How are we going to organize a debate? 

Can I Do Something? – Fighting Climate ChangeOnline Debate: Can individuals do something?

We have 18 Schools – 9 of them will be affirmative, 9 negative.

Affirmative schools:

III. osnovna škola Varaždin – teacher Ivana Banek

Monika Lesniak, 1. Primary School Przsowa

Corina Bobaru, Secondary School no.1 Nicolae Balcescu, Romania

Hatice İNCİ Karabağlar Nevvar Salih İşgören Anadolu Lisesi, İzmir Türkiye

José Carlos Figueiredo - Agrup. Escolas A Lã e a Neve – Portugal

Maria Laura Bonni, I.C. "Casa del fanciullo" Partinico, Italy

Seher DEMİR,Keşan Science and Art Center,Edirne,Türkiye

Bahar KAZIK MEYER-Ulamış Ortaokulu Izmir-Türkiye

Serafina Todaro I.C. "Casa del fanciullo" - Italy Proposal 3

Negative Schools: 

III. osnovna škola Varaždin – teacher Željka Hutinski

Teona Vasadze, Batumi N23 Public School

Dareen Ammourah, Almzareeb primary school Jordan

Mehtap Afşar Afyonkarahisar Türkiye Yusuf Özer Vacational and Technical Anatolian High School

Hale Günan Anbar, Dikbıyık Secondary School, Ağrı / Türkiye

Mar Aubach ESCOLA EL SOLELL, La Palma de Cervelló, Barcelona

Tuğba Ceylan, Dobruca Secondary School- İstanbul /Türkiye

Catalina Tugui, Gala Galaction Secondary School Mangalia, Romania

Społeczna Szkoła Podstawowa STO Starachowice Poland, Katarzyna Sasak

Instructions for Affirmative Schools (YES)

"Yes, individuals CAN make a difference in fighting climate change."

🔹 Your task: Prove that individuals can influence the environment through their actions.

🔹 Possible arguments and examples:
✔ Small actions lead to big changes (e.g., saving energy, reducing plastic, recycling)
✔ Public pressure can force governments and companies to change policies
✔ Young activists like Greta Thunberg have proven that individuals can spark global movements
✔ Technological advancements come from individuals (e.g., solar panels, electric cars)
✔ Personal responsibility is key to changing society’s behavior

***your own ideas!!!

Instructions for Negative Schools (NO)

"No, individuals CANNOT significantly impact climate change."

🔹 Your task: Prove that individuals alone do not have enough power to solve climate change.

🔹 Possible arguments and examples:
✔ Only governments and corporations can make large-scale changes
✔ Industries, oil, and gas are the biggest polluters – individual actions are too small to matter
✔ Many people are unwilling to sacrifice comfort (e.g., stop flying, adopt a vegan diet)
✔ A systematic global approach is needed, not just individual choices
✔ Poorer countries cannot afford to invest in green technology

*** your own ideas!!!

Debate Format

Total duration: about 70 minutes

1️.Introduction (2 min) – The moderator presents the topic and rules.
2️.Opening Arguments (40 min) – Each school presents its arguments (2-3 minutes per school).
3️. Counterarguments (15 min) – Schools can challenge the opposing arguments.
4️. Final Statements (5 min) – Each side presents a closing argument.
5️. Voting & Reflection (5 min) – Participants vote on which side was more convincing (Google Forms).

Each school should prepare one or two students who will speak and represent their school. They will deliver an opening speech of 2-3 minutes.

🔹 Prepare for counterarguments: Anticipate possible responses from the opposing side and prepare strong rebuttals.

🔹 Final Speech: Only one school from each group will deliver the final speech.

• Affirmative team: The final speech will be given by the school from Portugal.
• Negative team: The final speech will be given by the school from Croatia (Željkas students)

Students who are not speaking in the debate and all teachers will participate as judges and vote at the end. The students who are speakers are not allowed to vote.