I try to rather do as much as I can in the now and change the future instead of overthinking the future. Hopefully we will take care of this, however that would look. But no matter what happens, if we continue to ignore it, the consequences are going to be much, much worse.

What do you do when you need a break?

I take occasional breaks. Like, this is my life all day, every day, but that doesn't mean I cannot focus on other things. I can focus on several things. For example, school. Although now we're actually talking about the climate. So I can't get away there, either!

So does the teacher just turn it over to you: "Greta ..."?

[Laughs.] We're in climate role play. We're going to represent different countries, and then we're going to reenact a climate conference, make speeches and be delegates, try to come up with a resolution. And I'm going to be Saudi Arabia.

Perfect.

I'm going to block everything. Yeah, I'm going to make sure that they don't come up with a resolution.

After the experience of the last few years, its roller-coaster up and down, do you find yourself more or less hopeful than when you first sat out in front of the Swedish parliament with your ["SKOLSTREJK FOR KLIMATET"] sign?

I don't know. In one sense, we're in a much worse place than we were then because the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are higher and the global emissions are still rising at almost record speed. And we have wasted several years of blah, blah, blah.

But then, on another note, we have seen what people can do when we actually come together. And I've met so many people who give me very much hope and just the possibility that we can actually change things. That we can treat a crisis like a crisis. So I think I'm more hopeful now.

What can we learn from the pandemic about what can be accomplished when people do, in fact, treat a crisis like a crisis?

I think many people have realized how important science is. Because we saw how, when we really wanted to find a vaccine, we could do that in, like, no time. Which just shows that, if we actually focus on something, if we actually want something, we can accomplish almost anything.

Right now, what's holding us back is that we lack that political will. We don't prioritize the climate today. Our goal is not to lower emissions. Our goal is to find solutions that allow us to continue life [as it is] today. And, of course, you can ask, "Can't we have both?" But the uncomfortable truth is that we have left it too late for that. Or the world leaders have left it too late for that. We need to fundamentally change our societies now. If we would have started 30 years ago, it would have been much smoother. But now it's a different situation.

But also, it has just shown how fast social norms can change. And I think that can be something that we can learn from it. If I would have gone up to someone and shaken hands with them during the worst part of the pandemic, that would have been totally unacceptable. But just before the pandemic, everyone did that. It changed, basically overnight, people's mindsets. And that just shows the possibilities.
KK Ottesen is a regular contributor to the magazine. Follow her on Twitter: @kkOttesen. This interview has been edited and condensed.

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Greta Thunberg on the state of the climate movement and the roots of her power as an activist

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The Swedish activist discusses being catapulted to the world stage, and how Asperger's has helped her stay so focused.

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New Zealand's Response to Climate Change

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New Zealand's Response to Climate Change

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We believe Aotearoa can chart a just course to a zero carbon future, powered by 100% renewable energy. We are a growing network of 22 New Zealand civil society groups, non-governmental organisations and social movements who support each other and our allies to take real action to protect New Zealanders and others from climate change, to protect New Zealand's unique environment, and build a more fair, just and safe New Zealand for us all.

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We believe Aotearoa can chart a just course to a zero carbon future, powered by 100% renewable energy. We are a growing network of 22 New Zealand civil society groups, non-governmental organisations and social movements who support each other and our allies to take real action to protect New Zealanders and others from climate change, to protect New Zealand's unique environment, and build a more fair, just and safe New Zealand for us all.

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The amount of energy America is wasting is almost too big to believe. In 2018, the nation wasted two thirds of the energy that it consumed. While this waste is largely caused by inefficient, non-renewable energy production systems, how we use energy in our homes, businesses and travels also contribute to our waste problem.

Solutions abound. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) estimates that we can reduce our overall energy usage by 50 percent below current levels by midcentury, simply by using better technologies and eliminating waste across our economy.

Reducing energy use creates big savings-for our planet, our climate and our health. More efficient energy use will clean up our air and help combat climate change. As an added bonus, reducing energy consumption results in lower energy bills.

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The Cleanest Energy: Conservation & Efficiency

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The cleanest energy is the energy we don't consume in the first place. The way we currently produce and consume virtually all our energy does lasting damage to our environment, our climate and our health - and to make matters worse, much of that energy goes to waste.

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Jump to Section

Is contributing to the fight against climate change actually as easy as changing a light bulb? Granted, stemming the tide of global warming and rising sea levels is obviously more complicated than swapping in energy-saving LED bulbs. But energy efficiency is indeed an important-yet often underappreciated-tool to reduce pollution and waste.

Thanks to efficiency measures, U.S. energy use is about the same now as it was in 2000, despite economic growth of about 30 percent. In fact, energy efficiency has done more to meet America's energy needs than oil, gas, and nuclear power over the past four decades.

What Is Energy Efficiency?

