What is the best way to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?

In this activity learners develop their speaking and listening skills by debating the following statement: ‘Improved soil management is the best way to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere’. After carrying out research into the different ways scientists are trying to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, learners hold a constructive conversation scaffolded by the use of Talk triplets.

Use this activity alongside the Education in Chemistry article, Grounded: Keeping the carbon beneath our feet, to provide real-world context and link to scientific careers for your teaching around earth and atmosphere, climate change, global warming and the greenhouse effect.

Five ways to reduce CO₂ in the atmosphere

Learners are guided to find out more about how scientists are working to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere including:

• Capturing organic carbon in soils through better soil management
• Mimicking photosynthesis and turning carbon dioxide into fuels or feedstock chemicals  
• Locking excess carbon dioxide away by turning it into rock
• Using volcanic ash to increase the uptake of carbon dioxide by algae in the oceans 
• Turning carbon dioxide into edible proteins