Introduction

UN Climate Summit 2014

Watch the video and summarize its contents:

Climate change is not a far-off problem. It is happening now and is having very real consequences on people’s lives. Climate change is disrupting national economies, costing us dearly today and even more tomorrow. But there is a growing recognition that affordable, scalable solutions are available now that will enable us all to leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient economies.

There is a sense that change is in the air. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has invited world leaders, from government, finance, business, and civil society to Climate Summit 2014 this 23 September to galvanize and catalyze climate action. He has asked these leaders to bring bold announcements and actions to the Summit that will reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and mobilize political will for a meaningful legal agreement in 2015. Climate Summit 2014 provides a unique opportunity for leaders to champion an ambitious vision, anchored in action that will enable a meaningful global agreement in 2015.

Useful glossary:

A far-off problem: a peoblem which does not concern us directly

To disrupt: cause great troubles thus preventing something from continuing in ist normal way

Scalable: that can be applied on a large scale

To leapfrog to: achieve something more quickly than usual

To galvanize: to shock so that people react and do something

Bold: brave / corageous

Resilience: the ability to return quickly to the original situation

To champion: publicly fight for and defend something

Now watch the following video.

Answer the following questions to the video:

Now write a paragraph about this topic: WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?