DBQ Source Summaries
CLIMATE PROJECT / LESSON 1.4 ACTIVITY DBQ SOURCE SUMMARIES: INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE1Unless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “DBQ Source Summaries: Introduction toClimate Change”, OER Project, https://www.oerproject.com/Note to Teachers: Below you will find summaries of the sources in DBQSources: Introduction to Climate Change. Theseare meant to provide you a quick understanding of the document types and content so you can decide which sources you want your students to use. You may choose to provide these summaries to your students as additional scaffolding. ProcessSource SummaryDocument 1 (Text)Source: United Nations Climate Action. “What Is Climate Change?” United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-changeClimate change refers to long-term changes in temperatures and weather patterns, which can be natural but are now largely driven by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels. This generates greenhouse gases that trap heat and raise global temperatures. Since the late 1800s, Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by 1.1°C. The last decade was the warmest on record. Document 2 (Chart)Source:The Learning Network. “What’s Going on in This Graph?” The New York Times,August 2023. Graph source: NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, August 2023.Historical records stretch back to the 1880s, when people began to regularly measure and record global temperatures. This graph shows temperature differences compared with global average temperatures from the middle of the twentieth century. From the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century, temperatures were generally cooler than average (blue bars). Starting in the 1980s, global temperatures began increasing rapidly (orange bars), with recent data showing an average rise of +1.2°C.Document 3 (Text)Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.” Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report, 2022.The impacts of climate change are affecting people globally, increasing risks to human and natural systems. However, efforts to address these risks are delayed by misinformation, which has undermined public understanding of climate science and created uncertainty. Rhetoric, misinformation, and politicization of science have fueled misperceptions about the scientific consensus on climate change, leading to polarization, indecision, and delayed action.
CLIMATE PROJECT / LESSON 1.4ACTIVITY DBQ SOURCE SUMMARIES: INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE2Source SummaryDocument 4 (Text)Source: Rosen, Julia. “The Science of Climate Change Explained: Facts, Evidence and Proof.” The New York Times,April 19, 2021.During the Industrial Revolution, the burning of fossil fuels like coal began releasing significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to the warming of the planet. Evidence for this comes from historical temperature records starting in the 1800s, satellite data, and geological indicators such as tree rings and ice cores. The data consistently shows a rise in global temperatures—by about 2.2°F (1.2°C) since 1880. Over 97% of climate scientists agree that human activities are the primary cause of this unprecedented warming.Document 5 (Text)Source: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, “Paris Agreement.” UNFCCC.int. December 12, 2015.To meet the 1.5°C temperature limit set in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement, countries aim to reach the peak of global greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, recognizing that developing countries will take longer to reach that peak. After peaking, rapid emission reductions should follow, informed by the best science available. The goal is to balance emissions (from human activities) and removals (through natural or technological sinks) in the second half of this century. This process should also ensure fairness, sustainable development, and poverty eradication.