Reference no: EM133206654 , Length: Word count: 1 Page
Assignment Task: Describe one key thing you know about climate change.
Below, you should see three figures: (1) carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere beginning with the paleoproxy record and Mauna Loa Observatory data; (2) a map of Indiana's carbon emissions by county; and (3) a figure showing recent climate anomalies, trending toward warming. Climate Change scientists state with virtual certainty that:
"Human activities are changing the composition of Earth's atmosphere. Increasing levels of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere since pre-industrial times are well-documented and understood" and
"The atmospheric buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels."
However, these two scientific ideas are often misunderstood and misconstrued by the media and public. Using what you know about scientific knowledge, the carbon cycle, Indiana's energy situation, and climate change, how could you explain these graphs and the two statements to someone who does not understand the science?
To help you to answer the question: What is Indiana's current energy situation: what do we burn for energy and how does it relate to the map of Indiana below? Explain how what we burn for energy affects the carbon cycle and the reasons why that carbon remains in the atmosphere for long periods of time. Try to explain the figures and the two statements in your own words. You could also explain how carbon dioxide emissions are related to the greenhouse effect.