Energy efficiency and energy conservation aren't the same thing, but they have a similar goal: to reduce energy use. Here's the difference. Energy conservation relies on people cutting back on activities that consume energy-by turning off lights or driving less or using appliances less often. Energy efficiency harnesses technology to help avoid or reduce energy waste so that you can still turn on the lights, drive, or wash your clothes but use less energy doing so. It really all comes down to smarter energy use.

Why Is It Important to Use Less Energy?

Using less energy through efficiency measures is good for the economy and your wallet. By reducing the amount of energy required for certain tasks, energy efficiency is also good for the planet. It can help to reduce air and water pollution caused by certain types of energy generation and avoid negative impacts on critical ecosystems-such as the obstacles a new hydroelectric dam could impose on migrating salmon. It can also relieve stress on the power grid.

Cutting Carbon Pollution

Boosting energy efficiency in buildings, vehicles, and appliances and equipment is an inexpensive, low-impact way to reduce climate pollution on a grand scale. One extremely effective way to cut carbon dioxide (CO ₂) emissions is through a more efficient home. Widespread use of efficient appliances, electronics, equipment and lighting, along with better insulation and other weatherization, could cut 550 million metric tons of carbon pollution a year by 2050-equal to the electric power emissions produced by Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Virginia, and California in 2016.

Creating Jobs

More than 2.2 million Americans have jobs in energy efficiency or clean energy production. That's more than five times the jobs in the dirty energy industries, including coal, gas, and oil. In fact, about one in every six construction jobs in the country is connected to energy efficiency.

Lowering Bills

Energy-efficient appliances can save a U.S. household up to $500 a year on utility bills. People who live in the five least-efficient states (Wyoming, North Dakota, Alabama, South Dakota, and Mississippi) have seen their electric bills increase twice as much as those who live in the five most-efficient states (California, Oregon, Connecticut, Vermont, and New York), according to 2016 rankings. Low-income urban households have an energy burden-the proportion of income spent on energy-three times higher than that of higher-income households, partially due to lack of weatherization. Similarly, the energy burden on low-income rural families is nearly three times that of other rural households.

Improving Lives

Energy efficiency can also help people live healthier, longer lives. Cutting nationwide energy consumption by 15 percent for one year via efficiency measures could help save six American lives a day and avoid up to $20 billion in health-related problems. When power plants burn coal, oil, and natural gas, they release tiny particles into the air we breathe; these particles are linked to asthma, heart attacks, and lung cancer. Inside a home, inefficient ventilation and weatherization can also contribute to respiratory illnesses. Energy efficiency can even improve the comfort of everyday life, which may not be factored into benefit statistics.

Strengthening Independence

On a larger scale, energy efficiency can improve energy security, creating a more resilient power grid and making the country less dependent on foreign sources of fossil fuels.

Examples of Energy Efficiency

Ready to join the energy efficiency revolution? Here are some ways, large and small, to participate.

Get Smart About Energy Use

Start small by turning electronics off, tweaking your TV settings, adjusting temperature settings, and setting timers. Hunt down "energy vampires" that consume electricity even when idle.

Buy Efficient Home Appliances

Seeking out models labeled with Energy Star-a voluntary program managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy with more than 18,000 partners- can save you $4.50 for every $1 spent on electricity. The Energy Star label can be found on 75-plus types of products, including major appliances, lighting, and home electronics.

Replacing older appliances with energy-efficient models can save the average household more than $500 a year, thanks to national energy efficiency standards, and those savings could climb to $840 by 2030. Consumers are getting a double bonus, because appliances are also becoming more affordable; today a new fridge uses 75 percent less energy and, adjusting for inflation, costs less than half as much as it did in the 1970s. Meanwhile, Energy Star clothes washers use one-fourth less energy and one-third less water than standard models, cutting another utility cost.

For almost 30 years, the blue and white Energy Star label has been the gold standard for identifying the more energy-efficient appliances, buildings, and equipment. Experts estimate that the program has saved $430 billion on energy bills and reduced carbon pollution by 2.7 billion metric tons, equal to the emissions of about 670 coal-fired power plants in a year.

Heat and Cool Efficiently

If just 1 in 10 households bought Energy Star-labeled heating and cooling equipment, we'd avoid pumping 13 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions into the environment each year, equivalent to the annual tailpipe emissions of 1.2 million cars. Energy Star-labeled air conditioners, central air-conditioning units, and heat pumps can also cut your energy bill by more than $160.

Today's Energy Star-labeled ceiling fans with light fixtures are 60 percent more efficient than conventional units. Ceiling fans can make a room feel 10 percent cooler while using just 10 percent of the energy of a central air conditioner.

