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C LI MATE

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GLOBAL

CHANCE

ED UCATlON

PLAN

National

Oceanic and

Atmospheric

Administration

The Earth, for all we know, ie a unique planet where a thin blanket of air, a

thinner film of water and the thinnest veneer of soil combi ne to support a web of

life of wondrous diversity and continual change. The daily needs of more than

five billion people now stress the limits of this naturally regulated system,

The impacts of a changing climate on such a world can be profound. They can

be Qluminated, in advance, by scientijYc research and antici pated through

broadened public understanding.

NOAA, Reports to the Nation"The Climate System"Winter 1991, No. l �!

Cover illhtstration by PeterD, Anderson, Rhode IslandSea Grant Global ChangePOSter COntest winner, adkhitcategory, l991.

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"Caught in the mutdle of thematrix is our planet EarthSwirling around the planetare pollutantsmne of naturalorigin, the others caused byhuman beings. This pollutionknows no boundaries; itaffects everyone, On top is asimple weather vane. Betouris an Upper AtmosphereResearch Satellite tUARS!,the latest technology to helpus understand global enui-rorunental change.

� Peter D. Anderson

CLIMATE AND GLOBAL CHANGE EDUCATION PLAN

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

June 1992

NOAA's mission is to descri be and predi ct changes in the Earth's entnronment,to manage the nation's coastal resources, and to promote global stettrardship ofthe ttrorld's oceans and atmosphere through science and service,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Preface

2 Background

4 NOAA's Special Capabilities for Climate and Global Change Education

6 Goals

7 Priorities

Internal

Intra-agencyExternal

General Public

Kindergarten through Grade 12Postd octorate

15 Implementation

16 Evaluation

17 Benefits

18 Bibliography

19 Appendix A

20 Appendix B

21 Appendix C

PREFACE

In May 1991, the OKce of Global Programs asked the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration NOAA! line offices to send at least one representa-tive to a NOAA-wide workshop to develop a nationaI climate and global changeeducation plan. In addition, several leaders in Sea Grant's climate and globalchange outreach effort were invited to participate.

Prior to the workshop, representatives were asked to poll others in their oKcesin order ta develop a consensus regarding NOAA's role in climate and globalchange education and to fill out a questionnaire reflecting those views. Re-sponses were analyzed, compiled, and summarized by the workshop facilitatorand included in a pre-conference packet.

The two-day workshop was held in early June 1991. Participants, under thedirection of the workshop facilitator, went through a lengthy process to deter-mine and prioritize those things participants believed should be included in aNOAA national climate and global change education plan. Techniques such asbrainstorming, consensus building, and prioriti zing were used to clarify gods, setobjectives, and develop action plans.

The third day, a writing team composed of representatives from NOAA's Na-tional Marine Fisheries Service, National Weather Service, Environmental Re-search I.aboratories, National Sea Grant College Program, and Sea Grant stafffrom the universities of Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Hhode Island, and Wash-ington wrote preliminary drafts of separate sections of the plan based on theconsensus of the group. These separate sections were then edited and incorpo-rated into an overall first draft and circulated in July to conference participantsfor review and comment. In October 1991, a second draft was produced incorpo-rating extensive editing refinements and reviewer responses, A third draft wasprepared in March and a fourth in June. This document is the fina3 culminationof those efforts.

Based on committee consensus, the following document represents NOAA'sClimate and Global Change Education Plan.

Respectfully submitted une 17, 1992,

Dap e Gernmil, Project OfficerNOAA Climate and Global ChangeEducation Program,Office of Global Programs

Bernard Gri swold, Project ManagerNOAA Climate and Global ChangeEducation Program, Offic of Oceanicand Atmospheric Research

The project leaders would like to thank Carole Jaworski, Rhode Island Sea GrantInformation OAice director, for the writing, editing, and design efforts over thepast year that served to refine and pull together the disparate elements of thisplan into its present unified whole; Lynn Mortensen, workshop facilitator, forhelping to make the two-day June 1991 workshop an effective and productiveone; and all participants for their time and constructive comments.

BACKC ROUND

Earth has always been a place of change: Over the ages continents have mi-gratedd, znountains have been built up and eroded, and variations in world tem-perature have caused great ice sheets to advance and retreat and sea levels torise and fall. These changes have occurred slowly over geo]agica] time scales ofthousands and millions of years, the result of natural forces beyond huxnancontrol. In the last 100 years, however, humans � one of this planet's newestspecie~ave themselves become powerfu] agents of environmental change.Collectively, human actions are beginning to have a relatively rapid and pro-found effect on the planet, �!

The growing consensus of the world scientific community is that, due to anincrease in the amount of "greenhouse" gases pumped into the atmospheresince the Industzia] Revolution, the wor]d's temperature may begin to signifl-cantly change in the next 50 to 100 years.

