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Climate Change

What is climate?

When we talk about the climate, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the temperature in

an area. Africa typically has a high temperature and therefore, we think of it as having a warm

climate. Antarctica is usually cold so it has a cold climate. But the term actually means more

than just that. Climate is defined an area’s “average weather”, including temperature,

precipitation, humidity, wind and even seasons (What is climate change?, n.d.). Like many

things in the natural world, an areas climate changes over long periods of time. From

temperature variation and rainfall patterns on a human time scale, to the repeated ice ages over

millenniums, great oscillation in our climate is not a surprise (Weart, 2016). In fact, natural ice

ages occur approximately every 100,000 years (ETH Zurich, 2013). Natural climate change

occurs for many reasons, from changes in wind pattern, such as an El Nino event in the Pacific

Ocean, and the movement of tectonic plates (Lambert, 2016), the same thing that causes

earthquakes. The last great climate change happened about 10,000 years ago, when the slight

shift in Earth’s orbit caused the last ice age to end and we entered the modern climate era

(Lambert, 2016).

Image Credit: NOAA with time on the x-axis

- http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/icecore/antarctica/vostok/vostok_data.html

Global temperature—how it’s measured

It is true that climate change is part of the natural process, as represented throughout history.

However, in the past few of decades, it became one of the biggest issues we face. NASA has

reported a global average temperature increase of 1.4° Fahrenheit since the 1880s, and stated that

nine out of the ten warmest years have happened since the year 2000. These records date back

134-years (Global Climate Change, n.d.). This seems interesting, but also a bit strange; how can

you measure the “average temperature” of the globe if the hottest part of the earth can be 55°

Celsius warmer than the coldest part and at the same point in time. Furthermore, half of the globe

is cooling down at night while the other half is getting hotter during the day. How do we capture

temperature on a global scale?

Knowledge of the average global temperature is useful in helping us track the change in our

global condition over time. Temperature is measured by instruments stationed all around the

world, in remote places such as the arctic, on boats in the middle of the Pacific Ocean—there are

even some on satellites in space. These machines take periodic measurements of temperature,

and overtime, calculate an average for each location. The daily temperature measurement is

compared with the average for that location, and the change in temperature is obtained. Global

temperature is reported as the global change in temperature, which is calculated by averaging the

temperature anomalies from across the globe for a more comprehensive and reliable

representation (Pidcock, 2015).

This picture shows temperature changes compared to the 1951-1980 baseline – Credit NASA

What’s happening with the climate now? Why are we concerned about it?

Isn’t climate change supposed to be a natural process as evidenced by history? As stated above,

it does occur every 100,000 years and humans haven’t been around that long. While there is truth

to the cyclic nature of climate change, a point has come in history when these changes are no

longer natural, but anthropogenic, meaning humans are directly responsible for the current

climate change. One of the most significant effects we have on our environment is our large

quantity of greenhouse gas emission, mainly carbon emissions. How does this influence our

temperature? It all comes down to the greenhouse

effect. Carbon dioxide, ozone, nitric oxide, water

vapor, and many other chemicals are called

greenhouse gases. They have the ability to absorb

thermal infrared waves (heat energy) - a wavelength

of light that we can’t see. When these gases

accumulate in the atmosphere, they tend to trap these

light waves and reflect them back onto the earth, therefore causing the surface temperature to

rise. Under normal circumstances, the greenhouse effect is vital for our survival as it’s a natural

process that keeps the Earth warm enough for life. However, when humans enhance the

greenhouse gas effect, global warming occurs.

How do we know that our CO2 emissions are going into

the atmosphere and causing these problems? Using

different technologies to measure CO2 levels from

hundreds of thousands years ago until the modern day,

scientists have collected data that indicates a sharp rise in

CO2 levels after the industrial revolution. This is not just

a coincidence; the industrial revolution not only marked

the advancement of modern day technology, but also the start of an era of uncontrolled fossil fuel

usage (fossil fuels are fuels found naturally in the

earth like coal, oil, and natural gas that are formed

from decaying organisms over millions of years).

