Exploring Climate Change

Explore climate change and the resulting global warming by adjusting the settings in this very simple simulation. See what could be done to slow, stop, or even reverse global warming. This simulation uses changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide over the first 20 years of the 21st century to project temperature changes into the future (to the year 2100). If the rate of change over the last 20 years continues unchanged, then carbon dioxide will accumulate in the atmosphere causing the planet to warm and sea levels to rise.

Control settings allow you to simulate the result of changing the sources of energy production. Increasing the use of green energy and burning less fossil fuel will slow global warming. Settings for energy conservation and carbon capture are also available for each simulation.

View the detailed graphs to explore the results of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Occasionally popups will display "tipping points" or other consequences of the warming.

Climate change is real and global warming is happening now. However, it is a complex subject that is difficult to get your head around. Hopefully, this app will encourage you to explore the global warming in depth and then do what you can to mitigate the consequences.

This simulation assumes that the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere causes global warming. If we do nothing to mitigate carbon dioxide in the atmosphere our planet will continue to warm by at least 3°C by the year 2100.

Grade Levels: 5 and up

Next Generation Science Standards
ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
ESS3.D: Global Climate Change
Science and Engineering Practice 4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data