Super-efficient electric heat pumps are a cleaner and more affordable option for heating and cooling homes and businesses, particularly where oil and propane furnaces are the norm. Heat pumps move heat from a cool space (like the cold outdoors) to a warm space (inside a building), making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer-many times more efficiently than burning fossil fuels to generate heat. In the vast majority of climates, heat pumps can be used as the only heat source, with no other heating device needed in the house as backup. They are also a far more efficient appliance for cooling than either the standard window air-conditioning unit or central air, and they come in different forms, depending on your home's setup: A central heat pump, for example, sits in the same spot, uses the same air ducts and thermostats, and takes the place of a central AC.

As climate change fuels more extreme weather conditions, more and more people are making the move to purchase their first air conditioner. This is the best time for you to instead buy a heat pump that can replace both your standard AC and furnace and help reduce your utility bill. Alternatively, if you wait to think about your next heating system until your gas furnace or boiler goes out, you'll face the prospect of either replacing the old gas heater with a new one-and forgoing all the benefits of getting off of gas heat.

With home and office emissions accounting for 13 percent of the nation's annual greenhouse gas emissions, you will also be doing your part to help curb the impacts of climate change by reducing the use of fossil fuels. Other benefits include cleaner air inside your home and helping to lessen the pressure on your city's electrical grid, especially during heat waves. So while the upfront cost of a heat pump might be slightly more than a standard AC without a heating function, the long-term benefits make it a worthwhile investment for your wallet and the environment.

Finally, keeping cool in summer and warm in winter requires far less energy when your house is well sealed against the elements. Consider consulting with a weatherization professional to find drafts, seeking assistance from your local utility or government, or going DIY. Then add insulation where you need it.

Switch to LED Bulbs

Brightening rooms with efficient LED bulbs can save households about $100 a year, adding up to national savings of around $12.5 billion (if LEDs were universally adopted) while cutting carbon emissions generated by electricity production.

More than 150 varieties of LED bulbs-the most efficient lighting choice-are on the market. They use up to 90 percent less energy than older, incandescent bulbs, allowing you to save up to $100 on energy bills over a bulb's lifetime.

Energy Efficiency: For Today and Tomorrow

To help consumers, NRDC has long worked to create and champion state and federal energy efficiency standards for buildings and appliances, collaborate with cities to cut energy waste in larger buildings, encourage utilities to promote efficiency, and push for efficiency improvements in building codes. However, many energy efficiency policies and standards are under attack; the Trump administration has proposed slashing budgets for a range of related initiatives, from weatherization assistance to the government's energy research. The administration has also put forward "reforms" to popular programs such as Energy Star that could undermine its success, while delaying time lines for energy efficiency standards. By speaking out against these rollbacks and changing our daily habits, we all can play a role in creating an energy-efficient future that improves the health of people and the planet.
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Jump to Section Is contributing to the fight against climate change actually as easy as changing a light bulb? Granted, stemming the tide of global warming and rising sea levels is obviously more complicated than swapping in energy-saving LED bulbs. But energy efficiency is indeed an important-yet often underappreciated-tool to reduce pollution and waste.

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Wasting energy means more of it has to be produced, and burning fossil fuels is a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2) making climate change worse. But you can make some easy changes at home to make a difference.

Tip 1 - Pull the plug
One easy thing to do is to turn off TVs, DVD players, chargers, speakers and computers when you're not using them.

Tip 2 - Turn off lights
Did you know lighting accounts for up to 15% of your electricity bill? To save energy you can turn off your lights when you don't need them, and use LED energy-efficient light bulbs.

Tip 3 - Use water wisely
There's a lot of energy used to purify and distribute water to our homes - so saving water can lower greenhouse gas emissions. You can do things like only filling your kettle with what you need, reducing your shower time, not keeping water running.

Tip 4 - Take control
More than half of home energy bills goes towards heating and hot water. So use your thermostats, controls and timers to make sure you don't waste energy and money.

Tip 5 - Get smart
You can check your bill/tariff and switch to using 100% renewable energy sources. Getting a smart meter shows you what energy you're using and on what.

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Wasting energy means more of it has to be produced, and burning fossil fuels is a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2) making climate change worse. But you can make some easy changes at home to make a difference.

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Sustainable ideas for your office or building to save money long term.

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18 Eco-Friendly Building Materials That Help You Save Energy And The Earth

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Building a green home reduces carbon emissions significantly and saves energy, which results in saving money on energy bills.

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Teachers will find complete curriculum units and additional learning activities on sustainability themed topics. Each year level has its own unique

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There are significant amounts of Māori land in New Zealand in productive rural areas. Much of this land is farmed by way of lease, sometimes in conjunction with adjoining general freehold land. Sometimes these ’joint’ farms have been farmed in this way for generations.
For Maori land to be leased or…

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Maori origins are traced back to the beginnings of creation -- Te Kore (total darkness). There was no life, only potential. Papatuanuku (the Earth Mother) and Ranginui (the Sky Father) were clasped together, stifling all growth. Their children, desperate for light, devised a plan whereby one of them, Tane Mahuta (Got of the Forests) would separate his parents. Binding to his mother below, he pushed upwards with his legs with all his strength and thrust his father apart from the earth.

