What is the difference between climate and weather? Why is a change of a few degrees in average global temperatures more concerning than day-to-day weather changes of a few degrees?

Multiple Choice1. Long-term patterns or trends of meteorological conditions in a given area refer to its _________.A. weatherB. variabilityC. forecastD. climateE. albedoAnswer: DSection: 21.1Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

2. The meteorological conditions in a given place on a given day refer to its _________.A. climateB. weatherC. habitatD. ecosystemE. none of these answersAnswer: BSection: 21.1Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

3. A shift of only a few degrees Fahrenheit in the average global temperature will likely result in more frequent and extreme heat waves. Which of the following choices best describes this phenomenon?A. habitat destructionB. weather changeC. climate changeD. ozone formationE. none of the answersAnswer: CSection: 21.1Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

4. Which of the following choices is NOT evidence for the recent changes in global climate?A. a single weather event like a hurricane.B. prairies giving way to deserts in Africa and the American West.

C. coral reefs dying off.D. earlier springs and later winters.E. more and longer heat waves.Answer: ASection: 21.1Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

5. The actual temperature on any given day is the _________, while the range of expected values, based on location and time of year, is the __________.A. climate; weatherB. albedo; radiative forcerC. weather; climateD. prediction; weatherE. forecast; realityAnswer: CSection: 21.1Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

6. Which of the following is NOT an aspect of climate?A. long-term patterns or trendsB. useful for predicting weatherC. timing of seasonal shiftsD. winter lows and summer highs hover close to expected normsE. a few warmer days here and thereAnswer: ESection: 21.1Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

7. Global warming is an aspect ofA. climateB. weatherC. extreme weatherD. a particular location’s air temperatureE. all of these answersAnswer: ASection: 21.1Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

Short Answer8. Describe the difference between weather and climate. Provide an example for each.ANSWER: Weather refers to the meteorological conditions in a given place on a given day. For example, the weather in New York City today is forecast to be 60° Fahrenheit

and cloudy. Climate refers to long-term patterns or trends of meteorological conditions. For example, the climate of the American Southwest includes high summer temperatures around 100°F to 125°F and below 0°F in the northernmost parts in the winter.Section: 21.1Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Applying

9. Refer to Infographic 21.1. What change is depicted in the infographic? What changes to weather are expected when the curve shifts to the right?

ANSWER: An increase of a few degrees in the average temperature shifts the entire curve to the right from the previous climate to the new climate. With the new climate, it is likely there will be more years that have the former “extreme” hot weather; it also means the affected area will likely set new records for extreme heat. Less cold weather extremes will be observed.Section: 21.1Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Analyzing

Guiding Question 21-2What is the physical and biological evidence that climate change is currently occurring?

Multiple Choice10. Global climate change has had numerous effects on the Earth. Which of the following has been a result of global climate change?A. increase in insect pest populationsB. rise in infectious tropical diseasesC. uncoupling of community connectionsD. increase in coastal floodingE. all of these answersAnswer: ESection: 21.2Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

11. Which of the following phenomena would indicate the presence of climate change?A. prairies turning into desertsB. coral reefs dyingC. colder and longer wintersD. an increase in the size of glaciersE. all of these answersAnswer: ESection: 21.2Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

12. What aspect of the forest fire in Minnesota’s great North Woods was unusual for the climate there?A. the magnitude of the fireB. that it had not burned since 1801C. how quickly the fire was extinguishedD. the timing of the fire being so early in the yearE. the timing of the fire being in late summerAnswer: DSection: 21.2Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

13. Shifts in the ranges of tree species due to climate change are called ________.A. derooting eventsB. tree-range migrationsC. uncoupling eventsD. seed dispersal phenomenaE. none of these answers

Answer: BSection: 21.2Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

14. Which of the following does NOT directly contribute to sea level rise?A. melting of land-based iceB. melting of sea iceC. thermal expansion of waterD. melting of glaciersE. all of these answersAnswer: BSection: 21.2Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Understanding

