TITLE: Environmental Refugees: The Aftermath of Climate Change
THEME: Conflict & Human Rights, Environmental Science; Global Development; Health & Well Being
GRADE LEVEL: 7-8, 9-12
DATE: Tuesday, September 29th & Thursday, October 1st
TIME: Middle School: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM EDT
High School: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM EDT
COST: $300, or GNG Membership Price
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Reports have recently emerged of the first full-country population displacement due to climate change. For example, the 2600 citizens of the Carteret Islands, a Small Island Nation (SIN) off the coast of Papua New Guinea, have begun their relocation to nearby Bougainville Island as they are being forced to abandon their homes due to irreversible effects claimed by climate change. The island is no longer inhabitable and is predicted to completely submerge by 2015. In this 2-part Pulse program, students will examine the effects of global warming and its relationship to a new wave of refugees known as “environmental refugees.” Students will watch Sun Come Up, - a short film documenting the plight of the Carteret Islanders.
On Day One, students will explore the real threat that rising sea levels will cause to some of the smallest island nations. Through examining global warming, students will be better equipped to reach thoughtful conclusions concerning natural disasters, their causes and their consequences across the globe. On Day Two, students will speak with Jennifer Redfearn, Director/Producer of Sun Come Up.
Guest Speaker: Jennifer Redfearn,
Director/Producer of Sun Come Up
Jennifer Redfearn is a director, producer, and writer. She has worked on programming for PBS, the DISCOVERY Networks and independent productions. Most recently, Jennifer co-produced a two-hour special for NOVA and field produced a medical series for Discovery. She comes to documentary filmmaking with a background in environmental and research science. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Wellesley College and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. Her work samples can be found here: jenredfearn.com
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The Environmental Refugee program is aligned with these National Educational Standards:
Education for Sustainability – Student Standards
- EfS Standard 1 – Students understand and are able to apply the basic concept of sustainability (i.e.: meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs). They develop an understanding of the historical context in which the definitions, concepts, and principles of sustainability and sustainable development have emerged over time.
- 1.1 Intergenerational Responsibility
- EfS Standard 2 - Students recognize the concept of sustainability as a dynamic condition characterized by the interdependency among ecological, economic, and social systems and how these interconnected systems affect individual and societal well-being. They understand and experience their connection to and interdependence with the natural world.
- 2.2. – Ecological Systems
- Urban Design/Land Management
- 2.3 – Economic Systems
- Alternative Indicators and Indexes of Progress
- True (or Full) Cost Accounting
- 2.4 – Social and Cultural Systems
- Multilateral Organizations
- International Summits, Conferences, Conventions, and Treaties
- EfS Standard 3 - Students develop a multidisciplinary approach to learning the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to continuously improve the health and well-being of present and future generations, via both personal and collective decisions and actions. They understand and can describe their vision of a world that is sustainable, along with the primary changes that would need to be made by individuals, local communities, and countries in order to achieve this.
- 3.1 – Personal Action
- Lifelong Learning and Action
- Personal Change Skills and Strategies
- 3.2 – Collective Action
- Local to Global Responsibility
- Community-Based and Societal Level Decision-Making
- Public Discourse and Policy
- Organizational and Societal Change Skills and Strategies
Environment and Society
- Standard 14: How human actions modify the physical environment.
- Standard 15: How physical systems affect human systems.
- Standard 16: The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.
Geography Standards
Human Systems
- Standard 9: The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface.
- Standard 10: The characteristics, distributions, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics.
- Standard 11: The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface.
- Standard 13: How forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface.
National Science Content Standards
Content Standard F:
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of:
- Personal and community health
- Population growth
- Natural resources
- Environmental quality
- Natural and human-induced hazards
- Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges
U.N. Millennium Development Goals:
- Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
- Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
- Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
- Goal 5: Improve maternal health
- Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
- Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
What to expect from The PULSE
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