Breaking News English Lesson: Climate Change Targets

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Airlines miss most of their climate change targets (12th May, 2022)

The Reading / Listening - Climate Change Targets - Level 3

A new report says airlines in the U.K. have missed all their climate change targets since 2000, except one. The U.K. aviation industry has set more than 50 climate targets in the past two decades. These included using greener fuels for airplanes and making fuel more efficient. The climate group Possible did research on the airline industry. It said the aviation industry has failed to reduce its carbon footprint. Leo Murray from Possible told the BBC: "Companies set grand-sounding targets with a lot of fanfare.…They talk about them for a couple of years. Then the targets sink without trace, never to be seen again." Mr Murray said the industry's climate record "is exceptionally poor".

The airline industry creates a lot of greenhouse gases. In 2018, air travel was responsible for seven per cent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Murray said this was a problem. He said the UK's goal to be net zero by 2050 "can't be met without every sector of the economy pulling its weight". Possible wants frequent fliers to pay more. More than 70 per cent of flights in the U.K. are taken by just 15 per cent of residents. Murray also wants the government to make sustainable transport like rail or ferries cheaper and easier to use. Possible said the airline EasyJet was the only company to have met a target. It successfully reduced the amount of fuel an airplane burns per passenger kilometre by three per cent.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Climate Change Targets - Level 0, Climate Change Targets - Level 1 or Climate Change Targets - Level 2

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-61384377
https://news.sky.com/story/aviation-industry-misses-all-but-one-of-its-own-climate-targets-research-claims-12609406
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/air-travellers-face-higher-fares-over-climate-change-charges-1.4868497

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. CLIMATE CHANGE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about climate change. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
report / airlines / climate change / targets / the past two decades / airplanes / poor /
greenhouse gases / emissions / net zero / economy / frequent fliers / flights / fuel
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. FREQUENT FLIERS: Students A strongly believe frequent fliers should pay more to fly; Students B strongly believe this is a silly idea. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. AIRLINES: What do you think of the services airlines provide? How could they be better? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Your Thoughts	Improvements
Airplane food
In-flight entertainment
Seats
Cabin crew
Check-in
Image

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. EFFICIENT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "efficient". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. INDUSTRIES: Rank these with your partner. Put the most polluting industries at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Airline
Car
Tourism
Steel
IT
Food
Construction
Shipping

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	aviation	a.	A period of ten years.
2.	industry	b.	The flying or operating of airplanes.
3.	decade	c.	Materials such as coal, gas, or oil that is burned to produce heat or power.
4.	fuel	d.	Not wasting a resource and using it to get the most benefit from it.
5.	efficient	e.	Economic activity around one area of business (cars, tourism, health, IT...).
6.	sink without trace	f.	To a greater degree than normal; unusually.
7.	exceptionally	g.	Totally disappear.

Paragraph 2

8.	responsible	h.	The production and release of something, especially gas or radiation.
9.	emissions	i.	Doing a fair share of work.
10.	net zero	j.	Having a duty to do something.
11.	sector	k.	Producing no greenhouse gases.
12.	pulling its weight	l.	Happening or done many times over short spaces of time.
13.	frequent	m.	A part of a nation's economy or society.
14.	residents	n.	The people who live in a building, town or country

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

The U.K. airline industry only met two of its climate change targets. T / F
The industry set over 50 targets in the past 22 years. T / F
A climate group said the industry did cut its carbon footprint a little. T / F
The group said the industry's climate record was very, very poor. T / F
Airplanes account for 7 per cent of global greenhouse gases. T / F
The U.K. wants to be net zero by 2050. T / F
In the U.K. 15% of residents take 70% of the flights. T / F
An airline called EasyJet cut the amount of fuel its airplanes burn. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

missed
efficient
fanfare
sunk
exceptionally
responsible
goal
frequent
residents
reduced

vanished
publicity
regular
effective
aim
cut
failed to hit
citizens
unusually
accountable

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

missed all their climate change targets
making fuel more
set grand-sounding targets with a lot
the targets sink without
the industry's climate record is
The airline industry creates a lot of
air travel was responsible
the UK's goal to be net
frequent
It successfully reduced the amount of

fliers
trace
for seven per cent
greenhouse gases
of fanfare
zero by 2050
exceptionally poor
fuel an airplane burns
since 2000
efficient

