Running head: LITERATURE REVIEW 1

Literature Review:

Climate Change and UTEP

Derek Perez

University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1302

Dr. Vierra

July 26, 2018

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Abstract

This paper will cover the idea behind global warming and how it has an impact on

students in the Univerity of Texas at El Paso. It will address the background behind the

controversial topic, how it will affect the globes economy, sociality and politics, and why people

deny climate change and the evidence presented, which will tie in the end of how it affects

students and their education. This literature review will include a survey that was conducted to

UTEP students to question whether they believe in man-made climate change. Along with

questions of how the recent weather have affected their health and education. This research is of

high importance because it sheds light on how many students in the UTEP campus that do

believe in climate change based on their health and educational experiences, and their

knowledge.
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Literature Review

Climate Change and UTEP

Climate change is a phenomenon that is regularly the center of controversy and

awareness. This phenomenon has been observed to have an impact on education, human

sociality, the economy, and politics, while having problems with people in denial about this idea.

Global warming researchers study the effects of this phenomenon and how it can negatively

affect the planet, most commonly with the idea of man-made climate change. In the borderland

region of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, locals used to think that climate change was not something

of interest for UTEP students. But recent research suggests that UTEP students do have a strong

awareness in global warming.

This topic will be held up by answering these four research questions:

• What is climate change?

• How does climate change affect human sociality and possibly the economy and

politics?

• Who denies climate change?

• How does the idea of climate change affect UTEP and its students?

Discussion of Research

What is Climate Change?

Climate change, sometimes referred as global warming, is the idea of an abrupt change in

the Earth’s climate. Langwith (2011) claimed that “people, wildlife, plants, or entire ecosystems

can be vulnerable to climate change” (p. 62). He noted that depending of a population’s quality

of life and living standards, it shows its vulnerability to climate change (p. 63). Langwith found

that two earthquakes, both occurred in 2010 in different locations, show how a population can
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impact vulnerability towards the people who were harmed in these disasters (p. 66). Langwith’s

research matters because it discusses the dangers that global warming can potentially have on

humans and ecosystems. This research can be related to Collins et al. (2013), who maps out the

dangers of climate change and how it can potentially affect children in the US-Mexico

borderland, specifically in the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez area.

In some cases, climate change is said to be influenced by the interaction between Earth

and humans. As stated by Lerner and Lerner (2008), they observed that big natural disasters are

sometimes the cause of climate change. They showed that “global warming … which may be a

consequence of human activities—has generated worry among many people that Earth’s climate

is poised to undergo a drastic shift” (p. 1). They found that an issue by the National Academy of

Sciences in 2002 showed that abrupt climate change is very likely in the future. Lerner and

Lerner also report that the issue warned that climate change would critically affect societies and

ecosystems (p. 3). Furthermore, if Lerner and Lerner are right about their claim about climate

change are causing some big natural disasters, then it is necessary to reassess their assumption

that “climate involves many interactions between environmental forces, and some are not

completely understood” (p. 3). The findings that Lerner and Lerner make connect with Wilbanks

(2010), who found that natural disasters, which Lerner and Lerner talk about, can be impacts that

can frequently change the global climate (p. 2553).

The idea of the Earth’s own nature influencing global warming is another idea that people

develop. According to Richardson et al. (2011), the sun and its energy that is transmitted to the

Earth are factors that affect climate change (p. 4). They noted that changes in heat energy content

need to be considered when understanding changes in the climate (p. 3). Richardson et al. found

that “human activities do not directly influence the amount of energy produced by the sun” (p.4).
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Richardson et al. claimed that humans are not influencing the energy that the sun is producing,

but it rests upon the questionable assumption that humans are influencing climate change, which

one of the factors of climate change is the amount of energy that the sun is transmitting to the

Earth. These assumptions can be found in research by Wilbanks (2010), who shares the

supposition that human influence in climate science has an impact on climate change, from the

use of carbon emission and fossil fuels (p. 2552).

Climate change is said to influence the El Paso and Ciudad Juárez region. As said by

Collins et al. (2013), they claimed that children in the US-Mexico border are vulnerable to

hazardous risks that are related to climate change. They noted that climate change is a global

pressing matter that can bring health and environmental risks (p. 314). Collins et al found that in

2007, the IPCC, or the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, reported that there was an

increase of heat waves in the end of the 20th century, causing more strong and common heat

waves (p. 316). Collins et al. show that their claim matters, particularly in the borderland,

because they address three research goals: to develop models of different climate exposures to

determine characterizations of children vulnerability, map a social vulnerability of children in the

El Paso-Ciudad Juarez area, and complete an assessment that informs adaptations and

interventions for climate change and public health (p. 315). As shown in Figure 1 (Appendix A),

Climate Signals, a non-profit scientific organization funded by the Rockefeller Philanthropy

Advisors, showed the increase of average climate in the southwestern region of the United

States, which is where El Paso is located.