Another way we contribute CO2 to the atmosphere is

through deforestation. Plants are great CO2 sinks,

meaning they are able to absorb atmospheric CO2 to

grow and perform photosynthesis (creation of sugar

from water CO2 and sunlight). We have caused

considerable environmental damage through deforestation. 32 million acres of rainforest are

chopped down per year and this has two effects. First, the CO2 stored inside the trees is released

into the atmosphere (Scheer, 2012). Second, the trees are no longer able to perform

photosynthesis by absorbing the CO2 and therefore, more is left in the atmosphere.

The level of CO2 is measured in parts per million (ppm), or how many CO2 molecules exist in a

sample of one million molecules of air. Dating back 400,000 years ago, the levels of CO2

increased and decreased, but never exceeded 300 ppm. Yet in the last few centuries, CO2 levels

have steadily skyrocketed to our present day value of 403.28 ppm (Global Climate Change, n.d.).

To put things into perspective, the rate of current warming is 8 times faster than ice age recovery

warming (Lindsey, 2010).

Why are we so concerned about 1.4◦F?

The unequivocal evidence is accompanied by a slew of modern day consequences. Sure, a 1.4 ◦F

increase in temperature might seem miniscule, but in retrospect, the difference in global

temperature

between

glacial and

interglacial

A scientist collecting snow and ice samples

Deforestation

ages is also just a few degrees (Palfreman, 2000). Today, the result of this temperature difference

is observed in the rising sea levels as the arctic glaciers melt, extreme weather events occur

across the globe, and oceans are undergoing acidification, just to name a few (Shaftel, 2016).

Dire consequences are associated with each event. Melting of the glaciers not only threatens the

polar species’ habitats, but also increases darker land surface area (ice which reflects light melts

to expose the darker, non-reflective ground), which is more prone to absorb heat. This positive

feedback event (the previous event increases the severity of the next and so on) of increasing

landmass ends up warming the planet (Palfreman, 2000). Extreme weather patterns such as

increased droughts and intense rainfalls can pose challenges to agriculture, and cause famine and

floods in many areas of the world. Acidification of the ocean endangers marine organisms that

produce calcium carbonate shells or skeletons by reducing their ability to synthesize calcium

related structures—diminishing coral reefs is the perfect example (Shaftel, 2016).

What can we do to help?

What are the main anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide emission? Burning fossil fuel (fuel

for cars, coal and natural gas for energy, etc.) is the primary reason. To date, the world has taken

some action to control carbon emissions—the most significant being the Kyoto protocol, which

was put into effect in 2004 to establish legally binding CO2 emission limits for industrialized

countries (The UN Climate Change Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, n.d.). While we often

imagine tall industrial factories regurgitating dark smoke to be the main culprit, in reality, it only

represents 21% of US’s total emissions. Industrial factors

fall closely behind our use of electricity (30%), and

transportation (26%) (Sources of Greenhouse Gas

Emissions, 2016). This means to protect our planet and

the things living on it, we should start with changing

ourselves. Some of the things we can do to help include:

using energy-efficient light bulbs, carpooling and using

public transportation or walking, and turning down our air conditioner in the summer and

furnace in the winter. It’s important to recognize your power as an individual to be more

environmentally aware, but many of these changes need to happen on a bigger scale: changing

urban infrastructures, finding new energy sources that don’t hurt the planet, and starting to put

the health and well-being of the planet, ourselves, and our future generations ahead of money.

As Jimmy Kimmel put it, “You know how you know that climate change is real? When the

hottest year on record is whatever year it currently is.”

Fossil Fuel Electricity Generation

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What is Climate?

2. How is the average global temperature measured?

3. How often do ice ages usually occur?

4. Why is the global temperature increasing? Explain the science behind it.

5. Change in climate is a natural process as evidenced by history. What is the anomaly with

our current temperature change?

6. What are the discussed consequences of global warming?

Watch the following video to answer questions 7-9. The video can be found by accessing the

following URL or QR code:

https://goo.gl/HfjFYl

7. If the world’s temperature increased by 1 degree, what would happen to the amount of

fresh water?

