An Inconvenient Truth

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. In the past 200 years, the introduction of industrialization (i.e., mass production of consumer goods) has changed both population as well as consumption patterns. Based on your previous knowledge, consider the following questions: In which ways has industrialization shaped the 21st century? What are some of the positives of living in an industrialized world? What are some of the negatives?

Teaching Suggestion: This question encourages students to critically think about the historical relationship between increased industrial output, population, and consumption. In particular, students should consider the following negatives of industrialization: increased pollution from factory and transportation emissions, increased consumption leading to added stress on global supply chains, and increased waste from non-recyclable materials, all of which are related to the broader discussion of climate change.

• This article from Britannica provides a detailed overview of the Industrial Revolution.
• This academic article by Farhan Ahmed (2022) links the effects of climate change to the industrial revolution, with a case study of the Asia-Pacific region.

2. Terms such as “global warming” as well as “climate change” are frequently used by politicians in their political platforms. Think of some of the political speeches or debates that you have heard. What are some of the political discussions surrounding climate change? What are some of the reasons that politicians would want to include a stance on climate change in their platform?

Teaching Suggestion: This question encourages students to make links between climate as a field of scientific inquiry and climate as a politicized topic. Encourage students to reflect less on the differences between political parties and more on ways in which climate change can be a useful topic for politicians to include in their platforms. In this vein, students may also make the link with Al Gore, who is both the author of the book as well as a politician. This question relates to the theme of Political Action.

• This 2016 article from Pew Research Center shares data on polarized views of climate change in American politics.
• This 2020 article from Harvard International Review discusses how climate change has been used by different countries as a political tool, particularly in the signing of international accords.

Short Activity

In addition to writing this book, Al Gore is a prominent U.S. politician. Working in groups, research Al Gore’s biography. What are his political affiliations? In which positions did he serve in the U.S. government? As an author, which books has he written? What are some of the topics that he focuses on?

Teaching Suggestion: While this activity is written for a group, it can also be done as a classroom discussion or an individual homework assignment. Students should be aware of Al Gore’s political affiliation and various positions in the U.S. government, as well as the other books he has authored on the subject of climate change.

• This article from Britannica provides an overview of Al Gore as both a politician and an author.