Inconvenient Pop Quiz

Pop quiz given to 200 viewers of the Al Gore movie by Prof. Robert Pielke Jr., director of the Center for Science and Technology Research at the University of Colorado

1. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest report earlier this month. It projects a likely global average temperature increase for 2100 of (degrees C):
a:) 1.1 to 6.4
b.) 1.5 to 4.5
c.) 5.0 to 11.5
d.) 7.0 to 9.0

2. The IPCC report projects a (mid-range) global average sea level rise for 2100 of
a.) 16 inches
b.) 48 inches
c.) 10 feet
d.) 70 feet

3. If the Kyoto Protocol were to be fully implemented, including U.S. participation, the effects on global average temperatures in 2080 would be:
a.) undetectable
b.) a reduction of 0.5 degrees in the projected increase
c.) a reduction of 1.0 degrees in the projected increase
d.) a reduction of 2.0 degrees in the projected increase

4. If global greenhouse-gas emissions magically stopped right now, global average temperatures would:
a.) stop increasing immediately
b.) continue increasing for many decades

5. In order to stabilize atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide at current levels, we would have to reduce net global emissions from today’s levels
a.) to 1990 levels
b.) by 20 per cent
c.) by 50 per cent
d.) by 100 per cent

ANSWERS:
1. A
2. A
3. A
4. B
5. D

“Very few came close to the correct answers on 1, 2, 3 or 5. In fact, on 1, 2 and 3 the overwhelming answers were ‘C’ and ‘D’ and on 5 it was ‘A’ and ‘B’." - Professor Pielke.

One more question for Canadians from Prof. Pielke ( who “is not a climate skeptic but who does think people tend to believe the UN consensus projections are more catastrophic than they really are, and that cutting CO2 is the big answer.” - Margaret Wente, Globe & Mail)

If Canada stopped producing greenhouse gases tomorrow, how long would it take for the growth in China’s emissions to replace our entire annual output?
a.) 18 years
b.) 8 years
c.) 3 years
d.) 18 months

the answer is ‘D’

“The real climate-change deniers are those who believe that if only we had the will, we could cut GHGs deep and fast enough to fix the problem.” M. Wente, Globe & Mail