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DeLuca, N. M. (2017). Science of the anthropocene. In K. E. Peterman, G. P. Foy, & M. R. Cordes (Eds.), Climate change literacy and education : The science and perspectives from the global stage (Vol. 1, pp. 49-65). ACS Publications. https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2017-1247.ch004
The age of the Anthropocene is upon us, with humans affecting the earth’s climate and environment more than ever before. As a student at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Doha, Qatar and Warsaw, Poland, I experienced firsthand how important it is to educate my peers and the public on the science of climate change. This chapter aims to provide a basic understanding of some of the key concepts of climate science, including how greenhouse gases warm the earth’s surface, how natural processes affect climate, and how the observed changes in temperature today differ from times of change in the past. Evidence that humans are responsible for today’s changes in climate includes a shift in atmospheric carbon isotopes and results from climate models that simulate various climate scenarios. Our modern human ancestors did not experience the climate conditions that the earth is currently careening towards. In order to preserve the habitability of the earth for our species’ survival, immediate actions must be taken to reduce the damaging effects of human activities. Educating students and the public about climate science is a vital step in calling for policies that can make these necessary actions a reality.
