Left as an Exercise

One of the many things I’ve been up to since my last period of activity was participating in an interesting pilot project on campus: The Alberta Virtual Classroom, which, in part, enables discussion between grad students and high school classrooms around the world (well, North America so far, but the principle holds), letting us serve as mentors to young students. Despite not being a grad student (formally) and not being involved in climate change (formally), my name showed up on a list of grad students involved in climate change work (likely due to my position in the Energy Club), so I was invited to speak with a handful of others on the subject of climate.

While the experience itself was worthwhile on my end, one ancillary effect was that I finally compiled an excellent list of go-to resources and notes intended for high school students and teachers covering climate change — basically, stuff that covers many of the facets of the issues in a way that’s both comprehensive and comprehensible. Since the website where they’re stored will be going offline shortly, I figured I should repost them here. They’re below the fold.

Before I begin, let me say this: Most of these are NOT peer-reviewed research (The books by Spencer Weart and Amory Lovins are, as are the two security reports and much of the research that goes into the academic talks, but that’s about it). I chose these resources for their clarity of communication. If you need more detail, I urge you to check their sources and do further research yourself.

INTRODUCTION - For the “what’s this whole climate thing anyway?” crowd.

Manpollo.org videos by Greg Craven

One of the best introductions to the issue comes from an Oregon high school science teacher, in the form of a handful of YouTube vids on the subject of risk management and climate change. These “went viral” a while back and are an excellent introduction. The six hours of “expansion pack” videos are optional but entertaining, and cover such useful things as the nature of scientific progress, a process for assigning credibility to different sources, a direct (and tasteful) address to religious arguments for inaction, and a solid argument to libertarians for action (libertarians often oppose collective action on principle). The forums on this site are also a great source of information and discussion no matter your opinion on climate change, since they deal with risk management.

Update:Greg’s updated book version has gone live since this was compiled. I helped check through the science section. It’s not the same as the videos, but covers similar ground and is well worth the read, no matter what you think about climate in the first place. (When a book by a nobody gets endorsed by Bill McKibben (pretty much THE foremost environmental scholar and founder of 350.org), Gen. Antony Zinni (former head of US Central Command and lead author on the CNA report linked below; at one point considered a possible running mate for Obama), and Gregg Easterbrook (a conservative and, until recently, a climate change skeptic), you know something’s up.)

“The Global Warming Debate” by Ceth Eslick.

This is basically a powerpoint presentation that holds peoples’ hands all the way through the basic science to the objections to it to the details on adaptation. Ceth is extremely thorough without being dry and this requires no scientific background to follow. There are literally no significant points that are left out, and he cites all his sources throughout.

SCIENCE - For those interested in the scientific basis of climate change

The Discovery of Global Warming, by Spencer Weart.

A completely free textbook covering the history and science of climate change at what I would say would be first-year level (smart 12th graders or good critical thinkers shouldn’t have any problem with it). Like any university textbook it has thorough citations, but these are optional. This is the gold standard in introductions to the science written for a lay audience (as opposed to, say, the IPCC report).

Wake Up, Freak Out, Then Get A Grip, by Leo.

Leo did a phenomenal job overviewing the concept of a “tipping point”, which is something that underlies how much more important action is NOW rather than LATER. This can be combined with arguments on uncertainty very easily: If you’re on a mountain road late at night and don’t know where the edge of the road is, do you drive more or less cautiously than you would if it were broad daylight with the tipping point in plain sight? (That is, “we don’t know so we shouldn’t act until we do” is irresponsible.)

Scientific Opinion on Climate Change (Wikipedia)

All caveats about using Wikipedia as a source aside, this is a single page that links to all of the statements made by professional scientific organizations on global climate change. Pay special attention to the section “Statements by dissenting organizations”.

SPECIFIC ARGUMENTS - For those interested in arguments against climate change

Climate Denial Crock of the Week by Peter Sinclair (greenman3610).

Amazing YouTube channel with a collection of videos, each one addressing more anti-climate arguments - ranging from specific scientific points (i.e. El Nino, 1998) to political statements (i.e. the 1970s, report ’suppression’, etc.). Very easy to follow, thorough enough, and entertaining enough to hold interest.  (This came first because I was aiming this at a high-school crowd who may not have enough time or interest for in-depth coverage, although Peter does know his stuff.)

Arguments from Global Warming Skeptics by John Cook

An annotated guide to every single argument made against climate change science, sorted by frequency, and accompanied by an easy-to-read rebuttal with direct links to the peer-reviewed papers cited. Needs a bit of science background to follow at depth, but should be easy to follow on the surface. This is a FANTASTIC resource and I cannot suggest it highly enough to anyone.

