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On November 2, thousands of schools around the world are stepping outside for Outdoor Classroom Day - find out how you can get involved.

With the impacts of climate change and the incidence of mental health problems on the rise, there has never been a more important time to harness the potential of the outdoor classroom. From building relationships to boosting pupil engagement, outdoor learning and play offer countless benefits for both pupils and their teachers. However, evidence shows that children are spending less time outdoors than ever before.

Connecting children to nature is a crucial way to support mental health whilst equipping pupils with the tools they need to take climate action. Yet, for many children, the time they spend learning and playing in the school grounds is the only time they spend outdoors. That's why it's our responsibility as educators to get our pupils outdoors at every opportunity.

Outdoor Classroom Day is a global campaign which aims to inspire outdoor learning and play by proving that taking pupils outside is not only easy, but also immensely rewarding. Will you join the movement to champion outdoor learning and play for every child every day?
Sign up for Outdoor Classroom Day now, and make sure to join the celebrations on social media using the #OutdoorClassroomDay hashtag. We'd love to see what you get up to with your pupils!

Not sure how to get involved? Here are some ideas for making the most of this special day.

Five ways to celebrate Outdoor Classroom Day

1. Take at least one lesson outdoors

Outdoor Classroom Day is a great opportunity for educators to explore new and creative ways of teaching core curriculum subjects outside. It's amazing how a change of scenery can spark new ideas, but if you're not sure where to begin, use our outdoor lesson ideas for every age and subject area to get started. You're sure to find something that inspires you!

We know that teaching outdoors can be nerve wracking at first. If you're in need of advice, make sure to read our top tips for newcomers to outdoor learning!

2. Go on a walk

A simple walk around the school grounds or local park is a rich opportunity for learning. Whether learning about symmetry as part of a mathematics lesson or simply noticing the natural world during a Forest Bathing activity, the outdoors is your playground!

Take a look at the outdoor journeys board over on the Outdoor Classroom Day Pinterest for some inspiring ideas, including nature scavenger hunts and texture walks.

3. Survey your school grounds to make them climate ready

Would you like to adapt your school grounds to the impacts of climate change whilst supporting curriculum aims and sustainability initiatives? Working with Architecture & Design Scotland, we developed a suite of resources to help schools adapt their outdoor spaces for our changing climate.

Outdoor Classroom Day is the perfect opportunity to survey the school grounds and make some improvements. Visit the Climate Ready School Grounds page to download workshops, surveys, and lesson ideas to keep you and your pupils busy!

4. Take the Hidden Nature Challenge

Celebrate the launch of the National Education Nature Park with the Hidden Nature Challenge! Follow the prompts with your pupils to discover the hidden nature in your school grounds. Then, upload your findings to the online map to compare the results with schools across the country. It's a great way to get a taste of what the National Education Nature Park is all about, see green skills in action and have a positive impact by working together.

5. Play!

High-quality play is essential to a healthy, happy childhood - and it isn't just about having fun. Play provides important opportunities for learning that children just don't get inside a classroom. Whether it's managing risk or building resilience, it's vital that we provide pupils with the time and space to develop these key life skills through quality outdoor play.

If you teach older children, why not take them outdoors to play some nature-themed games? Activities like Climate Change Dodgeball and Wildlife Corridors are a fun way to combine learning and play, and make a lesson all the more memorable!

Sign up for Outdoor Classroom Day

Are you ready to join thousands of schools around the world in celebrating outdoor learning and play? Sign up for Outdoor Classroom Day to join the festivities on November 2, and don't forget to tell us all about your plans for the day using the #OutdoorClassroomDay hashtag!

Be sure to visit our hubs for early years, primary, and secondary to find everything you need to take learning outdoors in your setting, including lesson ideas, training, and guidance. Finally, sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest outdoor learning news and opportunities, and gain ideas to encourage more outdoor learning and play every day.