There is no doubt that emissions resu]ting from human activities are substan-tia]]y increasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, says the1992 supplexnental report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Chmate Change IPCC!. 'During the last eighteen nionths there have been a number of impor-tant advances in our understanding of greenhouse gases and aerosols. Theatmospheric concentrations of the moor long-lived greenhouse gases carbondioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ch]orofluorocarbons, and carbon tetrachloride!continue to increase because of human activities," the report states. �!

What scientists are not sure of, however, are the full consequences of thesehuman-induced changes to the planet's atmosphere. A recent Brookings Insti-tute study wrest]ed with this problem and concluded, "While the regional im-pacts of g]oba] warming are uncertain and difficult to predict, xnany of the an-ticipated changes are far-reaching and disturbing. Rainfall and xnonsoon pat-terns could shift dramatically, upsetting agricultural activities worldwide....Sea level could rise from one to four feet, flooding coasts and a]lowing salt wa-ter to intrude into water supplies. Ocean currents cou]d shift, altering the cli-mate of many areas and disrupting fisheries.... Record heatwaves and otherweather anoxnalies could harxn susceptible people, crops, and forests." �!

As the 1992 IPCC report points out, however, the prediction of future climatechange is critica]]y dependent on scenarios of future anthropogenic emissionsof greenhouse gases and other climate forcing agents, such as aerosols. 'Thesedepend not only on factors which can be addressed by the natural sciences butalso on factors such as population and economic growth and energy policywhere there is much uncertainty and which are the concern of the social sci-ences." �!

Even if no climate change does occur, the United Nations has pointed out thatresponsible action to combat what are perceived climate and g]obal changecontributing factors wouM serve more than one environmental and economicpurpose. "Even if the worst scenario does not come about, the world would

benefit in other respects by taking these measures now." �! In essence, pru-dence dictates the adoption of "No Regrets" policies � policies for responding tosuch problems as energy conservation and air pollution that need to be dealtwith anyway. Education on these "No Regrets" issues will promote positivebehavioral and lifestyle changes that can begin to mitigate the effects of cli-mate and global change problems as well.

To address the scientific uncertainties regarding global change, the U.S. GlobalChange Research Program USGCRP! was developed by the interagency Com-mittee on Earth and Environmental Sciences CEES! of the Federal Coordinat-ing Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology FCCSET!, TheUSGCRP was established as a Presidential initiative in the FY 1990 budgetand is charged with establishing the "scientific basis for national and interna-tional policy-making relating to natural and human-induced changes in theglobal Earth systems." �! It serves as the central component of the U.S.Government's approach to global environmental change and its contribution toworldwide efforts, As part of the U.S. Global Change initiative, the NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA! cooperates with other agen-cies of the U.S. Government through FCCSET's CEES Subcommittee on Glo-bal Change Research. Within CEES Working Group on Climate and GlobalChange is the Task Group on Education, which developed a federal approachto climate and global change education. NOAA was an active participant in thedevelopment of that report,

NOAA also participates in FCCSET's Committee on Education and HumanResources CEHR! that calls for active federal government participation inmeeting the national education goals set by the 1989 Education Summit of theNation's Governors, and spelled out in the FCCSET report, By the Year 2000;First in the 1Vorld. This report sets strategic objectives to guide future federalactions in science and math education and calls for the achievement of scien-tific literacy in the U.S, population by the year 2000.

To address these needs � climate and global change education and the need forscientific literacy in the U.S. population � a NOAA-wide workshop was con-vened in June 1991 to develop a NOAA climate and global change educationplan that contributes to the goals and objectives of the FCCSET and the CEESTask Group reports.

This document represents the final product of that workshop.

NOAA'S SPECIAL CAPABILITIES FOR CLIMATE ANDGLOBAL CHANCE EDUCATION

Since FY 1989, NOAA has expanded its USGCRP efforts and responsibilitiesin the areas of: �! documenting Earth system change; �! understanding Earthsystem change; �! modeling, analytical studies, and prediction; and �! dataand information management. The logical extension and culmination ofNOAA's research effort is to cariy the information gained from this effort oneinore step: To use this information to educate the American public. The taskgroup report on Pubtic Information Impkmentation Measures from the 1990Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC!, for instance, stressed theimportance of an environmentally informed global population as essential toaddressing and coping with climate change. 9! What's more, unless humanbehavior and its consequences for the environment are incorporated into cli-mate and global change research models, the models will be inadequate toexplain � or to develop policies for dealing with � global change phenomena. Arational response and sound policy development, however, can only be builtupon reliable information. �! With its solid scientific base, along with itsstrong outreach potential, NOAA has the perfect combination of strengths tolaunch a successful climate and global change educational campaign.

As an example, NOAA's Sea Grant and Coastal Zone Manageinent programshave played a significant role in the understanding of the effects of humaninteractions on the inarine and coastal environments. It is a logical next step toextend similar efforts to include a specific focus on those human activities ofparticular relevance to climate and global change. 8! This undertaking willbuild on NOAA's expertise in all of Earth's systems: solar, atmospheric, oce-anic, terrestrial, and cryospheric. By augmenting its all-encompassing Earthsystems research potential with its outreach potential, the agency will be ableto integrate, synthesize, and implement some of the nation's highest scientificand educational priorities.

