For Sept. 13: Anthropogenic Global Warming: The Science, Myths, and Uncertainties
All students will read the following 4 summaries of chapters from the IPCC, which have been
uploaded to the class webpage for the Sept. 13 assignment.
Readings (All available at the class website):
Assignment 1 (FAQs): Basics on greenhouse gas effect: Climate Change 2007: The
Physical Science Basis. FAQs (pages 94-102).
Assignment 2 (ObservedClimate): Summary of current observations of temperature and
CO2: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Executive summary of Ch 3
(237-239).
Assignment 3 (PaleoClimate): Summary of past reconstructed temperature and CO2:
Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Executive summary of Ch 6 (435437).
Assignment 4 (SummaryKeyPoints): Factual physical evidence: Climate Change 2007:
The Physical Science Basis. Technical Summary-Key points (81-91).
Assignments for class discussion:
All students should view samples of the following videos and other website sources of
information about global warming. Selected students are assigned to write 1 page critiques
(summarize and critically evaluate the argument) and briefly report orally on specific websites as
detailed below.
Topic 1: Why is there still vagueness regarding anthropogenic global warming? Facts
vs. Opinions
Everyone should view 3 or 4 of the Youtube videos on global warming found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zeGY8zbzc8&feature=related
Students whose last name begins with A through C should randomly select one of the
videos that portrays global warming as a scam, hoax, lie, conspiracy, or otherwise
challenges the science related to global warming; view it, write a 1 page critique and be
prepared to summarize it for the rest of the class.
Students whose last name begins with D should report on the story “British government's
global warming ads banned for false warning of extreme weather” described at:
http://www.examiner.com/climate-change-in-national/british-government-s-globalwarming-ads-banned-for-false-warning-of-extreme-weather
Students whose last name begins with G through H should report on the “climategate”
topic. Was this a case of scientists trying to hide data that did not support global
warming? Did this controversy have an impact on the November 2009 Copenhagen
Conference? See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climatic_Research_Unit_email_controversy
Topic 2: IPCC mistakes and media communication.
Below are three errors in the IPCC report. How did they occur, how important are they,
and how are they presented by the media?
Students whose last name begins with I through P report on Himalayan melting:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1955405,00.html
Students whose last name begins with R report on Beef industry and Carbon:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1975630,00.html
Students whose last name begin with S report on Sea level and the Netherlands (check
the reader’s comments): http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61C1V420100213
Topic 3: Scales, human perceptions and the scientific process
Students whose last names start with T through V will report on: Reflections of scientific
process and Climate Change: http://www.aip.org/history/climate/reflect.htm
Note: a general source on many of the critiques of global warming is:
http://www.skepticalscience.com/ This website is noted as a general source of information but
there is no specific assignment for this website.