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5 ideas for celebrating Outdoor Classroom Day

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On November 2, thousands of schools around the world are stepping outside for Outdoor Classroom Day - discover some ideas for celebrating!

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education "outdoor learning" play children schools teachers

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Learning through Landscapes helps children to connect with nature, become more active, learn outdoors, develop social skills and have fun. We do this through three avenues: · advocating the benefits of outdoor learning and play at school and pre school. · inspiring and enabling the design and development of outdoor environments to support children's development.

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How Playing Outside Impacts Your Well-Being | Craig Childs | TEDxMileHigh

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Lesson suggestions of inspiration to spark ideas for what you can do on the day and all year round.

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The only thing more fun than hands-on science is taking it outside! These outdoor science activities are perfect for taking advantage of sunny days. Fly kites, dissect flowers, experiment with sound and water, and so much more! There is something on our list for everyone from adults all the way down to toddlers. You'll only need simple supplies for most of these, so any teacher or family can head out to learn about chemistry, biology, physics, and more.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Gaze at the clouds

Look up and take some time to admire the clouds. Craft this cute "cloud viewer" and find a cloud in the sky. Then, identify what type it is, and learn more about how clouds form.

Learn more: Cloud Viewer-Little Bins for Little Hands

2. Fly a kite

You can learn a lot about physics when you make and fly your own kite. Experiment with different designs to see whose kite flies the highest or the longest.

Learn more: Inner Child Fun

3. Wrap a watermelon in rubber bands ...

You've probably seen videos of this making the rounds online, so why not try it out yourself? This is one of those outdoor science activities that's easy to do, but make sure you wear safety equipment like goggles.

Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

4. Assemble a nest

Birds build intricate nests, and they make it look easy. Can you do the same? Gather some materials outdoors, and try to make your own nest.

Learn more: Views From a Step Stool

5. Explore 1 square foot

There's an amazing amount of life in every square foot of nature. Grab your magnifying glasses or microscope, and take a closer look at the ground you walk on every day.

Learn more: One Square Foot-Little Bins for Little Hands

6. Explode a DIY seed pod

Find out how some plants spread their seeds far and wide with this cool balloon experiment. Fill it with seeds and air, then pop it outside on a breezy day and watch the seeds fly!

Learn more: Around the Kampfire

7. Send a soda geyser sky-high

This is one of those outdoor science activities that simply can't be done anywhere other than outdoors. Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Soda Experiment-Scholastic

8. Compost food scraps in a bottle

Food waste is a big problem, contributing to much of the material that winds up in landfills. Teach kids how to compost with kitchen scraps in a plastic bottle, and use the compost to feed your plants.

Learn more: Busy Mommy Media

9. Grow a carbon sugar snake

If you're looking for outdoor science activities that are sure to excite your students, try this eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration. You only need simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand, but the element of fire makes this experiment best done outdoors.

Learn more: KiwiCo

10. See the greenhouse effect in action

Climate change can be a contentious topic, so start by teaching kids about the greenhouse effect, which is easy to see and understand using this simple experiment. Then, urge them to explore data collected by scientists so they can learn to make informed decisions about topics like global warming.

Learn more: Teaching Science With Lynda

11. Construct a dirt battery

This outdoor science project is similar to building a battery from a lemon, but you also get to dig in the dirt! Kids learn about electric currents and conductivity.

Learn more: Dirt Battery-Teach Beside Me

12. Test the power of sunscreen

We slather kids in sunscreen when they're playing outside, but do they understand why? Try this fun little experiment, which demonstrates how sunscreen protects from the sun's harmful rays.

Learn more: STEM Sunscreen Experiment-JDaniel4's Mom

13. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. The link below has complete instructions.

Learn more: Desert Chica

14. Forecast the weather with pine cones

Fun fact: Pine cones open and close according to the weather in order to protect or disperse the seeds inside. Use that fact to your advantage and create a pine cone weather station in your backyard.

