February 12, 2024, by sustainablenottingham
Learn about the science behind climate change with Climate Fresk
Want to help tackle climate change but don’t have the time to become a climate scientist? In January, students and staff at UoN took part in a Climate Fresk workshop to explore the fundamental science behind climate change in an interactive and collaborative way. There are more chances to take part throughout the Spring.
What is Climate Fresk?
The session began with participants mapping out the causes and impacts of climate change using a series of information cards based on the IPCC reports. These are the same reports that inform high-level, global political and economic decision-making and policy change. Participants built up their Fresk (map of interlinking cards) over several rounds, ending with a web of causes, impacts and consequences of climate change, both for the natural environment and human population. Participants were then encouraged to annotate and illustrate their Fresk to share their own stories and experiences related to climate change. Examples included the recent flood events across Nottinghamshire, wildfires that increased in frequency and severity in 2023, and a hamburger to show how our diets link strongly to deforestation.
An example Fresk
The session ended with some reflection and discussion as a group. Participants were given the opportunity to share how building the Fresk and seeing the causes and impacts so clearly laid out made them feel. Many felt overwhelmed, frustrated and shocked. Others were motivated to do something about it. Participants were given time to reflect on their feelings and begin to think about any practical actions that they could take themselves to combat climate change, either individually or by influencing those around them. Actions included small, local changes, such as eating more plant-based meals, to larger-scale changes, including lobbying the government and stopping/reducing flights.
Participants really valued taking part in the workshop and came away with a sense of hope and empowerment to take action and see change happen at the university and beyond:
“I really enjoyed the Climate Fresk Workshop as it provided a space to share and listen to ideas about how we can help the climate crisis with other passionate people. I thought it was really informative and taught me a lot about the processes of climate change that I feel we really don’t learn enough about (and that’s in a geography degree!). I loved all the interaction and the creative aspect to the workshop. There was a lot less listening than I expected and much more doing. It did feel a bit overwhelming and nerve racking to see all the data and think about the consequences of human activity, however I also felt empowered with ways to create change.” – 2nd Year Geography Student
“This was great fun and I learnt a lot, including how people felt about the problems and the hopeful implementations we can all do.” – 3rd Year Environmental Sciences Student
“I had a really great time at my first Climate Fresk! It was a space where we could meet new people to open important discussions on climate change, our thoughts and feelings and what we can do as individuals too. I learnt to think a lot about my own actions that I could change in order to be more sustainable as well as developing an even deeper understanding of what the impacts and causes are of climate change. The session was a super fun way to get people talking and working together on a really important subject. ” – 2nd Year Geography Student
Play your part in the climate transition by joining the Climate Fresk movement!
The university is rolling out Climate Fresk this term, and aiming to train up to 60 students all at once at a large Kick Off event on Wednesday 27 March! This is a great opportunity to learn more about climate change and potentially go on to become training facilitators yourselves.
1-4pm Wednesday 20 March. Location: B53, Humanities Building, UP. This is a small warm up event and spaces are limited so email Matilda.Crane@nottingham.ac.uk ASAP to reserve your place.
1-4pm Wednesday 27 March, A03 Humanities Building, UP. Register here for the main event.
No comments yet, fill out a comment to be the first
Leave a Reply