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Mathematics plays an important role in climate education and sustainability.
Data, modelling, estimation, proportional reasoning and critical analysis help people make sense of evidence, understand uncertainty, question claims and consider possible solutions.
The Department for Education’s recent Curriculum and Assessment Review has brought renewed attention to climate education and sustainability across the curriculum. In mathematics, these themes provide meaningful contexts for learning and help students develop the mathematical tools needed to understand and prepare for a changing world.
MEI supports schools and colleges by creating free, high-quality resources that use climate and sustainability contexts to develop mathematical understanding. These resources help teachers bring purposeful, real-world contexts into the classroom while keeping the mathematics clear, rigorous and accessible.
If you want to help solve many of the big problems facing the world, including climate change, you can really help if you start with a good understanding of maths. The science and engineering needed cannot progress without it. I know this from my own experience of working on climate modelling for many years. Now, as Chair of MEI, I am pleased that MEI is helping to provide climate change maths problems for students to work on.
Professor Vicky Pope, Chair of MEI
Resources
Here are a range of resources that use climate and sustainability as a context for mathematical learning.
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The Big Earth Data Project
A suite of hands-on activities to engage and inspire students to look at current environmental challenges faced today, funded by the UK Space Agency.
The Big Earth Data Project -
Maths and Climate Change Resources
A suite of climate change focused maths resources for both Core Maths and Key Stage 3 students.
Maths and Climate Change -
Where Maths Meets the World of Work Videos
A collection of videos produced by AMSP that highlight the role of mathematics in various careers, including several focused on climate and sustainability.
Where Maths Meets the World of Work -
Your food’s carbon footprint
This AMSP-published Desmos activity aims to show how important maths is in understanding and communicating global issues.
Your food’s carbon footprint -
Visualising the Climate Crisis
These resources, published by the AMSP, highlight the environmental impact of fast fashion with a focus on the annual purchase of a Christmas jumper.
Visualising the Climate Crisis
More about climate and sustainability