15. What changes to regional climate have been observed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s climatology office?A. Over the past two decades, springtime has come a week or two sooner than the historical average.B. Eight of the state’s 20 warmest years have been recorded since 1981.C. Minnesota logged three mild winters in a row, each with record highs.D. A, B, and C have been observed.E. None of these answers has been observed.Answer: DSection: 21.2Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

16. Since climatologists started keeping records in 1850, the warmest decade globally was:A. 1850 to 1860.B. 1950 to 1960.C. 1980 to 1990.D. 1990 to 2000.E. 2000 to 2010.Answer: ESection: 21.2Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

Short Answer17. What changes occurred to Minnesota’s climate 12,000 and 6,000 years ago? What effect did these changes have on the ranges for various tree species? ANSWER: Minnesota’s climate has been in flux for thousands of years. Fossil plant and pollen records show that, after the North American ice cap retreated some 12,000 years

ago, the climate warmed so dramatically that tree species’ ranges shifted northward at a rate of 50 kilometers per century. Pines, oaks, and other deciduous species replaced the spruce trees that had covered most of the region. As summers became warmer, water levels fell, prairie plants took root, and birches and pine moved north. Then, about 6,000 years ago, the climate cooled somewhat and trees began migrating south and west once again.Section: 21.2Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Applying

18. In terms of temperature, what recent global trends have been observed?ANSWER: Overall, 2000 to 2010 is the warmest decade since records were kept in 1850. The seven warmest years have occurred between 1998 and 2010. The global land average temperature increased by 1.73°F in 2010, compared to the twentieth-century average. In higher latitudes, temperatures have increased by 9°F or more. Sea surface temperatures have also increased by as much as 5°F in some places.Section: 21.2Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Applying/Analyzing

Guiding Question 21-3What natural and anthropogenic factors affect climate, and which are implicated in the climate change we are experiencing now? How might positive feedback loops affect climate?

Multiple Choice19. Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas?A. carbon dioxideB. methaneC. nitrous oxideD. halocarbonsE. sulfur oxidesAnswer: ESection: 21.3Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

20. A variety of factors can warm or cool the planet. Which of the following is a positive forcer (warming effect)?A. cloud albedo effectB. aerosolsC. stratospheric ozoneD. black soot on snowE. deforestationAnswer: DSection: 21.3Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Applying

21. ________ is(are) anything that alters the balance of incoming solar radiation relative to the amount of heat that escapes out into space.A. A radiative forcerB. AlbedoC. Radiation forcersD. Milankovitch cyclesE. Climate enforcersAnswer: ASection: 21.3Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

22. Which of the following factors has low albedo and contributes to warming?A. glaciersB. meadowsC. fresh snowD. asphalt

E. aerosolsAnswer: DSection: 21.3Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

23. Which is FALSE regarding positive feedback loops?A. They are changes caused by an initial event that then accentuates that original event.B. An example is melting sea ice in the Arctic.C. They can cause rapid changes.D. They always indicate a “positive” or beneficial event.E. None of these answers are false.Answer: DSection: 21.3Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Analyzing

24. Which of the following is TRUE regarding the greenhouse effect?A. Increased levels of human-produced carbon dioxide have enhanced the greenhouse effect.B. The greenhouse effect did not exist before humans. C. Greenhouse gases work by magnifying incoming solar radiation onto Earth’s surface, just like in a greenhouse.D. Volcanoes are the largest source of greenhouse gases.E. All of these answers are true.Answer: ASection: 21.3Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

25. _______ is the ability of a surface to reflect away solar radiation.A. AlbedoB. Positive feedbackC. Radiative forceD. Greenhouse effectE. None of these answersAnswer: ASection: 21.3Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

26. Which of the following is an anthropogenic forcer?A. volcanic eruptionsB. fossil fuel combustionC. sunspot cyclesD. orbital eccentricity

