Global Climate Change

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

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

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

The evidence is clear that humans are significantly affecting climate.

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

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

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

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

Q2: Based on your current knowledge, which statement is closest to your thoughts about the consequences for humans of global climate change?

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

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

• Climate change will significantly affect many countries.

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

Q3. If Pennsylvania’s current climate (9 °C, 105 cm) becomes more typical of southern Georgia (19.5 °C, 133 cm), the prevailing forest may be most similar to:

• Temperate deciduous forest.

• Woodland shrubland.

• Tropical seasonal forest.

• Temperate rain forest.

• Taiga.

Q4: What should the Senator know about changes in Earth’s temperature in recent decades?

• There is no evidence for a systematic temperature change.

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

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

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

Q5: The ice core shows that temperature and CO2 were correlated in the past. The graph suggests that:

• The correlation is too rough to be meaningful.

• CO2 caused temperature to change.

• Temperature caused CO2 to change.

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

Q8: 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.