How the CIA Secretly Spied On Climate Change

Videos

Grades9, 10, 11, 12History

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Be Smart

Open Resource

What it is

In this video from Be Smart, students will learn how the space race and Cold War eventually led to the availability of data to study climate change.
Students will hear a wild story of unlikely cooperation between intelligence operatives and scientists and the United States and Russia.

Teaching tips

Positives

This story gives a fresh perspective on a familiar time in history that students may not have heard before.
The video's host is an excellent storyteller who will keep students engaged throughout the video.

Prerequisites

Students should have some knowledge about the Cold War, the space race, and tensions between the United States and Russia.

Differentiation & Implementation

To illustrate the chain of events leading up to this cooperation, students can create a timeline of the events mentioned.
Teachers can pause after the segment starting at 2:58 to have students explore this interactive time-lapse, which shows the warming of the planet over time using Google Earth, much like the video's host demonstrates in this segment.
Throughout the video, students can identify examples of cooperation. Then, looking at these examples, students can write a suggestion for how countries and stakeholders should cooperate to solve climate change.

From the scientist review

This resource presents the history of spy satellite technology during the Cold War and how images collected were used to advance climate change research. The video features interviews with those involved in the project and stresses the importance of collaboration in scientific research. This resource details the history of an important asset in climate change research and is recommended for teaching.

How we review resources

Ready to use it?

Hosted on youtube.com

Open Resource

Want this to fit your class?

Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.

At a glance

Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: History
Format: YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Asia, North America > United States
Provider: Be Smart
Authors: Be Smart
Published: June 14, 2025
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Civ.5.9-12 + 6 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Civ.5.9-12Evaluate citizens' and institutions' effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.
D2.His.1.9-12Evaluate how historical events and developments were shaped by unique circumstances of time and place as well as broader historical contexts.
D2.His.14.9-12Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

HS-ESS3-D.1.Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts. (HS-ESS3-5)

Oregon Climate Education Hub

English Language Arts

9-10.SL.2Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.

Science

HS.ESS3.1Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Social Sciences

HS.C.PI.4:Using the Tribal History/Shared History resources and other primary and secondary source documents, identify and explain the development and mechanisms for the government-to-government relationship between Oregon and the nine federally recognized tribal governments.

Cookie Preferences

What it is

Teaching tips

From the scientist review

Ready to use it?

Want this to fit your class?

Related Teaching Resources