E. none of these answersAnswer: BSection: 21.3Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

Short Answer27. How is a positive feedback loop different from a negative feedback loop? Provide an example of each.ANSWER: A positive feedback loop is any change caused by an initial event that then accentuates the original event. For example, as temperatures warm, permafrost melts and releases stored carbon, which adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, causing more warming and additional melting of permafrost. A negative feedback loop is any change caused by an initial event that triggers an event, which then reverses the response. For example, warmer temperatures create more clouds and those clouds have a net cooling effect.Section: 21.3Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Analyzing

28. Refer to Infographic 21.4. Explain why the Arctic is particularly vulnerable to climate change.

ANSWER: The Arctic is more vulnerable to climate change because warming that occurs there causes ice to melt, which triggers additional warming in a positive feedback loop. As ice melts, more water is exposed which absorbs more heat (darker surfaces have lower albedo), and that causes more ice to melt.Section: 21.3Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Analyzing

29. Refer to Infographic 21.3. Describe how the greenhouse effect works. What is different with the enhanced greenhouse effect, and what are the main causes of it?

ANSWER: Life on Earth depends on the ability of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and others) in the atmosphere to trap heat and warm the planet. More greenhouse gases, however, mean more trapped heat and a warmer planet (an enhanced greenhouse effect). Carbon dioxide is the main driver of the enhanced greenhouse effect. The main anthropogenic sources are fossil fuel combustion and deforestation.Section: 21.3Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Analyzing

30. Explain how clouds can participate in both positive and negative feedback loops.ANSWER: Some clouds have high albedo (more reflective) and work to cool the planet by reflecting sunlight, and thus heat, away from the planet’s surface. If warming temperatures cause the formation of more of the high-albedo clouds, this could trigger cooling in a negative feedback loop. Other clouds trap reradiated heat from the planet’s surface and thus have a warming effect in a positive feedback loop.Section: 21.3Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Applying

31. Refer to Infographic 21.5. Sulfate aerosols are produced mostly from sulfur dioxide which arises from fossil fuel combustion. Because of their impact on air quality, including its role in acid deposition, efforts to reduce emissions, for example by using scrubbers at coal-fired power plants, have succeeded in lowering emissions. Use the

infographic to determine what effect these reductions in emissions would have on climate.

ANSWER: Sulfate aerosols are negative forcers and thus have a cooling effect. They can scatter incoming light and increase cloud formation and reflectivity. A reduction in emissions would have a warming effect on global climate.Section: 21.3Level: HardBloom’s Level: Evaluating

Guiding Questions 21-4How do scientists determine past and present temperatures and CO2 concentrations? What evidence suggests that climate change is due to human impact?

Multiple Choice32. Which of the following sources are NOT used to reconstruct past climate?A. ice coresB. sediment coresC. tree ringsD. coral reef growth layersE. All of these sources are used.Answer: ESection: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

33. What method of measuring atmospheric CO2 levels gives a more accurate result?A. local air measurement B. water samplingC. measurements taken from gas bubbles trapped in the iceD. temperature correlationE. all of these answersAnswer: ASection: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

34. What method of measuring atmospheric CO2 level gives data of what past atmosphere CO2 levels were?A. local air measurement B. water samplingC. measurements taken from gas bubbles trapped in the iceD. temperature correlationE. all of these answersAnswer: CSection: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

35. What causes the level of atmospheric CO2 to rise and fall throughout the year?A. plant growth and dormancy due to seasons B. temperature fluctuationC. movement of ocean air streamsD. industry boomsE. relative distance of Earth to the Sun

Answer: ASection: 21.4Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Applying

36. What is the name of the international group of scientists who evaluate scientific studies related to any aspect of climate change to give thorough and objective assessment of the data?A. World Health OrganizationB. Montreal ProcessionC. Environmental Protection AgencyD. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeE. Climate Change Forecasters UnitedAnswer: DSection: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

37. The cause of the vast majority of climate change can be attributed to:A. volcanoes.B. the burning of fossil fuels.C. cattle farming.D. crop production.E. forest fires.Answer: BSection: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

38. Currently, ___________ releases more carbon dioxide per person than any other country in the world.A. the United StatesB. ChinaC. RussiaD. MexicoE. FranceAnswer: ASection: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

39. Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding climate models?A. Climate models are not testable.B. Climate models project future climate conditions.C. Climate models take into account many variables, including global air circulation patterns and carbon dioxide levels.

