Global Warming - objectives
• Students should practise their research skills,
and their ability to choose appropriate and
relevant information.
• Students should look at the evidence for human
enhanced greenhouse effect.
• Students should look at the case for natural
climate change, as suggested by Milankovitch
• Students should evaluate the 2 hypotheses
Connect your learning
• Review of the Insolation factors
examination question. Collect in the essay
on the applications and limitations of the
tri-cellular model
Year 13 Independent Study Task
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In the Kyoto climate change conference a motion was ratified by the majority of
countries to cut CO2 emissions in an attempt to slow down and eventually reverse
global warming. The USA refused to sign the treaty despite producing most of the
world’s CO2 emissions and claimed that there could be other causes of climate
change, if climate was changing at all. A huge debate still rages over whether or not
our planet is warming up, and if it is what might be causing it. It is your job to
produce a report of not more than 800 words on the topic of climate change, in order
to clear up the debate on the issue.
In your report you should include information on the following
Natural Climate change: Milankovitch cycles, impact of volcanic explosions on climate
Past Changes in global climate, including hot periods and ice ages
The greenhouse effect, how it works, how human activity is contributing to it
The predicted impacts of climate change on the UK and globally
Your conclusions, are the USA right? Why?
You should include maps, diagrams and graphs in your report. You can use the
books in the Geography department, and research the topic on the Internet.
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The following internet sites are particularly useful and will stop the need to search the internet;
http://globalwarming.enviroweb.org/
Excellent Web site outlining the basics of Global Warming
http://www.greenpeace.org/~climate/index.html (not working)
web site including an environmentalist
http://www.panda.org/climate/
http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~dennis/OCC_graphics.html
For down loads of images on global warming and Milankovitch Cycles (as on handout)
http://deschutes.gso.uri.edu/~rutherfo/milankovitch.html
Information on Milankovitch cycles
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/index.html
Brilliant site exploring the knowns and unknowns of climate change
http://www.sovereignty.net/p/clim/cctutorial.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/0,12374,782494,00.html
The Guardian’s back catalogue of articles.
http://www.climatehotmap.org/
Click-able map revealing the potential impacts of Global Warming for different places globally