This video features IPCC report contributor Myles Allen explaining why fossil fuel companies aren't decarbonizing their product.
Students will learn about two ways that fossil fuel engineers could decarbonize their industry, why they should help solve this problem, and the implications of inaction.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This video provides viewers with an encouraging, although expensive, solution that could be incorporated into the many other solutions required to solve climate change.
The speaker is an engaging expert who will hold students' attention.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with climate change and the role of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide in global warming.
There are many other solutions that can be explored to provide context to this video, such as this interactive table of solutions with carbon equivalents for each solution and this video outlining the current solutions available.
Differentiation
Social studies classes could use this resource as a way to discuss what sort of role governments could have in requiring fossil fuel companies to take the actions detailed in the video.
This video lends itself well to a discussion around the efficacy of the solutions posed. Some discussion questions include:
What is the plan Myles Allen puts forward for decarbonizing the fossil fuel industry?
What is the main reason cited for companies not doing this already?
Do you agree or disagree with the opinions of the speaker? Why? Why not?
What was your main takeaway after watching? What do you want to learn more about?
Other related resources include this video about who is responsible for climate change, this resource about fossil fuel consumption, and this opinion map about making fossil fuel companies pay for climate change mitigation.
Scientist Notes
This 11-minute TED talk discusses ways in which the existing fossil fuel industry can be reworked to help solve the climate crisis. The resource discusses challenges with banning fossil fuels or relying on cheap renewable energy to outcompete fossil fuel use. Rather the resource recommends the decarbonization of fossil fuels themselves by already established (yet expensive or unprofitable) methods. Pathways to complete fossil fuel decarbonization are presented. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
ETS1: Engineering Design
HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