D. Climate models that exclude anthropogenic factors are most accurate.E. None of these answers are false.Answer: DSection: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

40. True or False: Based on computer modeling of climate change, the current increase in temperatures can be attributed to natural causes.Answer: FalseSection: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

Short Answer41. List several techniques used by climate scientists to gather indirect data on climate (temperature, carbon dioxide levels, etc.) from the distant past.ANSWER: They do this by studying a wide variety of clues that have been left behind, including ice and sediment cores, tree rings, coral reef growth layers, and fossilized mud at the bottom of lakes and rivers. Section: 21.4Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

42. Describe how Milankovitch cycles help explain past climate change. Explain why the current warming cannot be attributed to these cycles.ANSWER: Warm periods and ice ages of the past can be attributed in part to Earth’s position in space relative to the sun. The Milankovitch theory describes the collective effects of changes in Earth’s movements upon its climate. The variations in orbital eccentricity (shape of Earth’s orbit around the Sun), axial tilt (angle of Earth’s tilt as it spins on its axis), and axial precession (wobble of Earth’s axis) help determine climatic patterns on Earth. The current warming we are experiencing cannot be explained by the three Milankovitch cycles because Earth is not currently in a part of any cycle in which it would have greater warming.Section: 21.4Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Apply

43. Refer to Temperature and Atmospheric CO2 Concentration from the Vostok Ice Core graph in Infographic 21.7. The relationship between temperature and carbon dioxide is complex. Explain the relationship between these two variables (1) as Earth comes out of a glacial period (ice age) and increases in carbon dioxide lag temperature increases by hundreds of years, and (2) in reference to the recent warming over the last hundred years where increased carbon dioxide release is preceding the warming.

ANSWER: Changes in Milankovitch cycles (affecting the amount of sunlight reaching Earth’s surface) can cause warming, and as temperatures increase, more carbon dioxide is released from storage in oceans. This explains why carbon dioxide levels lag temperature by hundreds of years at the earlier time points (coming out of ice ages). Thus at this time point, carbon dioxide did not initiate the warming, but as more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere, it causes additional warming as part of a positive feedback cycle. In contrast, the recent warming is being driven by increased carbon dioxide levels (and other greenhouse gases) from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. This enhances the greenhouse effect. The current warming cannot be explained by the Milankovitch cycles as Earth is not currently in a part of any cycle in which it would have greater warming.Section: 21.4Level: HardBloom’s Level: Evaluating

44. Refer to Infographic 21.8. What is the scientific consensus regarding the cause of the recently observed changes in global climate?

ANSWER: Based on all the data gathered and analyzed, the scientific consensus is that all of the known natural forcers combined are not enough to account for the rapid climate change that is currently underway. Only when both natural and anthropogenic (related to human actions) forcers are considered together do current trends in climate make sense.Section: 21.4Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Applying

Guiding Question 21-5What are the current and potential future impacts of climate change? What actions can we take to respond to a world with a changing climate?

Multiple Choice45. Potential effects of climate change likely include all of the following EXCEPT _______.A. an increase in the proportion of land area in severe droughtB. heat extremes in some areasC. colder winters in some regionsD. increased fire risk in boreal North AmericaE. All of these answers are possible.Answer: ESection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

46. Species have responded to global climate change in various ways. Which of the following is an example of how species have responded?A. shifting rangesB. earlier bloomingC. migrating to higher altitudesD. hatching earlierE. all of these answersAnswer: ESection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

47. Further changes in global climate will have a significant effect on world forests. Global climate changes will impact both mean annual ______ and ______, which will cause shifts in tree populations.A. temperature; precipitationB. logging; precipitationC. oxygen availability; temperatureD. nitrogen levels; carbon dioxide levelsE. temperature; available sunlightAnswer: ASection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

