Evaluating Climate Solutions
Teacher Resources
Lesson 3.1 Teaching Guide
Blog: Three times—really?
Infographics Guide
Driving Question: How can we respond to a changing planet?
We live in a world that is confronting the realities of climate change. While that might feel overwhelming, there are many different ways to take meaningful action. In this lesson, you’ll explore the differences between adaptation and mitigation solutions in climate change and evaluate the interaction between these efforts. You’ll assess different climate solutions to understand why a comprehensive approach that both reduces greenhouse gases and lessens the impacts of climate change is essential to taking on the problem of climate change.
- Describe the difference between adaptation efforts and mitigation efforts and assess the need for each.
- Evaluate the interaction between adaptation and mitigation and identify potential areas where they work together and where they might conflict.
Opener
You’ve learned about climate change and its impacts, but what can we do to take on climate change? Use your knowledge to brainstorm different categories of climate change solutions and examples of those strategies.
Article
We are already feeling the impacts of climate change today. However, there are lots of solutions out there! This article looks at how adaptation and mitigation solutions can be used to address climate change and its impacts.
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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 is the difference between climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation?
- What are the two goals that climate change mitigation strategies try to achieve?
- Why is mitigation important in addressing climate change?
- What are the goals associated with climate change adaptation strategies?
- How do mitigation and adaptation strategies overlap?
- Why can’t we just focus on mitigation strategies to address climate change?
Evaluate
- The article explains how adaptation and mitigation strategies can interact in different ways—overlapping, counteracting, and so on. Why are these different interactions important for us to understand?
- Do you agree with the author of the article that we need a balance of climate change mitigation and adaptation? Why or why not?
Podcast: Smog Cloud Silver Linings
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Before listening
Before you listen to the podcast, read the questions below so you know what to listen for! If you’d like, you can follow along with the transcript as well.
While listening
- What did Hank Green discover about water temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean?
- What did Hank initially attribute the rising water temperatures to?
- What does Hank later discover might actually be causing the warmer water temperatures?
- What question does Hank have about the smog clouds?
- What is geoengineering?
- Why are some people skeptical of geoengineering solutions?
- Why do some people think we shouldn’t talk about geoengineering at all?
- Why does Hank think we should talk about geoengineering?
- What is marine cloud brightening?
- What’s another form of geoengineering that’s already in use today and what does Hank Green think about it.
After you listen
- Do you think we should pursue geoengineering as a solution to climate change? Why or why not?
Activity
Understanding the different categories of climate solutions is essential to determining the best approach to climate action. You’ll explore various solutions and evaluate the need for a broad and varied response to climate change.
Closer
Climate change has numerous impacts, and you’ve learned about the different ways to respond to these impacts, including adaptation and mitigation. Now, you’ll write a short reflection on the best ways to respond to climate change.