8. How much sea ice has disappeared in the last 30 years?

9. By 2100, how high could sea levels rise and what TWO main consequences could that

have?

Extension Questions

10. What do you think will happen if we do nothing about our climate change?

11. What part of your daily routine can be changed to help the climate change crisis?

12. Create a short (1-2 minute) commercial about the severity of climate change to be shown

to a grade 3 class. Your language and presentation must be at a level your audience can

understand. Your commercial should provide information on what is happening as well

as ways everyone can help.

Reading Comprehension Questions – Answer Key

1. What is Climate? Climate defines an area’s “average weather”, including

temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind and even seasons

2. How is the average global temperature measured? Weather stations around the world

collect temperatures daily for each unique location, find the change in temperature,

and average the changes in temperatures across the globe. The average global

temperature is represented by temperature change.

3. How often do ice ages usually occur? Approximately every 100,000 years.

4. Why is the global temperature increasing? Explain the science behind it. Gases with the

property of infrared absorption called the greenhouse gases accumulate in the sky

and traps heat.

5. Change in climate is a natural process as evidenced by history. What is the anomaly with

our current temperature change? Our current temperature change is man-made, as

evidenced by the sharp increase in CO2 levels that coincided with the start of the

industrial revolution.

6. What are the discussed consequences of global warming? Increased global

temperature, glacial melting, increasing sea levels, severe weather pattern, ocean

acidification.

Watch the following video to answer questions 7-9. The video can be found by accessing the

following URL or QR code:

https://goo.gl/HfjFYl

7. If the world’s temperature increased by 1 degree, what would happen to the amount of

fresh water? 1/3 of it could be gone.

8. How much sea ice has disappeared in the last 30 years? 40%

9. By 2100, how high could sea levels rise and what TWO main consequences could that

have? The seas could rise by 1 m by the year 2100 which could displace 10% of the

world’s population and potentially cause 1/3 of all life to go extinct.

Extension Questions

10. What do you think will happen if we do nothing about our climate change? Answers

may include: Soon, the earth will become too hot to inhabit. The Polar Regions will

melt. Many cities will be under water. Many species will disappear. Severe weather

pattern may bring draughts and floods to certain regions.

11. What part of your daily routine can be changed to help the climate change crisis?

Answers will vary.

12. Create a short (1-2 minute) commercial about the severity of climate change to be shown

to a grade 3 class. Your language and presentation must be at a level your audience can

understand. Your commercial should provide information on what is happening as well

as ways everyone can help.

References

Global Climate Change. (n.d.). Retrieved June 05, 2016, from http://climate.nasa.gov/

ETH Zurich. (2013, August 7). Why an ice age occurs every 100,000 years: Climate and feedback effects explained. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 15, 2016 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130807134127.htm

Lambert, J. (2016, January). Causes of Climate Change. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-4/causes-2.php

Lindsey, R. (2010, May 4). If Earth has warmed and cooled throughout history, what makes scientists think that

humans are causing global warming now? : Climate Q&A: Blogs. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/climateqa/if-earth-has-warmed-and-cooled-throughout-history-what-makes-

scientists-think-that-humans-are- causing-global-warming-now/

Palfreman, J. (2000). Interview: Richard C. J. Somerville. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/debate/somerville.html

Pidcock, R. (2015). Explainer: How do scientists measure global temperature? - Carbon Brief. Retrieved June 05,

2016, from http://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-do-scientists-measure-global- temperature

Scheer, R. (2012). Deforestation and Its Extreme Effect on Global Warming. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deforestation-and-global-warming/

Shaftel, H. (2016, June 3). Climate change evidence: How do we know? Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (2016, May). Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/sources.html

The UN Climate Change Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. (n.d.). Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/climatechange/pages/gateway/the-negotiations/the-un-climate-change-

convention-and-the-kyoto-protocol

Weart, S. (2016, February). Past Climate Cycles: Ice Age Speculations. Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

https://www.aip.org/history/climate/cycles.htm

What is climate change?. (n.d.). Retrieved June 05, 2016, from

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/whatis.htm