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

past
industry
trace
couple
poor
except
efficient
footprint

A new report says airlines in the U.K. have missed all their climate change targets since 2000, (1) _____________________ one. The U.K. aviation industry has set more than 50 climate targets in the (2) _____________________ two decades. These included using greener fuels for airplanes and making fuel more (3) _____________________. The climate group Possible did research on the airline (4) _____________________. It said the aviation industry has failed to reduce its carbon (5) _____________________. Leo Murray from Possible told the BBC: "Companies set grand-sounding targets with a lot of fanfare....They talk about them for a (6) _____________________ of years. Then the targets sink without (7) _____________________, never to be seen again." Mr Murray said the industry's climate record "is exceptionally (8) _____________________".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

zero
flights
met
gases
cheaper
weight
passenger
problem

The airline industry creates a lot of greenhouse (9) _____________________. In 2018, air travel was responsible for seven per cent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Murray said this was a (10) _____________________. He said the UK's goal to be net (11) _____________________ by 2050 "can't be met without every sector of the economy pulling its (12) _____________________". Possible wants frequent fliers to pay more. More than 70 per cent of (13) _____________________ in the U.K. are taken by just 15 per cent of residents. Murray also wants the government to make sustainable transport like rail or ferries (14) _____________________ and easier to use. Possible said the airline EasyJet was the only company to have (15) _____________________ a target. It successfully reduced the amount of fuel an airplane burns per (16) _____________________ kilometre by three per cent.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) The U.K. aviation industry has set more than 50 climate targets in the ______
     a. past too decades
     b. passed two decades
     c. past two decades
     d. parsed two decades
2) It said the aviation industry has failed to reduce ______
     a. its carb on footprint
     b. its car bonnet print
     c. its carbon feet print
     d. its carbon footprint
3) Companies set grand-sounding targets with a ______
     a. lot of fun fare
     b. lot of fan fair
     c. lot off fanfare
     d. lot of fanfare
4) They talk about them for a couple of years. Then the targets ______
     a. sink without trace
     b. sink without trays
     c. sink without race
     d. sink wither trace
5) Mr Murray said the industry's climate record ______
     a. is exceptionally boar
     b. is exceptionally poor
     c. is exceptionally bore
     d. is exceptionally pooh

6) The airline industry creates a lot ______
     a. of greenhouse gas is
     b. of greenhouse gaseous
     c. of greenhouse gassy
     d. of greenhouse gases
7) can't be met without every sector of the economy ______
     a. pulling its height
     b. pulling its weight
     c. pulling its wait
     d. pulling its hate
8) More than 70 per cent of flights in the U.K. are taken by just 15 per ______
     a. cent of residences
     b. cent of reside ants
     c. cent of residence
     d. cent of residents
9) Possible said the airline EasyJet was the only company to have ______
     a. wet a target
     b. met a target
     c. vet a target
     d. let a target
10) It successfully reduced the amount of fuel an airplane ______
     a. burns spur passenger
     b. burn spur passenger
     c. burns per passenger
     d. burn spar passenger

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new report says airlines in the U.K. have (1) ____________________ climate change targets since 2000, except one. The U.K. aviation industry has set more than 50 climate targets in the (2) ____________________. These included using (3) ____________________ airplanes and making fuel more efficient. The climate group Possible did research on (4) ____________________. It said the aviation industry has failed to reduce its carbon footprint. Leo Murray from Possible told the BBC: "Companies set grand-sounding targets with a (5) ____________________....They talk about them for a couple of years. Then the targets sink without trace, never to be seen again." Mr Murray said the industry's climate record "(6) ____________________".

The airline industry creates a lot (7) ____________________. In 2018, air travel was responsible for seven per cent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Murray said this was a problem. He said the UK's goal to be (8) ____________________ 2050 "can't be met without every sector of the economy pulling its weight". Possible wants (9) ____________________ pay more. More than 70 per cent of flights in the U.K. are taken by just 15 per cent of residents. Murray also wants the government to make sustainable transport like (10) ____________________ cheaper and easier to use. Possible said the airline EasyJet was the only company to have (11) ____________________. It successfully reduced the amount of fuel (12) ____________________ per passenger kilometre by three per cent.