The long-terra goal of NOAA's climate and global change research program isto establish a new national information service based on reliable assessmentsand quantitative predictions of climate change on timescales of seasons to cen-turies. The scope of this service, however, should not be limited merely to sci-entists: It, should also be made availabl~in ways that can be understood � tothe scientific cominunity, public and private sector decisionmakers at all levelsas well as schools and the American public. With research-based informationupdated as science progresses, citizens can then make informed decisions re-garding the conduct of their daily lives as it cumulatively affects conditions forglobal change. 8!

Because of the special strengths that NOAA brings to the climate and globalchange education task, these two goals � scientifiic literacy and an understand-ing of climate and global change � are both well within its purview. ParticularNOAA strengths include:

~ A comprehensive, interdisciplinary scientific approach to Earth- systemsresearch and a growing understanding of the interactions between all of

Earth's driving global systems: solar, atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial,and the land/sea coastal interface;

~ A broad information base that provides a sound basis for a climate andglobal change public education campaign;

~ A positive and credible public image as a reliable and objective source ofinformation;

~ The expertise of a cadre of interdisciplinary scientists that can betapped as a source for outreach and education;

~ The expertise of a cadre of communication, advisory, and education spe-cialists well versed in outreach and education;

~ A readiness for launching a national climate and global change educa-tional campaign already in pIace in every state in the nation, as well asthe Caribbean, through the agency's National Weather Service NWS!;Oceanic and Atmospheric Research OAR! Environmental ResearchLaboratories ERL!; National Sea Grant College Program, NationalEnvironmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service NESDIS!; Na-tional Ocean Service NOS! Sanctuaries and Reserves Division; Na-tional Marine Fisheries Service NMFS!; Joint Institutes; and NationalUndersea Research Centers NURC!.

COALS

The goals of NOAA's climate and global change education program are:

L To educate the public on Earth system change in order to encourage respon-sible action on issues that affect the health of the planet.

IL To foster a scientifically literate population by the year 2000, i n keepingwith the 1991 goals called for by the Federal Coordinating Council for Science,Engineering, and Technology.

NOAA's climate and global change educationa] effort will complement its re-search effort, Specifically, its educational effort wil]:

L Build: It wi]l bui]d upon NOAA's strong track record in the cliznatearea.

2. Implement: The climate and global change educationa] program canbe quickly implemented through the agency"s existing outreach net-work.

3. Synthesize: NOAA's cliznate and global change educational effort cansynthesize the results of NOAA's monitoring, research, modeling, anddata manageznent efforts into easily understood information products toeducate the American public.

4 Innovate: NOAA's cliznate and global change educational program willintegrate in-house scientific and outreach capabilities with those of uni-versities, museums, libraries, and public interest groups to provide asustained long-term enhancement of the U.S, Climate and GlobalChange Education Program. By bringing together these established andexisting capabilities and using them to develop innovative and effectiveways of reaching the public, NOAA can make a major contribution to anational climate and g]obal change educational effort, as well as contrib-ute to the establishment of a scientifically literate public by the year2000.

5. Sustain: An effective climate and g]oba] change educationa] effortshou]d involve a broad mix of scientists, information and coznznunica-tion specialists, and educators inside and outside of goverzzment. Toachieve the znaximum benefit from such a partnership with the broadeducational outreach community, NOAA's cliznate and global changeeducation prograzn should support major efforts at nongovernznent insti-tutions such as universities, museums, aquariums, and libraries, To en-sure the highest-quality programming, the climate and global changeeducation program, like its scientific research counterpart, should sup-port an annual grants program that funds competitive, peer-reviewed in-house and extramural proposals.

P RIORIT1ES

The June 1991 workshop identified four priority audiences for NOAA's climateand global change educational effort: an internal, intra-agency audience andthree external audiences � the general public, youth in grades kindergartenthrough grade 12, and postdoctorate,

INTRA-AG EN C Y

Recommended Action

Establishment of a NOAA Intra-agency Climate and Clobal Change NewsletterThe highest priority is given to the establishment of an intra-agency climateand global change newsletter. Since NOAA's climate and global change educa-tion effort will be agency-wide, one of the first tasks should be the identifica-tion of a mechanism to keep the entire agency up-to-date and informed of pro-gram opportunities and initiatives in a regular, concise fashion. To this end, aNOAA intra-agency newsletter is an essential mechanism.

HICHEST PRIORITY

The newsletter could either be produced within NOAA, or externa]ly througheither a contractor or a grant to one of the agency's many university outreacharms.

