Renowned science scholar Naomi Oreskes and science producer Gene Rosow discuss how …
Renowned science scholar Naomi Oreskes and science producer Gene Rosow discuss how Hollywood and the news media portray global warming and what responsibility scientists have to educate the public about global warming. (57 minutes)
Global Global warming is primarily a problem of too much carbon dioxide …
Global Global warming is primarily a problem of too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere which acts as a blanket, trapping the heat and warming the planet.
Globally increasing temperatures are likely to have impacts on terrestrial, aquatic and …
Globally increasing temperatures are likely to have impacts on terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems that are difficult to manage. Quantifying impacts worldwide and systematically as a function of global warming is fundamental to substantiating the discussion on climate mitigation targets and adaptation planning. Here we present a macro-scale analysis of climate change impacts on terrestrial ecosystems based on newly developed sets of climate scenarios featuring a step-wise sampling of global mean temperature increase between 1.5 and 5 K by 2100. These are processed by a biogeochemical model (LPJmL) to derive an aggregated metric of simultaneous biogeochemical and structural shifts in land surface properties which we interpret as a proxy for the risk of shifts and possibly disruptions in ecosystems.
Our results show a substantial risk of climate change to transform terrestrial ecosystems profoundly. Nearly no area of the world is free from such risk, unless strong mitigation limits global warming to around 2 degrees above preindustrial level. Even then, our simulations for most climate models agree that up to one-fifth of the land surface may experience at least moderate ecosystem change, primarily at high latitudes and high altitudes. If countries fulfil their current emissions reduction pledges, resulting in roughly 3.5 K of warming, this area expands to cover half the land surface, including the majority of tropical forests and savannas and the boreal zone. Due to differences in regional patterns of climate change, the area potentially at risk of major ecosystem change considering all climate models is up to 2.5 times as large as for a single model.
Geysers and grizzlies and glaciers, oh my. The national parks may be …
Geysers and grizzlies and glaciers, oh my. The national parks may be America's best idea, saving the finest parts of the nation for everyone to enjoy forever. What better way to learn about the natural world than to tour the parks with us? We'll explore how the mountains and valleys formed and why they often come with volcanoes and earthquakes. You'll see what really killed the dinosaurs and how we can help save their modern relatives in the parks. With film clips, slide shows, and our geological interpretations of classic rock songs, isn't it time for a road trip?
Students learn how the greenhouse effect is related to global warming and …
Students learn how the greenhouse effect is related to global warming and how global warming impacts our planet, including global climate change. Extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and how we react to these changes are the main points of focus of this lesson.
How does global warming affect humans? The Climate Change Webcast explores the …
How does global warming affect humans? The Climate Change Webcast explores the causes and effects of climate change as students work together to create an international climate change proposal to present at the United Nations Climate Summit.
A lesson about Global Warming for students in a 5th grade class. …
A lesson about Global Warming for students in a 5th grade class. Students will be researching the causes and affects of Global Warming and will show their findings to the class in a presentation and discussion.
In this video segment adapted from Spanner Films, visit the Alaska Native …
In this video segment adapted from Spanner Films, visit the Alaska Native village of Shishmaref, and learn how an entire town may be forced to relocate because of warmer temperatures, melting sea ice, and coastal erosion.
This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by …
This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:
"Known as the “Roof of Africa”, the highlands of Ethiopia are a lofty oasis. Though situated near the equator, the region enjoys cool temperatures year-round thanks to its high elevation—about 1200 meters above sea level. But a changing climate could change that over the next century. Researchers at MIT project that towards the end of the 21st century the Ethiopian highlands in East Africa will be at a significantly high risk for transmitting malaria, transforming this temperate haven into a breeding ground for disease. The work follows up on the team’s previous research on West Africa. There, the researchers acknowledged, malaria currently poses a big threat. A combination of high rainfall and warm temperatures create the ideal conditions for mosquitos to breed and spread disease..."
The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of air pollution and technologies …
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of air pollution and technologies that have been developed by engineers to reduce air pollution. Students develop an understanding of visible air pollutants with an incomplete combustion demonstration, a "smog in a jar" demonstration, construction of simple particulate matter collectors and by exploring engineering roles related to air pollution. Next, students develop awareness and understanding of the daily air quality and trends in air quality using the Air Quality Index (AQI) listed in the newspaper. Finally, students build and observe a variety of simple models in order to develop an understanding of how engineers use these technologies to clean up and prevent air pollution.
How do greenhouse gases affect the climate? Explore the atmosphere during the …
How do greenhouse gases affect the climate? Explore the atmosphere during the ice age and today. What happens when you add clouds? Change the greenhouse gas concentration and see how the temperature changes. Then compare to the effect of glass panes. Zoom in and see how light interacts with molecules. Do all atmospheric gases contribute to the greenhouse effect?
This resource provides a basic introduction to the greenhouse effect, global warming, …
This resource provides a basic introduction to the greenhouse effect, global warming, and climate change. It is aimed roughly at undergrad classrooms (which is where I have taught), but it's also suitable for high school teachers, lifelong learners, climate change outreach, etc., and can be used for 'just in time' professional development by everyone.
Students observe demonstrations, and build and evaluate simple models to understand the …
Students observe demonstrations, and build and evaluate simple models to understand the greenhouse effect and the role of increased greenhouse gas concentration in global warming.
Our warming planet isn’t just a threat to future generations; it’s a …
Our warming planet isn’t just a threat to future generations; it’s a threat to us right now. If we don’t mitigate it, the continued rise in global temperature will have ripple effects throughout ecosystems and communities. In this episode of Crash Course Climate and Energy, we’ll look at how climate change has already affected our planet, and what the future might hold.
Chapters: Introduction: Climate Change Global Warming Extreme Weather Events Climate Models Climate Change's Ripple Effects Feedback Loops The Future of Climate Change Review & Credits Credits
In this 2-part inquiry-based lesson, students conduct a literature search to determine …
In this 2-part inquiry-based lesson, students conduct a literature search to determine the characteristics of the atmospheres of different planets (Venus, Mercury, Mars and Earth). After collecting and analyzing data, student teams design and conduct a controlled physical experiment using a lab apparatus to learn about the interaction of becomes CO², air, and temperature. The resource includes student worksheets, a design proposal, and student questions. Connections to contemporary climate change are addressed. This lesson is the first of four in Topic 4, "How do Atmospheres Affect Planetary Temperatures?" within the resource, Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate?
In this activity, students simulate the interaction of variables, including carbon dioxide, …
In this activity, students simulate the interaction of variables, including carbon dioxide, in a radiation balance exercise using a spreadsheet-based radiation balance model. Through a series of experiments, students attempt to mimic the surface temperatures of Earth, Mercury, Venus and Mars, and account for the influence of greenhouse gases in atmospheric temperatures. The activity supports inquiry into the real-world problem of contemporary climate change. Student-collected data is needed from activity A in the same module, "How do atmospheres interact with solar energy?" to complete this activity. Included in the resource are several student data sheets and a teacher's guide. This activity is part of module 4, "How do Atmospheres Affect Planetary Temperatures?" in Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate? The course aims to help students to develop an understanding of our environment as a system of human and natural processes that result in changes that occur over various space and time scales.
In this lesson, students explore how human activities will continue to impact …
In this lesson, students explore how human activities will continue to impact Antarctic ice, discuss human contributions to climate change, and investigate what we can do to stop/reverse these negative effects.
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