Topic Letters: C

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The carbon budget is the remaining quantity of carbon that can be emitted before the earth’s temperature becomes dangerous and in need of carbon removal approaches. It is a way to conceptualize the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted and the degree to which they impact global warming. The carbon budget focuses on carbon specifically because carbon emissions are almost entirely generated by humans and can therefore be reduced by humans.

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Carbon offsets or carbon credits are a neoliberal economic construct meant to utilize the marketplace to incentivize companies to reduce their carbon emissions. A single offset represents one ton of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and these credits are government certified, to be bought and sold between government and industry. These credits encourage companies to seek out lower emissions in the production or distribution of goods.

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Related Terms: Teaching Framework, Climate Literacy Pedagogy and Education, Capabilities, Knowledges, Worldview, Values, Care

California fires 2020

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Climate change is a plural notion that refers to the consequences of complex feedback loops linking 1) anthropogenic global warming, 2) other human-driven processes—including biodiversity loss, pollution, desertification, deforestation, species extinction, soil erosion, ocean acidification, the expansion of human populations, resource depletion, etc.—and 3) all living systems of the planet: consequences that manifest in and as a long-term change in Earth’s weather patterns.

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Climate grief, a term often used interchangeably with environmental grief, is the emotional pain people experience when they notice or anticipate the loss of species, ecosystems, and meaningful landscapes due to climate change. Climate grief has roots in ecological grief, a term first used by conservationist and philosopher Aldo Leopold in 1940 to describe feelings of pain due to ecological loss.

Sign that says There is No Planet B, Climate Literacy, Climate Lit

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Climate literacy—sometimes called “climate change literacy”—does not have a widely accepted definition yet. The notion of climate literacy was first used by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) in 2006 as a synonym for “climate science literacy,” i.e. “an understanding of your influence on climate and climate’s influence on you and society.” The concept of climate science literacy received more extensive treatment in NOAA’s 2009 brochure “Climate Literacy: the Essential Principles of Climate Science.” 

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Related Terms: Extreme Weather Events, Displacement, Climate Migrants and Refugees, Kirabati, Loss of Home, Solastalgia, Social Justice

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Coal is a sedimentary rock made from dead plants and animals that have built up over thousands of years under pressure and heat. Known primarily for its status as a fossil fuel, coal is mainly used as a source of heat and electricity. In contrast to renewable energy sources like sun, wind, and water, coal is a nonrenewable resource that could eventually be depleted. Coal seams have been found on every continent, but the largest coal reserves are in the U.S., Russia, China, Australia, and India. 

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Coastal erosion generally describes the loss of geological material from ocean shorelines, which results from a range of physical systems. Wave action, ocean currents, sea-level rise, and human-induced soil erosion result in the loss of sand, stone, rock, and other kinds of ground material from coastlines. Coastal erosion specifically describes the loss of coastal geological material, distinct from temporary changes in the shape of coasts.

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Collective action refers to action taken by a group of people to achieve a shared goal. In the case of collective climate action, the goal can be mitigation of the effects of climate change, adaptation of systems or infrastructure in anticipation of climate risk, or a deeper transformation of the conditions driving the climate crisis. Oftentimes, collective climate action is conceptualized as a grassroots social movement, composed of citizens working for change at the community scale.