Comprehension questions

Since when have U.K. airlines been missing climate change targets?
How many targets did the airline industry set?
What's the name of the group that carried out the research?
What did the group say the industry failed to reduce?
What did a man from the group say about the industry's record?
When did air travel account for 7% of the UK's greenhouse gases?
By when does the U.K. want to be net zero?
How many U.K. residents account for over 70% of U.K. flights?
What forms of transport does the group want the U.K. to focus on?
By how much did EasyJet cut the amount of fuel per passenger?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Since when have U.K. airlines been missing climate change targets?
a) the year 1999
b) the year 2000
c) the year 2001
d) the year 2002
2) How many targets did the airline industry set?
a) exactly 50
b) fewer than 50
c) around 50
d) more than 50
3) What's the name of the group that carried out the research?
a) Perhaps
b) Probable
c) Possible
d) Definite
4) What did the group say the industry failed to reduce?
a) its carbon footprint
b) its carbon hoof print
c) its carbon claw print
d) its carbon imprint
5) What did a man from the group say about the industry's record?
a) It's exceptionally porous.
b) It's exceptionally poor.
c) It's exceptionally rich.
d) It's exceptionally richness.

6) When did air travel account for 7% of the UK's greenhouse gases?
a) in 2018
b) in 2017
c) in 2016
d) in 2015
7) By when does the U.K. want to be net zero?
a) by 2060
b) by 2040
c) by 2050
d) by 2030
8) How many U.K. residents account for over 70% of U.K. flights?
a) 15%
b) 50%
c) 55%
d) 5%
9) What forms of transport does the group want the U.K. to focus on?
a) rail and bus
b) rail and bicycle
c) rail and fairies
d) rail and ferries
10) By how much did EasyJet cut the amount of fuel per passenger?
a) by 33%
b) by 30%
c) by 3%
d) by 13%

Role play

Role A – Airline
You think airline is the most polluting industry. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their industries aren't as polluting. Also, tell the others which is the least polluting of these (and why): steel making, food or shipping.

Role B – Steel Making
You think steel making is the most polluting industry. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their industries aren't as polluting. Also, tell the others which is the least polluting of these (and why): airline, food or shipping.

Role C – Food
You think food is the most polluting industry. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their industries aren't as polluting. Also, tell the others which is the least polluting of these (and why): steel making, airline or shipping.

Role D – Shipping
You think shipping is the most polluting industry. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their industries aren't as polluting. Also, tell the others which is the least polluting of these (and why): steel making, food or airline.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'climate'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'change'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

report

50

greener

reduce

fanfare

poor

2018

gas

2050

70

only

three

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - Climate Change Targets

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'climate'?
What do you think of climate change?
What climate change targets does your country have?
What do you know about net zero?
What do you think of airplanes?
What do you do to help the environment?
What do you know about greener fuels?
What's your carbon footprint like?
What do you think of airlines that don't meet climate targets?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'change'?
What do you think about what you read?
How much do you worry about climate change?
Do you think airplanes create too much pollution?
What do you know about greenhouse gases?
Do you always pull your weight?
Should frequent fliers pay more?
Is travelling by rail better than by air?
What questions would you like to ask an airline CEO?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

A new report says airlines (1) ____ the U.K. have missed all their climate change targets since 2000, except one. The U.K. aviation industry has (2) ____ more than 50 climate targets in the past two decades. These included using (3) ____ fuels for airplanes and making fuel more efficient. The climate group Possible did research on the airline industry. It said the aviation industry has failed (4) ____ reduce its carbon footprint. Leo Murray from Possible told the BBC: "Companies set grand-sounding targets with a lot of fanfare....They talk about them for a (5) ____ of years. Then the targets sink without trace, never to be seen again." Mr Murray said the industry's climate record "is exceptionally (6) ____".

The airline industry creates a lot of greenhouse gases. In 2018, air travel was (7) ____ for seven per cent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Murray said this was a problem. He said the UK's goal to be (8) ____ zero by 2050 "can't be met without every sector of the economy pulling its weight". Possible wants frequent fliers to (9) ____ more. More than 70 per cent of flights in the U.K. are taken by just 15 per cent of residents. Murray also wants the government to (10) ____ sustainable transport like rail or ferries cheaper and easier to use. Possible said the airline EasyJet was the only company to have (11) ____ a target. It successfully reduced the amount of fuel an airplane burns (12) ____ passenger kilometre by three per cent.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) of (b) at (c) in (d) on
(a) set (b) let (c) bet (d) wet
(a) greener (b) bluer (c) redder (d) whiter
(a) to (b) of (c) at (d) by
(a) few (b) numerous (c) several (d) couple
(a) penniless (b) cold (c) hungry (d) poor
(a) responsible (b) response (c) responsibility (d) responsive
(a) oxygen (b) screen (c) grid (d) net
(a) pay (b) sell (c) buy (d) cost
(a) take (b) make (c) do (d) be
(a) let (b) met (c) bet (d) wet
(a) per (b) par (c) pre (d) pro

