Target Audience: Development practitioners, environmental activists, policy makers, researchers, and community organizers working on climate and sustainability issues
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of environmental issues helpful but not required
Materials Needed: Laptops/tablets for accessing climate data, calculators, notebooks, colored pens for graphing
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Explain the scientific basis of climate change using IPCC framework and terminology
Interpret key climate indicators and assess temperature/precipitation trends
Analyze global and regional emissions patterns with focus on South Asian context
Understand climate scenarios and their implications for development planning
Apply climate science knowledge to evaluate policies and interventions
Part 1: The Scientific Foundation - Understanding Climate vs Weather
15 minutes
The Global Climate Reality (2024 Data)
Global Temperature: Earth has warmed 1.15°C above pre-industrial (1850-1900) baseline
South Asian Impact: India has warmed 0.8°C since 1900, with accelerating pace post-1980
Critical Threshold: 1.5°C warming could trigger irreversible changes to climate systems
Time Window: 6 years left to limit warming to 1.5°C (based on current emission trajectories)
Climate vs Weather: Getting the Basics Right
Essential Distinction
Weather: Short-term atmospheric conditions (hours to weeks) in a specific location
Example: "Mumbai received 200mm rainfall yesterday"
Highly variable and difficult to predict beyond 2 weeks
Climate: Long-term average weather patterns (30+ years) across regions
Example: "Mumbai's monsoon season typically brings 2,000mm annual rainfall"
Predictable patterns that enable agriculture and urban planning
Climate Change: Long-term shifts in climate patterns due to human activities
Changes in temperature, precipitation, extreme events over decades
Driven primarily by greenhouse gas emissions since 1750
Quick Check: Climate vs Weather (5 minutes)
Classify these statements as Weather (W) or Climate (C):
Delhi recorded its hottest day ever at 48.4°C in May 2024 ___
The Gangetic plains typically experience 600-800mm annual rainfall ___
Cyclone Biparjoy hit Gujarat coast in June 2023 ___
Western Ghats receive 2,500mm+ rainfall during southwest monsoon ___
Himachal Pradesh expects snowfall this winter ___
Himalayan glaciers have retreated 22% since 1962 ___
Answers: W, C, W, C, W, C
Part 2: The Greenhouse Effect - Natural vs Enhanced
20 minutes
Understanding Earth's Energy Balance
The Natural Greenhouse Effect
Essential for Life: Without greenhouse gases, Earth's average temperature would be -18°C (currently +15°C)
How It Works:
Solar Energy In: Sun sends shortwave radiation to Earth
Surface Absorption: Earth's surface absorbs energy and warms up
Greenhouse Trapping: Greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit some radiation back to surface
Natural Balance: Keeps Earth warm enough for liquid water and life
The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect: Human activities add extra greenhouse gases, trapping more heat and disrupting Earth's energy balance. This is what drives climate change.
Major Greenhouse Gases & Their Sources
Gas
% of Total Emissions
Warming Potential (vs CO₂)
Main Sources
Indian Context
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
76%
1 (baseline)
Fossil fuels, deforestation, cement
Coal power (44% of total), steel/cement industries
Methane (CH₄)
16%
25x
Agriculture, landfills, oil/gas
Rice cultivation, livestock (25% of global rice emissions)
Nitrous Oxide (N₂O)
6%
298x
Fertilizers, fossil fuels
Agricultural fertilizers, crop burning
Fluorinated Gases
2%
1,000-23,000x
Refrigeration, industrial
Growing AC market, industrial cooling
India's Emissions Profile (2022)
Total Emissions: 3.4 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent (9.6% of global total)
Per Capita: 2.4 tonnes CO₂/person (global average: 4.8 tonnes)
Historical Responsibility: 4.1% of cumulative emissions since 1850
Growth Rate: 6.3% increase from 2021 (economic recovery post-COVID)
Part 3: The IPCC Framework - Assessing Climate Science
20 minutes
What is the IPCC?
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Established: 1988 by UNEP and WMO
Purpose: Assess scientific literature on climate change for policymakers
Structure: 3 Working Groups + Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
Working Group I: Physical science basis of climate change
Working Group II: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability
Working Group III: Mitigation of climate change
Process: Thousands of scientists review and synthesize research every 6-8 years
Indian Participation: 50+ Indian scientists contributed to AR6 (2021-2023)
Understanding IPCC Language & Confidence Levels
IPCC Confidence Framework: The IPCC uses specific language to communicate certainty levels based on evidence quality and scientific agreement.
Confidence Levels
Very High: At least 9 out of 10 chance of being correct
High: About 8 out of 10 chance
Medium: About 5 out of 10 chance
Low: About 2 out of 10 chance
Likelihood Terms
Virtually Certain: 99-100% probability
Very Likely: 90-100% probability
Likely: 66-100% probability
Unlikely: 0-33% probability
IPCC Statement Analysis (8 minutes)
Analyze these actual IPCC AR6 statements and discuss their policy implications:
Statement 1: "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the planet." (WG1)
Statement 2: "Climate change is already affecting food security and is likely to worsen it." (WG2)
Statement 3: "Limiting warming to 1.5°C is still possible but requires immediate and far-reaching transitions." (WG3)
Discussion Questions:
What does "unequivocal" mean in scientific terms?
How should policymakers respond to "likely" predictions?
What does "immediate and far-reaching" imply for development strategies?
Historical Trends: How has temperature/rainfall changed since 1980?
Extreme Events: What climate extremes has your region experienced?
Future Projections: What changes are expected by 2050?
Development Implications: How might these changes affect agriculture, water, health?
Sharing (5 minutes): Present your key findings to the group
Key Takeaway
Climate science provides robust evidence for human-caused climate change. Understanding IPCC frameworks and regional projections is essential for evidence-based adaptation and mitigation planning in South Asian contexts.
Resources for Continued Learning
IPCC Reports & Summaries:
IPCC AR6 Summary for Policymakers: Latest scientific consensus (2021-2023)
IPCC Regional Fact Sheets: South Asia-specific findings
Environmental Justice 101: Equity frameworks and environmental decision-making
Data Literacy 101: Skills for analyzing climate and environmental data
Community-Led Development 101: Participatory approaches to climate planning
This handout is part of the ImpactMojo 101 Knowledge Series Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 • Free to use with attribution • www.impactmojo.in
For the complete Climate Change 101 course with detailed climate models, regional case studies, and advanced data analysis exercises, visit the ImpactMojo platform.
