Reducing Black Carbon
Articles/Websites
Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APBiology, Earth and Space Sciences, Health
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Project Drawdown
What it is
- This article from Project Drawdown is an executive summary of a more in-depth report about the reduction of black carbon emissions as a climate solution and the avenues for achieving this solution.
- The article also addresses the benefits to public health when black carbon emissions are reduced, especially in rural areas and developing countries.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This executive summary does an excellent job of condensing the full report, leaving out a lot of the more advanced language and making it approachable for students.
- Students will benefit from learning about this climate solution, as it has the potential to provide immediate benefits.
Prerequisites
- Before students read the article, teachers may want to give a brief introduction to black carbon and the activities that produce it.
- Students may benefit from having background knowledge on albedo and its role in regulating incoming solar radiation.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Advanced students can read the full report and analyze its findings.
- After reading this executive summary or the full report, teachers can urge students to make connections to some of the Sustainable Development Goals. Teachers can highlight SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being, and SDG 13, Climate Action.
- Students can explore this other resource on clean cooking from Project Drawdown or find other solutions using their Solutions Explorer.
- To highlight the role of transportation in black carbon production and show how this issue is relevant to students' daily lives, teachers can follow this reading with this environmental justice lesson that connects diesel school buses to negative health impacts for students.
From the scientist review
This resource from Project Drawdown explores black carbon, an air pollutant that contributes to climate change. Through clear explanations, visuals, and real-world examples, it highlights the strategies to reduce black carbon from sources like cookstoves, diesel engines, and agricultural burning. Created by a trusted climate research organization, it doesn't include original datasets but does reference credible sources and data summaries. This resource would be a great addition to a classroom discussion on air quality and climate solutions.
Ready to use it?
Hosted on drawdown.org
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