Spelling

Paragraph 1

iiaanvot industry
in the past two dcesade
making fuel more tcniffeei
grand-sounding targets with a lot of afnrfae
the targets sink without acert
leiacpnoxelty poor

Paragraph 2

a lot of ehenesorgu gases
air travel was iplesrsenob for seven per cent
every sector of the economy pulling its tegiwh
freutenq fliers
just 15 per cent of eistrdsen
It successfully ecdduer the amount

Put the text back together

(...) fliers to pay more. More than 70 per cent of flights in the U.K. are taken by just 15 per cent of residents. Murray also wants the government
(...) on the airline industry. It said the aviation industry has failed to reduce its carbon
(...) seen again." Mr Murray said the industry's climate record "is exceptionally poor".
(...) greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Murray said this was a problem. He said the UK's goal to be net zero
( 1 ) A new report says airlines in the U.K. have missed all their climate change targets since 2000, except
(...) decades. These included using greener fuels for airplanes and making fuel more efficient. The climate group Possible did research
(...) of fanfare....They talk about them for a couple of years. Then the targets sink without trace, never to be
(...) footprint. Leo Murray from Possible told the BBC: "Companies set grand-sounding targets with a lot
(...) one. The U.K. aviation industry has set more than 50 climate targets in the past two
(...) The airline industry creates a lot of greenhouse gases. In 2018, air travel was responsible for seven per cent of the UK's
(...) to make sustainable transport like rail or ferries cheaper and easier to use. Possible said
(...) of fuel an airplane burns per passenger kilometre by three per cent.
(...) by 2050 "can't be met without every sector of the economy pulling its weight". Possible wants frequent
(...) the airline EasyJet was the only company to have met a target. It successfully reduced the amount

Put the words in the right order

The aviation targets . than more 50 industry set
reduce footprint . carbon its The to failed industry
grand-sounding of fanfare . Set with a targets lot
them a about They few for years . talk
poor . industry's exceptionally is record climate The
by 2050 . to The be net goal zero
weight . pulls of the Every sector economy its
Possible more . frequent wants to fliers pay
transport . wants government make the sustainable Murray to
airplane of Reduced amount burns . fuel the an

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

A new report says / saying airlines in the U.K. have missed all their climate change targets since 2000, except only / one. The U.K. aviation industrial / industry has set more than 50 climate targets in / on the past two decades. These included using greener fuels for airplanes and making fuel more / much efficient. The climate group Possible did research on the airline industry. It said the aviation industry has failure / failed to reduce its carbon footprint. Leo Murray from Possible telling / told the BBC: "Companies set grand-sounding targets with a lot of fun fare / fanfare....They talk about them for a couple of years. Then the targets sink without / with trace, never to be seen again." Mr Murray said the industry's climate record "is exceptionally poverty / poor".

The airline industry creates a many / lot of greenhouse gases. In 2018, air travel was responsible for seven per cent of / for the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Murray said this was a / too problem. He said the UK's goal / try to be net zero by 2050 "can't be met without every sector of the economy pulling its height / weight". Possible wants frequent fliers to pay more. More than 70 per cent of flights in the U.K. are taken by / on just 15 per cent of residents. Murray also wants the government to make sustain / sustainable transport like rail or ferries cheaper and easier to abuse / use. Possible said the airline EasyJet was the only company to have let / met a target. It successfully reduced the amount of fuel an airplane burns per / par passenger kilometre by three per cent.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

_ n_w r_p_rt s_ys __rl_n_s _n th_ _.K. h_v_ m_ss_d _ll th__r cl_m_t_ ch_ng_ t_rg_ts s_nc_ 2000, _xc_pt _n_. Th_ _.K. _v__t__n _nd_stry h_s s_t m_r_ th_n 50 cl_m_t_ t_rg_ts _n th_ p_st tw_ d_c_d_s. Th_s_ _ncl_d_d _s_ng gr__n_r f__ls f_r __rpl_n_s _nd m_k_ng f__l m_r_ _ff_c__nt. Th_ cl_m_t_ gr__p P_ss_bl_ d_d r_s__rch _n th_ __rl_n_ _nd_stry. _t s__d th_ _v__t__n _nd_stry h_s f__l_d t_ r_d_c_ _ts c_rb_n f__tpr_nt. L__ M_rr_y fr_m P_ss_bl_ t_ld th_ BBC: "C_mp_n__s s_t gr_nd-s__nd_ng t_rg_ts w_th _ l_t _f f_nf_r_....Th_y t_lk _b__t th_m f_r _ c__pl_ _f y__rs. Th_n th_ t_rg_ts s_nk w_th__t tr_c_, n_v_r t_ b_ s__n _g__n." Mr M_rr_y s__d th_ _nd_stry's cl_m_t_ r_c_rd "_s _xc_pt__n_lly p__r".