EXTERNAL AUDIENCENOAA's external plan of action should build upon the actions called for by theFebruary 1991 Report of the Committee on Education and Human Resourcesof FCCSET, By the Year 2000: First in the World and planning documentsassociated with the evolving CEES program in global change education.. Thisplan, to create a scientifically literate population by the year 2000, targets thefollowing audiences: precollege, undergraduate, graduate, and the generalpublic. Within this comprehensive list, workshop participants felt that NOAA'sspecial niche in this broad across-the-board educational plan falls more pre-cisely in two of the above categories: kindergarten through grade 12 and gen-eral public. In fact, it is these same two categories that CEES identified amonth later, in its July 1991 planning meeting in Rhode Island, as the besttargeted audiences for the government to pursue in climate and global changeeducation. One additional audience has also been identified � primarily becauseof the long time lag involved in the training of a new generation of researchers.NOAA has begun a global change postdoctoral program to ensure that there is acontinuing supply of broadly trained climate studies researchers.

INTERNAL AUDIENCE

The highest and mast-immediate priority was given to internal, intra-agencycoordination. Many NOAA line office organizations have educational capabili-ties. In order for the agency to 1aunch a coordinated, NOAA-wide climate andglobal change educational effort, all parts of the agency need to be kept in-formed of each other's activities. That way, a coordinated educational effort canbe launched with a minimum duplication of effort and a maximum use of exist-ing strengths and capabilities within the agency.

GENERAL PUBLIC The FCCSET report on American education calls for every adult American tobe scientifically literate and possess the knowledge and skills necessary tocompete in a global economy by the year 2000, One of the high priority CEESpublic education goals forxnulated in the Rhode Island July workshop calls foreducation to equip the public with the knowledge and skiHs they need aboutglobal change so that they become aware of the consequences of actions under-taken in the conduct of their daily lives.

A basic understanding of science is necessary if the public is to understand thescientific and technical issues that affect their lives. Any climate and globalchange governmental policies or programs that are adopted will need thestrong support and endorsement of the public in order to be successful. 91 Atpresent, much of the public is either unaware of the issues, problems, and po-tential impacts of climate and global change, or confused by the conAictinginformation they receive from the mass media, The public needs to becomebetter informed of the research on which the political, fiscal, economic, social,and ethical issues raised by global change are based in order to enhance theirability to make or support wise resource decisions,

Although Americans have universal access to education and broad access toinformation, almost all recent educational reports point out that the state ofthe American public's scientific literacy is distressing, For instance, in onerecent study, half the adults questioned did not know that it took one year forthe Earth to orbit the sun. �0! To achieve the objectives of informed publicparticipation and action, individuals must be provided with numerous opportu-nities to acquire policy-relevant information. This greater public awarenesscan then translate into increased public coxnxnitment and comxnunity action,

PROjECTS ALREADYUNDERWAY

Recommended ActionsTrain NOAA Outreach Specialists on Climate and Global ChangeA number of communication and education specialists already are employedwithin the various NOAA line organizations and across the country who de-velop educational materials and programs for the public, By training thesespecialists concerning the latest scientific information on climate and globalchange issues, this informational process can be used as a "multiplier to reacha wide public audience across the United States. A systematic training pro-gram and development of complementary educational materials should beinstituted in various regions throughout the United States, This effort hasalready begun with a pilot project to train six Sea Grant Global Change TaskForce members who, in turn, will train others throughout the country.

Establishment of a NOAA Industry Advisory PanelThe creation of a NOAA panel that wo~ld inform industry on climate and glo-bal change issues so that the private sector may undertake the most cost-effec-tive and xnost-responsible actions was recommended. The Committee on Earthand Environmental Sciences CEES! has established the Private Enterpriseand Government Initiative PEGI! panel to identify corporate research agen-das that wiH complement the government's research agenda. This panel, onwhich NOAA is represented, is encouraging corporate research responsibilityin the areas of climate and global change.

Creation of Displays/ExhibitsIn order to provide a proactive educational program that reaches the public,materials must be developed that are highly visible and accessible. These ma-terials need to go "where the people are, such as to shopping mails and super-markets. Visual displays and exhibits that highlight climate and global changeissues, and NOAA's involvement in these from a research and educationalperspective, should be developed. The first steps in the creation of these dis-plays and exhibits has begun with the development of a tabletop display whichhas been used at national educators conferences and regional science fairs.

Development of Climate and Global Change Posters, Fact Sheets, andBrochures

Posters, fact sheets, and brochures are very effective communication tech-niques and should be developed to raise the public's awareness of climate andglobal change issues.

OTHERRECOMMENDED

PROJECTS

Development of News Releases/Media information PacketsMedia coverage of climate and global change issues should increase, and thosecovering the issue must become better informed, Scientifically accurate, inter-esting, and easily understood climate and global change news releases andinformation packets that explain the issues and offer possible courses of actionshould be developed for use by the media.

Programming through Museums, Aquariums, LibrariesSince large numbers of the public visit museums, aquariums, libraries, andinterpretive centers, climate and global change educational progranuningshould also be encouraged there.

