HSC Geography › Human–Environment Interactions › 13.4

# Activity Materials — Climate Responses

NSW Stage 6 Geography (2022) · Student worksheet
Name: Class: Date:

## Activity 1 · Mitigation or adaptation?

Classifying responses · ~10 min
Sort each response, then write the one-line difference between the two types.

Responses: rooftop solar · flood defences · electric buses · drought-resistant crops · reforestation · floating homes · seaweed cattle feed · early-warning systems

Mitigation (reduce the cause) | Adaptation (reduce the harm)
--- | ---

The difference in one line:

## Activity 2 · Evaluate the Paris Agreement

Assessing a management strategy · ~12 min
List strengths and limits, then write a one-sentence judgement.

Strengths | Limits
--- | ---

Judgement (how effective, and why?):

## Activity 3 · Costa Rica response file

Using a case study · ~18 min
Complete the file on Costa Rica's climate response.

Strand | What Costa Rica does | Mitigation / adaptation?
--- | --- | ---
Electricity |  |
Transport |  |
Forests / carbon sinks |  |
Economy |  |

Why can't every country simply copy Costa Rica?

## Activity 4 · Tuvalu & the limits of adaptation

Applying geographical understanding · ~10 min
Answer in full sentences.

Q: Explain why, for Tuvalu, global mitigation matters more than any local adaptation. Refer to physical limits and equity.

## Activity 5 · Design a response

Communicating geographical understanding · ~15 min
Propose a balanced response for a chosen place (your town, or a named country), using both response types.

Place |
Two mitigation actions |
Two adaptation actions |
One challenge to overcome |

## Activity 6 · Extended-response plan

Communicating geographical understanding · ~15 min
Plan (dot points only).

Question: “Evaluate the effectiveness of responses to climate change, referring to at least one case study.”

Paragraph | Content (dot points)
--- | ---
Introduction |
Mitigation (Paris, toolkit) |
Adaptation & limits (Tuvalu) |
Case study evaluation (Costa Rica) |
Conclusion / judgement |

Reputable sources: UNFCCC (Paris Agreement) · FutureFeed / CSIRO (seaweed) · World Bank — Costa Rica
Rose Bay Secondary College · HSC Geography · Human–Environment Interactions — Activities (13.4) · NESA Stage 6 (2022) · HSC 2026
Aligned to the NESA Geography Stage 6 Syllabus (2022); model answers in the teacher lesson plan.