About climate change education

Cambridge Early Years

In our new Cambridge Early Years programme, the strand of 'Understanding our world' instils a sense of care for the environment. Furthermore, the foundational skills in maths, communication, language, literacy and creative expression are the basis for future skills required to engage with climate change education.

Cambridge Early Years programme

Cambridge Early Years teaching and learning resources

Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary Science

Scientific knowledge underpinning the causes and effects of climate change is introduced. This includes knowledge related to states of matter, changes of state, gases, energy transfer, chemical changes, climate and the carbon cycle.

Learners also build knowledge of the causes and effects of both climate-related hazards and natural disasters, enabling them to contribute to ways in which we can respond to them.

Cambridge Primary Science curriculum (0097)

Cambridge Lower Secondary Science curriculum (0893)

Cambridge Primary Science learners books and teachers' resources

Cambridge Lower Secondary learners books and teachers' resources

NEWCambridge Primary and Lower Secondary Humanities

Through the study of people, places and the past, our flexible primary and lower secondary humanities curriculum helps learners develop a lifelong curiosity about our world and its people. It provides teachers with opportunities to explore climate change related topics, and helps learners to communicate their findings and take practical steps to address issues where possible.

Cambridge Primary Humanities (0065)

Cambridge Lower Secondary Humanities (0839)

Cambridge IGCSE Biology

Learners explore reasons for why organisms become endangered or extinct, including climate change.

Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610)

Cambridge IGCSE Biology teaching and learning resources

Cambridge IGCSE Business

Business for 2027 includes environmental content topics such as sustainable production and the use of renewable energy in the production of goods and services. Learners will gain an understanding of how and why businesses respond to environmental issues. This develops learners’ awareness of sustainability and environmental issues within business, both locally and globally.

In the Cambridge University Press & Assessment published resources, our 'Business in action' feature allows students to discuss key topics in connection with the world of work, such as environmental issues and the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

These syllabus updates also apply to Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Business (0774) and Cambridge O Level Business (7081).

Cambridge IGCSE Business  (0264)

Cambridge IGCSE Business teaching and learning resources

Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Business (0774)

Cambridge O Level Business (7081)

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry

Learners develop an understanding of the chemistry of pollutants in our atmosphere and how these can lead to increased global warming by reducing thermal energy loss to space.

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620)

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry teaching and resources

Cambridge IGCSE Combined and Coordinated Science (Double Award)

Learners identify the source, and effect, of atmospheric pollutants such as carbon dioxide and methane. Learners develop an understanding of strategies that can help to reduce the effects of climate change.

Cambridge IGCSE Co-ordinated Science (Double Award) (0654)

Cambridge IGCSE Combined and Coordinated Sciences teaching and learning resources

Cambridge IGCSE Economics

Economics for 2027 now has the themes of environment and sustainability embedded within topics. For example, learners can explore the possible conflicts between macroeconomic aims such as environmental sustainability and economic growth, use of taxation for encouraging environmental sustainability and the environmental factors of poverty.

These updates also apply to Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Economics (0987) and Cambridge O Level Economics (2281).

Cambridge IGCSE Economics (0455)

Cambridge IGCSE Economics teaching and learning resources

Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Economics (0987)

Cambridge O Level Economics (2281)

Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management

This updated Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management syllabus has been designed to help schools understand the significance of climate change. It includes the knowledge and skills required to address climate-related challenges at local, national and global levels.

Environmental Management for 2027 has references to climate change and sustainability throughout the syllabus. For example, there is a new climate change sub-topic where candidates will need to describe and explain the causes of the enhanced greenhouse effect, and the impacts and strategies to manage the challenges of climate change.

These updates also apply to Cambridge O Level Environmental Management (5014).

Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management (0680)

Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management teaching and learning resources

Cambridge O Level Environmental Management (5014)

Cambridge IGCSE Geography

Every Cambridge school has the opportunity to deliver climate change education that shapes knowledge, understanding and skills, and gives learners the confidence to thrive and make a positive impact in our changing world. This updated Cambridge IGCSE Geography syllabus has been designed to help schools do this.

We have added more content on climate change, for example a specific climate change topic in Paper 1 along with a greater focus on sustainability. Our published resources now include dedicated climate change content exploring the causes and effects of climate change through a variety of engaging activities to strengthen understanding.

These updates also apply to Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Geography (0976) and Cambridge O Level Geography (2217).

Cambridge IGCSE Geography (0460)

Cambridge IGCSE Geography teaching and learning resources

Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Geography (0976)

Cambridge O Level Geography (2217)

Cambridge IGCSE Marine Science

Learners explore a specific topic on “Understanding climate change”. This includes how Earth’s climate has changed over the last 335 million years; the effects of carbon dioxide and methane as pollutants and the effect of increasing carbon dioxide concentrations on sea water; the role of the ocean in heat absorption.

Cambridge IGCSE Marine Science (0697)

Cambridge IGCSE Marine Science teaching and learning resources

Cambridge IGCSE Physics

Learners develop an understanding of how energy can be obtained, or electrical power generated. Learners explore the advantages and disadvantages of each method, including their environmental impact.

Cambridge IGCSE Physics (0625)

Cambridge IGCSE Physics teaching and learning resources

Cambridge International AS & A Level Biology

Learners explain why organisms can become extinct as a result of climate change.

Cambridge International AS & A Level Biology (9700)

Cambridge International AS & A Level Biology teaching and learning resources

Cambridge International AS Level Environmental Management

Learners engage in a specific unit on research in the context of climate change. Within this unit they:

• Define the terms reliable and bias and explain their significance to environmental investigations.
• Use examples related to climate change, to outline how historical data have developed.
• Use examples related to climate change, to outline how bias has led to the misuse of scientific data.
• Use examples related to climate change, to outline how unreliable data has led to false reporting of scientific conclusions.

Cambridge International AS & A Level Environmental Management (8291)

Cambridge AS Level Environmental Management teaching and learning resources

Cambridge International AS & A Level Geography

Cambridge International AS & A Level Geography encourages students to recognise challenges of the changing world and be aware of how the study of geography can help us understand and solve environmental, social and economic issues. In the updated syllabus, climate change is now more explicit.

For example, global climate change is included as one of the six key areas within Cambridge International AS Level. In Cambridge International A Level, one of the optional themes in Paper 4 is ‘Climate change impacts and governance’. The impact of climate change is also highlighted in other topics such as the potential impact of climate change on various environments and types of hazard. 

Cambridge International AS & A Level Geography (9696)

Cambridge International AS & A Level Geography teaching and learning resources

Cambridge International AS & A Level Marine Science

Learners explain the importance of oceans and their interaction with the atmosphere: as carbon sinks; sources of oxygen; in temperature buffering; in global climate control.

Cambridge International AS & A Level Marine Science (9693)

Cambridge AS & A Level Marine Science teaching and learning resources