Learn more: Pine Cones-Science Sparks

15. Construct a LEGO waterwheel course

Are you looking for outdoor science activities for kids who love to build with LEGO? Explore the power of water with a cool homemade LEGO water course that includes a dam and a water wheel. This engineering project is fun to play with when you're done.

Learn more: LEGO Course-Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

16. Blast off with bottle rockets

A simple adapter kit lets you turn an empty plastic bottle into a soaring rocket. Kids learn about pressure and Newton's third law of motion with this perennially popular outdoor science project.

Learn more: Bottle Rockets-Science Sparks

17. Put together a simple microscope

This DIY microscope isn't very powerful, but it does magnify small objects so you can see details. It's also really simple to make. (Looking for a stronger microscope you can take on the go? Try this portable model that hooks up to your cell phone.)

Learn more: Mini Microscope-Childhood 101

18. Create nature discovery bottles

Stroll through the great outdoors and have kids collect interesting natural objects. Use recycled soda or water bottles to display their specimens.

Learn more: Discovery Bottles-Little Bins for Little Hands

19. Make sun prints

You'll need to buy special paper for this outdoor science project, but it's easy to find. Kids will love creating their own patterns and experimenting to find which objects work best.

Learn more: PBS for Parents

20. Assemble an anemometer

Scientists use anemometers to measure wind speed. Build this DIY version and do some weather science with your class.

Learn more: Pi'ikea Street

21. Find the best soap bubble solution

It's easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids experiment to find the best proportion of ingredients to blow the longest-lasting bubbles with this fun outdoor science activity.

Learn more: Science Buddies-Bubble-ology

22. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Bubbles are part of many fun outdoor science activities. Once you've blown the longest-lasting bubbles, move on to creating the largest bubbles you've ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Bubbles-Scholastic

23. Launch Ping-Pong balls with a catapult

Young kids will simply adore building this basic catapult and watching Ping-Pong balls soar! Older kids can experiment by changing the position of the fulcrum, the length of the board, and the objects being flung.

Learn more: Catapult-Buggy and Buddy

24. Brew some elephant toothpaste

Speaking of foamy messes, elephant toothpaste (OK, it's not really used by elephants) creates a huge exothermic reaction that will blow kids away.

Learn more: Science Bob

25. Play a game of Nature Bingo

Give your nature walk more direction by giving students specific items to seek out. You can make your own boards, or hit the link below for free printables for every season.

Learn more: Massachusetts Audubon Society

26. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they're affected on windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.

Learn more: How To Make a Parachute-Inspiration Laboratories

27. Start a nature journal

Nature journals are a great way to partner writing and outdoor science while building kids' observational skills. You can use any sturdy notebook or check out the link below for free printable journal pages and a fun DIY carry-along journal project.

Learn more: Nature Journal-Edventures With Kids

28. Make and plant DIY seed bombs

Use recycled materials to create "seed bombs." Then plant them in the schoolyard or send kids home to use them in their own gardens. Students learn about ecology, recycling, and plant life cycles.

29. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids love to pick up rocks, and there are plenty of great science experiments you can do with them. In this one, you pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you've found limestone!

Learn more: Limestone Rocks-Edventures With Kids

30. Contribute to citizen science

Use a cell phone to snap pictures of everything you find on a nature walk, then report those sightings to Project Noah. This citizen science project is dedicated to documenting every living thing on Earth! ( Teachers, get ideas for using Project Noah in your classroom here.)

Learn more: Project Noah

31. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.

Learn more: NurtureStore

32. Learn about plant transpiration

This simple project demonstrates how plants get rid of excess water they don't need, a process known as transpiration. The supplies and method are simple enough for anyone to try it.

Learn more: Transpiration-Teach Beside Me

33. Swing a glass of water to learn about centripetal force

When you do this experiment right, you won't make a mess at all. But while kids are still getting the hang of swinging glasses of water around their heads, you'll probably want to make this an outdoor science activity.

