UN Climate Change Conference – COP31

Resource type: Event

Price band: Free

Key stage: KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4, KS5

Region(s): All of UK

COP31 is the United Nations’ 31st Climate Change Conference, where world leaders, scientists and experts will come together to discuss and agree how to jointly tackle climate change and its impact on our planet. COP31 will take place from 9th – 20th November 2026 in Antalya, Turkey.

COP stands for the ‘Conference of the Parties’. The ‘parties’ are the governments that have signed up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.

The latest science shows that the world is still a long way from meeting the targets needed to limit climate change to previously agreed levels. COP31 provides an important opportunity for governments to strengthen their targets and to consider the steps that need to be taken to adapt to current and future climate change.

Cost: Free.

Further resources:

Get involved

Join thousands of students from around the world for an International Day of Action organised by Plastic Clever Schools on 6th November to tackle plastic pollution. Register to access free educational resources, engaging activities and online talks to investigate the links between plastic pollution and the climate crisis and explore practical ideas for local and community action.

Teaching and learning

Find free resources to develop key literacy skills through engaging with the outdoors from the National Education Nature Park programme. Resources cover all ages from EYFS to KS5.
Sign up for the award-winning Champions of Antarctica project to receive a free learning pack containing lesson plans, resources and videos to help primary pupils learn about the world’s last wilderness and how to protect it. Find supporting book recommendations for KS1 and KS2 pupils from Books for Topics.
Explore a range of video resources to support teaching on the environment and climate change from BBC Teach.
Earth Cubs is an environmental learning platform for primary schools that offers free access to a range of videos and teaching resources aligned to the Global Sustainable Development Goals.
Schools can sign up for the Earth School Programme from TED-Ed and UNEP with quizzes and videos that explore how our planet works and the action needed to protect it.
Topical Talk provides free resources to promote discussion about current affairs and help pupils aged 10+ develop key speaking, listening, problem-solving and creativity skills. Explore their curated collection of environment and climate-related resources.
Use photos of the natural word to inspire children’s writing with Photos for Writing, a free teaching resource created by Pie Corbett and the Talk4Writing team.

Accessibility and inclusion

Download a free Caring for the Planet pack from Widgit to support pupils with SEND or EAL. The pack contains a set of books with useful symbols plus activities and display resources that explore themes of sustainability and care for the environment.

Reading recommendations

Browse the shortlists and winners for this year’s Children’s Wainwright Prize, set up to showcase the best writing for children and young people that celebrates nature and nurtures respect for our planet.
The Climate Fiction Writers League is a group of writers from around the world whose work aims to raise awareness of climate change. Their books include pictures books, middle grade and young adult fiction. You can find them here.
Find a selection of author videos, recommended booklists and activities themed around the environment from Scottish Book Trust.
Books for Topics have an Awesome Planet Earth booklist as well as recommendations to cover caring for the environment and plastic pollution.

More to explore on Literacy Hive

Ensure your pupils can keep up to date with climate change issues by taking out a school subscription to a junior newspaper or nature magazine. Find a selection here.
More environment-themed awareness days in the Literacy Year calendar include Earth Day, World Oceans Day, The Big Green Week and World Environment Day.