Stirring the climate debate

The Group's Climate Science Outreach Project, now in its third successful year, is setting a series of challenges to our younger audience.

Climate change promises to be the biggest story of the 21st century and the Group's Climate Science Outreach Project is setting a series of challenges to the young.

Last year 19 schools around York, Manchester and London were invited to create artworks expressing the issues posed by climate change. This was the first year of the project, which aims to reach 5000 Year 9 students and their teachers over three years, steered by the Science Museum, National Railway Museum and Museum of Science & Industry.

Children with some of their climate change-themed artworks.

The ingenuity of our students stretched the imagination – a homeless papier-mâché polar bear, caring hands cradling an Earth in a greenhouse, a planet made from recycled materials, a world atlas made from crisp packets. All of these were turned into a beautiful photo book titled Climate Art, while the photographs also became a touring exhibition.

A papier-mâché polar bear, created by children taking part in the Climate Change project, wears a homeless sign around its neck and holds a collection tin.

The project’s second year launched in the autumn when a more ambitious challenge faced 12- to 14-year-olds: to become junior journalists, seek out the facts, interview experts and produce a magazine.

Dr Roger Highfield, Director of External Affairs at the Science Museum says:"Young people are helping us sort fact from fiction in order to understand the defining story of the Anthropocene – or the age of man."

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