TO THE
PRESENTER
This presentation—which starts on Slide 3—provides an introduction to
climate science and how climate change relates to Cleveland and
Northeast Ohio.
It includes 5 sections:
1.
Introduction (Slides 2)
2.
Climate change science (Slides 3-15)
3.
Climate change action (Slides 16-22)
4.
Quiz and discussion questions (Slides 23-24)
5.
Conclusion (Slides 25-26)
It should take approximately 30 minutes to present sections 1 through 3.
TO THE
PRESENTER
• Make sure to check the NOTES section under each slide for additional ideas
and references.
(CONTINUED)
• Some of the Notes sections include DISCUSSION PROMPTS: questions to ask
participants that relate the slide point to their lives. We encourage you to ask
some of these prompts and pepper your presentation with discussion, rather
than holding discussion until the end. One of the primary goals of the whole
Toolkit is to make climate change local and personal, so people come to see it
as an issue that is about their lives—and that they can impact.
• Feel free to revise the presentation according to your style and needs. That is
why it is presented as a PowerPoint file rather than a PDF. Note that the entire
presentation will likely take at least an hour to present. So go ahead and
shorten it according to your time frame and interests! Pick and choose the
slides you think you and your audience will most enjoy/learn from—and add
your own photos so the presentation reflects your community.
• Finally: don’t feel like you have to be a climate science expert to use this
presentation. It is meant to be a starting point for discussing how climate
change relates to Cleveland/ Northeast Ohio and all of our lives. Have fun
learning together with your audience!
CLIMATE ACTION IN CLEVELAND
TOGETHER , WE’RE BUILDING
A GREEN CITY ON A BLUE LAKE
Cleveland Neighborhood Climate Action Toolkit
http://www.sustainablecleveland.org/toolkit
FIVE
THINGS TO
REMEMBER
ABOUT
CLIMATE
CHANGE
EVEN IF YOU
DON’T
REMEMBER
ALL THE
SCIENCE!
2
INTRODUCTION
1
The world’s climate scientists overwhelmingly agree
that climate change is happening and is caused
primarily by human activities.
2
People in Cleveland/Northeast Ohio are also
concerned about climate change and want to
understand more about how it relates to their lives.
3
Climate change affects different regions in different
ways and is already impacting the
Cleveland/Northeast Ohio.
4
People everywhere are finding ways to live that will
reduce the impact and help their communities adapt
to the changes that are inevitable.
5
“Climate action” will not only address climate
change, but can make our communities better
places to live.
CLIMATE
CHANGE
SCIENCE
11
QUESTIONS
3
1
What’s the difference between weather and climate?
2
What is climate change?
3
What’s the difference between climate change and global warming?
4
What does climate change have to do with ozone?
5
How is climate change today different from the past?
6
How does human activity cause climate change?
7
What is the greenhouse effect?
8
What is the carbon cycle and what’s happening to it?
9
How is climate change affecting Cleveland and Northeast Ohio?
10
How will it continue to alter life here for people?
11
How will it alter life here for plants and animals?
1
WHAT’S THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
WEATHER
AND
CLIMATE?
4
Weather is the short-term changes
in the atmosphere: what we
experience day-to-day.
Climate is the average long-term
weather pattern of a specific
location: how the atmosphere
behaves over many, many years.
2
WHAT IS
CLIMATE
CHANGE?
5
Shifts in weather patterns over long periods of time — patterns
like temperature, precipitation (rain/snowfall), humidity, wind and
ocean circulation.
These maps shows the
projected summer climate
changes over this century
for Illinois relative to
existing average summer
temperature and
precipitation found
throughout the U.S. Illinois
is representative of the
Midwest, including Ohio.
For the higher-emissions
case, the Midwest,
including Cleveland, would
have a summer climate
more like eastern Texas by
the end of the century.
3
WHAT’S THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
CLIMATE
CHANGE
AND
GLOBAL
WARMING?
6
Global warming is the rise in the Earth’s average temperature.
