Climate science video series with Dr. Twila Moon
Our virtual workshop series, presented by globally renowned climate scientist and science communicator Dr. Twila Moon, breaks down the essentials of climate science into eight concise episodes. Each episode is about 5 minutes long and packed with the most important facts and figures. We’ve highlighted three key takeaways for each episode, and for those looking to explore deeper, detailed cheat sheets are available for download.
Episode 1: Yes, people are changing the climate
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What are the key takeaways from this episode?
- The Earth has been warmer in the past, but that was before human society came to life on earth.
- People are the drivers of change today, and it is up to us where the climate goes from here.
- We are in a precious window during which human choices and actions will determine our future path.
Episode 2: Climate science is well understood
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What are the key takeaways from this episode?
- Active disinformation campaigns continue to sow public uncertainty and inaction despite well-understood climate science.
- Climate science is not a recent discovery: the research has a long history, and it is robust and irrefutable.
- We know what the problem is, and we know there are many solutions available that will make a real difference for our future.
Episode 3: Carbon emissions have created our warmer temperatures
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What are the key takeaways from this episode?
- We possess a clear and actionable understanding of the causes and sources of global warming. This knowledge empowers us to take informed action and effectively confront the challenge of climate change.
- The consequences of global warming vary locally, with some areas experiencing more warming than others.
- There are limits to the Earth’s ability to absorb CO2, making it essential to take rapid action to reduce emissions and protect the environment.
Episode 4: The Earth is a complex connected system
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What are the key takeaways from this episode?
- Because we live in a connected Earth system, changes can create vicious amplifying loops.
- For now, human action can minimise the potential for these loops to cross irreversible tipping points.
- But time is of the essence – we must take action now, while human action can still prevent runaway changes.
Episode 5: Climate action now will have short- and long-term benefits
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What are the key takeaways from this episode?
- Future pathways that reduce risk are still possible. Societal choices can take us down this better pathway.
- There are immediate short-term benefits to climate action, like improved air and water quality, which ultimately have positive impacts on our health.
- Actions this decade will reverberate for millennia, and every fraction of warming avoided is important. It is high time to really get serious about climate action.
Episode 6: We must adapt to and reduce sea level rise
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What are the key takeaways from this episode?
- Sea level is rising. Sea levels will rise more quickly in some locations, with devastating consequences.
- Impacts include land loss, sewer and water damage, losing freshwater resources, major infrastructure damage and loss.
- Slowing sea level rise is still possible and gives communities time to plan and adapt. Our choices in this decade can determine whether we face manageable challenges or catastrophic consequences.
Episode 7: Multisolving allows us to address climate and other societal challenges
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What are the key takeaways from this episode?
- Tackling climate change isn’t just about climate change. Multisolving allows us to address climate while addressing other critical societal issues like health and social justice.
- There is no “silver bullet”. Implement solutions that connect to your work, activities, and passion.
- Not adding carbon dioxide is best, even if removing is also needed.
Episode 8: It’s time to bring a climate lens to all of our activities
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What are the key takeaways from this episode?
- The Arctic is one of the fastest warming places on Earth.
- Change is occurring for ecosystems, human infrastructure and activity, and geopolitics.
- We must bring a climate lens to all of our activities, embedding climate action and resilience into our preparations and reactions to change.
Publication bibliography
Episode 1: Yes, people are changing the climate
Copernicus (2023): Climate Indicators: Temperature. Copernicus. Available online at climate.copernicus.eu/climate-indicators/temperature, updated on 4/20/2023, checked on 9/15/2023.
NOAA Climate.gov (2023): Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide. With assistance of Rebecca Lindsey. Available online at www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide, updated on 9/1/2023, checked on 9/1/2023.
Episode 2: Climate science is well understood
Perfetto, Imma (2022): Eunice Newton Foote’s long-forgotten climate-science discovery. In Cosmos Magazine, 11/2/2022. Available online at cosmosmagazine.com/history/eunice-newton-footes-long-forgotten-climate-science-discovery/, checked on 9/15/2023.
Episode 3: Carbon emissions have created our warmer temperatures
Climate.gov (2023): Climate Change: Global Temperature. With assistance of Rebecca Lindsey, Luann Dahlman. NOAA. Available online at www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-temperature, updated on 1/18/2023, checked on 11/18/2023.
Deshayes, Pierre-Henry (2021): Arctic warming three times faster than the planet, report warns. In Phys.org, 5/20/2021. Available online at phys.org/news/2021-05-arctic-faster-planet.html, checked on 9/15/2023.
