Climate Change Debate

Should it be a priority for us to use our geologic resources (energy, mineral, and groundwater) in a sustainable way?

This is the topic for a debate on climate change that we will have for the last lab of the class (the week of Dec. 8). You may choose a side to learn more about what you think is going on or you may choose a side contrary to what you think is going on--it is up to you.

At the bottom of this page are a set of references to help you get started with your research to prepare for the debate. You should also search out additional sources (please avoid references that are obviously slanted one way or the other), especially if there is an area that you have knowledge or or interest in. If you feel like you need some help understanding some of the papers, ask one of the TAs for some help or come to office hours.

Debate Format: The atmosphere will be relaxed, but it should be a serious presentation. Each group will give a 15-20 minute presentation (which may include multiple people presenting), followed by two 3-5 minute periods in which to redress the evidence presented by the other group.

The Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at Gubbio, Italy. This boundary represents a rapid climatic change that resulted in the extinction of a significant part of the biota on Earth, including the dinosaurs.

Sign-ups: You will sign up before Thanksgiving for a side of the debate. For larger lab sections, there will be two debates at separate times during the lab period, each lasting approximately one hour.

Grading: The grading will focus on three items:
1) your contribution to the group effort
2) the quality of your evidence (you must present
evidence, not merely rhetoric)
3) the ability of your group to respond to the arguments
of the opposing group

Topics we encourage you to research to be well-prepared for the debate
(some of these are hyperlinked to articles on the Internet)

General sustainability issues
Brunnschweiler, C.N. & Bulte, E.H., 2008, Linking natural resources to slow growth and more conflict: Science, v. 320, pp. 616-617.
Krautkraemer, J., 2005, Economics of Natural Resource Scarcity: The State of the Debate: Resources for the Future, Washington D.C., 45p.
Lomborg, Bjorn, 2001, The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World: Cambridge University Press, 540p.
McDonough, W. & Braungart, W., 2002, Cradle To Cradle: North Point Press (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux), New York, 193p.
McKelvey, W.E., 1959, Resources, population growth, and a level of living: Science, v. 129, pp. 875-881.
Montgomery, David M., 2007, Is agriculture eroding civilization's foundation?: GSA Today, v. 17, n. 10, pp. 4-9.
Sachs, J.D., Sustainable development: Science, v. 304, p. 649.
Zeng, N., Ding, Y., Pan, J., Wang., H., & Gregg, J., 2008, Climate change--the Chinese challenge: Science v. 319, pp. 730-731.

Energy resources
Clery, D., 2007, A sustainable future, if we pay up front: Science, v. 315, pp. 782-783.
Kerr, R., 2007, The looming oil crisis could arrive uncomfortable soon: Science, v. 316, p. 351.
Kerr, R., 2007, Even oil optimists expect energy demand to outstrip supply: Science, v. 317, p. 437.
USGS Energy Resources Program, http://energy.usgs.gov/

Mineral resources
Gordon, R.B., Bertram, M., & Graedel, T.E., 2006, Metal stocks and sustainability: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 103, n. 5, pp. 1209-1214.
Skinner, B.J., 1979, Earth resources: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 76, n. 9, pp. 4212-4217.
USGS Mineral Resources Program, http://minerals.usgs.gov/granted.html

Groundwater resources
Oki, T. & Kanae, S., 2006, Global hydrological cycles and world water resources: Science, v. 313, pp. 1068-1072.
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