toward a climate literate, energy aware, science savvy society

Toward a Climate Literate, Energy Aware, Science Savvy Society

The Essential Principles of Climate Science Literacy

Mark S. McCaffreyAssociate Scientist III

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)University of Colorado at Boulder

Preface

Establishing Coordinates

Colorado’s New Energy Economy

A NASA-funded professional development program for teachers

Making Climate Hot Effectively Communicating Climate Change Workshop for scientists, teachers, students and citizens

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences Education and Outreach Group

The GLOBE Programhttp://www.globe.gov/

Engaging Youth to Understand Climate

• weather-water-climate• carbon-energy-climate• air pollution-human health-climate• ecosystems-biodiversity-climate Text

http://www.globe.gov/

Climate Literacy Energy Awareness Network

CLEAN Collection CLEAN Strand Map CLEAN Community

CLEAN Pathway

http://www.researchchannel.org/

http://www.researchchannel.org/

http://climateinteractive.org/

http://climateinteractive.org/

http://www.google.com/landing/cop15/

http://www.google.com/landing/cop15/

Bruce Bueno de MesquitaGames Theory Analyst

Modeled the future of COP15 targets, and predicted that most countries will renege on them.

No democratic government will seriously limit CO2 if it will hurt its citizens economically.

Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Predictioneer's Game, Chapter 12 (New York: Randon House, 2009).

Dr. James Hansen- NASA

1988

2009

Paleoclimatologist James WhiteUniversity of Colorado at

Boulder

Climate change may: Happen sooner (abruptly) than laterBe much worse than anticipated

Suggests moving inland and northward to survive

What’s the Goal?Behavior Change (Mitigation)

Reduce individual/collective emissions Foster more sustainable systems/lifestyles

Preparation for Changes (Adaptation) Engage with broad stakeholders Business, government, public health

Education/Literacy Support informed decision-making Cultivate science savvy societies

All Benefit From Personalized/Localized Feedback and Relevance

Chapter 1

The Essential Principles of Climate Literacy

Plan B:

“If you can graduate climate-literate graduates in every area – people who are going to become leaders in business, government, non-profit organizations and legal systems....

Toni NelsonProgram DirectorAmerican College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment

...If you can get a shift happening in their education and climate-literacy, then you shift the whole culture around climate.”

Toni NelsonProgram DirectorAmerican College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment

Reviewed and Endorsed by

U.S. Climate Change Science Programnow the U.S. Global Change Research Program

http://climatescience.gov/

http://www.climateliteracynow.org/

& Energy Awareness (CLEAN)

Climate LiteracyUnderstanding the influence of

climate on society…

Photo: Scott Bauer

Understanding the influence of climate on society…

and society on climate

1) Sun Drives Earth’s Climate

2) Complex Interactions

4) Natural Variability and Change

5) How Climate is Studied

6) Human Activities & Impacts

7) Consequences of Climate Change

3) Life & Climate Connected

Emerging Best Practices

Combine & Integrate Climate Science with Solutions &Opportunities

Elementary Level: (Keep it simple)Local weather & seasonal observations & systems

Middle Level: (Expand Scope)Regional climate processes & systems

Secondary & College Level: (Self & Society)Global climate change science, solutions & systems

http://strandmaps.nsdl.org/

Guiding Principle For Informed Climate Decision

Humans can take actions to reduce climate change and its impacts

Climate information can be used to reduce vulnerabilities or enhance resilience...

The impacts of climate change may affect the security of nations.

Humans may be able to mitigate climate change or lessen its severity by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations...

A combination of strategies is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions...

Humans can adapt to climate change by reducing their vulnerability...

Actions taken by individuals, communities, states, and countries all influence climate.

The Sun is the primary source of energy for Earth’s climate system

1.

Solar Energy Solutions1.

TextClimate Is Regulated By Complex Interactions Among Components of the Earth System

2.

TextWind, Geothermal, Hydro Power, Storage, Nuclear

2.

Text

Life on Earth Depends on, Is Shaped By, and Affects Climate

3.

Text

Food, Bio-Fuels & Bio-Char 3.

Climate varies over space and time

4.

through both natural and man-made processes

Daily, Seasonal & Regional Energy Patterns and Solutions

4.

Text

Our understanding of the climate system is improved through observations, theoretical studies, and modeling

5.

Text

Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Beyond

5.

Text

Human activities are impacting the climate system

6.

Text

6.Strategies to minimize impacts

Climate change will have consequences for the Earth system and human lives

7.

Building Resilient, Sustainable Communities

7.

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Climate_Literacy_Handbook

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Climate_Literacy_Handbook

Chapter 2

Out of Thin Air

CARBON

Out of Thin AirFood & Energy

Carbon & Climate

~10 Tons of Air per square meter+14 pounds per square inch at sea level

Jan Baptist van Helmont1580-1644

Mini-atmospherein basement of

Royal Institution,London

John Tyndall(1820-1893)

99.9% of Atmosphere Doesn’t Capture Heat

99.9% of Atmosphere Doesn’t Capture HeatBut some “trace” gases do

Water Vapor

The “Greenhouse Effect” allows liquid water to exist and life on Earth to flourish

Watts per square meter

Svante Arrhenius1859 - 1927

International Geophysical Year1957-1958

“Our industrial civilization has been pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at a great rate....

By the year 2000 we will have added 70 percent more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere...

If it remained, it would have a marked warming effect on the earth’s climate, but most of it would probably be absorbed by the oceans...

Conceivably, however, it could cause significant melting of the great icecaps and raise sea levels in time.”

