Evidence for Climate Change

Climate Change (Case Study)

Poll

CQ#1: Based on your current knowledge, which statement is closest to your thoughts about the scientific evidence for global climate change?

• A.There is no evidence; it’s a scare tactic promoted by environmentalists and some politicians.

• B.There is evidence for climate change, but no evidence that human activities are involved.

• C.There is some evidence that humans are having an effect on climate.

• D.The evidence is clear that humans are significantly affecting climate.

Poll

CQ#2: Based on your current knowledge, which statement is closest to your thoughts about the consequences for humans of global climate change?

• A.The effects of climate change, if any, will be small compared to natural changes that have occurred before.

• B.The effects of climate change will be minor except in poor, less developed countries.

• C.Climate change will significantly affect many countries.

• D.The effects of climate change will be catastrophic around the world.

Multiple Choice

CQ#3. If Pennsylvania’s current climate (9 °C, 105 cm) becomes more typical of southern Georgia or northern Florida (19.5 °C, 133 cm), the prevailing forest may be most similar to:

• A.Temperate deciduous forest.

• B.Woodland shrubland.

• C.Tropical seasonal forest.

• D.Temperate rain forest.

Multiple Choice

CQ#4: What should the Senator know about changes in Earth’s temperature in recent decades

• A.There is no evidence for a systematic temperature change.

• B.Earth is moving in the direction of a major glaciation.

• C.The change is small compared to a glacial cycle, but temperature is increasing at a high rate.

• D.The change is already larger than any to have occurred in Earth’s past.

Multiple Choice

CQ#5: The ice core shows that temperature and CO2 were correlated in the past. The graph suggests that:

• A. The correlation is too rough to be meaningful.

• B. CO2 caused temperature to change.

• C.Temperature caused CO2 to change.

• D. A mechanism needs to be found to explain the correlation.

Multiple Choice

CQ#6: What should the Senator know about the effect of CO2 in the atmosphere on climate?

• A.In the past, changes in CO2 have been associated with large swings in Earth’s climate.

• B.Increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are correlated with increased temperature.

• C.The greenhouse effect explains why climate can be affected by CO2.

• D.All of the above.

Multiple Choice

CQ#7: What should the Senator know about the role of CO2 as a cause of recent warming?

• A.Although CO2 has been increasing, other GHG have not.

• B.Levels of CO2 and other GHG have been increasing steadily over thousands of years.

• C.All GHG began to increase in the last 200 years but don’t yet exceed normal interglacial levels.

• D.Levels of CO2 and other GHG began to increase more rapidly about 200 years ago and are now higher than they have been in hundreds of thousands of years.

Multiple Choice

CQ#8: The Senator should know that scientists conclude that:

• Fossil fuel burning is the only source of human-caused CO2 emissions.

• CO2 emissions from a range of human activities are causing the increase in the atmosphere as well as acidifying the oceans.

• The increase of CO2 in the atmosphere results from natural processes in the biosphere.

• Scientists don’t know how much CO2 is emitted or where it goes.

Multiple Choice

CQ#9: What should the Senator know about human involvement with climate change?

• A.Humans are definitely causing climate change.

• B.Human involvement in climate change, particularly recent warming, is probable.

• C.Models of climate are so incomplete that no conclusions can be drawn.

Multiple Choice

CQ#10: Based on your NEW knowledge, which statement is closest to your thoughts about the scientific evidence for global climate change?

• A.There is no evidence; it’s a scare tactic promoted by environmentalists and some politicians.

• B.There is evidence for climate change, but no evidence that human activities are involved.

• C.There is some evidence that humans are having an effect on climate.

• D.The evidence is clear that humans are significantly affecting climate.