Climate Change

Climate Change cover

CLIMATE CHANGE addresses the controversial question of how human activities may be changing Earth’s climate. See Overview.

Contents

Chapter TitlesInvestigationsStay Current

1. The Greenhouse Effect
1.1 Light In Air
1.2. Podcasts and Videos
Chapter 1
2. What’s So Special About CO2?2.1 Two Prisms
2.2 IR TV Remote
2.3 Molecules Absorb IR Energy
2.4 Singing Piano
Chapter 2
3. What Are the Greenhouse Gases?Chapter 3
4. What Is Global Warming?4.1 Debate Change
4.2 Temperature Project
4.3 Caption Writers
4.4 Local Temperature History
Chapter 4
5. How Is Carbon Dioxide Measured?5.1 Peter Tans Interview
5.2 Sampling CO2
Chapter 5
6. How Is the Atmosphere Changing?6-1 Findings from Mauna Loa
6-2 CO2 Sources
Chapter 6
7. What Is the Controversy About?7.1 Straight Facts
7.2 Changing IPCC Reports
7.3 State of the Climate
7.4 AGU Position Statement
Chapter 7
8. What Are the Consequences of
      Global Warming?
8.1 More on Glaciers
8.2 Explore Flood Maps
8.3 Climate Change Indicators
Chapter 8
9. What Are Governments Doing About
      Climate Change?
9.1 Congressional Hearing
9.2 U.S. and Kyoto
9.3 State of the Climate
9.4 What Can Cities Do?
9.5 What Can the Military Do?
Chapter 9
10. What Do YOU Think About
      Climate Change?
10.1a Net-Zero America
10.1b Economic Impacts
10.2 Compare Your State
10.3 Personal Opinion
10.4 Vote on Energy Measures
10.5 Solutions
Chapter 10
AcknowledgementsBibliographic Sources

Overview

Climate Change takes students on a “field trip” to Mauna Loa Observatory where they see how scientists have measured carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere since 1957. They graph and interpret data from Mauna Loa and other observatories which led to the prediction, in 1988, that changes in our atmosphere will cause the entire globe to gradually warm up. They also measure carbon dioxide in the laboratory to find out how much is contained in a sample of human breath and car exhaust. The Guide goes on to show how the discoveries at Mauna Loa have been challenged by other scientists in the early 1990’s, and discusses the consensus of opinion about global climate change that finally emerged in 1995. The Guide identifies scientific questions which still remain unanswered, and involves students in thinking about the economic, political, and ethical implications of regulating human activities to reduce the likelihood of global climate change.

General Resources for Climate Change:

100 Views of Climate Change (Colorado State University) – archive has  recorded lectures on climate change.

100.org – see The Solutions Project – http://thesolutionsproject.org …specific plans, by locale, for energy mixes that are 100% renewable energy.

Alliance for Climate Education –  https://acespace.org – 2016 initiative: Our Climate Our Future (http://www.ourclimateourfuture.org), a multimedia experience that educates young people about the science of climate change and empowers them to take action. It brings the ACE Assembly on climate science and solutions online, with dynamic animation, music, video and interactivity. Teacher resources:
    • Climate science, told through animation
    • Stories from young people across the country
    • Innovative climate solutions

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Resources on Climate Change.

“Americans and Climate Change — Closing the Gap Between Science and Action” – an interesting book that looks at American attitudes around this issue. It’s a synthesis of insights and recommendations from the 2005 Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies Conference on Climate Change. © 2006 Free download.

Animations – https://www.climatecommunication.org/news/new-animations/

Climate Central – https://www.climatecentral.org/

Climate Change Negotiations Simulation—World Climate https://www.climateinteractive.org/tools/world-climate/  

Climate Change Education.org

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Change page.

Haiku on climate change – http://www.sightline.org/2013/12/16/the-entire-ipcc-report-in-19-illustrated-haiku/ 

Humor and climate change

Insurance and climate change – articles from MoneyGeek:

Interactives

Lots of interesting material on the subject of Climate Change may be found on the website of Stephen H. Schneider at Stanford University.

National Center for Science Education website     “Long respected for its work in defending and supporting the teaching of evolution in the public schools, in 2012 NCSE launched this new initiative to defend and support the teaching of climate change.”

NASA climate education resources – climate.nasa.gov

News and Blogs

Lessons and Activities

Multimedia and Interactives

Facts and Figures

Websites

Join the Conversation

National Research Council (NRC) / National Academy of Sciences

NOAA

  • Climate Services
  • Monthly RSS Feed from NOAA about the US Climate System  :   https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/.   Sign up for the feed and get them in your mailbox.
  • Video – Climate Change: Impacts, Solutions and Perceptions – What scientific evidence exists that Earth’s climate is changing? What’s the difference between climate change and climate variability? How does a changing climate affect people and the natural environment? What can we do to lessen and adapt to the impacts of these changes?

Our Common Earth – http://www.ourcommonearth.org/ – a website devoted to information about climate change, organized so visitors can look for articles by topics and/or from their value perspectives (liberal, conservative, secular, faith-based, youths, elders).  

RealClimate.org – http://www.realclimate.org – see online lectures: 
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2012/12/online-video-lectures-on-climate-change/

Schools for Climate Action – http://www.schoolsforclimateaction.org/  (S4CA)

Simulations & Games list from UCAR.

The Solutions Project – http://thesolutionsproject.org – …specific plans, by locale, for energy mixes that are 100% renewable energy.

Union of Concerned Scientists website has climate change material on its Global Warming page and on the Publications page.US Climate Data – http://www.usclimatedata.com

University of Texas – Free Environmentally Friendly Resources and GitHub Projects


American Geophysical Union (AG) position statement

Human Impacts on Climate
Adopted by Council December 2003
Revised and Reaffirmed December 2007
American Geophysical Union (AG) position statement Human Impacts on Climate Adopted by Council December 2003 Revised and Reaffirmed December 2007 Excerpt: The Earth’s climate is now clearly out of balance and is warming. Many components of the climate system-including the temperatures of the atmosphere, land and ocean, the extent of sea ice and mountain glaciers, the sea level, the distribution of precipitation, and the length of seasons-are now changing at rates and in patterns that are not natural and are best explained by the increased atmospheric abundances of greenhouse gases and aerosols generated by human activity during the 20th century. Global average surface temperatures increased on average by about 0.6¡C over the period 1956-2006. As of 2006, eleven of the previous twelve years were warmer than any others since 1850. The observed rapid retreat of Arctic sea ice is expected to continue and lead to the disappearance of summertime ice within this century. Evidence from most oceans and all continents except Antarctica shows warming attributable to human activities. Recent changes in many physical and biological systems are linked with this regional climate change….