Reach Local Decision Makers

A large percentage of community leaders are active in service or communityorganizations, such as Rotary International, Lions, or the League of WomenVoters, thereby informally exerting their leadership and influence on numer-ous local, state, national, and international issues. As part of their normalactivities, these organizations conduct informational programs on current is-sues. By educating these leaders on climate and global change issues, informa-tion can be transferred to those who generally hold leadership positions in localcommunities.

Information Dissemination through Existing NetworksOnce developed, these climate and global change materials can be economi-cally and efficiently disseminated through existing dissemination networks:NESDIS; the more than 30,000 research and public libraries in the country;the National Sea Grant College Program with its ties to media, educators, andenvironmental organizations in every U,S. coastal state and the Caribbean; theNational Marine Educators Association; the National Science Teachers Asso-ciation, the American Association of Retired People, the League of WomenVoters, and other environmental organizations such as the Audubon Societyand Sierra Club. Such a network can be used effectively to reach millions ofcitizens and decision makers.

Development of Public Service Announcements PSAs!Television and radio reaches into a]most al] American households A series ofshort, 30- to 90-second radio and television public service announcementsshould be developed to keep the public's awareness of the climate and globalchange issue current and to encourage responsible action.

Use of Television SpotsTelevision reaches almost all American households, Periodic spots on existingprograms or channels the Weather Channel, for instance! should be deve]opedfor climate and global change education,

Creation of a Global Change/Earth Systems WeekNOAA should spearhead the establishment of a Globa] Change or Earth Sys-tems Week similar to the Coastweeks celebration that occurs throughout thiscountry during a three-week period each fall, Such a celebration would encour-age a variety of statewide programming that would focus pubhc attention onclimate and globa] change issues.

The landmark 1991 FCCSET report, By the Year 2000: First in the World,stresses the need to capture chi]dren's interest in science at a young age: "Thehigh school graduates of the year 2000 are in the third grade today. For many,it may already be too late. They may have a]ready learned that 'science is notfor them....' Their teachers may have never had a college-level course in thesubjects they must teach. Many children will never do a science experiment inclass, take a field trip to a museum, or use a computer during their entireprecollege education. Yet, when they complete their 13 years ofbasic educa-tion, they will enter adult life in the most technica]ly chal]enging living andwork environment the wor]d has ever known." �0!

K I ND ERGARTEN

THROUGH GRADE 12

The report goes on to state that by the time children are in the seventh grade,fully half declare no interest in science, "At the other end of the science pipe-line, only six of every 4,000 seventh graders five men and one woman! willultimately receive a Ph.D, in science or engineering. The problem of keepingstudents in the science pipeline is even greater for women, persons with dis-abilities, and minorities,... Today, only 8% ofbachelor's degrees in scienceand engineering are awarded to blacks and Hispanics �0,2% of the total popu-lation combined!; together these minorities currently earn only 4% of all sci-ence and engineering Ph.D.s."

NOAA's primary target in the formal educational process is in the K-12 graderange. Many of the other federal programs currently in the planning stagesaddress the needs of college, graduate, and postdoctoral students.

A similar high-priority audience was identified by participants at the July1991 CKKS workshop, except that this group extended the audience to stu-dents in the first two years of college grades K-14!, as well. For this audience,the CKKS goal was "to increase awareness and understanding of global changeissues by the nation's youth through forma] education, thereby creating a moreknowledgeable citizenry capable of making positive changes to ensure the sur-viva! of our planet." �1!

Recommended Actions

Development of Climate and Global Change MaterialsChmate and global change materials need to be developed and field-tested at allK � 12 grade levels. These curricular materials can then be approved formally bystate and local boards of education for infusion within existing science curricula.

PRO!ECTS ALREADYUNDERWAY

The first of these efforts is already underway with the creation of NOAA's Cli-mate and Global Change Monograph Series, Report to the Nation on Our Chang-ingg Planet. The first monograph, "The Climate System," has been disseminatedto the general public and to secondary schools and universities throughout theUnited States, The second in the series, "The Ozone Shield," will appear soon.

Teacher Workshops and Short CoursesPreservice and in-service teacher workshops and short courses are recom-mended so that climate and global change scientists, science educators, andprecollege teachers can work together to "bridge the gap" between the scien-tists' research and the classroom teacher in a manner that is understood by all.A small amount of programming has begun in this area.

Resource Guide

A resource guide for science educators, as well as for specialists in other agen-cies and institutions, should be produced and published. As part of'this guide,lists of publications, articles, and conference proceedings should be providedthat deal with climate and global change issues and environmental ethics.

OTHERRECOMMENDED

P RO! ECTS

Clearinghouse for Climate and Global Change informationOne of NOAA's greatest strengths is its information base. An important contri-bution to climate and global change education, therefore, should be for theagency to either serve as, or participate in, a central clearinghouse for climateand global change educational material. Informational products and materialscreated for both the general public and the K � 12 audience should be fed into acentral repository and dissemination point.