Climate Change by Potholer54

Well-known YouTube skeptic potholer54’s series on climate science. It’s a bit more technical than Peter Sinclair’s. It opens with a frank overview of the science and the objections, and since then it has been addressing specific complaints from the perspective of skeptical inquiry.

TACTICS - For those interested in the strategies of those involved in the discussion

The American Denial of Global Warming by Dr. Naomi Oreskes.

It’s a bit long and it is aimed at a university crowd, but excellent nonetheless. The first half covers the history of the development of scientific consensus on this issue, and the second half (starting around 26 minutes in) covers the history of one specific group opposing climate science (the George C. Marshall Institute). The second half in particular is important because the tactics can be quite surprising. (Editor’s note: More recently, a former executive director of that insitute weighed in on its intellectual honesty.)

About Denialism, by Mark and Chris Hoofnagle.

This is a bit removed from the debate directly because it doesn’t focus on climate change, but its importance should be clear. People who deny the science on pretty much any issue (homeopaths, moon landing hoaxers, creationists, antivaccinationists, tobacco lobbyists, HIV/AIDS deniers, and so on, not to mention climate change deniers) tend to use the same tactics regardless of their details. By looking for these tactics, you can spot dishonesty very easily, even if you don’t have the scientific background needed to understand the arguments. Easy way for separating science from psuedoscience. I’ve used condensed versions of this page to educate everyone from 8th-graders to retired housewives on science/policy arguments.

illusion of superiority, by TheraminTrees.

This may seem like an odd argument, since it doesn’t mention climate change *at all*. However, it is a GREAT introduction to the Dunning-Kruger effect. This effect basically says that people who are not competent in a given area are less likely to recognize true competence in that area or realize their own incompetence (watch the video now for a better explanation). This matters in climate change when you’re dealing with people who have no scientific credentials placing their own analysis above that of the experts - including yourself, especially if you aren’t aware you’re doing it. Being aware of this in your own thinking is the first step to overcoming it.

DOCUMENTARIES - For those of us who prefer long-form video; no, these aren’t “Inconvenient Truth”s - these are all available free online and are more like instances of investigative journalism.

Heat (PBS Frontline)

Not to be confused with the George Monbiot book of the same title, Frontline’s introduction to climate change is fairly basic, but I couldn’t think about including a section on documentaries without including Heat. What sets Heat apart is that it doesn’t bother with minor quibbling points, a hand-holding grade-school backgrounder on the science, or journalistic padding with climate denialists (a journalist’s idea of “objectivity” is normally very different from a scientist’s) - it focuses on the bottom line of sustainability, our energy infrastructure, and the nature of American politics. Pay special attention to the vested interests interviewed here in the context of the questions asked, by the way.

Reviews of this program from sources I trust include Michael Tobis, Lou Grinzo, and the late “JohnnyRook“.

The Denial Machine (CBC Fifth Estate)

An uncommonly good look at the PR buildup and spin surrounding climate change. If the “tactics” section above seemed interesting but you’d rather see examples of it, this is your show. It’s also not exclusively American, spending a decent amount of time on the Canadian lobby scene as well. Recall that good PR firms are invisible (getting the customer to ignore the PR firm and pay attention to the client) - the Fifth Estate looked deep enough to spot the major players in the scene. It also illustrates how comparisons between climate denial and tobacco lobbying aren’t ad-hominem attacks: here, the script and the actors are virtually identical, and we can prove it.

(I’m currently trying to track down a free online copy of National Geographic’s Six Degrees That Could Change The World, a documentary version of Mark Lynas’ book Six Degrees: Our Future On A Hotter Planet, which goes through the climate impact of each 1-degree rise in temperature. It’s available via torrent (*cough*), but I’d rather keep this list entirely clean. The book gets a recommendation anyway, as it’s uncommonly clearly written for a science book.)

RELATED ISSUES - Introductory information on social issues related to climate change without actually being climate change

Climate Wars podcast by Gwynne Dyer

The CBC did an audio version of Gwynne Dyer’s book Climate Wars on their Ideas podcast, which I saved and made available through MediaFire. This is an incredible listen, especially for more “social-studies minded” individuals, as it deals with the geopolitics of climate change. It also deals with security issues, wars, and possible solutions. If you aren’t a science-type, this is a must-listen (Ideally you should read it, but the book isn’t free). I should note that at least one engineering-management professor on campus has this podcast as a required reading in his classes.