It is caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere.
These gases trap heat. This rise in temperature causes other
components of climate to change.
4
WHAT DOES
CLIMATE
CHANGE
HAVE TO
DO WITH
OZONE?
7
Upper atmosphere ozone is good:
It blocks UV-B radiation emitted by the sun (which is why we don’t
want to deplete the ozone layer).
Ground-level ozone in the lower atmosphere is bad:
It is a greenhouse gas, like CO2, that contributes to climate change.
5
HOW IS
CLIMATE
CHANGE
TODAY
DIFFERENT
FROM THE
PAST?
The climate has always been changing, but today:
• It is largely caused by human activities
• CO2 levels are the highest they have been in over 800,000 years
• The rate of increase has never been seen before
Cleveland Union Terminal, 1926: Cleveland has
long been an industrial city.
8
Source: Cleveland Memory Project,
http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/cut/
id/49/rec/20
Pavement and buildings contribute to higher
temperatures in urban areas, while trees help
reduce it (Warehouse District).
Photo: David Beach
6
HOW DOES
HUMAN
ACTIVITY
CAUSE
CLIMATE
CHANGE?
Climate change today is caused in large part by human activity,
primarily burning fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas.
We burn fossil fuels when we do things like drive, heat our homes,
dispose of waste, and process food.
Burning fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases (GHGs), the most
significant being carbon dioxide (CO2). GHGs trap heat in the
Earth’s lower atmosphere.
This is how human activity in Cleveland causes
climate change.
9
Source: Cleveland Climate Action Plan
7
WHAT IS THE
GREENHOUSE
EFFECT?
10
GHGs are produced by many natural sources such as forests and
oceans. This is called the “natural greenhouse effect.”
But it is the additional amount of human-produced GHGs, largely
the result of burning fossil fuels, that cause the “enhanced human
greenhouse effect” — which is causing the climate to change too
quickly today.
8
WHAT IS THE
CARBON
CYCLE AND
WHAT’S
HAPPENING
TO IT?
11
The “carbon cycle” refers to the process of natural “sinks” — like oceans, lakes,
forests — absorbing GHGs. In Cleveland, Lake Erie and neighboring green spaces,
including 300,000 acres of protected land in Northern Ohio, act as CO2 sinks.
These areas are also critical in providing habitat for the region’s plants and animals.
Until recently, the carbon cycle kept carbon quantities in check. Now, though, this
cycle is off kilter, for two reasons:
1. We have fewer natural sinks (like trees) — and those we do have are often
not healthy, and
2. Humans are emitting more GHGs.
8
WHAT
EXACTLY IS
CHANGING?
12
The Earth’s temperature has increased about 1°F over the past 100 years. This
has resulted in changes in the atmosphere, ice, ocean, and land. These changes
have already made the climate less stable, resulting in some regions experiencing
more extreme storm events and flooding, as well as rising sea levels, and others
facing drought.
In many regions, spring is coming earlier. Some animals that migrate, such as insecteating birds, are finding that the animals or plants they are accustomed to eating
are no longer around when they arrive. This change in seasons is also impacting
what we can grow.
The plant hardiness zone in Ohio is changing. This measurement uses average annual minimum temperatures to
determine which plant species thrive in which climatic regions. Since 1990, over half the U.S., including most of
Ohio, warmed one hardiness zone. Plants that once thrived in this region now fare better farther north.
Source: USDA and Arbor Day Foundation.
9
HOW IS
CLIMATE
CHANGE
AFFECTING
NORTHEAST
OHIO?
13
Average annual temperatures in the Midwest have risen over the
last 50 years, which is causing Lake Erie to be frozen for shorter
periods of time during the winter.
We are also experiencing more extreme weather events—heat
waves, flooding, blizzards, and 90°F summer days.
10
HOW WILL
CLIMATE
CHANGE
CONTINUE
TO ALTER
LIFE HERE
FOR
PEOPLE?
