Global Climate Change Science, Law, and Policy

Catalog description

This course explores international efforts to govern and respond to climate change —described by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as an “existential threat to humanity.” It introduces students to global climate change law and policy, with particular attention on the role of science within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, as well as the negotiation processes that take place at the annual Conference of the Parties (COP). Through active, interdisciplinary learning, students will engage with key dimensions of global climate governance, critically assessing current frameworks and exploring possibilities for future climate law. The course begins by examining the causes and impacts of climate change, along with strategies for mitigation and adaptation. It then turns to the negotiation and implementation of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement. Building on this foundation, the course explores the concept of polycentric climate governance, emphasizing the diverse and overlapping roles of governments, international institutions, and non-governmental actors across multiple levels. Students will evaluate a range of legal tools and mechanisms used to address climate change internationally, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), market-based mechanisms, the global goal on adaptation, and approaches to loss and damage. This innovative, cross-disciplinary course also offers a unique, career-shaping opportunity for a select group of students, chosen through an application process, to participate in upcoming UN Climate Change Conferences of the Parties.