Learn more: Sick Science!

34. Learn to identify trees

Give trees a closer look and learn to identify them by their leaves and seeds. These jars preserve the leaves and seeds for future study too.

Learn more: Identify Trees-Edventures With Kids

35. Go on a nature scavenger hunt

Take kids outdoors to use their five senses with this free printable scavenger hunt activity. They'll hone their observation skills and learn so much about the world around them.

Learn more: Nature Scavenger Hunt-Childhood 101

36. Help monarch butterflies

You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their populations alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful insects by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link.

Learn more: Monarch Watch

37. Count tree rings to explore dendrochronology

Your students might know you can count tree rings to find out how old the tree is, but do they know why that's true? Students will undoubtedly get a kick out of exploring dendrochronology.

Learn more: Tree Rings-Edventures With Kids

38. Seek out signs of birds

Have you ever noticed that birds can be difficult to spot, even though signs of them are all around? This free printable scavenger hunt helps you find evidence that birds live nearby. Just look for nests and food sources and listen for their sounds.

Learn more: Inspiration Labs

39. Attract birds with a DIY bird feeder

Bring all the birds to the yard with this easy recycled bird feeder project. Kids can learn to identify common backyard birds in your area. Visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's educators' resource page for more ideas.

40. Identify birds with an app

Some birds are easy to identify, but others stump even longtime bird-watchers. If you're looking for outdoor science activities for kids who love feathered friends, check out the free Merlin Bird ID app. Snap a pic, answer a few questions, and the app will provide you some probable identifications, just like that.

Learn more: Merlin Bird ID

41. Become a human sundial

Choose a sunny day and grab some sidewalk chalk-your students are about to become sundials! They'll practice measuring skills and learn about the movement of the sun across the sky.

Learn more: Rhythms of Play

42. Harness the power of the wind

Wind turbines have become common sights in some parts of the country as we explore alternative energy sources. Build your own to learn how they work with this outdoor science experiment.

Learn more: Build a Wind Turbine-Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

43. Explode plastic baggies (and make a big mess)

Vinegar and baking soda experiments are always a big hit with kids, and this one is no exception. They'll love seeing the bags pop from the chemical reaction, and you'll be glad the mess is outside.

Learn more: Kids Activities

44. Estimate the height of a tree

Kids work in pairs to estimate the height of a tree in this project that puts the M in STEM. Get a free printable at the link below to walk you through the process.

Learn more: From ABCs to ACTs

45. Build a light box

Kids can entertain themselves for hours with a big empty cardboard box. Channel that energy by turning a box into a place to learn about light refraction and reflection, using colored water in plastic bottles.

Learn more: True Aim Education

46. Float a baking-soda-powered boat

Here's another experiment using the classic baking powder and vinegar reaction. This one uses it to power these cute little DIY boats! A kiddie pool is the perfect spot for this outdoor science project.

Learn more: The OT Toolbox

47. Conduct an egg drop

Here's another classic outdoor science project you won't want to move inside-the egg drop. Challenge kids to engineer a container that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).

Learn more: Egg Drop-Buggy and Buddy

48. Slide into friction science

Head out to the playground, gather up a variety of objects, and hold races to see which ones make it down the slide first. This is a fun introduction to friction and inclined planes.

Learn more: Friction Science-Buggy and Buddy

49. See water pollution in action

Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water treatment plant to expand the lesson.

Learn more: Water Pollution-JDaniel4's Mom

50. Test your local water quality

Once you've "cleaned up" your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is. Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what's in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Water-testing kits are readily available online- try this set available on Amazon.

Learn more: The Homeschool Scientist

51. Set up a musical science pool

This project is equally fun as a sensory experience and as a science experiment. Fill a kiddie pool with water, then place inside metal mixing bowls of different sizes. Finally, let kids experiment with different combos of waters, bowls, and drumsticks (i.e., wooden spoons).

