EPA map showing numbers of facilities emitting high levels of greenhouse gases
Climate Change
At its core, climate change simply indicates "any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time" (EPA, pre-2017). Global climate change is often spoken of in tandem with global warming, which refers to the recent warming trends in the average temperature of the Earth. But it is also often referred to as "climate disruption" since depending on where you live, the climate may be trending toward more warming or even cooling, being, on average, wetter or drier, etc., but whatever the trend, no matter where you live, extreme weather events will become more common, and, overall sea levels are rising and the planet, overall, is warming.
Fact sheets on climate change, written for the general public:
- the science of global climate change
- climate change impacts in New York
- agriculture, carbon and greenhouse gases
- farming success in an uncertain climate
From Duke University 20 Facts for Climate Deniers
From US Environmental Protection Agency 'Climate Change Indicators in the United States'.
The Greenhouse Effect
Much like the glass of a greenhouse, the Earth's atmosphere keeps heat contained to a level that allows life to flourish. The atmosphere consists of water vapor, nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases, which include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The general warming of the planet is being caused by an increase in these trace gases, often called 'greenhouse gases', which then trap increasing amounts of heat. Less of the infrared heat that is emitted by the Earth is able to pass through the atmosphere when these gases are increased, and instead reflect back, warming the Earth's surface more than usual.
Greenhouse gases are emitted during the burning of fossil fuels (like coal, oil and natural gas). The Environmental Protection Agency has an interactive map showing the facilities that emit a large amount of greenhouse gases.
Consequences
The changing climate is interfering with natural cycles, causing extreme weather events, raising sea levels1 as glaciers and ice caps melt, and threatening many species with extinction as their environment changes and the oceans become increasingly acidic. Even here in central New York, we are already seeing some effects of climate change, including more extreme and frequent storms, and, yes, warming.
1. Hausfather, Zeke. The Global Climate in Context- 2013 in Review. The Yale Forum on Climate Change and the Media. 3 Feb. 2014.
Last updated September 14, 2023
Climate Literacy
(Dec. 11, 2018) Video of presentation about the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) "Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius", its findings and proposed solutions, and the work everyone must do to limit global warming, by Natalie M. Mahowald Cornell Professor of Engineering, one of the report's authors. Video from CCETC 2018 Annual meeting.
Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Sciences provides a well-vetted overview of the fundamental concepts of climate science. A sister project, the Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) offers a catalog of high quality resources and teaching tips.
Climate 101 with Bill Nye, a 4 1/2 minute long video.
For videos explaining climate change, visit : www.HowGlobalWarmingWorks.org. They have a 52-second version, and the lengths range up to a 5-minute video, so you can pick the level of detail you want and the amount of time you want to commit to watching.
Paleontological Research Institution, based in, Ithaca, has some great resources on climate change, including blog posts, digital chapters of their Teacher-Friendly Guide to Climate Change, and virtual climate change exhibits from the Museum of the Earth and Cayuga Nature Center.
Rethinking Climate Change
Warmest Years
- The year 2013 ties with 2003 as the fourth warmest year globally since records began in 1880. The annual global combined land and ocean surface temperature was 0.62°C (1.12°F) above the 20th century average of 13.9°C (57.0°F). This marks the 37th consecutive year (since 1976) that the yearly global temperature was above average. Currently, the warmest year on record is 2010, which was 0.66°C (1.19°F) above average. Including 2013, 9 of the 10 warmest years in the 134-year period of record have occurred in the 21st century. Only one year during the 20th century-1998-was warmer than 2013. Read more at National Climate Data Center, part of NOAA
Climate Kids
Check out the latest educational game from NASA’s Climate Kids—OFFSET! Take matters into your own hands and help cut back on carbon emissions. Part pong, part resource-management, and 100% retro, this game is challenging, exciting, and educational. Play it today!
Weather vs Climate
Global warming can be hard to imagine during long, cold winters. However, the weather in one location does not represent the climate as a whole. Though some years may be colder than others in some places, the average temperatures of the planet are rising.
Visit the Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media for a look at the weather of 2013 in the context of long-term climate trends.
Read NASA's analysis of natural vs. anthropogenic changes in the twentieth century.
See the Cornell Climate Change website for many more resources, recent news, and upcoming events.
Earth: Operators' Manual
PBS program on climate change. Earth: The Operators’ Manual dispenses with politics, polemics or punditry; instead, it presents an objective, accessible assessment of the Earth’s problems and possibilities that will leave viewers informed, energized and optimistic. (April 2011)
Climate Change & NYS
ClimAID: the Integrated Assessment for Effective Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in New York State is a state-level assessment of climate change. It was undertaken to provide decision-makers with cutting- edge information on the state's vulnerability to climate change and to facilitate the development of adaptation strategies informed by both local experience and scientific knowledge.
Read information suggested by climate scientists for the public at RealClimate.