Zealandconsensus                    

Climate Conference

for upper secondary students

from 8 schools with guests

in the Region of Zealand

21^st – 28^th of November, 2009

www.zealandconsensus.dk

Haslev Gymnasium & HF, Sorø Akademi, Slagelse Gymnasium & HF,

Kalundborg Gymnasium & HF, Odsherreds Gymnasium,

Stenhus Gymnasium & HF, Nakskov Gymnasium & HF, Maribo Gymnasium

 Climate Change and Climate Models

 Purpose:

The overall purpose of this paper is to present ideas for working with “Climate Change and Climate Models”. This is one of eight themes chosen as focal points in connection with the Zealand Consensus Project, which is to be the presentation of the students to the decision makers of the world at COP15, Copenhagen 2009.

The 8 Themes:

1.      Climate Change and Climate Models

2.      Bio Fuel

3.      Hydrogen Energy

4.      Renewable Energy

5.      Environmental Behaviour – Housing, Traffic and Transportation

6.      Burning of Waste

7.      Nuclear Energy

8.      GMO

Introduction:

Experts on climate from around the world agree that the climate changes extremely rapidly during the present time. According to several scientists on the UN Intercontinental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC) it will still be possible to limit this increased warming to just 2-3 degrees (Celsius) over the next 100 years, if we actively begin slowing down the outlet of green house gas today. Immediately it may sound quite nice with a few extra degrees in Denmark, but the rise in temperature is a global average. That means that temperature may only rise ½ degree in Denmark, whereas it will rise 5 degrees or more in other places.

Some of the visual consequences of this global warming can already be seen at the Poles and at certain glaciers where an increased melting can be registered. When the Poles and great glaciers melt, it means that the levels of the oceans are rising and that can cause serious floods and danger that great areas of land will disappear. Another unpleasant consequence of global warming is that the weather becomes more extreme (hotter, wetter and wilder) causing increased areas with draught, violent showers and more fierce storms and hurricanes. Furthermore the increased temperature in Denmark will mean that we shall begin to see harmful insects in the Danish nature like malaria mosquitoes.

This increased global warming is caused by the green house effect. This effect is caused by green houses gas like ex. CO2 (carbon dioxide), CH4 (methane) and NO2 (laughing gas). Green house gas effectively holds back the heat of the Earth – like a green house holds the heat. In order to maintain a level of heat befitting life on Earth, a certain amount of green house gas is needed, but it is a subtle balance demanding not too much green house gas in the Earth’s atmosphere. Green house gas is created by the burning of oil, gas and coal and by the raising of cattle.

Thus some of the questions or challenges of the future will be: How much are you willing to bring down your own energy consumption and your consumption of meat? Can developing countries develop, if they have to save energy at the same time? Are the developing countries to be allowed increased energy consumption, while we hold back simultaneously in the rich countries? Are we to ban the use of gas guzzlers like 4 wheel drivers and giant garden pools? The conclusion is that most people seem to agree that the world is to decrease the amount of green house gas especially CO2 – but how is that done, exactly?

 Focus:

In the subject of ‘climate change’ you find aspects of causes as well as aspects of effects. It is obvious to work with natural causes as well as man-made ones in the climate change of the past and the present as well as attempting to describe the climate of the future based on various climate models. In this context it may prove expedient to include negative and positive feedback systems concerning Earth’s ability to regulate temperature - not to mention the level of carbon dioxide in the air.

Climate change can be regarded both as a result of global warming (ex. melting of Poles, increased water level in the oceans, higher temperature, heavier rainfalls and storms) and as a result of the increase of the contents of carbon dioxide in the air, which ex. also has an impact on the acidity of the oceans. Furthermore concrete consequences of climate change for fauna and vegetation can be studied.

 Educational deliberations:

Basic (all students):

Subject no. 1: The Effect of Climate Change (Workshop 1)

The intention is for all students to get an insight into the       

many consequences it may have when the climate changes with the temperature rising just a few degrees – from a biotic as well an abiotic point of view.

 Subject no. 2: The Effect of Climate Change on Society (Workshop 2)

The intention is for students to get an insight into the local as well as global consequences for society when the climate changes drastically. Furthermore to make students see the many difficult choices of climate politics:

How to go about doing something and how to do it most effectively. Here the point is also to be introduced to methods of environmental decision making.

 Subject no. 3: The Reduction of the Outlet of Green House Gas – Locally and Globally (Workshop 3)

Under this heading the intention is for the students to get insight into what is going on globally through the UN as well as working with possible local initiatives to diminish one’s own consumption and the discharge of CO2 following from it.

 Subject no. 4: Climate Models and the Climate of the Future (Workshop 4)

Under this heading the intention is for the students to see how the models are structured and which many factors they are to take into account. Furthermore to make them see how it will also be necessary to make models for the discharge of CO2 in the future.

Acquiring knowledge in this field:

Sources (Danish, English & German) – good search words.

Lectures by external professors or experts,

Traditional class room education,

Seeking information,

Source criticism,

Articles,

Good questions,

Visits to companies

Climate changes,

Historical climate changes (“The Great Global Climate Swindle” (Channel 4) by Al Gore),

Consequences of climate change (abiotic changes), acidification of the oceans,

Gographic models to describe the climate of the future, climate models, AT-dvd, www.emu.dk

Check possible German web sites,

Positive and negative feedback systems.

Experiments with photosynthesis, the Geological Institute, the Geographical Institute, experiments with precipitation (Stenhus Gymnasium), experiments with green flies (growth rates), experiments with growth of algae, experiments with leaching, visit to the Cliff at Moen, www.climate.dk , visit to the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural High School of Denmark.

Experiments with CO2 and its isolating effect:

Work group:

Jakob Meibom, jakobmeibom@hotmail.com , Sorø Akademis Skole

Ellen Sørensen, es@maribo-gym.dk , Maribo Gymnasium

GMO

Scientific topics:

Lecturers:

Experiments:

 Bio Fuel

What is bio fuel?

 Links and Literature:

 Lill Mikkelsen, lill.mikkelsen@skolekom.dk , Kalundborg gymnasium & Hf

Per Jeppesen, pj@nakskov-gym.dk, Nakskov Gymnasium

Thora Yates, ty@maribo-gym.dk , Maribo Gymnasium

 Hydrogen Energy

Questions:

Links and literature:

http://www.emu.dk/gym/tvaers/sciencegym/materialer/nfa2008/brint2008.html

Visits and excursions

Lectures and other ideas:

The loan of an electric car during the conference between the 21-28/11 09

Lill Mikkelsen, lill.mikkelsen@skolekom.dk , Kalundborg gymnasium & Hf

Thora Yates, ty@maribo-gym.dk , Maribo Gymnasium

Environmental Behaviour and Waste

Tasks:

 Transport of Persons:

 Energy-Saving Homes or the Zero-Energy House:

Living Space:

District Heating:

Rubbish:

Refuse:

The Carbon Cycle:

Handling of Rubbish:

 Fossil Fuels:

Environmental Behaviour:

Study Visits:

or local plants.

 Links to Educational Material:

Send e-mail til np@babalola.dk med spørgsmål eller kommentarer om dette Websted.
Senest opdateret: 04. november 2009