Climate Change in Social, Economics and Politics

Global climate change has been observed to influence human sociality. According to

Henningfeld (2014), she claimed that climate change can affect some fundamentals for health,
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like clean water and air, food, and housing. She notes that the Earth is heating because of

greenhouse gases that are caused from emission and human activity (p. 20). Henningfeld found

that “extreme air temperatures and air pollution are hazardous to health … floods, droughts and

contaminated water raise disease risk… more extreme and variable climate can destroy homes,

communities and lives.” (p. 20-21). While Henningfeld’s research was conducted for the general

human population, Brainard et al. (2009), cover climate and its effect on the poverty-stricken

population. They claim that there are two challenges that humans face about the Earth’s climate

will shape the future for future generations, despite our failures and successes. They noted that

these two challenges are the stabilization of the Earth’s climate and raising the lives of the poor

(p. 10). Brainard et al. found that the choices we make will be driving consequences for the years

to come (p. 10). Brainard et al. claim matters because it sheds light on the issues that the Earth’s

climate is having an impact on global poverty. For example, they show that human development

that have been fought for and achieved may decrease or reverse by climate change (p. 13).

Climate change has been observed to have an influence on economics. Wilbanks (2010)

claimed that the economy is a “driving forces” of climate change. He notes that human influence

in natural science is the main concern for climate change (p. 2552). Wilbanks finds that natural

disasters, like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Ike, though not attributed to climate change, can

be impacts that can frequent with climate change, hurting the economic aspect of the United

States (p. 2553). Although Wilbanks may seem trivial about his claim, it was in fact crucial in

terms of today’s concern over the economic and social aspect in human society that can be

influencing climate change, from the use of fossil fuels to growing carbon emissions, which is

based on research that Wilbanks conducts (p. 2555). Furthermore, as Wilbanks proclaims the
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increase in carbon emission, Helm and Hepburn (2009) state the build-up of emission gases and

how the “Climate-change policy” is having minimal impact on the growing dilemma (p. 9).

Climate change has been perceived to influence on politics. Attested by Helm and

Hepburn (2009), they claimed that climate change is happening because of human activity. They

noted that the “Climate-change policy” has had little to no impact on the build-up of emissions,

even with the accumulate evidence of climate science (p. 9). They found that the Stern Review

(2007) provided “an excellent framing of the economic issues… estimating damages from

climate change” for economists and policy-makers (p 1). Helm and Hepburn’s claim that climate

change is happening because of human activity was useful because it shed insight on the difficult

problem of the little impact that the “Climate-change policy” is having on emission gases. Helm

and Hepburn, along with Lerner and Lerner (2008), provide great evidence about the effects that

humans influence on the global climate, with Helm and Hepburn discussing about the “Climate-

change policy” (p. 9), and Lerner and Lerner’s research on consequences of human activity

towards global warming (p. 1).

Climate Change Deniers

Climate change, or global warming, has been the center of controversy for years.

According to Norgaard (2011), she claims that communities, from environmental and scientific,

have identified the lack of response from the public to climate change as an important dilemma.

She noted that the lack of responses are attributed with: lack of information and lack of general

concern about the occurrence (p. 1). Norgaard found that “as evidence for climate change pours

in… and scientific consensus increases, interest in the issue… is declining” (p. 2). These findings

can relate to the research conducted by Mann and Henningfeld (2011), whom talk about the
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increase in human denial in the climate change controversy, whether it be from lack of interest or

lack of education.

Common people deny the existence of climate change and it is argued because of lack of

research and knowledge. According to Mann and Henningfeld (2011), they claimed that there are

people who deny the fact that climate is changing. They noted that these individuals also argue

that humans have no part into the climate changing (p. 11). They found that “Americans’

attitudes toward the environment show a public that over the last two years has become less

worried about the threat of global warming…” (p. 11). Now, Mann and Henningfeld are sure

when they ask, “On what basis do climate change deniers make their claims”, where they get an

answer from a journal they cite Skeptical Inquirer by NASA scientist David Morrison. In his

article, Morrison explained, “One of the goals of the deniers seems to be to sow confusion,” but

for Mann and Henningfeld, they may not be aware that some deniers are “corporations and

political-based institutions”, according to Carter et al. (2018). Though posing an educational

problem, an author has proposed a call for action for this predicament. In conformity with

Robertson (2015), he claimed that efforts in education that are expanding global citizenship

should have a common goal: “the disseminations of the idea of social alliance”. He noted that his

claim should be based by two values: “the principle of universal justice and empathy towards

others” (p. 36). He found that “the idea of a world or global citizen can be defined either through

nationalist or cosmopolitan lenses, and it certainly implies the need to have concern for climate

issues that impact cultures worldwide” (p. 37). Recent studies like Robertson’s shed new light on

the idea that global climate change should be a relevant curriculum in educational institutions,

which previous studies had not addressed. Some these studies that do not report the situation that
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Robertson reveals include Mann and Henningfeld (2011), whom talk about climate change

deniers, and Richardson et al. (2011), whom talk about the suns impact on climate change.