Learn more: And Next Comes

52. Paint a shadow with homemade chalk paint

Head outside and have kids trace the outlines of their shadows. Then mix up some homemade chalk paint and let kids get creative painting their shadows.

Learn more: Rhythms of Play

53. Get in some unstructured outdoor time

While this video isn't a specific experiment, it advocates for kids getting outside and having a chance to explore. Kids can gather things that catch their eye and then sort leaves, flowers, shells, etc., by pattern, shape, or anything else they wish.

54. Create a rainbow

Is there anything prettier than a rainbow? Your students will undoubtedly love seeing that they can make one themselves!

55. Make a homemade zip line

This experiment could be done inside too, but we think it would work even better with more space outdoors. Give kids a wide variety of materials so they can work diligently to build something to transport a plastic Easter egg safely across the zip line.

Learn more: The Secret Life of Homeschoolers

56. Dissect a flower

Your students will be so fascinated to learn just how much is hidden under the exterior of their favorite flower. Have some magnifying glasses on hand so your students can get a closer look at all the different parts of the flower and even the pollen.

Learn more: Elemental Science

57. Make and melt frozen oobleck

You'll need cornstarch, water, a bowl, a spoon, and ice cube trays to make this oh-so fun sensory science experiment. If you really want to get wild, include some food coloring and glitter since kids will enjoy personalizing their oobleck. Once the oobleck is frozen, bring it outside and let it melt. As it melts, have students study the consistency changes.

Learn more: Inspiration Laboratories

58. Create lightning in a bottle

This experiment is best suited for older kids or perhaps as more of a demonstration for younger kids. This is a great lesson on static electricity and it will certainly leave your students stunned!

59. Create tree bark rubbings

As far as outdoor science activities go, this one is so simple yet such a fun way for the tiniest learners to discover nature and trees in particular. Grab some tape, peeled crayons, and paper, then head outdoors!

60. Float beach balls in the air

Want to amaze your students while also teaching about Bernoulli's principle? The basic idea is that fast-moving fluids have lower pressure than slow-moving fluids. Balance a beach ball in just the right spot above the leaf blower, where the forces of gravity and air pressure are equal. This will result in a floating ball!

Learn more: Fizzics Education

Plus, get all the latest teacher tips and tricks, straight to your inbox, when you sign up for our newsletters!

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60 Wet and Wild Outdoor Science Projects and Activities

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The only thing more fun than hands-on science is taking it outside! These outdoor science activities will appeal to kids of all ages.

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Use this primary literacy and language activity to encourage use of passive and active voice. This outdoor lesson idea uses a natural space as a stimulus for practising different sentence types to help embed this difficult concept.

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Passive and Active Voice | Outdoor Lesson Idea by Learning through Landscapes

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Use this primary literacy and language activity to encourage use of passive and active voice. This outdoor lesson idea uses a natural space as a stimulus for practising different sentence types to help embed this difficult concept.

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Outdoor learning ideas | Learning through Landscapes

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Hundreds of free lesson ideas and activities for every age and subject area — ideal for curriculum-led outdoor learning and Forest School.

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Other stories in the Game on! Series "It's Our Turn!": Part 1 - The Youth Must Be Heard

IN MARCH OF 2020, STREETS emptied, noise died down, and skies cleared. Humans all around the world went into quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And as the human world became quieter, many people started to notice the sounds and sights of nature. Even in the bustling center of cities, birds were sighted in gardens, clearer waters showed wildlife beneath the surface, and nature moved gradually into spaces left empty. Carbon emissions plummeted to the levels of 2006. Unsurprisingly, scientists, environmentalists, and researchers started discussing the impacts of 'working from home' and quarantining on the environment. Many made comparisons between our response to the health crisis to our response to the climate crisis.