14
Scientists project increases in…
• Heat–related diseases like heart attacks and asthma
• Flooding
• Electricity shortages
• Government expenses (e.g., road maintenance, emergency
response)
Climate change is an environmental justice issue. 739 people died from Chicago’s heat wave in 1995. Most
were low-income elderly. Their deaths remind us that climate change will have the greatest impact on those
lacking the resources to adapt.
11
HOW WILL
CLIMATE
CHANGE
ALTER LIFE
HERE FOR
PLANTS AND
ANIMALS?
Scientists expect that…
• Animals and plants may become stressed
• Rivers, lakes, and wetlands may become more polluted
• Invasive species and pests may become a bigger problem
Photo: Joshua Mayer via Flickr/CC
15
Northeast Ohio doesn’t have polar bears, but climate change threatens animals here too. The Bobolink is
already rare in the region due to a scarcity of large open spaces for nesting and food. Climate change further
threatens its habitats. Climate change will also make it harder for species that prefer cool soils, like Eastern
hemlock, to find suitable locations to survive. The overall distribution of these “northern” species will be
forced to move northward.
CLIMATE
CHANGE
ACTION
YOU AND
YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD CAN
MAKE A
DIFFERENCE
Cleveland’s Climate Action Plan, released in 2013, aims to lower
GHGs (“mitigation”) and help the region cope with changes
already underway (“adaptation”).
It commits to reducing GHGs to 80% below 2010 levels by 2050, with
interim goals of 16% by 2020 and 40% by 2030. Goals will be achieved
through implementation of 33 actions divided into 6 focus areas.
Of the 33 actions, more than half relate to increased equity. For example,
Action 15 is to “Support Cleveland businesses to reduce emission” and
Action 29 is to “Scale up the local food system.”
CLEVELAND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN: 6 Focus Areas
16
1
Energy Efficiency & Green Building
2
Advanced & Renewable Energy
3
Sustainable Mobility
4
Waste Reduction & Resource Conservation
5
Land Use & Clean Water
6
Community Engagement & Public Health
Learn more: sustainablecleveland.org/about/climate-action-plan/
CITIES WILL
LEAD THE
WAY
Cities are often pointed to as a major cause of climate change because they
produce so many emissions. But in fact, cities offer the solution.
In cities, everything is closer together. This pattern supports local
businesses, encourages people to ride trains and buses instead of drive, and
shortens travel times.
The effect: much lower emissions per household.
17
The map on the left shows emissions from household driving are higher on a per square mile basis in
Cleveland than the surrounding area. But, the map on the right shows that, when measured per
household, Cleveland is more efficient and emits less,
CLEVELAND
IS
BECOMING
A NATIONAL
LEADER
Robust Community Engagement in
Sustainability
Recognizing that success depends upon
widespread participation, Cleveland utilizes a
robust and inclusive process for the
Sustainable Cleveland 2019 initiative, including
development of the 33 actions in the
Cleveland Climate Action Plan.
Green Affordable Housing Policy
Ohio and Cleveland are leading the country
by incorporating comprehensive sustainability
standards into their housing programs.
Land Use
Cleveland and Northeast Ohio are forging
ahead with progressive zoning laws that allow
for urban farming, green energy production,
and green infrastructure.
18
CLEVELAND
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE
TAKING
ACTION
In 2013, the City of Cleveland and Enterprise
Community Partners worked with partners in
Kinsman, Detroit Shoreway, and
Glenville/Greater University Circle to identify
local climate action and neighborhood
champions who are improving quality of life
and advancing the Cleveland Climate Action
Plan at the same time.
Drink Local, Drink Tap emerged from the
2009 Sustainable Cleveland 2019 Summit. It
engages Cleveland residents in creative
education and action around water issues, in
Cleveland and East Africa.
19
The Vital Neighborhoods working group grew
out of the 2010 Sustainable Cleveland 2019
Summit. Diverse residents collaborate on
activities such as energy efficiency and local
food competitions, skill sharing, and an annual
“Potlucks in the Park.”
