• Week 13: Climate Change

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Week 13 Information

      Divider line

      In this week, we cover the topics of climate change from chapter 18 of your textbook. This topic explores the areas of some of the experimental techniques that have been used to infer past climatic conditions, a short history of climate on the Earth, global temperature change that have occurred in the past century, and natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change.

      Learning Outcomes:

      • Describe the methods used to reconstruct past climates.
      • Assess the link between variations in solar energy and climate change.
      • List the sources of naturally occurring atmospheric particles and describe their effects on Earth’s climate variations.
      • Report on the impacts of human-induced aerosols, greenhouse gases, and changes in land usage, such as deforestation and desertification, on Earth’s climate.
      • Compare and contrast different climate change predictions, and describe the complexity and uncertainties associated with predicting climate change and evaluating climate change models.

      Let's begin the week with the following two intriguing videos:

      1. Gathering Storm video from national geographic showing various scenarios of sea-level rise and coastal cities from Miami Florida

      Video

      2. Climate Change and California's Drought (from National Geographic)

      Video

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Week 13 Resources

      Divider line

      Chapter 18 of your textbook

      IPCC Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5°C. 

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Week 13 Assignments and Activities

      Divider line

      Go to Attendance and mark your presence on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Due Wednesday

      Divider line

    • Week_13 Assignment
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Answer following questions on a word document and upload your submissions in this folder. 

      Q. 1. How oxygen isotopes are useful for reconstructing past climates. Explain. (3 points)

      Q. 2. Differentiate climate change caused by natural events and climate change caused by human activities. Include all the causes and examples from both. 12 points

      I am looking for your understanding on the topics from the point of:

      Feedback mechanisms (positive and negative), earth’s orbit variation, plate tectonics and climate change, solar output, and atmospheric particles from natural events and

      Aerosol injections, greenhouse gases, and land use changes from human activities.

      Now use figure 18.19 and put forward your opinion on how you agree or disagree on statement of IPCC fifth assessment report (given on page 524).

      Q. 3. Reading page 529-532 from your textbook and watching the two videos provided in the information section of this module, summarize the consequences of climate change. (5 points)

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Due Friday

      Divider line

    • Week_13 Discussions Forum
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Read the executive summary, Figure 1.2, and section of 1.5 °C pathways from the provided (link under resource section) IPCC special report: chapter 1: Global Warming of 1.5 °C.

      I. Discuss various aspects of the report with following points in focus. (write your discussion in structured paragraphs with your thoughts sandwiched between these focal points, NOT in a way of writing to-the-point answer for these guided points) – 15 points (Due Friday, the 22nd at 11:59 pm)

      Human-induced warming in 2017 above pre-industrial level.

      Definition of global warming

      Emission reduction goals to keep the global warming below 1.5 °C

      Climate adaptation measures – implementation and challenges

      Evolution of global mean surface temperature: total vs human induced

      Various pathways of 1.5°C, related impacts, and emission scenarios for those pathways.

      Now, think locally and point out consequences your community may have to deal if these 1.5°C are exceeded. What may be some measures best adapted locally?

      After writing and refining your initial responses for above key points, hit "Add New Topic"  on this forum, put Climate Change_Your Name in the subject line and copy-paste your responses from the word document into the main body of the post.

      II. Read your colleague’s post and provide substantive feedback to at-least one post. (2 points due by Saturday, the 23rd)