Questions
1. The Climate Dice are Loaded. Now, a New Frontier? 【ClimateDice.13July2023.pdf】
a. What does Hansen mean by “Climate Dice,” and using his analysis, are they more “loaded?”
b. What does Hansen mean by “Earth’s energy imbalance?”
c. Explain the logic of using 1880 as the start date for comparing global temperature.
2. Carbon Atlas Exercise
a. Figures and Graphs
i. Select five countries: two advanced economies, two developing, and one underdeveloped country.
ii. Plot the total territorial, consumption, and transfer fossil fuel emissions measured in MtCO2 for each country. Also, define each type of emission and how it is different.
iii. Comment on trends and theorize which emission (territorial, consumption, or transfer) captures that country’s emissions.
b. Interpretation
i. Repeat the same exercise for one, but change the unit to kgCO2/GDP.
ii. Comment on trends and theorize which emission (territorial, consumption, or transfer) captures that country’s emissions.
iii. What unit better illustrates the emissions of each country?
3. Over or Underpopulation Exercise
a. Figure and Graphs
i. Select five countries: two advanced economies, two developing, and one underdeveloped country.
ii. Find each country's fertility and fatality rates using World Bank data—plot figures.
iii. Plot all five countries “Food Production Index”
1. What is a “Food Production Index.” i.e., what are we measuring, and explain the concept of an index.
b. Using the above arguments, agree or disagree with the following Malthusian quote, “I SAID THAT POPULATION, WHEN UNCHECKED, increased in a geometrical ratio, and subsistence for man in an arithmetical ratio (p. 6).”
c. Interpretation
4. Go to the Monthly Energy Review
a. Select “Energy consumption by sector.”
b. Plot data from “Transportation sector energy consumption” Table 2.5. annually from the years 1949-2023 of the following categories:
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Coal Consumed by the Transportation Sector
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Natural Gas Consumed by the Transportation Sector (Excluding Supplemental Gaseous Fuels)
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Petroleum Consumed by the Transportation Sector (Excluding Biofuels)
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Total Fossil Fuels Consumed by the Transportation Sector
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Biomass Energy Consumed by the Transportation Sector
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Total Primary Energy Consumed by the Transportation Sector
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Electricity Sales to Ultimate Customers in the Transportation Sector
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End-Use Energy Consumed by the Transportation Sector
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Electrical System Energy Losses Proportioned to the Transportation Sector
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(Trillion Btu)
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(Trillion Btu)
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(Trillion Btu)
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(Trillion Btu)
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(Trillion Btu)
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(Trillion Btu)
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(Trillion Btu)
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(Trillion Btu)
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(Trillion Btu)
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c. What trends do you notice?
d. What sector is the largest energy consumer, which is the least?
5. Using the same starting point, Monthly Energy Review,
a. Select “Renewable Energy”
b. Select 10.1 - “Production and consumption by source”
c. Plot, annually the following indicators for the years 1981-2023 for production and consumption (2 different graphs: one for production, one for consumption.
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Wood Energy Production
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Biofuels Production
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Total Biomass Energy Production
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Total Renewable Energy Production
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Hydroelectric Power Consumption
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Geothermal Energy Consumption
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Solar Energy Consumption
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Wind Energy Consumption
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Wood Energy Consumption
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Waste Energy Consumption
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Biofuels Consumption
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Total Biomass Energy Consumption
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d. For both graphs, what trends do you notice?
e. For both graphs, what is the largest producer (consumer) and smallest producer (consumer)
f. Please explain why you think the period is much shorter compared to fossil fuel exercise in part 4?
Grading Rubric
The table below details how your instructor will be grading your assignments.
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Grading
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Question
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Possible Points
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1
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10
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2
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10
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3
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10
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4
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10
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5
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10
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Total
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50
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Points per Question
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Logos
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2.5
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Pathos
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2.5
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Ethos
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2.5
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Climate Literacy
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2.5
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Total
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10
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Grading Scale
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50
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100 = A+
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47.5
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95 = A
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45
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90 = A-
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42.5
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85 = B
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40
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80 = B-
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37.5
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75 = C
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35
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70 = C-
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Definitions
Climate Literacy – Does the student identify each climate indicator (units, value, etc.) in their analysis of each question.
Pathos – Emotional and Sympathy in your argument.
Logos – Structure of your argument. Introduction, Body paragraph, and Conclusion for each answer, and is it at least 500 words, not including quotes.
Ethos – Credibility of your argument. Students will create a Zotero account and then make a bibliography using APA citations. Please start a group called “ENRE PS1” and share the link in your final submission.