Teacher’s Guide for the Three Workbooks
The purpose of the Teacher’s Guide is to inspire teachers to use the workbooks, which can be utilized for classroom instruction, role-playing, group work, theme weeks, or individual and project-based assignments.
The workbooks contain a variety of student exercises, new subject-specific diagrams, fact boxes, and more, which teachers can also use when preparing exam topics and questions.
The appendix at the end of this guide explains how the workbooks relate to the academic objectives and core content for the high school subjects of biology, social studies, and geography at the C level. The workbooks can also be used at the B and A levels for biology.
Booklet 1: THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS. HOW SERIOUS IS IT? WHAT IS CAUSING THE CRISIS? HOW CAN WE STOP IT?
The booklet begins with a brief introduction to biodiversity and why it is important, as well as a brief overview of the basic functions and processes in nature, including photosynthesis and the carbon cycle. It then explains how biodiversity arose and is distributed across the Earth, and how serious and widespread the biodiversity crisis is both globally and in Denmark. Among the topics covered in the booklet are species diversity, the geographic areas with the highest species richness, and the reasons behind this. It also focuses on the rate at which some species groups are going extinct, how many species are threatened within the various species groups, and why certain species have fared better (examples included). A key topic in the booklet is the question of why we are facing a biodiversity crisis and what the main threats are. It provides examples of biodiversity monitoring that incorporate new data-collection techniques, such as the use of drones and environmental DNA. Finally, the booklet concludes with a discussion of possible actions to reverse this trend. The booklet contains eight student assignments.
Quality assurance of the booklet’s content was conducted by Associate Professor Anders Barfod of Aarhus University, Associate Professor Sara Egemose of the University of Southern Denmark, Senior Researcher Martin Lindegren of DTU Aqua, and Professor Katherine Richardson of the University of Copenhagen.
Booklet 2: THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS —ON SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT—PLANETARY BOUNDARIES, ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT, UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, GREEN GDP AND THE ECOLOGICAL ECONOMY
The booklet examines developments in ecosystem services and the impact of and interactions between various societal and productive sectors (such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries) and nature. It includes a review of 18 services—such as pollination, food, clean drinking water, nutrient removal, timber harvesting, and others—as well as the development of indicators for these services. Most of these services are deteriorating, while a few that directly benefit people in the here and now are increasing. The booklet focuses on planetary boundaries, the ecological footprint, and the “doughnut model” in relation to assessing the current status and finding solutions for sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals are highlighted, and the nature-related targets agreed upon by the UN are outlined. The booklet concludes by discussing ways to incorporate biodiversity into economic calculations and models such as green national accounts, green gross domestic product, and the green economy. It also explores potential solutions and includes eight student assignments.
Quality assurance of the booklet’s content was conducted by Professor Katherine Richardson of the University of Copenhagen, Professor Niels Strange of the University of Copenhagen, and Professor Henrik Vejre of the University of Copenhagen.
Booklet 3: THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS – THE BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CRISES: TWO INTERCONNECTED CRISES
This booklet briefly describes developments in the biodiversity and climate crises, with a focus on how these two global crises are interconnected. It therefore examines the carbon cycle and how climate change affects biodiversity. The booklet highlights the consequences of global warming for both animal and plant species, as well as ecosystems, globally and in Denmark. It also explains why the two crises are very different, and in particular, how the climate crisis is much simpler to understand and set global goals for compared to the biodiversity crisis. Because the two crises are interrelated, some of the possible courses of action are also shared, and there are solutions that can help reverse the trends for both crises. There are concrete Danish examples of how restoring biodiversity—nature-based solutions—can help address the climate crisis, and what negative impacts the destruction of carbon-rich ecosystems can have on climate regulation. The booklet also focuses on forests, wetlands, and marine resources. It discusses solutions both at the societal level and what you and I can do. The booklet contains six student assignments.
Quality assurance of the booklet’s content was conducted by Professor Katherine Richardson of the University of Copenhagen, Professor Sebastian Mernild of the University of Southern Denmark, Professor Torsten Nygaard Kristensen of Aalborg University, and Associate Professor Sara Egemose of the University of Southern Denmark.
The booklets are printed in limited editions. Inquiries regarding printed copies should be directed to the Danish IPBES office.
Introduction to the Biodiversity Crisis
The video introduces the biodiversity crisis, as explained by Professor Katherine Richardson of the University of Copenhagen. The video is ideal for use at the beginning of a lesson as an introduction to capture students’ interest.
Introduction to Teaching Materials (for Teachers)
The video is intended for teachers and provides a brief introduction to each workbook, including a review of selected illustrations and figures from the workbooks. It also offers ideas on how the workbooks can be used in the classroom.
Monitoring and Management of Biodiversity in Denmark
The video is aimed at students and provides an introduction and a taste of nature monitoring and management in Denmark, as told by the experts themselves. Here, nature and culture guide Nicolai Lysdal Sejrup takes us on a tour to meet the experts in Danish nature—on land, at sea, and in the air. The goal is partly to gain a better understanding of what’s contributing to the biodiversity crisis, and partly to understand why knowledge and monitoring are such a crucial part of the solution.
The Biodiversity Crisis—Monitoring and Knowledge
The video is aimed at students and provides a brief introduction to biodiversity and monitoring, with a focus on international nature monitoring and new nature monitoring methods. The videos highlight new technological methods, including satellite monitoring, drones, and environmental DNA, and also explain how the loss of nearly 1 million of the planet’s species puts us at risk of extinction.
