Climate change is the largest environmental threat facing planet Earth. We are aware of climate change’s causes, impacts, and likelihood. Yet, recent international meetings suggest that the nations (and people) of the world are unwilling to take the actions needed to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change. This course will help you understand both the science of climate change, the factors that influence whether we make progress on this global crisis, and the international, national, and local policies that can help. We will look at:

Understanding the science: What do we know and what don’t we know about climate change? To what extent is it human-caused and how do we know? How does one assess the arguments of those who contend that human-caused climate change is occurring compared to those who contend the opposite?

Setting the agenda: What has gotten climate change on or kept it off the international policy agenda? What role has scientific evidence played? What role have NGOs and activists played? What role have celebrities like Al Gore played? 

International responses to climate change -- negotiating an agreement: Why are some states “leaders” on climate change and others “laggards”? What “factors and actors” help negotiations succeed or fail?

Non-international responses to climate change: What actions are countries taking without international cooperation? What are corporations, communities, and individuals doing?