Lesson 7: Climate Change

Wait... What is Climate Change Doing Here?!

Climate Change and Water Wars with Vandana Shiva

"Dear Future Generations: Sorry" by Prince Ea

"Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice" by Barry S. Levy and Jonathan A. Patz

Wait... What is Climate Change Doing Here?!

So far, you've read about many social justice issues that are directly related to a person's identity. Each of these play a role in how the person experiences the world or the events that take place in the world. This lesson allows you to learn about climate change as a social justice issue even though it is not a specific quality or trait of a person. Instead, climate change and other global events/crises (e.g. Covid-19) can disproportionately impact different groups of people and can cause conflicts that become social justice issues and endanger the rights of certain groups. As you are going through this section, consider how climate change is a social justice issue and who is affected most by it.

"India's Water Wars" by Seana Quinn

Guided Reading Questions:

1. List the pros and cons of the Sardar Sarovar Big Dam Project.

2. What group of people are impacted the most by this project?

3. Why is this a social justice issue?

India's Water WarsThe Narmada Valley Sardar Sarovar Big Dam Project is the largest of 30 planned large dams on the Narmada River and it has inspired twenty-two years and three generations of protests, making it, and all big dams, one of the most important and controversial social issues of modern India. In Delhi,...

... click to read full article!

Climate Change and Water Wars with Vandana Shiva

Guided Questions:

1. What is the role of the government according to Shiva? How to they choose to distribute water and why?

2. Why will water cause wars?

3. How does this relate to social justice?

"Dear Future Generations: Sorry" by Prince Ea

Guided Questions:

1. In summary, why is he apologizing and who is he apologizing to?

2. What is the main message in this spoken word poem?

3. How does he think the environment connects all people?

4. Who is the target audience of this video? What does he want them to feel?

"Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice" by Barry S. Levy and Jonathan A. Patz

(Note: download as PDF for better access)

Guided Reading Questions:

1. What are some risk factors that make populations more vulnerable to impacts of climate change?

2. What population subgroups does the article suggest are at a higher risk? Why?

3. List 4 environmental and health consequences that affect vulnerable populations.

4. In summary, why does this article suggest that climate change is a social justice issue?

Journal Response

Respond to and reflect on what you have learned in this section in a written response of 400-500 words. Is it clear how climate change is a social justice issue since it disproportionately impacts different groups of people? What groups would be impacted most? Can you make any connections with other events that happen that may be a social justice issue, even though it doesn't appear to be on the surface? Describe your understanding of the topic, including its relevancy to social justice, what you have learned and if you still have any unanswered questions.

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