Others focused on the impacts on the biodiversity crisis, an environmental problem which is related to but distinct from climate change. Sightings of rejuvenated nature and the global pandemic prompted interest in the other creatures we share our planet with, and the ways we have impacted them. After all, many believe the pandemic originated in a wildlife trade market in China - one example of the several ways in which humans have come to exhort control over other species.

Simply put, biodiversity is in decline. This is a fact we've known for decades. Now, there is little doubt that we are experiencing a mass extinction of global species. While we expect a number of species to go extinct every few thousand years, we are now losing species at a rate 1000 times greater than at any other time in recorded human history. In other words, we are experiencing a huge loss of biodiversity. But what exactly does this mean? What is the impact?

The Building Blocks of Biodiversity

It is important to understand that biodiversity is a broad term. Originally coined in 1985, "biodiversity" is a contraction of "biological diversity". It refers to the variety of life on earth, in all its forms and interactions. Therefore, biodiversity can be viewed at different levels of biology: genetic diversity, species diversity, communities, and even ecosystems. But, as will be shown throughout this article, the most common measure of biodiversity is at the species level.

While many people might think of "biodiversity" as something reserved for science textbooks and wildlife documentaries, the truth is biodiversity affects most aspects of human life, including our very own existence! During the more than 4.5 billion years of Earth, the world has never had a richness of life compared to that of today. The absolute number of species is greater now, than ever before - and that includes us, Homo sapiens.

Biodiversity affects the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. For example, plants provide oxygen and bees pollinate plants. Coral reefs, which are biodiversity hotspots in the oceans, provide protection from cyclones and tsunamis. Many aspects of nature provide human health benefits, such as a fungus that grows on the fur of sloths and can fight cancer. Trees, supported by other species, can absorb pollution and help maintain a stable climate. For instance, tropical tortoises disperse the seeds of hardwood trees, which are most effective in removing carbon dioxide. These are just but a few examples of the numerous interactions that underpin the natural world. Each one is carefully balanced, reliant on another.

But if one piece falls, the whole ecosystem faces difficulties.

To picture this, imagine a game of Jenga. Each block is a species, and together their interactions make up an ecosystem. If one block is taken away, the ecosystem becomes less carefully balanced. If enough blocks are removed, the tower crumbles.
Biodiversity functions much like a tower in a game of Jenga, relying carefully on an incredible number of balanced interactions between species.
This is not dissimilar to the crisis of biodiversity for the last 11,000 years, coming from the times in which our ancestors developed agriculture. Since then, we have both, directly and indirectly, contributed to this mass extinction (where several species become extinct at once). Each species serves its ecological niche in the ecosystem. As some species go extinct, other species that they interact with in the ecosystem also go extinct. As a result, regional biodiversity collapses are likely occurring.

Cheating the Rules of Nature

How are humans causing a mass global loss of biodiversity? Human activities - including creating habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal trade, overexploitation, introducing domestic and wild species, toxification, and pollution - have all played a major role. For example, one of the greatest declines of all animals - namely, amphibians - is due to a fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, thought to be spread around the world by the pet trade.

Due to the role of human impact, it is possible to see how climate change is interlinked. Human-caused climate change is also affecting the habitats of several species, which must either adapt or migrate to areas with more favourable conditions. According to estimates, we share this planet as home with around 8.7 million species. No doubt, our actions have made us an unpopular housemate.

Research has clarified just how massive and problematic our impact has been. A 2020 study by Gerardo Ceballos, Paul R. Ehrlich, and Peter H. Raven examined 29 400 species of terrestrial vertebrates and determined which were on the brink of extinction (meaning, fewer than 1000 individuals left). They found 515 species on the brink of extinction and that around 94% of the populations of 77 mammal and bird species on the brink have been lost in the last century. Their conclusion? The human-caused sixth mass extinction is likely accelerating.

