Each of the Climate Explainers offers an overview of a specific topic related to climate change, in addition to solutions, and related topics written by scientists and experts.
We’ve included a brief snapshot and description of some of the covered topics below. The provided links will take you directly to each Climate Explainer housed on MIT’s Climate Portal.
You are also encouraged to browse the Climate Explainers directly in the Climate Portal.
Title
Quick Explanation
Learn more at climate.mit.edu
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Aviation
Aviation emissions are responsible for aound 5% of climate warming and this share is rising.
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Biofuel
Biofuel is any liquid fuel made from “biomass” — plants and other biological matter like animcal waste and leftover cooking fat.
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Carbon Capture
Carbon capture and storage is a technology that captures the carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuelds before it is released to the atmosphere.
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Carbon Offsets
Carbon offsets are tradable “rights” or certificates linked to activities that lower the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
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Carbon Pricing
Carbon pricing is a policy tool to lower emisisons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, by putting a tax or other price on them.
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Cities and Climate Change
Cities concentrate people into small areas for good reason, but this makes them major sources of greenhouse gases and uniquely vulnerable to climate risks
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Climate Justice
Climate justice is the principle that the benefits reaped from activities that cause climate change and the burdens of climate change impacts should be distributed fairly.
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Climate Models
Climate models are computer programs that simulate weather patterns over time. Scientsits use these models to predict how the climate might change in the future
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Climate Sensitivity
Climate sensitivity describes the extent to which rising levels of greenhouse gases affect the Earth’s temperature
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Climate Targets
Climate targets are the limits that scientists are policymakers set in plans to combat climate change.