Climate change is a planetary crisis. It’s a crisis we have collectively created together, but we are clever enough to think our way out of this.
Stephen Pacala, Princeton University, NOVA, Decoding the Weather Machine
This resource guide is a compilation of references (i.e. videos, scientific papers, websites, etc.) specifically related to climate change, with an emphasis on solutions. It is filled with science-based information from highly reliable sources, particularly because this subject can often times be very confusing, misleading, polarizing, and highly political.
There is an overwhelming amount of information (and misinformation) available on this topic, but these specific resource materials were carefully selected and screened by scientists and educators who are very familiar with the subject matter. It is intended to better prepare and inform conference participants both pre- and post- event.
The content has been divided into 3 categories (beginner, intermediate and expert) to help suit a wide array of knowledge and interest levels. Please refer to the color coded box below for these distinctions and select the category that best matches your comfort level, interest, and background knowledge related to this subject matter. Keep in mind there is a lot of overlap within these levels and content, but the hope is everyone who utilizes this guide will benefit from these resources and hopefully learn something new.
Resource Key
Introductory: Little to no prior knowledge or understanding of climate change causes and potential solutions.
Intermediate: Some prior knowledge or understanding of climate change causes and potential solutions.
Expert: Advanced knowledge and understanding of climate change causes and potential solutions.
Understanding Climate Change
- “Decoding the Weather Machine” (video, 1h 53m) by NOVA PBS
- “Why humans are so bad at thinking about climate change” (video, 9m 44s) by Vox
- “How Scientists Measure CO2 in the Air” (video, 2m 24s) by Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- “Divestment” (archive) by 350.org
- Understand the science behind the realities, risks and response to the climate challenge: What We Know’s facts on climate change
- Government investigation into climate change: the State of California Office of Planning and Research’s YouTube series
- The U.S. Global Change Research Program is a Federal program mandated by Congress to coordinate Federal research and investments in understanding the forces shaping the global environment, both human and natural, and their impacts on society.
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: the collection of peer-reviewed official reports describing what we know about the scientific basis of climate change, the anticipated impacts and vulnerabilities of society, and ways to prevent climate change.
- UN Climate Report: official reports used to inform international policy discussions about climate change. Contain more information about emissions, and the economics of potential impacts and solutions to climate change.
Climate Change Solutions
- Climate Solutions by Rank (blog) by Project Drawdown
- “Climate Change’s Best Hope” (video, 1m 16s) by NOVA PBS
- “NOAA Study Finds ‘Living Shorelines’ Can Lessen Climate Change’s Effects” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Climate Lab: UCLA Climate Lab and Vox’s series of videos highlighting the challenge of changing our behavior and ways that we could incentivize cutting carbon emissions.
- Yale Climate Opinion Maps: interactive maps of US that allow you to investigate the beliefs and opinions of adults on climate change and related policies.
- “Three Steps to Cut Your Carbon Footprint 60% Today” (video, 18m) by The Conversation
- “Does Socially Responsible Investing Work?” by OpenInvest
- “5 Steps Towards Integrating Sustainable Investing in Your Company’s 401(k)” by Conscious Company
- “Sustainability Bonds Focus on a More Livable Future” by Morgan Stanley
- “Sustainable Funds U.S. Landscape: 5 Takeaways From Our 2018 Report” by Morningstar
- “How Data Science Can Help Fight Climate Change” by DataSciencePrograms.com
- “Blue carbon: A Portfolio Solution to Climate Change” by The Nature Conservancy
- “How trees could save the climate” by ScienceDaily
- Geoengineering the climate: Science, governance, and uncertainty: a Royal Society Report from 2009 describing the scientific and legal challenges of deliberately altering our climate system
- “TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) Implementation Guide” by Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)