Organizations have been observed to misinform students about the idea of climate

change, causing denial. In line with Carter et al. (2018), they claimed that “corporations and

institutions that govern and inform society” are committing the worst crime against humanity,

climate change denial (p. 31). They noted that denial in climate change sciences has been led by

industry disinformation, or “false information deliberately… spread in order to influence public

opinion…” according to Merriam-Webster, whom which Carter et al. cite. (p. 39). They found

that in 2010, a book called Merchants of Doubt, showed how a group of scientists that were

related to politics led misinformation campaigns about global warming (p. 39). Proponents of

Carter et al. were right to argue that corporations and political-based institutions are

misinforming people about climate change by denying it. But they exaggerate when they claimed

that these corporations and institutions are committing the “worst crime against humanity” as

stated by Carter et al., but they present why it is still an issue for people who are misinformed.

Primary Research:

The UTEP Climate Community Survey

This research was conducted to determine the number of students who have an awareness

for man-made climate change and how many students were challenged both academically and

health-wise because of recent weather changes. Although the survey had limited results, it gives

evidence that students in UTEP have great awareness about climate change. This survey was

conducted in the UTEP library during the summer term on a Monday afternoon, July 20, 2018.

Our team surveyed 30 randomly selected students and provided them with nine questions to

answer. See Appendix B for the questions that were given. Demographic-wise, an equal split of
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male and female students were given the survey, with a good majority from the El Paso/Ciudad

Juárez area and others from elsewhere, as shown on Figure 5 (Appendix A), within an age-range

of 18-34 and a GPA range of 2.0-4.0.

Our research in the survey has a related correlation to another survey conducted by UTEP

students in 2015. As reported by Brito el al. (2015), they created a survey, questioning several

UTEP students about whether they “care about climate change, why or why not?” (p. 4). They

noted that many of these students have different views about the idea of climate change. They

found that two out of the ten students they surveyed showed little to no care about climate

change, with responses like “I enjoy everything that comes with climate change” to “we’re stuck

in the past and it’s hard to change it” (p. 4). Brito et al. findings in this survey are great

because the students that are unfamiliar with this idea and its controversy might be interested to

know that it basically boiled down to findings that, according to Helm and Hepburn (2009),

human activities, like economics, sociality and even politics, are influencing climate change (p.

9), especially in the US-Mexico borderlands (Collins et al., 2013, p. 314). Though related in

topics, our survey goes more into detail about health and educational risks that climate change

can have, and our survey has shown that climate change does have an impact towards UTEP

students.

Climate Change and UTEP

Students in UTEP believe climate change is happening. As shown on Figure 2 (Appendix

A), which was created in a spreadsheet by the team, displays that 27 students in UTEP believe in

the existence of man-made climate change, which is 90% of the students surveyed, while only 3

students said they do not believe in man-made climate change, which is only 10% of the

students. When questioned why the students that believe in man-made climate believe in the
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idea, the most common answer was because of pollution, but some of the students claim that

their belief is based on what they have seen outside or what mans’ actions are doing that is

causing such changes in the climate. Furthermore, when questioned how these believers came to

their ideas, some responded with a similar answer, the news. Others claimed that they heard it

from a science class and social media. On the other hand, the students who do not believe in

man-made climate change claim that the Earth is responsible for such changes, not humans,

based on their own research conducted.

Students in the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez area are likely to catch a weather-related sickness.

As shown on Figure 3 (Appendix A), out of the 30 participants surveyed, we concluded that only

22 of the students have confirmed that they have had a weather-related sickness while the

remaining 8 either did not or they did not know. Most commonly, the students whom have had a

recent weather-related sickness answered with “twice a year” or “once a year”. One student

declared that he was currently diagnosed with a cold-like sickness at the time the survey was

conducted.

Some students in UTEP have declared that sudden weather changes have prevented them

from turning in assignments. In contrast from the previous research done, we did not expect

these results. As shown in Figure 4 (Appendix A), almost half of the participants, 14 students,

have had an experience where they could not turn in assignments due to unexpected weather

changes. These students claimed that a sudden rainstorm or even a snowy day have prevented

them from turning in assignments. On the other hand, the remaining 16 students did not have an

experience with unexpected changes in weather that prevented them from turning in

assignments.