This map shows the current distribution of 515 terrestrial vertebrate species on the brink (i.e., with under 1,000 individuals; Top) and 903 species with under 5,000 individuals (Bottom). The loss of biodiversity is a truly global phenomenon! Source:

While this study focused on vertebrates, not all species have a backbone. In fact, more than 95% of known species don't have one. And these, too, are disappearing at alarming rates. For example, parasites, organisms that live in or on an organism of another species and benefit at the other's expense, are one of the most threatened groups on earth. One-third of them could be wiped out by climate change. These extinctions would have a domino effect of destabilizing ecosystems and unleashing unpredictable invasions of surviving parasites into new areas.
Clearly, the sixth mass extinction is no easy problem to solve. Biodiversity is a complex web of interactions and any single "move" has a series of knock-on effects. But it's also worth acknowledging that, for thousands of years, human actions have been causing these extinctions. And more so now than ever before.
What's more, while damage to the climate is theoretically reversible, nothing can be done to reverse species extinctions and ecological collapse. Many argue that for the biodiversity crisis, the stakes are higher, because of this irreversible characteristic.

2020: A Biodiversity "Make or Break" Odyssey

With extinction rates reaching 1000 times higher than historical ones, many have suggested it is too late to "unravel" our impact on biodiversity. In one assessment of nine thresholds in Earth systems that define a "safe operating space for humanity" called " planetary boundaries," both biodiversity loss (measured as genetic diversity) and nitrogen pollution have been crossed - unlike CO2 levels, freshwater used and ozone losses. But others are insistent that we haven't moved beyond the tipping point yet.

In fact, the UN Environment Programme termed 2020 "the crunch-year for biodiversity," a make or break year in which key international meetings will set the tone and agenda for environmental action. Likened to the 2015 Paris agreement, the UN draft plan aims to introduce controls on invasive species and reduce pollution from plastic waste and excess nutrients by 50%. It is part of a larger framework that aims to ensure biodiversity is sustainably valued and conserved by 2050.

Enric Sala, explorer-in-residence at National Geographic, said: "If adopted, this target could achieve what our children have been calling on governments to do - listen to the science. If we are to stay below 1.5º C, prevent the extinction of 1 million species and the collapse of our life support system, we need to protect our intact wilderness, and ensure at least 30% of our land and oceans are protected by 2030.

Unsurprisingly, many of these biodiversity-focused international meetings have been held virtually or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the Convention on Biodiversity COP 2015 was originally scheduled to take place from 15-28 October 2020, in Kunming, China. Now, it has been postponed to 2021. In this way, many have questioned whether the pandemic has halted our ability to make meaningful progress in undertaking the biodiversity challenge.
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic decrease in carbon emissions, unlike any previous recession, war or pandemic. Particularly, air travel has been impacted; globally the demand for jet fuel is down 65% year-on-year to April.
Nevertheless, others have argued the pandemic has brought more awareness to issues of biodiversity, as was suggested by Elizabeth Mrema, executive secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, in an interview with Nature magazine: "Our interference, through deforestation, agricultural expansion, livestock intensification, and habitat fragmentation, has exposed wild animals and brought them into closer contact with people, which has resulted in the spillover of pathogens and zoonotic diseases, human-to-human transmission through trade and tourism, and the explosive pandemic we currently find ourselves in." Having recognised this link, there is renewed focus on a 'wildlife trade ban," which, if imposed properly could be a major conservation effort.
Elizabeth Mrema is the first Tanzanian - and, overall, African - woman to lead the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. Source: FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto.
Still, many have persisted to continue the biodiversity focus of this years' international meetings. And as new meetings and international targets are created for a biodiversity post-2020 framework, we are all the more aware of our failures of the last efforts from 2010 - the Aichi targets. Only four of these twenty targets have shown good progress in the last decade. This begs the question: How can we ensure this "round" will be different?
Time to change the rules?
Some have suggested that biodiversity needs a single target similar to the 2° C target for climate action. Researchers, Mark D. A. Rounsevell, MIke Harfoot, Paula A. Harrison, Tim Newbold. Richard D. Gregory, and Georgina M. Mace, have suggested the ambitious, but achievable, near-term target of keeping described species extinctions to well below 20 per year over the next 100 years across all major groups - fungi, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates - and across all ecosystem types - marine, freshwater, and terrestrial. Such a target would have the advantage of being communicable to a non-scientific audience, but would mask the considerable complexity and spatial variation in the status of biodiversity, as we described earlier.

