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The fundamental human needs can be defined in various ways and from a resource viewpoint these will include-

• stable climate
• food
• shelter
• warmth
• energy

These needs are interdependent and cannot necessarily be isolated from one another.

Climate changes over longer periods of thousands of years permitted humans, animals and plants to adapt, evolve or migrate. So when the earliest species of man emerged a few million years ago they were able to survive and grow in numbers.

Climate changes over shorter periods of time such as we are now facing due to global warming will not allow evolution or adaptation to take place and migration is no longer and option.

When changes in climate take place, rainfall patterns change and this can cause crops to fail and lack and lack of pasture for animals to graze. Starvation can follow as food aid can only provide short term relief.

Dwellings are designed to provide shelter for particular types of climates so rapid climate change can make such shelters less effective. The amount of warmth is clearly affected too.

The origin of global warming is primarily due to increased use of fossil fuels like oil and gas. The environmental impact associated with their use results in production of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that congregate in the upper atmosphere and cause global warming.

The dilemma is how to use energy in such a way that the environmental impact associated with the use of fossil fuels such as oil and gas does not affect the climate. UNESCO has identified this situation as one of the fundamental challenges facing mankind and designated it a priority topic for the decade of education for sustainable development.

The issues associated with limiting climate change have been written up in the form of lesson plans which can be used individually or as a set over a period of five lessons. The topics are:

• fundamental human needs
• energy and pollution
• fossil fuels
• impact of global warming
• potential of renewable energy sources

Lesson 1 Fundamental human needs

Notes for teachers

This topic is highly discursive and should reflect upon our current lifestyle and that of parents and grandparents when they went to school. It is clear how energy use is increasing - more appliances, electronic devices, mobility; why is more interesting - what is more enjoyable watching the television or reading a book?

A day without energy does not mean that we can do nothing; it should be that we can do the same but in a different way such as walking or cycling to school instead of travelling by car or bus.

Equipment

Pencil, paper, worksheet

National curriculum topics

Education for Sustainable Development, climate change, energy

Activity 1.1: Fundamental human needs

Working in small groups, identify and list the fundamental needs for human survival.

Activity 1.2: How energy use has increased over the past 100 years

Working in small groups, discuss with each other how life has changed over the past 100 years.

• Identify machines and activities that use energy
• How do these differ from what was available and how things were done 100 years ago?
• How might things be different in 50 years time?

Complete the following table following the example given

Discuss your findings with the other groups in your class.

Activity 1.3: Managing without energy

You live in a house and go to school, which have electricity, water and central heating. Now imagine living without all these services as there has been some kind of accident and as a result there is a serious shortage of energy.

• Consider your day without electricity and heating services provided from the moment you wake up until going to sleep again.
• List those activities that use energy and consider them within your group
• Develop your own solutions to the difficulties that you will encounter due to energy scarcity. Will you be able to come to school if your parents are driving you to your school (because there is no more petrol)? Could you use a bike instead or could you walk to school? How would your day differ from a normal day?

Educational resources