Le Quéré, Corinne; Andrew, Robbie M.; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Sitch, Stephen; Hauck, Judith; Pongratz, Julia et al. (2018): Global Carbon Budget 2018. In Earth Syst. Sci. Data 10 (4), pp. 2141–2194. DOI: 10.5194/essd-10-2141-2018.
NASA (2023): How might Earth’s atmosphere, land, and ocean systems respond to changes in carbon dioxide over time? – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. NASA. Available online at climate.nasa.gov/faq/55/how-might-earths-atmosphere-land-and-ocean-systems-respond-to-changes-in-carbon-dioxide-over-time/, updated on 8/24/2023, checked on 9/11/2023.
Episode 4: The earth is a complex connected system
Chen, Yangxin; Ji, Duoying; Zhang, Qian; Moore, John C.; Boucher, Olivier; Jones, Andy et al. (2023): Northern-high-latitude permafrost and terrestrial carbon response to two solar geoengineering scenarios. In Earth Syst. Dynam. 14 (1), pp. 55–79. DOI: 10.5194/esd-14-55-2023.
Mulhern, Owen (2022): 11 Interesting Climate Change Facts. In Earth.Org, 5/29/2022. Available online at earth.org/data_visualization/11-interesting-facts-about-climate-change/, checked on 9/1/2023.
NSIDC (2023): Quick Facts About Sea Ice. National Snow and Ice Data Center. Available online at nsidc.org/learn/parts-cryosphere/sea-ice/quick-facts-about-sea-ice, updated on 9/13/2023, checked on 9/13/2023.
Episode 5: Climate action now will have short- and long-term benefits
Bochow, Nils; Poltronieri, Anna; Robinson, Alexander; Montoya, Marisa; Rypdal, Martin; Boers, Niklas (2023): Overshooting the critical threshold for the Greenland ice sheet. In Nature 622 (7983), pp. 528–536. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06503-9.
Climate Action Tracker (2022): 2100 Warming Projections. Available online at climateactiontracker.org/global/temperatures/, checked on 10/12/2023.
IPCC (2018): Global Warming of 1.5°C. Summary for Policymakers. Switzerland. Available online at www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SR15_SPM_version_stand_alone_HR.pdf, checked on 6/29/2023.
The Future We Don’t Want (2018): How Climate Change Could Impact the World’s Greatest Cities (UCCRN Technical Report). Available online at www.c40.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/1789_Future_We_Dont_Want_Report_1.4_hi-res_120618.original-compressed.pdf, checked on 10/12/2023.
Episode 6: We must adapt to and reduce sea-level rise
Copernicus (2022): Climate Indicators: Sea level. Copernicus. Available online at climate.copernicus.eu/climate-indicators/sea-level, checked on 9/13/2023.
NSIDC (2023): Ice Sheet – Quick Facts. National Snow & Ice Data Centre. Available online at nsidc.org/learn/parts-cryosphere/ice-sheets/ice-sheet-quick-facts, checked on 9/13/2023.
Episode 7: Multisolving allows us to address climate and other societal challenges
Shindell, Drew; Faluvegi, Greg; Seltzer, Karl; Shindell, Cary (2018): Quantified, Localized Health Benefits of Accelerated Carbon Dioxide Emissions Reductions. In Nat. Clim. Chang. 8 (4), pp. 291–295. DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0108-y.
Shindell, Drew T.; Lee, Yunha; Faluvegi, Greg (2016): Climate and health impacts of US emissions reductions consistent with 2 °C. In Nature Clim Change 6 (5), pp. 503–507. DOI: 10.1038/nclimate2935.
Episode 8: It’s time to bring a climate lens to all of our activities
Bamber, Jonathan (2022): The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the world. How concerned should we be? World Economic Forum. Available online at www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/08/arctic-warming-four-times-faster-than-world/, checked on 9/15/2023.
Desanlis, Helene; Lau, Tim; Janik, Karolina; Suttenberg, Stephanie; Menon, Surabi (2022): Funding trends 2022: Climate change mitigation philanthropy. Climate Works Global Intelligence. Available online at www.climateworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ClimateWorks_Funding_Trends_Report_2022.pdf, checked on 11/1/2022.
NASA Earth Observatory (2021): Rain and Warmth Trigger More Melting in Greenland. NASA. Available online at earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148720/rain-and-warmth-trigger-more-melting-in-greenland, checked on 9/14/2023.
Get in touch
Please direct your inquiries, comments, feedback or questions related to the video series to Louis Wilß.
Email: wilss@activephilanthropy.org