Download the quiz here. It includes answers on the back page - if you'd like more information, you can follow the links below.
Burning fossil fuels has increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere, affecting our climate. The last time CO2 levels were as high as they are today was:
C. The Pliocene epoch, which ended 260,000 years ago. Modern humans had just evolved in Africa, the global climate was on average about 2C warmer, and sea levels were at least 10m higher than today. Read more here
The climate crisis is a social justice issue. The wealthiest 1% of the world’s population produce the same emissions as:
C.The poorest 66% of humanity (research by Oxfam on 2019 data) Media coverage here, full report here
Which of the following have we NOT seen since 2020?
B. The strongest storm ever to hit the UK. Although hotter seas are making storms stronger, the max 122mph gusts of Storm Eunice hitting the Isle of Wight were less than previously recorded in Scotland. (more information here about how you define storm strength, and UK records)
Globally, 2023 was the hottest year on record - a record broken in 2024. The UK's record-breaking summer temperatures of up to 40C in 2022 would not have been possible without climate change. Poor UK harvests were caused by spring/summer drought in 2020 and 2025, and excessive winter rainfall flooding fields in 2024, both linked to climate breakdown (2025 data for Wales, Scotland and NI will only be available in December).
Why won’t drilling more North Sea oilfields reduce UK household energy bills?
D. All of the above! A. Gas prices are set by the global market so oil companies (who own the oil and gas extracted) will sell it on internationally for the highest price they can get. B. North Sea resources are running down. Whatever decisions are made about new oil fields, in just 15 years’ time they will be able to supply at most around a sixth of the gas we currently burn. Briefing on North Sea oil and gas and further information here. C. Meanwhile, the cost of renewable energy has fallen dramatically - sun and wind are now the cheapest forms of power generation. (National Grid facts on renewable energy)
High energy bills = big profits for oil and gas companies. In 2022, Shell scooped record profits of around:
C. $40,000,000,000 ($40 billion). Thats… a lot.
Corporate greenwash aims to con us into buying their products, and avoid real action to cut emissions. Which of these are actual examples of corporate greenwash?
D. All of the above! A. Drax power station is the UK’s biggest carbon source, in 2024 it imported 7.3 million tonnes of wood, much of it from the clear-felling of forests - and received £869 million in subsidies. B. Bristol Airport claimed to be ‘net zero carbon’ - by ignoring emissions from flights. C. In 2022, the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that HSBC greenwash ads were misleading as they didn’t include the context that the bank invested £115 billion into fossil fuel companies from 2016-21.