14.1: Climate Literacy
Climate Science Literacy is an understanding of your influence on climate and climate’s influence on you and society. It is important for each human living on earth to understand climate. Society needs citizens who understand the climate system and know how to apply that knowledge in their careers and in their engagement as active members of their communities.
A climate-literate person:
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Understands the essential principles of Earth’s climate system.
- Essential Principle 1: The Sun is the Primary Source of Energy for Earth’s Climate System
- Essential Principle 2: Climate is regulated by complex interactions among components of the Earth system.
- Essential Principle 3: Life on Earth depends on, is shaped by, and affects climate.
- Essential Principle 4: Climate varies over space and time through both natural and man-made processes.
- Essential Principle 5: Our understanding of the climate system is improved through observations, theoretical studies, and modeling.
- Essential Principle 6: Human activities are impacting the climate system.
- Essential Principle 7: Climate change will have consequences for the Earth system and human lives
- Knows how to assess scientifically credible information about climate.
- Communicates about climate and climate change in a meaningful way.
- Is able to make informed and responsible decisions with regard to actions that may affect climate.
This chapter is intended to help build your climate literacy.