Cradle to Cradle Design, by William McDonogh on TED.com.

This talk appeals to environmentalists, designers, artists, and engineers alike: It provides a vision for future development that shows what sustainability really looks like (something that may inspire these kids in ways nothing else on this page can do). Their book (also titled Cradle to Cradle) is literally genius work (a term I do not use lightly; it takes someone like Feynman to qualify!), and highly recommended.

What’s Peak Oil? from Howtoboilafrog

This is interconnected with climate change for obvious reasons, and underscores the importance of switching to non-fossil-fuels ASAP, but it isn’t even mentioned in the news *at all*. That’s where this video comes in: it’s a funny introduction to all the important elements of peak oil. (Even if you disbelieve the science of climate change, the decarbonists’ goals of getting off of coal and oil line up with peak oil.) If this interests people, the website The Oil Drum has more information than you can shake a very large stick at. I could also go off on many, many tangents on this subject, but this post is dedicated to climate, not peak oil, so…

Winning the Oil Endgame, by Amory Lovins on TED.com.

This is another inspiring video, describing how the US can get itself completely off oil within 10 years, led by business for profit. Lovins is an expert on efficiency and an engaging speaker. This talk shows another glimmer of light, especially for any engineers in the crowd.

Chapter 4 from Tom Blees’ Prescription for the Planet.

This is an introduction to modern nuclear power. Nuclear is a hot-button issue that often shows up in climate arguments, since traditional environmentalists oppose it and traditional conservatives support older, more Simpsons-esque reactors (which have their share of problems, both environmental and economic). People honestly aren’t aware of the newer reactors, and this is a great introduction for anyone interested in being informed on this issue. (For the record, I’m still skeptical, but at least I’m questioning my earlier biases.)

Arithmetic, Population, and Energy by Dr. Albert Bartlett.

This is an hourlong talk aimed at first-year students, but has been delivered at high schools before. It may SOUND boring, but give it a shot — it’s actually rather engaging, although not in the typical high school format.  The content is very important. (Personal note: if you’re reading this and you’re an acquaintance of mine, you probably know Gerry. He’s used the thesis of this argument as his e-mail signature for years.)

FURTHER READING - For those who want meatier material than what’s included above.

The Second National Risk and Culture Study: Making Sense of - and Making Progress In - The American Culture War of Fact

This beefy title refers to a very interesting study done on the presentation of, and reaction to, information relating to social issues, based on a person’s ideological beliefs. Climate change is one of the case studies provided. The general idea is that non-scientists do not evaluate factual accuracy based on scientific understanding, but rather on how well that information agrees with pre-existing worldviews. It’s very easy to read and covers more issues than climate change, and it may help in determining how to present your arguments, specifically what to emphasize.

National Security and the Threat of Climate Change.

Written by 11 retired three- and four-star generals and admirals (one of them General Zinni, mentioned above), this discusses climate change in terms of US and international security. It’s pretty easy to skim, but a deep reading is rather involved and not necessary to get the point. The main point, of course, is that the military considers this a dire threat - or, more specifically, a “threat multiplier”, as it tends to make existing problems like terrorism worse. (One should be wary of hearing this from an organization that depends on a constant supply of new threats to justify its further funding, but the reasoning behind this report is sound.)

The Age of Consequences.

Similar to the last one, this is a multidisciplinary overview of the possible consequences of inaction on climate change. It presents three scenarios - “Expected”, “Severe”, and “Catastrophic” - which emerge from the known science, and then traces what impact each would have on our world and way of life. This can be bleak reading at times — one of the authors literally compares some of these very-real-possibility scenarios to the movie Mad Max.

Climate Change and Scientists

Video of an excellent talk on climate science as a whole, by Ralph Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences, as part of the Roger Revelle Centennial Symposium earlier this year. (I would suggest this as an alternative introduction to climate science to anyone with a basic first-year university education or further in the sciences, instead of any of the videos above, which are aimed at a more lay audience.)

Powering the Planet

Another Roger Revelle Centennial Symposium lecture, this time by Nate Lewis of the California Institute of Technology. The subject is on the scale of the problems with today’s energy use. That may sound boring, but he does a good job making it engaging - at least, to those of us used to hearing university-level lectures. Give this one a watch if you have any interest in the transition to a clean energy infrastructure, especially if you think you know what we’re dealing with (remember Dunning-Kruger!).

More will be added as other quality resources are discovered. If this isn’t enough for you (ha!), check my blagroll for more ongoing resources. (With very few exceptions, the above does NOT link to resources that can be found on the blagroll, though.)