L Students in selected schools could participate in a one-year, computer-based, national climate and global change experiment similar to theacid rain experiment developed by the National Geographic Society.This mechanism could also be used by students and teachers to askquestions of NOAA climate and global change scientists.

2. NOAA could provide schools with computer access to regional, national,and global climate monitoring and prediction products.

3. The NOAA/NASA direct readout satellite program could be expandedto reach secondary schools.

Computer NetworkingThe worldwide nature of the climate and global change issue creates distanceand time problems. Both of these suggest large sets of environmental data thatneed to be readily available to researchers. High-speed communications andcomputers have become indispensable to the scientist. Computer networkingcould be used to teach students the regional and global nature of interdiscipli-nary studies. Three possible approaches are recommended:

Grants for Curriculum DevelopmentGrants should be provided for the development of stand-alone general sciencecourses in climate and global change to be offered to nonscience moors andpreservice teachers at universities and community colleges. Curricula shouldalso be developed, through grants and fellowships, for climate and globalchange issues to be included in preservice science education programs. Climateand global change issues and ethics should also be introduced into existingscience, social science, and business programs.

12

Development of Video and Slide ProgramsThere is need for development of educational climate and global change slideand/or video programs that can be used by NOAA personnel when speaking toK-12 audiences. Such a program could be disseminated, on call, throughoutthe NOAA network for use by speakers nationwide. Slide programs could alsobe loaned to teachers on a short-term basis, as well as be used in speaking tothe general public, civic, and industry groups.

Development of Computer SoftwareThere has been a proliferation of computer games in recent years that are en-joyed by both youth and adults. An opportunity exists to work with softwareand computer game industries i.e. Microsoft, Nintendo! to develop climate andglobal change software that are both applicable for classroom and home use.The expertise of NOAA staff could be called upon as consultants when develop-ing these educational materials. Examples that exist today include Simearth,Earthquest, and Climate Learning Tree.

Use of NOAA Facilities

NOAA's national network of federal laboratories, National Weather Servicefacilities, estuarine reserves and marine sanctuaries, and the university labora-tories available through its National Sea Grant College Program, can becomecenters for student and teacher learning outside the classroom, offering hands-on opportunities and exposure not available in traditional school settings.

Climate and Global Change Newsletter for TeachersTeachers have little contact with the practicing srientific community and arefrequently unable to associate real-life applications to the basic scientific con-cepts they must teach, Federal agencies can help to better prepare teachers bybringing them closer to the cutting-edge of science and by providing currentinformation and materials so they can better communicate the excitement ofscience to their students. The American Association for the Advancement ofScience estimates that only 33 percent of elementary school teachers, 22 per-cent of middle school teachers, and from 12 to 31 percent of high school teach-ers have adequate preparation for teaching science before they begin teachingit. �0! One of NOAA's greatest contributions to climate and global changeeducation, therefore, would be to serve as a bridge, disseminating the knowl-edge contained in its extensive information base to teachers in an understand-able, usable, convenient, and accessible manner.

Since our understanding of climate and global change is changi ng so rapidly, anewsletter would provide the flexibility and quick response needed to get thelatest scientific findings to educators in a timely manner. A newsletter over-comes the major difFiculty associated with textbooks in this area: long prepara-

The format of the newsletter could consist of short guest features by articulatescientists, as wel] as regular sections on current climate and global change pub-lications, videos, educational materials, conferences, workshops, and meetings.A newsletter would also alleviate one of the maIor problems now facing teachers;a simplified method for gaining access to the sources of climate and globalchange information. And a newsletter would better enable classroom teachers tooKer to their students the most up-ta-date scientific information and interpreta-tion of the effects of climate and global change on the tata] Earth system.

Because of its broad information base and its network of outreach profession-a]s positioned throughout the country, NOAA is particularly suited to eitherundertake such a newsletter or work closely with the National Science Teach-ers Association to insert appropriate materials into their newsletters,

Summer Fellowships for Science EducatorsNOAA shou]d begin a summer c]imate and global change fel]owship programfor science educators. Summer fellowships should be provided that enable sci-ence educators ta work at, or with, NOAA institutions.

Use of Television and Satellite Links

NOAA scientists could be utilized and featured on media presentations toschools via satellite link-up capabilities. NOAA-generated climate and globalchange information could also be incorporated into existing television scienceprograming, such as the Discovery Channel and the Teaching Channel,

Because of the lang time lag involved in the training of anew generation ofresearchers, it was felt that NOAA should also participate in a global changepostdoctora] program to ensure that there is a continuing supply of the broadlytrained researchers needed for climate studies.

POSTDOCTORATE

Recommended Action

Climate Studies Postdoctoral Program

A NOAA climate and global change postdoctoral program has begun in whichrecently graduated postdoctarates are paired with host scientists in areas ofmutua] interest. Currently, the program is being managed by the UniversityCorporation for Atmospheric Research UCAR! on behalf of NOAA and theuniversity community.

