The Future of the Planet
The future of the planet depends on the choices we make about energy, resources and protecting nature, and young people will be central to those choices.
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The future of the planet depends on the choices we make about energy, resources and protecting nature, and young people will be central to those choices.
- Clean energy transition
- Protect biodiversity
- Education inspires change
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is The Future of the Planet?
Within Earth & Environmental Science, which covers our planet, its resources and ecosystems, and how people can protect the environment, this topic explains The Future of the Planet. Earth and environment topics show how the planet’s systems shape landscapes, climate and life, with models that make these processes visible.
Check that you can explain The Future of the Planet in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding The Future of the Planet helps you explain the environment around you and weigh up how people can protect it.
The Future of the Planet in detail
The future of the planet depends on choices made now. Projections show that without strong action, warming could exceed 2 °C, with serious effects on sea level, weather and ecosystems, while rapid cuts in emissions can limit the damage. Other trends include population growth, urbanisation, biodiversity loss and demand for resources.
Hopeful developments include the fall in costs of renewables, the recovery of the ozone layer, growing environmental awareness and technology such as electric transport and carbon removal. Solutions require cooperation by governments, businesses and individuals, and fairness for those most affected. The aim is a sustainable, resilient world, and young people have a major role.
How the interactive helps you understand The Future of the Planet
Watch the timeline in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the timeline responds.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of The Future of the Planet.
Real-life uses and examples
- Explain how The Future of the Planet affects the landscape or climate near you.
- Link The Future of the Planet to a real environmental problem and a possible solution.
- Use a diagram of The Future of the Planet to describe the steps of a process in order.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Describing a process without the timescale it works over.
- Presenting one cause as the only cause of an environmental change.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about The Future of the Planet
What is The Future of the Planet?
The future of the planet depends on the choices we make about energy, resources and protecting nature, and young people will be central to those choices.
What are the most important points about The Future of the Planet?
The main points are: Clean energy transition; Protect biodiversity; Education inspires change.
Why is The Future of the Planet useful?
Understanding The Future of the Planet helps you explain the environment around you and weigh up how people can protect it.
How can I practise The Future of the Planet?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to The Future of the Planet?
Related topics in Earth & Environmental Science include Caves and Karst Landscapes, Renewable vs Non-Renewable Resources, Pollinators and Food Security.