WD5 Identify consequences of global climate change

Suggested time: 3-5 hours

Learning Objectives

1. Identify current issues related to global climate change. (PSD)
   
2. Identify the most important natural and human factors that influence global climate. (TL)
   
3. Examine and evaluate evidence that climate change occurs naturally. (CCT)
   
4. Explain how scientific knowledge of global climate has evolved and continues to evolve, as new evidence becomes known. (TL)
   
5. Select and integrate information related to global climate change from various print and electronic sources. (COM)
   
6. Describe how scientists use technologies such as modeling to further our understanding of climate change. (TL)
   
7. Discuss potential consequences of climate change and the need to investigate climate change .
   
8. Identify questions or problems relating to global climate change that arise from personal research. (IL)
   
9. Develop, present, and defend a position or course of action, based on personal research. (PSD)
   
10. Consider some personal, social, and environmental consequences of a position or proposed course of action related to global climate change. (PSD)
    
11. Understand the role that human values play in critical thinking. (PSD, CCT)
    

Key Questions

1. Which global climate issues are of greatest importance to Canadian scientists?
   
2. Which natural and human factors contribute to climate change?
   
3. How do scientists categorize global climate change issues?
   
4. What are the essential characteristics of global weather patterns?
   
5. What are the essential characteristics of Canadian weather patterns?
   
6. What long-term climate changes have taken place in Canada in the last few decades?
   
7. What are the benefits of investigating climate change, and for whom?
   

Key Concepts

• Climate change is a change in the "average weather" that a given region experiences. Average weather includes all the features we associate with the weather such as temperature, wind patterns, and precipitation.
  
• The Greenhouse Effect is a natural process by which a planet's atmosphere traps thermal energy from the Sun, causing the temperature of the atmosphere to increase.
  
• Greenhouse gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxides, and chlorofluorocarbons absorb and re-emit infrared radiation in the atmosphere.
  
• Global warming is the increase in the average Earth's temperature due to an increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that amplifies the Greenhouse Effect.
  
• Ozone , O₃ , is a gas that consists of three oxygen atoms.
  
• Smog is a generic term used to describe mixtures of pollutants in the atmosphere.
  
• Science and technology can be used to monitor environmental quality.
  
• Scientific thought and knowledge can be used to support different positions such as the potential impact of climate change.
  
• Past scientific knowledge should be viewed in its historical context and not be degraded on the basis of present knowledge.
  
• Science is based on evidence, developed privately by groups or individuals, that is shared publicly with others so that they may attempt to establish the validity and reliability of the evidence.
  

Pre-Instructional Questions

1. Are students aware of current global, national, regional, and local climate issues?
   
2. Do students understand the characteristics of Canadian weather patterns?
   
3. Do students understand how to identify an issue, collect research related to that issue, and synthesize the resulting information?
   
4. Do students understand how to develop an action plan or defend a position?
   
5. Do students understand the characteristics of global/Canadian/regional weather patterns?
   

Suggested Teaching Strategies and Activities

1. Students could discuss current issues related to climate change and consider questions such as:
   
   • What is global warming?
   • What is the greenhouse effect?
   • What are greenhouse gases?
   • Is the greenhouse effect caused by the buildup of pollution?
   • Why is climate change and global warming in the news so much today?
   • What are some potential national, regional, and local issues?
   • What are some social and cultural implications of climate change?
   • What is 'wrong' with the current trend in global warming?
   • Why is climate change an issue for us today when climate has changed in the past, and can be expected to change now and in the future?
   (adapted from Natural Resources Canada Climate Change Poster Series Teacher's Guide )
   
   
2. Scientists have identified a variety of natural (e.g., solar variability, volcanic dust levels, comet impact, and geological change) and human factors (e.g., greenhouse gases, aerosol sprays, ozone depletion, and changes in land use) that contribute to climate change. The scientific community has not reached consensus regarding the effects of these factors. Student teams should research these topics and identify the potential effects these factors have on the climate. This will involve collecting information from a variety of human, print, and electronic sources. Students should identify opposing viewpoints related to the possible effects of each factor. Students could share their research by creating posters, models, websites, videos, or presentations. Students should recognize and discuss the tentativeness and dynamic nature of scientific knowledge, and should accept that science is not always definitive or conclusive. (COM, CCT, PSD)
   
   
3. Students could choose one global climate issue for in-depth research and action. Students should identify positions that scientists have expressed regarding this issue, including opposing viewpoints, and how those positions have changed with increasing knowledge of the issue. Students could defend a position related to one issue or develop a detailed action plan that explains how they and others in their community can change personal habits to effect future climate change . Students should identify personal, social, and economic consequences of their plan. Potential issues for research include:
   
   • The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 in which developed countries agreed to limit their production of six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulphur dioxide.
   • Canada 's commitment to reduce CO₂ (carbon dioxide) and other greenhouse gas emissions by 240Mt during 2008 - 2012.
   • The role of carbon credits as a mechanism for developed countries to achieve their commitments by deducting the greenhouse gas emissions absorbed by carbon sinks (like forests) from their gross emissions in the commitment period. This provision includes emissions absorbed or emitted by certain land-use changes and forestry activities, such as reforestation.
   • The Montreal Protocol of 1987 banned the use of certain CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) from industrial production but the level of CFCs in the atmosphere is still high.
   • The "ozone hole" over Antarctica grows in size in late spring every year. A similar, but smaller, hole appeared over Arctic skies in the late 1990s.
   • Increased grazing of cows and other ruminants has led to higher methane concentration in the Earth's atmosphere. Methane in the atmosphere contributes to the Greenhouse Effect.
   • Forests act as a carbon sink by converting the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into oxygen during photosynthesis. Large scale deforestation, primarily in under-developed countries, is rapidly decreasing the amount of naturally forested land on Earth.
   • The effect, if any, of using ethanol blended gasoline on climate change.
   With this activity, students are able to develop a short-term action plan and investigate the importance of pursuing it. (CCT, COM, IL, CD 11.3)
   
   
4. Students could predict what Saskatchewan 's climate might be like 50 years from now. Predictions should be based on an analysis of historical trends, current data, and the potential impact of changes in our lifestyles. Students should consider the effects of these potential climate changes on vegetation, animals, agriculture, industry, and the people of Saskatchewan . One method of displaying these predictions is to use a Futures Wheel (see Climate Change Canada website for examples) . (CCT)