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:

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 from Just Imagine and 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.
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 COP30 curated collection of environment and climate-related resources.
Explore a range of videos and accompanying classroom resources looking at the impact of the climate crisis on different people, animals and nature around the world from First News TV. Free to access.
Discover seven different ways to use photos to inspire children’s writing with Photos for Writing, a free teaching resource created by Pie Corbett to accompany a bank of stunning photos of the natural world.
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.
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.
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.
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.