Contact: Mark McCaffrey, 303-735-3155
Mar. 18, 2009
New Literacy Guide Provides Quick Notes On
Climate System
Aiming to address misconceptions about climate science, University of Colorado at Boulder science outreach specialists, in partnership with NOAA, have helped produce a new set of climate literacy guidelines to aid teachers, policy makers, and the general public in understanding the intricacies of the climate system.
"Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science" presents information about Earth's climate, the impacts of climate change, and approaches to adaptation and mitigation, as well as key words and definitions. More than a dozen federal agencies involved in the U.S. Climate Change Science Program reviewed and endorsed the guide.
Co-author Mark McCaffrey, with CIRES Education and Outreach, hopes the guide will counter misinformation about how climate influences society and about how society influences climate.
"Climate literacy won't automatically lead to reduced carbon emissions or reductions in society's vulnerability to coastal storms, droughts, and other climate effects," he acknowledged. "That said, informed decision-making must be rooted in good science, and climate literacy guidelines will help us all -- federal agencies, the broad education community, individuals, communities -- be on the same page about the basics of climate science."
CIRES Education and Outreach is also developing an online, independent learning course on climate literacy through CU's Division of Continuing Education. The course is being customized for K-12 science teachers.
"Because climate science is inherently interdisciplinary, it can fall through the cracks in traditional science education. Students sometimes graduate from high school or even college without learning climate basics. Climate literacy is aimed at helping address these gaps," said McCaffrey.
The guide "Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science" is available online at: www.noaa.gov/climateliteracy and www.climateliteracynow.org.
CIRES is a cooperative institute of NOAA and the University of Colorado at Boulder.
