Climate Justice

Catalog description

This interdisciplinary course examines intersections between the global climate emergency and the urgent need for racial justice. As in any crisis, the most marginalized suffer the greatest impacts. Globally, the climate emergency disproportionately impacts the Global South, including the regions within Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The climate emergency influences migration, food security, economies, and political stability. In the United States Indigenous, Black, and Latinx communities are disproportionately more vulnerable to climate hazards such as flooding, hurricanes, and housing displacement. Because these communities also face also more instances of environmental racism, the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency recently established a new office to advance environmental justice issues. Together, we will study the causes, conditions, and implications of climate change in order to explore and research solutions that more equitably serve indigenous, Black, and Latinx populations in our local communities, as well as across the globe. This course was formerly cross-listed with ENV 3200. Students will receive credit for BLS 3200, ENV 3200, LTS 3200, or PAF 3200. These courses may substitute for each other with the F-replacement option.