For example, would all threatened species be given equal weight, or will those that are more important to livelihoods and ecosystem function be given priority for protection? Although the researchers have proposed that additional targets and nationally-focused efforts will need to accompany the global 20-species per year target, they believe it provides a chance to create a unified goal and integrate the biodiversity and climate change agendas.

However, any one unified goal needs to be vigorously assessed by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). It is no easy task to simplify the complexity of biodiversity, as Elizabeth Mrema recognises. But she is also optimistic: "If we succeed, that will be the best result possible, because then it becomes a song everyone will sing, and that everybody can align with to deliver that one key message."

Thus, this year does provide a chance for us to reassess our goals, and efforts to protect biodiversity and contribute to biodiversity conservation. One important lesson from the failed Aichi targets? Ms Mrema suggests that, "unlike the previous goals, the major difference this time is that all stakeholders, including youth, business and Indigenous groups, have contributed to various iterations of the draft."

New Agenda & Direction: It's Our Turn!

As we develop a plan and targets for biodiversity in 2020, it is necessary to gain more understanding of tipping points that move biodiversity loss into ecological collapse. These will enhance our awareness of where to direct our efforts.

We also need political will. While many people have experienced the 'joys of new creatures entering their garden during quarantine,' it is imperative that this joy of nature becomes a focus of countries' economic recoveries from the pandemics. Individual action can help, too, if people make sustainable choices in products and diet.

We should also take a step back from the game table; giving nature the space and protection it needs is a necessary part of biodiversity's protection. Humans and their domesticated animals are some 30 times the living mass of wild mammals that must compete with them for space and resources. By designating wildlife reserves, we can protect these animals' resources.

Finally, we need to emphasize the human-nature connection. Wildlife reserves only work if they don't hinder local people from making a living. A ban on wildlife trade will only work if we can ensure people in Africa who rely on bushmeat are food secure. Biodiversity building blocks affect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. It is important that this is remembered. Although we have not been a team/fair player, we are still a part of the web interactions.

It's Our Turn! We must change tactics and become part of the team to accept the challenge and save biodiversity.
The Game on! Series "It's Our Turn!" is part of a wider drive to bring awareness to the current and future challenges around the climate change crisis and to what must be done to tackle it. In the next articles, we will further discuss the issues of biodiversity conservation, adaptation and mitigation, and climate justice, all of them critical to understand in our struggle against climate change. The 'Game on!' project, funded by the DEAR Programme, is an initiative of a consortium of 10 partners from 8 Central and Eastern European countries to activate the global youth and react to the existential threat climate change represents for the future of humankind. The project aims to activate this energy all across the region and the globe through a 'gamification' approach to initially tackle three core areas: Biodiversity Conservation, Adaptation and Mitigation, and Climate Justice. Therefore, 'Game on!' has started developing different products - from geocaching games and board games to museum exhibitions and theatre plays - to help raise awareness on the problems of and solutions to climate change, as well as to push the massive mobilization of people to demand and make the changes we need.

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Other stories in the Game on! Series "It's Our Turn!": Part 1 - The Youth Must Be Heard IN MARCH OF 2020, STREETS emptied, noise died down, and skies cleared. Humans all around the world went into quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And as the human world became quieter, many ...

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Outdoor Classroom Day | 10 Lessons to Teach in the Great Outdoors

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Thursday, November 7 is Outdoor Classroom Day! How do you learn outside? Check out 10 of our best resources to take your lessons outdoors and into nature!