Overview

In this section you will find materials that support the implementation of EarthComm, Section 4: How Do Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in the Atmosphere Affect Global Climate?.

Learning Outcomes

• Analyze and interpret data to explain the relationship between global temperature and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
• Develop and use a model that demonstrates greenhouse warming in the atmosphere.
• Obtain information about how carbon dioxide is put into and removed from Earth’s atmosphere.

Inquiring Further

1. To learn more about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), visit the following web site:
   
   Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC
   Discover IPCC, its mission, and its member constituents.  Examine reports that assess scientific, technical, and socioeconomic dimensions of climate change.
    
2. To learn more about the 1997 Earth Summit meeting in New York, visit the following web sites:
   
   Earth Summit +5, UN Department of Public Information
   Contains general information on the history of the Earth Summit, its mission, and the key-players involved.
   
   Earth Summit +5, UN Department of Public Information
   Obtain key information on the issues surrounding the Earth Summit, recent press releases, and more.

Resources

To learn more about this topic, visit the following web sites:

Greenhouse Gases

Global Climate Change FAQ, NASA
Provides descriptions of global warming and greenhouse gasses. Also contains several helpful links to other sites on greenhouse gasses.

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory, EPA
View US emission data on greenhouse gases from 1990 through 2016.

The Carbon Cycle

A Carbon Cycle Science Plan, NOAA
Provides useful graphics and text to introduce the carbon cycle and makes relevant the importance of understanding this cycle.

The Carbon Cycle, NASA
Explains the parts and processes involved in the carbon cycle.

Understanding the Global Carbon Cycle, Woods Hole Research Center
Reviews the basics of the global carbon cycle and how fossil fuels are linked to the cycle.

Carbon Dioxide and Climate

Emissions of Greenhouse Gases Report, U.S. Energy Information Adminstration
Provides information on carbon dioxide emissions from US energy and industry.

Responding and Adapting to Climate Change, NASA
Provides information on mitigating and adapting to our changing climate.

Our Changing Planet, U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)
Examines initiatives to research and abate global warming.