Mrs Booker and Mr Connolly were thrilled to welcome Joe Human and members of CDEC’s (Cumbria Development Education Centre) staff and trustees to work with the Year 12 Philosophers on Thursday, 10 July.
Joe delivered his amazing talk, ‘The Health Hazards of Climate Change’, which has been developed out of his extensive research and a lifetime of involvement in climate justice work, including work for Oxfam in Ethiopia during the 1984 famine. Joe explored the consequences on physical and mental health of the climate crisis, such as where extreme heatwaves and floods can act as disaster magnifiers in already vulnerable communities around the world.
At the end of the presentation Joe challenged the students to consider how this material could be developed as a resource for schools. They rose to the challenge with seriousness, enthusiasm and great skill. Exploring this through the linked questions ‘What?’, ’So what?’, ‘Now what?’, Year 12s considered the tone of the talk, target audience, and accompanying activities that could make the stark messages of the talk pertinent and powerful for other students. In the coming months we will continue working with Joe and CDEC to explore how the Philosophers’ ideas can influence the development of this important project.