Th_ __rl_n_ _nd_stry cr__t_s _ l_t _f gr__nh__s_ g_s_s. _n 2018, __r tr_v_l w_s r_sp_ns_bl_ f_r s_v_n p_r c_nt _f th_ _K's gr__nh__s_ g_s _m_ss__ns. Mr M_rr_y s__d th_s w_s _ pr_bl_m. H_ s__d th_ _K's g__l t_ b_ n_t z_r_ by 2050 "c_n't b_ m_t w_th__t _v_ry s_ct_r _f th_ _c_n_my p_ll_ng _ts w__ght". P_ss_bl_ w_nts fr_q__nt fl__rs t_ p_y m_r_. M_r_ th_n 70 p_r c_nt _f fl_ghts _n th_ _.K. _r_ t_k_n by j_st 15 p_r c_nt _f r_s_d_nts. M_rr_y _ls_ w_nts th_ g_v_rnm_nt t_ m_k_ s_st__n_bl_ tr_nsp_rt l_k_ r__l _r f_rr__s ch__p_r _nd __s__r t_ _s_. P_ss_bl_ s__d th_ __rl_n_ __syJ_t w_s th_ _nly c_mp_ny t_ h_v_ m_t _ t_rg_t. _t s_cc_ssf_lly r_d_c_d th_ _m__nt _f f__l _n __rpl_n_ b_rns p_r p_ss_ng_r k_l_m_tr_ by thr__ p_r c_nt.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

a new report says airlines in the uk have missed all their climate change targets since 2000 except one the uk aviation industry has set more than 50 climate targets in the past two decades these included using greener fuels for airplanes and making fuel more efficient the climate group possible did research on the airline industry it said the aviation industry has failed to reduce its carbon footprint leo murray from possible told the bbc companies set grandsounding targets with a lot of fanfarethey talk about them for a couple of years then the targets sink without trace never to be seen again mr murray said the industrys climate record is exceptionally poor

the airline industry creates a lot of greenhouse gases in 2018 air travel was responsible for seven per cent of the uks greenhouse gas emissions mr murray said this was a problem he said the uks goal to be net zero by 2050 cant be met without every sector of the economy pulling its weight possible wants frequent fliers to pay more more than 70 per cent of flights in the uk are taken by just 15 per cent of residents murray also wants the government to make sustainable transport like rail or ferries cheaper and easier to use possible said the airline easyjet was the only company to have met a target it successfully reduced the amount of fuel an airplane burns per passenger kilometre by three per cent

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AnewreportsaysairlinesintheU.K.havemissedalltheirclimatechanget
argetssince2000,exceptone.TheU.K.aviationindustryhassetmoreth
an50climatetargetsinthepasttwodecades.Theseincludedusinggreen
erfuelsforairplanesandmakingfuelmoreefficient.TheclimategroupPo
ssibledidresearchontheairlineindustry.Itsaidtheaviationindustryhas
failedtoreduceitscarbonfootprint.LeoMurrayfromPossibletoldtheBB
C:"Companiessetgrand-soundingtargetswithalotoffanfare....The
ytalkaboutthemforacoupleofyears.Thenthetargetssinkwithouttrace
,nevertobeseenagain."MrMurraysaidtheindustry'sclimaterecord"ise
xceptionallypoor".Theairlineindustrycreatesalotofgreenhousegases
.In2018,airtravelwasresponsibleforsevenpercentoftheUK'sgreenho
usegasemissions.MrMurraysaidthiswasaproblem.HesaidtheUK'sgo
altobenetzeroby2050"can'tbemetwithouteverysectoroftheeconomy
pullingitsweight".Possiblewantsfrequentflierstopaymore.Morethan
70percentofflightsintheU.K.aretakenbyjust15percentofresidents.M
urrayalsowantsthegovernmenttomakesustainabletransportlikerailo
rferriescheaperandeasiertouse.PossiblesaidtheairlineEasyJetwasth
eonlycompanytohavemetatarget.Itsuccessfullyreducedtheamount
offuelanairplaneburnsperpassengerkilometrebythreepercent.

Free writing

Write about climate change targets for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

People should fly less to help the environment. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. CLIMATE CHANGE: Make a poster about climate change. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. AIRPLANES: Write a magazine article about all airplanes becoming net zero. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on climate change. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on climate change. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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Breaking News English Lesson: Climate Change Targets

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