Module 4 Discussion 1 - Scientific Uncertainty and Climate Change
Discussion Topic
Available until Jun 14, 2022 11:59 PM. Submission restricted after availability ends.
**Before starting this assignment, please make sure you are familiar with the grading rubric (posted in the CONTENT section under GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION) and create your posts and responses accordingly**
Your textbook discusses the science behind the issue of global climate change, but many people finding themselves asking questions not only about the fundemental basics of the science of climate change, but also of the public policy side of issue. If we know that science is always changing (indeed, the first chapter of our book related many stories on how our understanding of Earth processes seems to change all the time!), how do we make decisions to act on "uncertain" science? Is climate science really that uncertain? These are some of the issues we are going to try to discuss.
Your specific assignment is to do the following:
Once you have read Element (Chapter) 12, take some time to consider how YOU think we should approach the climate change issue. You don't need to submit anything for this part, I just want you to actually spend 10 minutes pondering this gigantic issue that resurfaces over and over again in our lives.
Now, read this short article by Henry Pollack entitled "Scientific uncertainty and public policy: Moving forward without all the answers"and post your answers to the questions below. You can find the article in the content section under Module 4.
Scientific Uncertainty Article
1. In the author's opinion, what are some of the barriers citizens face in understanding the human role in climate change? Can you think of any other barriers not mentioned in the article? Do you feel like any of these are barriers for you or other people you know?
2. What are some other examples of scientific debates than have been clouded with uncertainly from non-scientific sources? Are there others that the author didn't mention?
3. What other uncertainties make it difficult for scientists to understand exactly how the Earth and people will be effecting by climate change?
4. Explain, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, the three simple principles the author gives for providing a framework for formulating policy under conditions of deep uncertainty.
5. In one or two paragraphs, please tell us about your reaction to this article (there are no wrong answers here, I don't care what position you take, I just want to see that you have thought about what you read).