Take Our 2020 Climate Week Quiz

This year, Climate Week NYC takes place from September 21 to 27. Hundreds of digital events from all around the world will be covering the climate crisis and pressing for a future that does not depend on fossil fuels. Check out what’s going on at the Earth Institute, and take our quiz below to test your knowledge of the latest climate news from the Earth Institute and beyond.

1. According to a recent study from Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the ongoing megadrought in the Western U.S….

has lasted 7 years and counting
is not influenced by climate change
is as bad or worse than the region’s worst droughts in recorded history and known prehistory
affects a smaller area than previous ones

The megadrought has been going on for 20 years now, by some estimates. It has been made more severe by climate change and affects a wider area than previous megadroughts in the region.

2. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic…

Some cities have seen decreases in greenhouse gas emissions.
CO2 levels in the atmosphere reached their highest monthly average ever recorded.
Oil and gas production has dropped.
All of the above
None of the above

(Sources: here, here, and here.)

3. “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” This spring, a study found that potentially fatal combinations of heat and humidity…

are already occurring around the globe
are expected to arrive in a few decades
may not be as bad as scientists thought
are increasing in severity but not frequency

Dangerously hot and humid conditions have already arrived, decades ahead of when scientists originally expected them. Outbreaks of temperature and humidity combinations that surpass human survivability have so far been localized, but they are increasing in both severity and frequency.

4. By combining epidemiological models and climate models, researchers at Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society recently discovered that they could forecast risks of outbreaks for which disease(s)?

Zika
Dengue fever
Chikungunya
All of the above
None of the above

The models predict conditions that will allow Aedes mosquitoes to thrive. These mosquitoes carry all three diseases, as well as others.

5. The Greenland ice sheet experienced record losses in 2019. How much mass did it lose?

323 billion tons
464 billion tons
532 billion tons
1.1 trillion tons

The previous record year was in 2012, when 464 billion tons of ice went into the ocean. The five biggest years of ice loss in Greenland have all occurred in the past decade.

6. Climate change will disproportionately harm people of color and low-income communities. Why?

Residents of these communities may lack adequate health care, medicines, and access to public health warnings in a language they can understand.
Communities of color are often chosen as sites for landfills, chemical plants, and highways, which can lead to illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and asthma. These conditions put people at greater risk during emergencies such as heat waves and hurricanes.
Subpar housing with old infrastructure may be more vulnerable to power outages, water issues and wind damage.
Communities of color are less likely to receive adequate protection against disasters or a prompt in case of during emergencies.
All of the above

Learn more here.

7. How does climate change impact human health?

By making natural disasters more deadly
By making it more likely that diseases will spread from animals to humans
By disrupting the water cycle and food supply
All of the above
A and C only

Climate change will have a variety of effects on human health, including others not listed here. By disrupting habitats, climate change will make it more likely that pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) will spread from animals to humans.

8. In 2019, global carbon dioxide emissions…

remained the same compared to 2018
decreased
increased, but are slowing down
increased, and are speeding up

A report from the Global Carbon Project estimated that human activities around the world released 43.1 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Compared to 2018, this was an increase of 0.6% — about a third of the growth rates of previous years, indicating a potential slowdown in emissions.

9. What can you do to help limit the effects of climate change?

Recycle
Fly and drive less frequently
Get involved with community projects to implement climate solutions
Vote, and ask elected representatives to support decarbonizing the economy
All of the above

Taking action in your personal life can be helpful and empowering, but tackling the grand challenges of climate change requires action at the levels of community, state, and federal government.

10. Which of the following large-scale changes is necessary to restrict climate change to manageable levels?

Capturing and removing carbon from the air
Switching to solar, wind, and other energy sources that don’t rely on fossil fuels
Passing laws and regulations that limit carbon emissions
All of the above
None of the above

We need every tool at our disposal in order to limit how hot the planet gets, to prevent human suffering and ecological destruction. The good news is we know what to do, and we have the tools we need; now we just need to start using them at a grand scale.

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