Climate Literacy Quiz

What is the greenhouse effect?

• Certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat and warm the Earth

• Life on Earth 'exhales' gas that warms up the atmosphere

• The tilt of the Earth changes the amount of solar energy the Earth receives

• The Sun is putting out more radiant energy over time

If the greenhouse effect is natural, then why is today's climate change a bad thing?

• A small increase in greenhouse gas concentration can have a large effect of increased warming.

• Humans have altered a natural process and exaggerated changes that might normally occur over millions of years.

• Once released into the atmosphere, greenhouse gases remain potent for many years, making it difficult to reverse the process.

• Abrupt changes to the climate system may have unintended outcomes that may pose challenges for societies, like more extreme weather, spread of diseases, a decline in marine life, or an alteration of ocean circulation patterns.

• All of the above

Which activities are the largest contributors of greenhouse gases?

• Deforestation

• Electricity generation

• Industry

• Transportation

• Landfills

What proportion of climate scientists has concluded that humans are the primary driver of today's climate warming?

• 34%

• 59%

• 76%

• 97% or more

Which country has emitted the most CO2 over time? In other words, which nation has the most responsibility for the greenhouse gases that are currently residing in the atmosphere?

• China

• USA

• Russia

• European Union

• Saudi Arabia

How long does CO2 remain in the atmosphere?

• CO2 washes out of the atmosphere seasonally.

• CO2 remains in the atmosphere for 5-10 years.

• CO2 remains in the atmosphere for up to 200 years, or more.

If we stopped burning fossil fuels today, what would happen to the climate?

• Earth's average temperature would continue to rise.

• Temperatures would continue to warm, then begin to cool down in 100 years or more.

• Temperatures would fluctuate, but stay the same on average.

• Temperatures would stop increasing once greenhouse gas concentrations stopped increasing.

What is the primary cause of the overall rising trend in CO2 in the atmosphere?

• The increase in CO2 is caused by burning of fossil fuels

• CO2 is increasing because we are coming out of an ice age

• As human population grows, people exhale more CO2

• CO2 is released by the oceans as they warm

What are the major causes of sea level rise? (there is more than one correct answer)

• Melting sea ice

• Melting glaciers and ice sheets

• Rivers accelerating

• Seawater expanding as it gets warmer

• Rocks and soil washing into the sea

How fast to we need to stop burning fossil fuels to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees C? (3.6 degrees F)

• We need to stop burning fossil fuels by 2100.

• We need to stop burning fossil fuels by 2040.

• Fossil fuels don't matter, the Sun will cool and so will the Earth.

• It's already too late to stay below the 2-degree threshold. We should have stopped burning fossil fuels in the early 2000s.