Conclusion
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The purpose for this review was to provide information to the reader on how climate

change affects education, specifically UTEP students based on the discussion of review and the

primary research conducted. It is discovered, based on research in the discussion of review, that

climate change has an impact on human sociality, the economy, and politics amidst human

denial, that can cause environmental ignorance, thus affecting education. The primary research

conducted shows that students in UTEP have a high awareness for climate change. These

findings were surveyed to 30 randomly selected students who provided answers about their

understandings in climate change and how they heard about the phenomenon, from experiences

that affected them health-wise or educational-wise.

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References

Brainard, L., Jones, A., & Purvis, N. (Eds.). (2009). Climate change and global poverty.

Harrisonburg, Virginia: R. R. Donnelley. Retrieved from http://0-

search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat04704a&AN=nug.b274

7040&site=eds-live&scope=site

Brito, H., Cerino, R., Martinez, A., Zamora, S., & Ziegenhals, A. (2015, April 21). Do you care

about climate change, why or why not? The Prospector, p. 4. Retrieved

from https://digitalcommons.utep.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1207&context=prospe

ctor

Carter, P. D., Woodworth, E., & Hansen, J. E. (2018). Unprecedented crime: Climate science

denial and game changers for survival. Atlanta, GA, USA: Clarity Press, Inc., 2018.

Retrieved from http://0-

search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat04704a&AN=nug.b389

5527&site=eds-live&scope=site

Collins, T. W., Grineski, S. E., Ford, P., Aldouri, R., de Lourdes, R. A., Velázquez-Angulo, G.,

Fitzgerald, R., Lu, D. (2013). Mapping vulnerability to climate change-related hazards:

Children at risk in a US-Mexico border metropolis. Population and Environment, 34(3),

313-337. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/42636674

Helm, D., & Hepburn, C. (2009). The economics and politics of climate change. Oxford; New

York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Retrieved from http://0-

search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat04704a&AN=nug.b238

7636&site=eds-live&scope=site
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Langwith, J. (2011). Defining climate change vulnerability. In J. Langwith (Ed.), Population,

resources, and conflict (pp. 62-66). Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Retrieved from http://0-

link.galegroup.com.lib.utep.edu/apps/doc/CX1930800036/GVRL?u=txshracd2603&sid=

GVRL&xid=251516b3

Lerner, B. W., & Lerner, K. L. (2008). Abrupt climate change. In B. W. Lerner, & K. L. Lerner

(Eds.), Climate change: In context (pp. 1-4). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://0-

link.galegroup.com.lib.utep.edu/apps/doc/CX3079000016/GVRL?u=txshracd2603&sid=

GVRL&xid=64db3c63

Mann, M. E., & Henningfeld, D. A. (2011). Climate-change deniers. In M. E. Mann, & D. A.

Henningfeld (Eds.), Nature and wildlife (pp. 11-12). Detroit: Greenhaven Press.

Retrieved from http://0-

link.galegroup.com.lib.utep.edu/apps/doc/CX1929600011/GVRL?u=txshracd2603&sid=

GVRL&xid=47cac69d

Norgaard, K. M. (2011). Living in denial: Climate change, emotions, and everyday

life. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Retrieved from http://0-

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8491&site=eds-live&scope=site; http://0-

ebookcentral.proquest.com.lib.utep.edu/lib/utep/detail.action?docID=3339221

Richardson, K., Steffen, W. L., Liverman, D., & Allen, M. R. (2011). Climate change: Global

risks, challenges and decisions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved

from http://0-

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9817&site=eds-live&scope=site
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Robertson, W. H. (2015). Global climate change and the need for relevant

curriculum. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational

Research, 10(1), 35-44. Retrieved from

http://www.ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/234

Wilbanks, T. J. (2010). Social and economic impacts of climate change. In B. Warf

(Ed.), Encyclopedia of geography (pp. 2552-2556). SAGE Reference. Retrieved

from http://0-

link.galegroup.com.lib.utep.edu/apps/doc/CX1788301023/GVRL?u=txshracd2603&sid=

GVRL&xid=60f8ba83
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Appendix A: Images

Figure 1. The increase of climate average in Southwest America

Source: climatesignals.org
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Appendix B: Survey Questions

• Age?

• Gender?

• Are you from the El Paso/Ciudad Juárez area?

• Believe in man-made climate change?

• Why or why not?

• How did you learn?

• Has anything weather related stopped you from turning in/completing an assignment?

• What is your GPA range?

• How many times have you gotten a weather-related sickness?