Fighting Climate Change with Poems: Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner
Provided by: United Nations Climate Change|Published on: March 12, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Videos
Subjects: Civics, Geography
Authors: United Nations Climate Change
Region: Oceania
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This 4-minute video from UN Climate Change features Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, a climate activist and poet from the Marshall Islands.
- In the video, Jetnil-Kijiner talks about using poetry to alert people to the climate impacts that the people of the Marshall Islands are already facing, and to urge them to act before the Marshall Islands are underwater.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner is a passionate speaker, commanding the attention of viewers.
- Students will benefit from hearing her speak about using poetry to bring humanity into the issue of climate change and remind people of the real, human consequences.
Prerequisites
- Teachers may want to explain what it means for the university to divest from fossil fuels.
- Students should be familiar with climate change causes, impacts, and solutions.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Teachers can make connections to geography by having students find the Marshall Islands on a map and research their economy, culture, environment, and risks due to climate change.
- Teachers can use the first lesson in this unit to analyze Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner's poem, "2 Degrees", from a literary standpoint.
- Students can use this video as inspiration for writing their own poems about a climate or environmental issue that is important to them.
This video discusses the effects of climate change on the Marshall Islands. It follows Kathy Jetnil-Kijner’s experiences with climate change and advocacy. Part of her advocacy is writing and performing poetry about these topics. She discusses the benefits of using poetry for advocacy and why she does it. Her discussion of climate change and its effects is accurate. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
