Week 4 - ENV 110 - Environmental Sciences I - LibGuides at Hostos Community College Library

Climate Change

Readings

Chapter 6: History and Global Distribution
A population is a group of individuals living together in a given area at a given time. Changes in populations are termed population dynamics. The current human population is made up of all of the people who currently share the earth. The first humans walked the planet millions of years ago. Since that time, the number of humans living on the planet and where they live has constantly changed over time. Every birth and death is a part of human population dynamics.
Chapter 7: Carrying Capacity
The human carrying capacity is a concept explored by many people, most famously Thomas Robert Malthus, for hundreds of years. Carrying capacity, "K," refers to the number of individuals of a population that can be sustained indefinitely by a given area. At carrying capacity, the population will have an impact on the resources of the given area, but not to the point where the area can no longer sustain the population.
Chapter 8: Population Growth
Although human population dynamics are often considered on a global scale, factors that affect population growth vary in different parts of the world. Therefore, it is essential to understand the different forces acting on people throughout the world.

Additional Materials

Earth’s temperature depends on the balance between energy entering and leaving the planet. When incoming energy from the sun is absorbed, Earth warms. When this energy is released back into space, Earth cools. Many factors, both natural and human, can cause changes in Earth’s energy balance, including:

   - Changes in the greenhouse effect, which affects the amount of heat retained by Earth’s atmosphere
   - Variations in the sun’s energy reaching Earth
   - Changes in the reflectivity of Earth’s atmosphere and surface

2022 New York Scoping Plan

Framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero emissions, increase renewable energy usage, and ensure climate justice.

Global Climate Change and/or Global Impact case studies available on course BlackBoard

Assignment 1

How Much Carbon Dioxide Do You Emit?

Attributions

Chapter 6, History and Global Distribution
Chapter 7, Carrying Capacity
Chapter 8, Population Growth
Source: AP Environmental Science by University of California, University of California College Prep
License: CC BY 2.0

"Climate Change"
Source: Environmental Science by Sean Whitcomb, Maricopa Open Digital Press
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

New York State Climate Action Council Scoping Plan
Source: New York State Climate Action Council, climate.ny.gov/ScopingPlan 2022. Copyright 2023.