Global Climate Change Science, Law, and Policy

Catalog description

This innovative, cross-disciplinary course explores international efforts to govern and respond to climate change—described by the United Nations as an "existential threat to humanity." Students will engage with the science, law, and policy of global climate governance, focusing on how scientific assessments from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) inform negotiations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement, and related agreements. The course also examines the increasingly important role of international climate litigation, strengthened by recent advisory opinions of international court Through active, interdisciplinary learning, students will critically analyze contemporary climate science and global environmental policymaking; articulate the perspectives of diverse countries and stakeholders; and examine the barriers and opportunities for international legal action to address climate change. Students will engage in negotiation simulations, and legal and policy research and analysis. The course also offers a unique opportunity for a select group of students—chosen by application—to participate in the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 31) in Türkiye in November 2026, where they will engage directly in the global negotiations shaping humanity's response to the climate crisis.