Remembering Climate Change...A Message from the Year 2071
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Provided by: TED|Published on: June 24, 2022
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Synopsis
- This short work of science fiction, read by the author Kim Stanley Robinson, imagines a future where humanity has made international systemic changes to halt climate change.
- This future society of 2071 has reprioritized the economy, allowing people, companies, and governments to earn money by capturing carbon from the atmosphere or by keeping carbon from getting released.
- Robinson stresses the importance of interdisciplinary and global teamwork.
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Economics, Civics, English Language Arts
Authors: Kim Stanley Robinson
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- A transcript of the video is available in 15 languages.
- The sources Robinson used are posted below the video.
- While Robinson does not veer away from the complexity and danger of the current climate situation, he ultimately has a hopeful message about climate change.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should have a good understanding of climate change and carbon capture technologies.
- Kim Stanley Robinson has authored many books, including the dystopian climate novel Ministry for the Future.
Differentiation
- Robinson lists many solutions for reducing carbon in the atmosphere, which students could research and present to the class.
- Civics, government, and social studies classes could debate the feasibility of the international solution that Robinson presents.
- English classes could use this piece to inspire their own science fiction short stories about climate change.
This 10-minute TED talk envisions a possible future in which humans have substantially addressed climate change from the viewpoint of a look back from the year 2071. This is a version of the story from the recent science fiction novel The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. This resource is an excellent example of envisioning the future through thought experiments and is a great way to start discussions of Earth's future. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