PROJECTS ALREADYUNDERWAY

The objective of the program is to help create the next generation of climatechange researchers. It seeks ta attract recent Ph.D.s in atmospheric science,physical oceanography, and other sciences to the field of climate research. Thecurrent program alTers up to a two-year visiting research appointment.

tion times and quickly outdated material. The 1991 FCCSET report, for in-stance, found that nearly 30 percent of U,S. high schools oKer no courses inphysics, 17 percent offer none in chemistry, and 70 percent offer none in Earthor space science. "Textbooks for the courses that do exist are sometimes inad-equate. In the midst of a scientific information explosion, it can stil] take severalyears to bring textbooks up to speed with current knowledge." �0! Through sucha newsletter, teachers wou]d gain greater exposure to the latest scientific infor-mation, update their knowledge, and became better able to educate students.

lMP CREME NTATl 0 N

The NOAA Climate and Global Change Education Program should be soundlybased in intra-agency cooperation among the line and staff offices. This planshould provide the priznary guidance for agency priorities during the formativeyears. Initial efforts should focus on the recommended projects identified inthis plan.

The staff of the Once of Global Programs will adzninister initial efforts withthe assistance of a small advisory committee coznposed of one representativeand an alternate from each line office and the Office of Educational Affairs,plus several Sea Grant education specialists. As funding for chznate and globalchange educational programs increases within NOAA, proposals and projectswill become more numerous and complex, and programming potential willbecome more diverse. A formal NOAA climate and global change educationadvisory group will be organized. This team will be composed of appropriatestaff from all line offices and appropriate staff offices, plus non-NOAA expertsin the field. Under the general direction of the Office of Global Prograzns, thegroup will oversee the NOAA climate and global change education program bysetting priorities; identifying needs; evaluating grant proposals; identifyingand developing the znost appropriate znechaniszn to accomplish program goals;and maintaining this plan as a viable and dynamic document.

The ultimate purpose of this proposed effort is to develop a sustained intra-agency plan for climate and global change education utilizing the specia]strengths throughout the various components of NOAA Although environ-mental education responsibihties are shared by many branches of federal,state, and local governments, the unique configuration of NOAA's various com-ponents gives the agency a special niche for long-term climate and globalchange education.

The hallmark of this educational effort will be an integrated, coordinated syn-thesis of NOAA's monitoring, research, modelling, data management, and edu-cational projects. This educational effort will complement, and be a vital com-ponent of, the interagency USGCRP. The agency wi11 also cooperate with otherfederal agencies in various educational efforts through the FCCSET Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences CEES!.

A key component in this educational plan will be the development of eval~-tion procedures that can be used to determine the success of each concept andactivity, as well as to further refine new projects in future years. Each educa-tional project is unique and will need to have individual evaluation plans asso-ciated with it. Where appropriate, evaluations should be used to quantify in-creases in content knowledge, as well as positive changes in attitude by partici-pants, These data will be analyzed using standard statistical methodologies.Results of evaluation will be of major benefit in developing further educationalstrategies to meet the goals of this plan.

15

The expected benefits of this NOAA cliniate and global change education ini-tiative will be to:

~ provide decision makers and the public with the foundation and infor-mation needed to support evolving and necessary policy decisions andactions associated with the cause-and-effect changes in the global envi-ronment.

~ develop a scientifically literate and environmentally conscious publicwith the knowledge and long-range commitment to support ethical]ysound decision making.

~ contribute to the development of a highly educated cadre of future scien-tists that will continue future inquiry into these increasingly complexand interdisciplinary issues.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Reports to the Ration on OurChanging Planet: The Climate System, Winter 1991, No. 1.

2 U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Global Change Strategic Plan, October1990,

9 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 1992 IPCC Supplelnent, February 1992.

4 Epstein, Joshua M�and Raj Gupta, Brookings Occasional Papers, Controlling theGreenhouse Effect, The Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., 1990.

6 United Nations, Global Outlook 2000: An Zconornic, Social, and EnvironmentalPerspective, United Nations Publications, 1990.

6 Office of Science and Technology Policy, Federal Coordinating Council for Science,Engineering and Technology, Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences, OurChanging Planet: The FY 1992 U.S. Gkkal Change Research Program, 1991.

7 NOAA Office of Global Programs Handout, "U. S. Global Change Research Pro-gi alii.

8 NOAA Office of Global Programs Handout, "Program Development and AnalysisPlan, Office of Global Programs 1992 Budget, Topic: Education and Socio-economicStudies."

8 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, World Meteorological Organizationand United Nations Environment Programme, Climate Change: The IPCC Sci enti ficAssessment, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990.

10 Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering and Technology, Conimitteeon Education Human Resources, By the Year 2000: First in the World, 1991.

