https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/
On the Ecological Footprint measures the ecological assets that a given population requires to produce the natural resources it consumes (including plant-based food and fiber products, livestock and fish products, timber and other forest products, space for urban infrastructure) and to absorb its waste, especially carbon emissions. The ecological footprint is one of the most widely used measures of humanity’s effect upon the environment.

Considering that climate change denial is on the rise and a more general skepticism about scientific facts and findings is taking hold in some societies – as is also apparent in some of the current responses to the COVID-19 crisis – it is essential to prepare our students to deal with this directly. Therefore, preparing your students to debate the topic of the climate crisis and to challenge common misconceptions, conspiracy theories and other types of rhetoric is an important part of educating them about the climate crisis.

Inviting a group of students to take one side of the issue and debating it with another group of students – espousing an opposing viewpoint – can prove a valuable learning activity. Through role-playing or simulation activities and based on a relevant real-life situation, students have the opportunity to step into the shoes of a country delegation, industry representative, group of citizens or NGO, and suddenly climate change is not an abstract phenomenon anymore, but becomes a tangible and personal issue. Roleplay also brings realism into the debate and teaches integrity, while raising intrinsic motivation.

However, organising a good debate with our students is not straightforward, and it is important that students have “time to define, share, question and reflect within a framework for debate where they can inductively map out premises and then draw reasoned conclusions, rather than starting with a conclusion and myopically working backwards” (Dominic Ruiz). 

Climate change denial, or global warming denial is denial, dismissal, or unwarranted doubt that contradicts the scientific consensus on climate change, including the extent to which it is caused by humans, its effects on nature and human society, or the potential of adaptation to global warming by human actions. Many who deny, dismiss, or hold unwarranted doubt about the scientific consensus on anthropogenic global warming self-label as "climate change skeptics", which several scientists have noted is an inaccurate description. Climate change denial can also be implicit, when individuals or social groups accept the science but fail to come to terms with it or to translate their acceptance into action. Several social science studies have analyzed these positions as forms of denialism, pseudoscience, or propaganda.

The campaign to undermine public trust in climate science has been described as a "denial machine" organized by industrial, political and ideological interests, and supported by conservative media and skeptical bloggers to manufacture uncertainty about global warming.

The politics of global warming have been affected by climate change denial and the political global warming controversy, undermining the efforts to act on climate change or adapting to the warming climate. Those promoting denial commonly use rhetorical tactics to give the appearance of a scientific controversy where there is none.^]

Organised campaigning to undermine public trust in climate science is associated with conservative economic policies and backed by industrial interests opposed to the regulation of CO
2 emissions.