The Science and Politics of Climate Change

Catalog description

Earth's climate has changed in the past and will change in the future; however, current climate science describes a rate of climate change expected in the next hundred years that is similar to those experienced during mass extinctions in the past. This rate of change implies emergency conditions for most living creatures including man, and a need for urgent action if human caused contributions to climate change are to be stopped or slowed. This course will examine the science and politics of climate change with an emphasis on understanding the physical science behind climate change, the biological impacts of changing climate in a variety of biomes, suggested political and physical remediation and the political consequences of suggested remediation. This course will also examine the actions of certain lobbyists, political parties, and multinational corporations and their impacts on the politics of climate change.