48. Climate changes that impact freeze–thaw patterns are predicted to have a negative impact on what industry in the northeastern United States?A. loggingB. maple syrup

C. tourismD. nutE. Christmas treeAnswer: BSection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

49. Changes in global climate are predicted to have a negative impact on forests. Forests provide which of the following ecosystem services?A. soil stabilizationB. water purificationC. sink for carbonD. oxygen productionE. all of these answersAnswer: ESection: 21.5Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Applying

50. What could happen to the boreal forests of northern Minnesota within the next century?A. Warmer soil could lead to fewer paper birch trees.B. There could be an increased presence of temperate species such as the red maple.C. There could be a northward migration of spruce trees.D. They could vanish.E. All of these answers are correct.Answer: ESection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

51. Which of the following are factors that prevent migrating tree species from thriving in their new, more northerly habitats?A. proliferation of deerB. summer water deficitsC. beetle infestationD. dry conditions which favor intense firesE. all of these answersAnswer: ESection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

52. Which of the following is NOT an example of current or probable benefits from climate change to people in certain places?

A. warmer temperatures in Greenland allowing farmers to grow a wider variety of cropsB. the Northwest Passage opening during the summer months, reducing the transport time for shipsC. the incidence of cold-related health problems and deaths decreasing in high-latitude land in Canada and SiberiaD. the increased maple syrup production in the northeastern United StatesE. All of these answers are examples of probable benefits.Answer: DSection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

53. Deliberately thinning out paper birches in an effort to cultivate more oaks and white pines in Minnesota in light of massive paper birch die-offs is an example of ___________.A. resistance forestryB. a poor forestry technique C. facilitationD. command and control forestryE. none of these answersAnswer: ASection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

54. Efforts intended to minimize the extent or impact of climate change are referred to as ___________.A. adaptationB. facilitationC. mitigationD. stabilizationE. none of these answersAnswer: CSection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

55. Accepting climate change as inevitable and adjusting as best as possible is referred to as __________.A. adaptationB. prescriptionC. mitigationD. stabilizationE. none of these answersAnswer: ASection: 21.5

Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

56. In Minnesota’s North Woods, moving tree species to entirely new ranges where they do not currently grow, based on the notion that the speed of climate change will make it impossible for natural tree migratory processes to occur, is called _________.A. mitigationB. stabilizationC. the precautionary principleD. facilitationE. none of these answersAnswer: DSection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

57. Which of the following is NOT an example of adaptation to climate change?A. shoring up coastlines against rising sea levelsB. preparing for heat waves, cold spells, and outbreaks of infectious diseasesC. taking steps to ensure a sufficient water supply in areas where freshwater supplies may dry upD. consuming more fossil fuelsE. All of these answers are examples.Answer: DSection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Understanding

58. Which of the following facilitate mitigation efforts on a national or global scale?A. command and control regulationsB. tax breaksC. carbon taxesD. cap-and-tradeE. all of these answersAnswer: ESection: 21.5Level: EasyBloom’s Level: Remembering

Short Answer59. Describe how the recent changes in global climate are expected to impact biodiversity.ANSWER: Biodiversity is being threatened on a scale not seen since the last mass extinction event 65 million years ago. Habitat destruction from human activities, such as deforestation and development, as well as changes to habitat from climate change, alter the conditions that populations have evolved to exist in. As the climate changes, those

populations need to evolve in order to survive. Unlike some past changes in climate that took thousands of years to occur, the recent climate change is occurring with unprecedented speed, so these organisms might have just a few decades to adapt or migrate.Section: 21.5Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Applying

60. How would applying the precautionary principle now to carbon dioxide emissions help to avoid, or at least lessen, some of the more serious outcomes of a changing global climate?ANSWER: Many climate scientists set the upper limit of carbon dioxide that we should not cross at 560 ppm. Other scientists place it much lower at 350 ppm. At our current pace we will probably surpass the 560-ppm threshold before the end of this century. The precautionary principle can be used when data are uncertain or severe consequences are possible. In this case, consequences such as the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet and other irreversible events are predicted. Although some argue that placing any kind of limit on carbon dioxide emissions would hurt the economy, others feel we need to set significant reduction targets now to make any dent in the problem. Since there is still much debate over global climate change, acting now by using the precautionary principle should lessen risk and provide more time to further investigate the effects and consequences of global climate change. Section: 21.5Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Analyzing

