To what extent is Climate Change a result of human activities?

Assignment Research Workbook

Task 1 Choose Title

  • Show your understanding of the essay title/question by identifying the topic and focus, and the task/instructions.
  • Provide definitions of key terms/vocabulary

 

Title:

To what extent is Climate Change a result of human activities?

 

Task 2 References

Search online for 10 relevant and trustworthy academic sources and list them below using the Harvard Referencing System. Be sure to include links for all online sources.  (Harvard style)

Source 1 BBC Bitesize. (n.d.). Effects of climate change – Human impact on our environment – CCEA – GCSE geography revision – CCEA – BBC bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z33jk2p/revision/4

Effects of climate change – Human impact on our environment – CCEA – GCSE Geography Revision – CCEA – BBC Bitesize

 

 

Source 2 GOV.UK. (2014, October 22)(Climate change explained. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/climate-change-explained

Climate change explained – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

Source 3 Australian Academy of Science. (n.d.) Are human activities causing climate change?

 https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/science-climate-change/3-are-human-activities-causing-climate-change

Are human activities causing climate change? | Australian Academy of Science

 

Source 4

The National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine. (2021). Today’s climate change is driven by human activities.

https://www.nationalacademies.org/based-on-science/climate-change-humans-are-causing-global-warming

 

Source 5

The National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine. (2021). Today’s climate change is driven by human activities.

Humans are causing global warming | National Academies

 

Source 6

The Guardian. (2021) Human nature is driving us to a climate dead end

Human nature is driving us to a climate dead end | Letters| The Guardian

Source 7 British Geological Survey.  (2021, June 4). (What causes the earth’s climate to change?  https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/climate-change/what-causes-the-earths-climate-to-change/

 

 

 

Source 8 Met Office. (2021). Causes of Climate Change https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/climate-change/causes-of-climate-change

 

Source 9 Climate Science Investigations. (2021). Causes of Climate change. http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-4/causes-2.php

 

Source 10 NOAA. (2021). Natural Climate Change https://gml.noaa.gov/education/info_activities/pdfs/TBI_natural_climate_change.pdf

 

 

Task 3 Source Evaluation

Conduct the CRAAP Test on one of your listed sources. Complete notes on the results in the following template:

(50 words)

Source (Harvard Reference): GOV.UK. (2014, October 22)(Climate change explained. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/climate-change-explained

Climate change explained – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

Currency

 

The article, which focuses on climate change, was published on 23 October 2014 and was Last updated on 25 July 2019. It is, therefore, contains current information on the topic. Finally, all the links in the article are functional and help navigate it.
Relevance

 

The article is directly related to the topic, and it is intended to speak to the policymakers in the UK and other parts of the world. The paper forms a good source of research materials and is thus heavily reliable.
Authority

 

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Since industrial activities are the leading cause of climate change, the article’s author is highly qualified to write the paper. The body is respected across the UK for its high performance on energy and industrialisation.
Accuracy

 

The paper is highly supported with evidence and has very few grammatical errors.

 

Purpose

 

The paper is well crafted to persuade the masses to act on climate change and has no biases.

 

 

Task 5 Note taking and Making

 

Make notes on at least three sources and record them below. Try to use varied note taking techniques and ensure that notes are summaries in your own words and not direct copies from original sources.

 (150-200 words)

 

  1. Cornell Notes:
 

 Title:    Human nature is driving us to a climate dead end

 Date: 9 November 2021

 

Reference:

In-text citation: The Guardian 2021

Reference list:

 

Title : Climate change explained                                                                                                                            Date: October 2014

Title: What causes the earth’s climate to change?

Date: June 2021

 

Reference:

In-text citation: British Geological Survey, 2021)

Reference list:  British Geological Survey.  (2021, June 4). (What causes the earth’s climate to change? https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/climate-change/what-causes-the-earths-climate-to-change/

 

 

 

Key Ideas and                           Notes

Questions                      

  

 

Rising temperatures          The temperatures on earth are steadily increasing as human beings intensify.

                                               The united kingdom is one of the nations that has experienced notable

temperature increase with an approximate rise of 0.8 degrees Celsius in the last

decade.

Melting polar ice and

glaciers                          the world is currently experiencing abnormal depletion of ice coverage on

Mountain tops and other peaks covered by ice.

