4 Module 4: Emissions, responsibility, and reimagining economies
In this module, we will investigate who and what is responsible for the climate emergency, and explore how our existing systems could be changed.
Explore the role that emissions have had on climate change since 1750, and investigate the question: Where do global emissions come from? Learn about which greenhouse gases are most concerning, and why. Reflect on Indigenous economies that emphasize reciprocity and responsibility, and begin to rethink our relationship to earth.
Learning Outcomes
- Given a graph of emission sources and sinks, explain how they vary over time and space. (Lesson 1)
- Define radiative forcing and how humans have affected the radiative forcing received by the Earth since 1750. (Lesson 1)
- Identify the most important greenhouse gases, and explain why they are important based on their concentration and global warming potential. (Lesson 2)
- Describe the links between emissions and economics. (Lesson 3 and 4)
- Identify and analyze connections between colonialism, capitalism, and suppression of Indigenous economies and current climate change realities. (Lesson 4)
- Envision your climate future by imagining how our relationship with Earth can be different. (Activity)
Lesson 1: Anthropogenic and natural radiative forcings
In this lesson, students learn about the sources (where carbon dioxide is coming from, mostly land clearance and fossil fuel burning) and sinks or reservoirs of carbon (where carbon dioxide ends up and is stored, the land, ocean, and atmosphere). The carbon dioxide that ends up in the atmosphere leads to an increased greenhouse effect and warming temperatures. But what is the importance of greenhouse gases relative to other factors (called forcings) on the Earth’s climate system? To answer this question, we introduce the concept of radiative forcing. This allows us to see how much of the shift in the earth’s energy budget that is causing the earth to warm is due to natural factors, and how much is due to human factors.
In this lesson, students will:
- Watch a conceptual video that shows the movement of carbon within Earth’s carbon cycle, and answer a series of questions to solidify their understanding.
- Watch a video about anthropogenic and natural radiative forcings
- Practice reading graphs introduced in the video.
Lesson 2: Greenhouse Gases
In this lesson, students will look into the main greenhouse gases, and learn about their important properties. They will find out what properties make some greenhouse gases contribute more to earth’s Greenhouse Effect than others.
In this lesson, students will
- Watch a video about Greenhouse Gases
- Test their understanding with key takeaways and questions
Optionally, students will:
- Learn more about the ozone layer and CFCs
Recommendation: Solidify your understanding of the role of Ozone in the Greenhouse Effect.
A common misconception with students and occasionally their instructors is that the Ozone hole directly impacts the Greenhouse Effect and Climate Warming. If you will be teaching about Greenhouse Gases, make sure to read more about ozone so as not to confuse the ozone hole and climate warming. You’ll want to help students understand the difference between the stratospheric ozone (and ozone hole) and tropospheric ozone (a greenhouse gas). There are a lot of resources that clarify the connection between ozone and greenhouse gases, such as this short Q&A from NASA.
It is because of this common misconception that we include a short, optional section on the ozone hole, CFCs, and greenhouse gases with lesson 1.
In summary, the depletion of the ozone layer in the stratosphere is related to human emissions of CFCs. The ozone layer is critical to life on earth. Heating as a result of UV light is minimal.
In the troposphere, CFCs, HCFCs, and ozone released from pollution (different from ozone in the stratosphere), act as efficient greenhouse gases, but due to their low concentrations they play a relatively small role in climate warming.
Lesson 3: Historical and current fossil fuel emissions
In this lesson, students will complete a StoryMap that asks: Who or what is responsible for the climate emergency?
This StoryMap includes formative assessment questions that students can answer throughout. If you want to test student understanding in a summative fashion, you’ll need to include your own questions within your learning management system about the storymap.
Lesson 4: Indigenous economy: Centring Ecology
In this lesson, students will be introduced to the role of modern Euro-Western capitalist economics, colonialism and environmental dispossession (terms introduced in previous modules) in the climate crisis, which will lead to an understanding of the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and our current economic realities. Students will learn about the reciprocal nature of Indigenous economies, their historical significance and continued vibrancy today. By learning about different economic systems and their consequences, we hope students gain an appreciation of different world views and begin to envision ways to shift systems (e.g., economic, environmental decision making) through relationship knowledge and community building.
In this lesson, students will
- Watch a video about Indigenous Economy, Centring Ecology
- Consider key reflection questions
Activity: Listen, read, and reflect on the rights of Mother Earth
In this activity, students will
- view Métis artist Christi Belcourt’s art and read her artist statement.
- Watch a video as Dr. Lewis Williams envisions her climate future.
After watching and listening to the resources, students will reflect on some questions to get them interrogating their relationship with earth.
Choosing a tool for reflection
We will use the Forums tool that is built into our Learning Management System for this activity. You’ll want to choose a tool that makes sense for your course. Consider your class size, whether students are ready to share reflections with eachother vs individually with you, and what tools they may already be familiar with. If you want students interacting with each other, be sure to add instructions about when to come back and check for other responses and what to do when you do check back.