Climate data is a crucial resource we should use in education, its visualisation enhances understanding and engagement with complex environmental issues.
Teaching the Future has provided access to authentic original climate data using global datasets from scientists and the latest European data from the Copernicus project.
There are several key aspects that teachers and educators should consider:
Enhanced Understanding: Climate data is often vast and complex, encompassing various parameters at different spatial scales. Visual representations, from data dashboards, offers graphs, charts, and maps, which help simplify this complexity, making patterns and trends more discernible. Students can quickly grasp the progression of climate change, which might be less apparent through raw data alone.
Engagement and Retention: Visual aids capture attention and make learning more interactive. Educational psychology suggests that visual learning can significantly enhance memory retention. When students see data in a visual format showing rising global temperatures, they are more likely to remember and understand these concepts. Data from climate models and simulations further increase engagement by allowing students to consider the future and potential outcomes.
Critical Thinking and Analysis: Visualising climate data encourages critical thinking. Students learn to interpret data, identify trends, and draw conclusions. Students can explore cause-and-effect relationships between human activities and climate change. This analytical skill helps in developing informed opinions and considering solutions.
Communication and Advocacy: Effective communication of climate science is essential for public awareness and policy advocacy. Visual data is a powerful communication tool that transcends language barriers and can be understood by a wide audience. Students experienced in visualising and interpreting climate data are better equipped to convey complex information succinctly and persuasively.
Real-World Applications: Incorporating climate data visualisation in education prepares students for real-world challenges. Many professions increasingly rely on data visualisation to inform decisions and strategies. By mastering these skills early, students can contribute meaningfully to addressing climate change in their future careers.
Visualising climate data is therefore fundamental to enhance comprehension, engagement, critical thought and communication skills. The data dashboards transform abstract data into meaningful insights, empowering students to understand and address the pressing issue of climate change.
Access the Climate Data Dashboards
A training module is available to help you and your students navigate the data.
The Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) leads the European Commission’s efforts to fight climate change at EU and international level. Its key mission is to formulate and implement EU climate policies and strategies, so that the EU can turn into the first climate-neutral and climate resilient continent by 2050. 
As some people are more reluctant than others, a toolkit has been created to help you explain and communicate climate action to your community.
After two transformative years, the ambitious “Teaching the Future” project is drawing to a close, leaving behind an indelible mark on climate change education. Launched with the vision to integrate climate education into school curricula, this project has far exceeded its initial goals, fundamentally reshaping how climate change is taught in classrooms. 
Recognizing the multidisciplinary nature of climate change, “Teach the Future” has crafted a diverse array of teaching materials. These range from interactive games that engage students in environmental stewardship, to comprehensive lesson plans that weave climate awareness into subjects like science, geography, and even literature. 
Since the 19th century, researchers have been warning about the global repercussions of human actions. James Hansen’s research group at was the first to confirm that the increase in greenhouse gas emissions was altering the planet’s climate.
Scenario B anticipated a more gradual stabilization in emissions, resulting in a slower but still consistent temperature rise. It predicted a 0.5°C temperature increase by 2000 and 1.2°C by 2020. Predictions for scenario B extended until 2028, reaching nearly 1.4°C of temperature increase, as uncertainties grew significantly beyond that year.
To determine whether Hansen’s initial model was accurate or not, it’s insufficient to examine the predictions in isolation, as the three scenarios presented diverse outcomes. The key is to assess whether, based on actual greenhouse gas emissions in recent decades, the consequences align with Hansen’s predictions rather than deviating in unforeseen ways.
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Educational institutions such as universities and research centres are also valuable sources of information for teachers. They often have specialised departments or programs dedicated to climate science that provide access to cutting-edge research and resources for teachers to use in their classrooms.