Published on EGEE 401: Energy in a Changing World (https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401)

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Introduction

Unit 2: Environmental Challenges – Lesson 3: Climate Change, Current and Projected Impacts

About Unit 2 and Lesson 3

In the previous unit, we learned about energy in its natural forms and how energy changes from one form to another. We defined energy efficiency as the useful energy output divided by the total energy input. It's easy to think only in terms of the useful output rather than the other unintended outputs. We routinely measure the mileage of our cars, the capacity of our power plants, the efficiency of our appliances. We have been less attuned to measures related to the non-useful (unintended) outputs of these energy transformations, (e.g., greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, radioactive waste, solid waste). In this unit, we'll look more closely at the outputs related to climate change.

CO2 is one of many gases that are the unintended byproducts of energy transformations routinely conducted by humans on a large scale for purposes of the energy industry, as well as transportation, agriculture, semiconductor manufacturing, industrial process, fuel production and others.

The main source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is the combustion of fossil fuels.

For more than 100 years, three fossil fuel sources—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—have made up at least 80% of total U.S. energy consumption. (Source: Today In Energy [1], July 2015)  In 2014, thirty percent (30%) of our greenhouse emissions came from electricity generation and 26% from transportation. (Source: US Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report [2], April 2016)

Collectively, CO2 and related gasses are called greenhouse gases (GHG) because of their role in climate change through a process called the Greenhouse Effect. To appreciate the connection between our use of energy and the environment, it helps first to understand what climate change is and the science behind it. This is the goal of Unit 2.

In Unit 2, we will look at Environmental Challenges and gain an understanding of what they are, why they matter, and the science behind them. Then, when we study the energy industry, we can relate the underlying energy transformation processes and byproducts to their impact on the environment.

Lesson 3 covers the current and projected impacts of climate change.

Embedded Reading Assignments

Throughout Lesson 3 (and many other lessons in this course), you will be guided to websites where specific sections or pages are assigned for reading. Rather than pulling these pages as excerpts and posting them here on the course website, you’re being directed to the source document where you can see the reading assignment in full context. Maybe you’ll see other sections that pique your interest or are useful reference for other projects at work or school. And if you have questions about terms or data presented in the assigned reading, take a few minutes to poke around the rest of the document and see if you can find answers. It’s a fascinating world out there! If you have navigation questions, let me know, and I’ll clarify.

What will we learn in Lesson 3?

With the successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • explain current climate change impacts locally and globally;
  • describe how climate modeling is used to make projections;
  • explain projected climate change impacts locally and globally;
  • relate the impacts of climate change to your life and locale.

What is due for Lesson 3?

The table below provides an overview of the requirements for Lesson 3. For details regarding the assignment, refer to the page(s) noted in the table.

Please refer to the Calendar in ANGEL for specific time frames and due dates.

Lesson 3 Assignments
REQUIREMENT LOCATION SUBMITTED FOR GRADING?
Reading: About IPCC and Fifth Assessment Report (designated sections) Page 2 No
Viewing (optional): IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report Synthesis Report video Page 2 No
Reading: IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (designated sections) Page 3 No
Reading: IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (designated sections) Page 4 No
Reading: IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (designated sections) Page 5 No
Reading: IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (designated sections) Page 6 No
View Interactive Maps: U.S. Geological Survey Page 6 No
Lesson 3 Activity: Complete Lesson 3 Activity. (It's in CANVAS, in the Unit 2 Module.) Page 7 Yes
Unit 2 Discussion Forum: "Biggest Loser!" Cutting your green house gas emissions (It's in CANVAS, in the Unit 2 Module.) Page 8 Yes

Questions about EGEE 401?

If you have any questions, please post them to our Questions about EGEE 401? Discussion (not e-mail), in CANVAS. Use this Discussion  for general questions about course content and administration. I will check it daily to respond. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help out a classmate or have a related question.

 


Source URL: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401/node/1765

Links
[1] https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=21912
[2] https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/us-greenhouse-gas-inventory-report-1990-2014