Planet Earth: The Mystery with 100,000 CluesNational Academy of Sciences1958

How well do US college graduates understandimportant science ideas?

1. A seed grows into alarge tree. Where didthe mass of the treecome from?

2. What if I told youthat the mass comesmainly from thecarbon dioxide in theair?







A seed grows into a large tree. Where did the mass of the tree come from?

What if I told you that the mass comes mainly from the carbon dioxide in the air?

Plants draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.

Carbon Dioxide

CO2

O=C=O

Carbonic Acid

CO2

H2O

O2

Photosynthesis

Text

tThus, plants’ massactually comesfrom “thin air”.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

light + 6CO 2 + 12H 2 0 --> C 6 H 12 O 6 +6O 2

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

light + 6CO 2 + 12H 2 0 --> C 6 H 12 O 6 +6O 2

TextSunlight + water + carbon dioxide = carbohydrates (sugars) + O2 + water

Over millions of years, the carbohydrates are transformed into “hydrocarbons” or fossil fuels like coal.

One gallon of gasoline = 98 tons

of biomass (buried solar energy)

One gallon of gasoline = 98 tons of biomass(buried solar energy)

Chapter 3

Fear Factor

Carbon Legacy of US

Female = ~6X Per Child Her Lifetime

Emissions

Murtaugh & Schlax (2009)

Text

The Concrete Jungle: Environmental Awareness and Experiences of Nature Among Urban Youth

Dr. Susie StrifeUniversity of Colorado at Boulder

What types of environmental problems are children aware of?

How do they feel about these problems?

How do they perceive and talk about the future state of the earth?

Environmental Awareness•Awareness of global problems & feelings/emotions • Sources of environmental information• Children’s perceptions of the future

Encourages children to tell their parents: “If you care about me, don’t give me a world that will heat up by four-to-five degrees.”

“Now is the time for a National Energy Education Act.” July 2008

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu chatting with his boss, who as

Senator proposed a Global Warming Education Act

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/

~700 Colleges & Universities Pledge to Develop Carbon Neutrality Plans, Courses & Education Experiences

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/

Anthony Leiserowitz- Yale Forum on Climate Change & The Media

Chapter 4

Naive & Missed Conceptions

National Science Education ContentStandardsNRC, 1996

•Climate mentioned nine times

•Human impact on climate notmentioned once except:

“In areas where data or understanding are incomplete, such as the details of human evolution or questions surrounding global warming, new data may well lead to changes in current ideas or resolve current conflicts.”

Climate Literacy Missing in Action

Not well addressed in State Science Education Standards

30 states do note impacts of anthropogenic change

19 states don’t mention at all

17 states focus on mechanisms

7 states note fossil fuels impacting climate

5 states note land use changes impacts

3 states focus on mitigation strategies

Kastens & Turrin, 2008

Climate Literacy Missing in Action CIRES Study of Colorado Teachers

– 1/3 Earth Science teachers don’t includeclimate change

– Many teachers don’t think it “fits” intocurriculum

– Like general public, teachers have their ownmisconceptions and/or misinformation

Dr. Sarah WiseCIRES Visiting Fellow

Less than 50% formally address climate change Only a third of Earth and Physical Science

teachers had professional development about climate change About 10% had been actively discouraged from

doing so

Naïve & Misconceptions Science Concept

In summer we’re closer to the sun

Axial tilt is reason for the seasons

Schneps, 1985


Air is invisible and weightless

Air has density and momentum

AAAS, 2007


Climate is averaged weather

Weather & Climate are different processes and studied differently

Naïve & Misconceptions Science ConceptNaïve & Misconceptions Science Concept


How could a few trace gases warm the entire planet?

+99% of gas concentrations in atmosphere don’t capture heat

Oh, and by the way, it’s not really like a greenhouse


Global warming caused by ozone hole

Global warming caused by human activities, especially burning fossil fuels


Solar radiation bounces/reflects off Earth

Incoming UV and visible are transformed into outgoing IR heat

Gautier, 2006

Global warming is just natural cycles

Human activities warm the planet


Energy is stuff from the ground (that we’re running out of)

Fossil fuels = concentrated buried solar energy

Rule, 2005


Carbon is destroyed when burned

Energy is converted into work/heat; matter is rearranged but not destroyed

Madsen, 2007


Cars run on gas. Electricity comes from a power plant.

Energy for transportation and electricity is generated by burning fuel to make heat.


We’ll be able to soon reverse global warming

The accumulation of GHG in the atmosphere is difficult to slow, let alone reverse

Sterman &Sweeney, 2007


Plants get their mass from water and nutrients through their roots

Plants get mass from “thin air” and experience seasonal cycles

Hershey, 2004


Chapter 5

Closing the Loop: Beyond Carbon

Calculators & Polar Bears

Concentrated Buried Solar

Energy

Burning coal, created in climate

of the past, impacts future climate

Based on EIA Annual Energy Review 2001 (EIA, 2003).

Microwave Oven

Footprint Calculators in Tons CO2

CO2 Converted Into Watts

Adapted from “The Game Plan 1.0” Saul Griffin, 2008 Creative Commons

Adapted from “The Game Plan 1.0” Saul Griffin, 2008 Creative Commons

Use Photos and Videos from Cellphones with GIS to monitor environment and actions

Participatory Sensing

Climate Literacy Video Contest•Must be scientifically accurate

•Peers vote on best creative work

•Local and regional contests

•National and international competition

•Big prizes!! Nobel Prize for Climate

Education

Green(solution)Grey(problem)

Rich

Poor The Fourth Quadrant

“When we try to pick out

anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.”

John Muir

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