Climate Change Adaptation
Driving Question: What are the most promising adaptation solutions to climate change and what effect could these solutions have?
The are many different impacts of climate change being felt around the world—longer droughts, intense heat waves, more severe storms, to name just a few. There are also numerous ways humans might respond to each of these impacts. In this lesson, you’ll explore the ways that we can adapt to a planet that is already getting warmer. You’ll research and assess adaptation solutions to decide where to focus our limited resources to make the biggest difference in reducing the impacts of climate change.
- Examine various adaptation strategies and evaluate their effectiveness in different contexts.
- Recognize and identify communities that are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts and how adaptation solutions may benefit those groups.
- Evaluate an adaptation strategy based on a limited set of criteria and advocate for its implementation.
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Guiding Questions
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Observe
Skim the full infographic, paying attention to things like prominent colors, numbers, charts, and types of text. How do you know where to start and which direction to read? How do you know what numbers are most important? What concept is the focus of the graphic? What big questions do you have?
Key Ideas
- How is the number of people living in cities predicted to change in the future?
- What problems do cities present in the face of climate change?
- How can weatherization help make our buildings more resilient?
- How can planting trees around a building act as a climate change adaptation solution?
- What is natural heating and cooling, and how can it help make buildings more resilient?
Evaluate
- What are other adaptation solutions that could help make our cities more resilient and livable?
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Guiding Questions
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Skim
Before you read, you should quickly skim the article, by looking at the headings of each section and the charts. Read the questions below as well, so you know what to look for when you read!
Key Ideas
- What are the four key areas of adaptation solutions according to the article?
- Why are agricultural systems a crucial part of climate change adaptation?
- Why is local context important when it comes to adaptation?
- What are the three key criteria for evaluating and comparing adaptation solutions put forth in this article?
Evaluate
- The last section of the article discusses some complex and important questions regarding adaptation: Who will bear the cost of implementing adaptation solutions if communities themselves cannot? Who is responsible for remedying the effects of climate change? Brainstorm another difficult question regarding how we choose and implement adaptation solutions.
- In the article, the author uses the three key criteria of time, cost, and impact potential to make the case for investing in drought-tolerant crops as an adaptation solution. Do you agree with the author? What additional arguments might support or challenge the author’s position?
Adapting to a Changing Climate
Adapting to climate change will require innovation across many different fields of research. This video produced by Wondrium introduces new innovations, such as drought-resistant maize and coastal carbon capture, that will help us adapt to a changing planet.
Key Ideas
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch!
While you watch
- Why are farmers particularly vulnerable to climate change?
- What is ONE CGIAR? What do they do and why is it important?
- What are small-holder farms, and what challenges do they face because of climate change?
- Why is CGIAR’s development of drought-tolerant maize so important?
- Why is it important to consider social factors in the development of new crop varieties?
- What is coastal carbon capture? How is it related to chemical weathering?
After you watch
- The video discusses the importance of considering local social factors in introducing new crop varieties. This is true not just for farming solutions but for many different mitigation and adaptation solutions. Provide an example of a social factor one would need to consider when introducing a new solution into your community.
Write supporting statements for claims to develop your ability to evaluate evidence and support your arguments.