Into the light sprang the raging winds of Tawhirimatea (God of the Winds), the swirling seas of Tangaroa (God of the Sea), and the towering forests of Tane Mahuta. Tane Mahuta fashioned the first human, Hine-ahu-one, from the clay of his mother; and so developed the spiritual home of M...ori, the home of their gods and of creation.

The M...ori name for indigenous peoples is Tangata Whenua -- the peoples of the land. The Moriori people of Rekohu (Chatham Islands) claim to have sprung from the earth (no ro whenua ake). Legends tell of waka (canoes) arriving on Rekohu and Aotearoa from ancient homelands in the Pacific Islands.

Like other indigenous peoples, M...ori have a unique relationship with their natural world. They view themselves as one with the natural world. The people, the land, the sea, the forest, and all living creatures are members of the same family. M...ori have a direct whakapapa (genealogical) connection through their ancestors.

In order for M...ori to survive and prosper from the land and sea, the reciprocity of respect and caring is central. Karakia (blessings) are spoken before cutting down a tree or taking fish from the sea. In turn, the needs of M...ori are satisfied.

Article copyright Cultural Survival, Inc.

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Maori origins are traced back to the beginnings of creation -- Te Kore (total darkness). There was no life, only potential. Papatuanuku (the Earth Mother) and Ranginui (the Sky Father) were clasped together, stifling all growth. Their children, desperate for light, devised a plan whereby one of them, Tane Mahuta (Got of the Forests) would separate his parents.

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Maori have strong spiritual bonds to the land, Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother. She provides unity and identity to her people and sustains them. It is important that we protect our land and water from erosion, deforestation and inappropriate land use.

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Creating Sustainable Communities by JBA Consulting

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Supporting Sustainable Communities | The Wheel

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An overview of The Wheel's special projects relating to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Altus Industrial Aluminium & Window Systems

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Altus Industrial Aluminium & Window Systems - Is your new community sustainable? Look for these 3 traits

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New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions are already at 80.2 million tonnes (CO2 equivalent), and rising, states a Ministry for the Environment report. One of the key causes of this rise is our increasing use of fossil fuels in cars. So, a sustainable community should help decrease this by offering fast, convenient public transport and easy access to basic amenities.

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Building sustainably is about using practices and systems that lessen impact on the environment, lower running costs and make homes healthy, accessible and comfortable. It includes energy efficiency, the move to a net zero-carbon economy and building resilience against hazards such as earthquakes, storms and flooding.

Resources for designers and builders

The BRANZ Level website is the primary source of information for designing and building sustainably.

BRANZ also provides tools and resources for life cycle assessment, carbon footprinting, thermal efficiency, universal design, reducing building and construction waste and the costs and benefits of building sustainably.

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Building sustainably is about using practices and systems that lessen impact on the environment, lower running costs and make homes healthy, accessible and comfortable. It includes energy efficiency, the move to a net zero-carbon economy and building resilience against hazards such as earthquakes, storms and flooding.

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Green Building Council of Australia | Green Building Council of Australia

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The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is an authority on sustainable buildings and communities - accelerating the transformation of Australia's built environment into one that is healthy, liveable, productive, resilient and sustainable.

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The Green Property Summit 2021 (GPS21) saw the property sector positioned like never before, as Aotearoa faces the most serious and pressing issue of our time.

The property sector has the solutions, the opportunity and the momentum to drive necessary change across Aotearoa. Together, we can make our sector the carbon-busting superhero our country needs.

We can show New Zealanders, and the global property sector, how to be a leader when it comes to tackling our climate emissions.

Hosted by Property Council New Zealand in conjunction with the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), the Green Property Summit discussed the latest initiatives in delivering green buildings and precincts and the policies and opportunities for building green.

GPS21 showcased local and international healthy building case studies, explored solutions, and featured key players in the world's green building sector.

Attendees enjoyed an engaging opportunity to gain knowledge from people operating at the cutting edge. This one-day event included world-leading inspirational content, market intelligence and practical guidance, showcasing local content, concepts that work and a chance to get up close and personal with industry peers and leaders.

Thank you to all 460 Summit attendees - we look forward to seeing you in 2023!

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Green Property Summit - Property Council New Zealand

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The Green Property Summit 2021 (GPS21) saw the property sector positioned like never before, as Aotearoa faces the most serious and pressing issue of our time. The property sector has the solutions, the opportunity and the momentum to drive necessary change across Aotearoa. Together, we can make our sector the carbon-busting superhero our country needs.