 

 

 

 

Reference: GOV.UK. (2014, October 22)   (Climate change explained. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/climate-change-explained

In-text citation: UK.GOV, 2021

Reference list:  GOV.UK. (2014, October 22)   (Climate change explained. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/climate-change-explained

Linear notes

Rainfall patterns and

water supplies               There might be a lot of rains in a short time and this will contribute to

droughts which will affect the world populations negatively. It confirms that

climate change is the leading cause of food insecurity in the world and that

if unchecked there will be a crisis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary of key ideas

 

Human activities have largely contributed to the destruction of the environment, which has led to climate change. Currently, the world is experiencing abnormal weather patterns that have never been experienced before, making life unbearable for human beings. Today, extreme events such as abnormal temperatures and rising oceans are a common phenomenon, confirming the existential threat human beings face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 6 Planning

 

Write an essay plan, this is only a plan and you may change it over time. Include a thesis statement highlighting the main argument. Include arguments for and against the thesis statement. Include citations to support the points you make.

 

(280-300 words)

 

Essay Title: To what extent is Climate Change a result of human activities?

 

Introduction
General / Background Information The world is slowly becoming inhabitable as a result of  a combination of Human-related factors. Rising temperatures, melting ice, and occasional flooding show that climate change is taking place faster than one can imagine.

 

 

Specific Facts and Information (more focused) The United Kingdom is currently being affected by rising temperatures, whereby the country has experienced an average rise of 0.8 degrees Celsius in the last decade.

The united kingdom has been experiencing its warmest years since 1990, clear evidence that some have happened to the climate.

The global sea level has risen by around 20cm over the past century, likely faster than at any point in the last 2,000 years.

The world is also experiencing extreme weather events that have never been experienced before.

Deforestation has increased the amount of carbon dioxide that goes into the atmosphere, and it is estimated that 43% of the carbon dioxide escapes into the atmosphere.

 

Thesis Statement

 

Climate change is happening as a result to human activity, this includes global warming and greater risk of flooding, droughts and heat waves.

 

Outline Statement Human beings are the leading cause of climate change. All their activities contribute to climate change.

 

 

 

Yes – main ideas and support

(humans are the main cause of climate change to a certain extent)

(fast fashion is driving climate change to a certain extent)

 

 

1.huma n beings engage in activities such as deforestations and also enrage in industrialisation

GOV.UK. (2014, October 22)   (Climate change explained. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/climate-change-explained

(Human nature is driving us to a climate dead end | Letters| The Guardian)

2. Effects of climate change – Human impact on our environment

BBC Bitesize. (n.d.). Effects of climate change – Human impact on our environment – CCEA – GCSE geography revision – CCEA – BBC bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z33jk2p/revision/4

3. Are human activities causing climate change?

Australian Academy of Science. (n.d.) Are human activities causing climate change?

 https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/science-climate-change/3-are-human-activities-causing-climate-change

Are human activities causing climate change? | Australian Academy of Science

 
No – main ideas and support

(natural processes are responsible for climate change to a certain extent, not only humans)

(fast fashion is only driving climate change to a certain extent – there are solutions)

 

 

1. geological factors are the main causes of climate change as opposed to human activities which can easily be controlled.

British Geological Survey.  (2021, June 4). (What causes the earth’s climate to change? https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/climate-change/what-causes-the-earths-climate-to-change/

2. Causes of Climate Change

Met Office. (2021). Causes of Climate Change.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/climate-change/causes-of-climate-change

3. Natural Climate Change

NOAA. (2021). Natural Climate Change. https://gml.noaa.gov/education/info_activities/pdfs/TBI_natural_climate_change.pdf

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 
Summary of Main Body Ideas

 

Human activities are the leading cause of climate change contributing to about three-quarters of the current mess being experienced on earth today. If left unchecked, climate change will wreak havoc on human beings and completely degrade their quality of life.
Reinforce Thesis Statement

 

Climate change is happening due to human activity; this includes global warming and a greater risk of flooding, droughts and heatwaves. If left checked, humans would have themselves to blame for the mess experienced in the world.
Recommendation or Prediction

 

The world needs to move to safe energy sources and carry out business in an environmental manner; otherwise, it will be difficult to live on earth in the coming decades.