EMSCHERGENOSSENSCHAFT launches educational material about climate change

More than 80% of young people in Germany want to know more about climate change and climate protection according to the results of a survey carried out and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Environment. As a result, EMSCHERGENOSSENSCHAFT and LIPPEVERBAND (EG/LV) have developed educational material about climate change together with the teachers and pupils of a local comprehensive school. It will be distributed to more than 700 schools in the region and used for classes 5 to 10.

“We feel responsibility for the region and therefore want to do more to bring future issues – such as climate change and climate protection – to the attention of the public. There is no better place for it than in our schools: the young people are our future,” says Dr. Jochen Stemplewski, CEO of EG/LV. “Experts, teachers and pupils all submitted excellent texts, transparencies and pictures which were elaborated in order to convey the fascinating topic of climate change in an interesting and informative way.”, says Dr. Stemplewski.

The school material is disseminated on a CD-ROM. It contains textual summaries and many photos and illustrations which deal with the various aspects of climate change. It also contains corresponding overhead transparencies, work sheets for interactive and lively lessons, an overview of the relevant educational curriculum objectives, a detailed glossary with explanations of technical terms and references for cooperation options between schools and water boards.

The material has been developed with support of teachers and integrates the topic of climate change on both a global and local level in the classroom. The educational material, for example, covers protection against extreme flood events, as dealt with in the ALFA project, as expected climate change has an important impact on floods.
Download the education material on climate change here.

Becky Helm, Education Officer for the Eden Rivers Trust, the British ALFA project partner, is impressed with the Emschergenossenschaft’s educational material. She agrees; “it is so important that organisations such as ours develop educational material in collaboration with schools, teachers and pupils as this brings issues such as environmental protection, climate change and flooding to the attention of young people in a way which is appealing to them and which also meets their curriculum needs”. 

Click  here to find out more about the Eden Rivers Trusts’ educational resources visit.


Picture 1:
Pupils at the Essen-Holsterhausen comprehensive school organised a climate conference with 1,000 pupils. This is regarded as a shining example of the recommendation in the climate change school material.