61. Describe the difference between mitigation and adaptation as it applies to climate change. Provide an example of each.ANSWER: Mitigation refers to efforts intended to minimize the extent or impact of climate change. It includes any attempt to seriously curb the amount of carbon dioxide we are releasing into the atmosphere—for example, by using carbon capture techniques to remove greenhouse gases from our air and sequester it underground or by consuming fewer fossil fuels to begin with. Adaptation refers to acceptance of climate change as being inevitable and adjusting as best we can—for example, by taking steps to ensure a sufficient water supply in areas where freshwater supplies may dry up, planting different crops more appropriate to the new climate, shoring up coastlines against rising sea levels, or preparing for heat waves and cold spells as well as outbreaks of infectious diseases.Section: 21.5Level: MediumBloom’s Level: Analyzing

62. Describe adaptation strategies for any three of the following potential impacts of climate change: health impacts, crop productivity, coastal erosion and flooding, biodiversity losses, drought, and fire risk.ANSWER: Adaptation strategies for the potential impacts of climate change are as follows: (1) health impacts: improve disease surveillance, implement sanitation

improvements in flood prone areas, and establish emergency action plans; (2) crop productivity: use erosion-control techniques to improve agricultural productivity and choose crops to fit new conditions; (3) coastal erosion and flooding: relocate some coastal communities, if necessary; construct protective barriers like seawalls; and restore wetlands in coastal areas to protect inland areas; (4) biodiversity losses: manage wildlife and habitats to provide migration corridors or relocation assistance and protect vulnerable habitats from further human impact; (5) drought: focus on methfods to capture and conserve water, including desalination in coastal areas, and practice pollution prevention to increase and protect water supplies; (6) fire risk: pursue better fire-prevention management, including prescribed burns and the thinning of forests to reduce combustible material, and improve fire-response plans.Section: 21.5Level: Medium/HardBloom’s Level: Analyzing

Matching QuestionsPlease match each term in the left-hand column to the statement that it best exemplifies.

1. albedo The meteorological conditions in a given place on a given day(*8)

2. radiative forcer Changes caused by an initial event that then accentuate that original event (e.g., a warming trend gets even warmer)(*11)

3. negative feedback loops Predictable variations in Earth’s position in space relative to the Sun that affect climate(*15)

4. climate change The ability of a surface to reflect away solar radiation(*1)

5. mitigation Acting in a way that leaves a safety margin when the data are uncertain or severe consequences are possible(*17)

6. anthropogenic The warming of the planet that results when heat is trapped by Earth’s atmosphere(*14)

7. adaptation Long-term patterns or trends of meteorological conditions(*10)

8. weather Caused by or related to human action(*6)

9. greenhouse gases Efforts intended to help deal with a problem that exists, such as climate change(*7)

10. climate The observed and ongoing rise in the Earth’s average temperature that is contributing to climate change(*12)

11. positive feedback loops Anything that alters the balance of incoming solar radiation relative to the amount of heat that escapes out into space(*2)

12. global warming Efforts intended to minimize the extent or impact of a problem such as climate change(*5)

13. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Governmental fees imposed on activities (such as fossil fuel use) that release CO2 into the atmosphere(*16)

14. greenhouse effect Molecules in the atmosphere that absorb heat and reradiate it back to Earth(*9)

15. Milankovitch cycles Alteration in the long-term patterns and statistical averages of meteorological events(*4)

16. carbon taxes Changes caused by an initial event that trigger events that

then reverse the response (e.g., warming leads to events that eventually result in cooling)(*3)

17. precautionary principle An international group of scientists that evaluates scientific studies related to climate change to thoroughly and objectively assess the data(*13)