Adapted from Teaching Cleveland
LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS ARE
MOBILIZING
RESIDENTS
Bridgeport Café, located in the Kinsman
EcoDistrict, was developed by Burten, Bell,
Carr Development Inc. (BBC) with input from
Kinsman residents. It serves healthy, affordable
meals, serves as a community gathering place,
and employs local residents.
The Detroit Shoreway Community
Development Organization (DSCDO) has
worked with builders in the Detroit Shoreway
EcoVillage to build green homes, including the
first Cleveland LEED Platinum home
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design).
20
The Famicos Foundation Green Team runs
sustainability workshops at the Gateway 105
Farmers’ Market on the fourth Friday of every
month, deemed “Sustainable Friday.” Topics
have included bin composting, do-it-yourself
rain barrels, and GardenSoxx.
RESIDENTS
ARE TAKING
CLIMATE
ACTION
THAT
IMPROVES
QUALITY OF
LIFE
EcoVillage residents started EcoVillage
Produce and worked with Detroit Shoreway
Community Development Organization and
Reimagining Cleveland to scale up their social
venture.
In 1992, Detroit Shoreway residents formed a
“Bridge Brigade” to take back their street
from crime and drug-dealing. Their efforts
created a safer and closer-knit neighborhood
and paved the way for increased home
ownership, energy efficient housing, and
corner parks.
This Kinsman resident has a rain barrel and
uses the water in his garden.
21
CLEVELAND
NEIGHBORHOOD
CLIMATE
ACTION
TOOLKIT
The City of Cleveland and Enterprise Community Partners
worked with community development corporations in Kinsman,
Detroit Shoreway, and Glenville/Greater University Circle to
create the Cleveland Neighborhood Climate Action Toolkit. It
includes over 10 tools that neighborhoods across the city can
use to identify and scale up local action that’s good for people
and the planet.
Learn more and download tools at:
http://www.sustainablecleveland.org/toolkit
22
DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
CLIMATE
CHANGE
AND YOUR
COMMUNITY
23
1
How do you think people in your community understand, relate to, or don’t
relate to climate change, as it is defined and explained in this presentation?
2
What populations make up your community? How do you think their
understandings might differ based on age, background, gender, etc.?
3
What changes in climate have you noticed in your community since two
generations ago? One generation? How have these changes impacted
community life? Individuals’ lives?
4
The Cleveland Climate Action Plan focuses on six different areas of our lives
related to climate. Which of these issues do you think community members
might relate to most? How so? Share some specific community stories
around these issues.
5
Climate Action in Cleveland: Building a Green City on a Blue Lake encourages
communities to take action in two areas: reducing the amount of fossil fuel
energy we use and caring for natural areas and green spaces. How are
individuals and organizations in your community already taking one or both
of these actions? In closing, brainstorm how they might do more, based on
what you’ve learned through this presentation and your discussion.
TEST YOUR
KNOWLEDGE
CLIMATE
CHANGE
AND
ACTION
QUIZ
24
Try answering these key questions in your own words:
1
What is the difference between weather and climate?
2
What’s the difference between climate change and global warming? How
are they related?
3
Describe the “natural” greenhouse effect and the “enhanced” greenhouse effect.
4
How is climate change today different from the past?
5
What is happening to the carbon cycle?
6
How is climate change affecting people, plants, and animals in the Chicago
region?
7
What is one action we can take to mitigate (reduce) climate change?
8
What is one action we can take to help people, nature, and animals adapt to
changes that are already inevitable?
SCALE UP
CLIMATE
ACTION IN
YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD
Explore more tools in the
Cleveland Neighborhood Climate Action Toolkit
1
http://www.sustainablecleveland.org/toolkit
25
Want to get involved? www.sustainablecleveland.org/get-involved
THANKS
1
Consultants:
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Jennifer Hirsch, Ph.D., Cultural Anthropologist/
Community Sustainability Specialist
Special thanks to The Field Museum
for the design template and select images and text.
26