11 Workshop Summary, Committee on Earth and Environmental Science Task Groupon Education, West, Greenwich, R.I., July 14 � 17, 1991.

12 NOAA Olrice of Global Programs Handout, "NOAA's FY 1992 Climate and GlobalChange Program.

13 Jacobson, Harold K and Martin F. Price, A Frvzmeivork for Research on the HunianDimensions of Global Environmental Change, International Social Science CounciVUNESCO, 1990.

14 Abrahamson, Dean Edwin ed.!, The Challenge of Global Warming, Natural Re-sources Defense Council, Island Press, Washington, D.C. 1989.

15 President of the United States, 'America's Climate Change Strategy: An ActionAgenda."

18 Congress of the United States, Office of Technology Assessment, Changing byDe-greesl Steps to Reduce Greenhouse Gases, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washing-ton, D.C.

17 America 2000; An Education Strategy, U,S, Department of Education, Washington,D.C., 1991.

17

APPENDIX A

NOAA Climate 4 Global Change Education Plan

DESIRED

EFFECT

NOAA LINE OFFICE

KNOWLEDGE CENTERSAUDIENCE

INF 0RMATI ON

TECHNOLOGIES

DESIRED EFFECT

~ Awareness~ Attitude Change~ Behavior Change~ Scientific Literacy

AUDIE N CE S

~ Public~ Educators~ Schools K-12v Environments'I Organizations~ Libraries, Musuems, Aquariums, Nature

Centers~ Community Service Clubs

18

NOAA KNOWLEDGE CENTERS~ OAice of Global Pmgrams OGP!~ National Weather Service HWS!~ Oceanic and Atmospheric Research OAR!

National Sea Grant College Program,Environmental Research Laboratories ERL!; National Undersea Research Cen-ters NURC!; Joint Institutes

~ National Marine Fisheries Service HMPS!~ National Ocean Service NOS!

Sanctuaries and Reserves Division~ Nalional Environmental Sate!!ite, Data,

and Information Service NESDIS!~ Education Affairs Division EAD!

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

~ !ntra-agency Newsletter~ Posters, Fact Sheets, Brochures~ Information Dissemination Through Exist.

ing Networks~ Newsletter for Teachers~ Establishment of Clearinghouse for Infor-

mation

~ Teacher Workshops 4 Short Courses~ Grants for Curriculum Development~ Development of K-12 Educational Materia!8~ Slide Programs~ Public Service Announcements~ Establishment of NOAA Advisory Board~ Displays/Exhibits~ Train NOAA Outreach Specialist~ Reach focal Decision Makers~ Television Spots~ Computer Software~ Programming Through Museums,

Aquariums, Libraries~ Summer Fellowships for Science Educators~ Creation of Global Change/Earth Systems

Week~ Hews Releases/Media Information Packets~ Computer Networking~ Resource Guide~ Use of Television 4 Satelitte Links

APPENDIX 8

~ monograph series~ exhibits~ postdoctoral feHowships

OGP

~ videotapes~ brochures~ CAC product data on weather 4

climates tours~ science fairs~ summer student program

~ library data access~ CD-ROM~ satellite data~ information~ tours

NESDIS

~ pamphlets~ brochures~ curriculum development~ tours~ talks to schools~ science fairs

tutors

~ research postdoctoratesstudent employment program

~ seminars at universities~ science fairs

OAR/ERL

~ newslettersO~ GRANT~ magazines~ fact shoots~ news releases~ bmchures~ PSAs~ videos~ posters~ books~ teacher training~ curriculum development.

~ experimental classes, tours, field tripsNORSRD

~ resource packets I'or teachers/students~ educational resomces inventory~ speakers bureau

Existing NOAA Educational Activities

NOAA LINE/PROCRAM OFFICES EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

APPENDIX C

NOAA Global Change Education Workshop

20

PARElCI PANT I.I ST Bernard GriswoldNOAA National Sea Grant College Program

Daphne GemmillNOAA OAice of Global Programs

Lynne Carter HansonUniversity of Rhode Island

Dale BakerUniversity of Minnesota-Duluth Sea Grant

Ron BeckerLouisiana State University Sea Grant

Rosanne FortnerOhio State University

Ed GrossNOAA Constituent Affairs

Aleta HohnNOAA NMFS

Arva JacksonNOAA Education Affairs

Carole JaworskiUniversity of Rhode Island Sea Grant

Felix KoganNOAA NESDIS

Dane KonopNOAA OAice of Public Affairs

Tom MeyerNOAA NMFS

Bruce MillerUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa Sea Grant

Lynne MortensenUniversity of Nebraska

Ed MyersNOAA ERL

Mike SprangerUniversity of Washington Sea Grant

Sharon WalkerMississippi-Alabama Sea Grant

Carol WattsNOAA NESDIS

Michael Uh artNOAA NWS

Maureen WitkowskiNOAA NOS Sanctuaries and Reserves Division

Matt HoustonNOAA OAice of Global Programs