Climate Change Resilience & Adaptation

Catalog description

This course explores the basic tenets of climate change science as a foundation for further studies in the theories and models of resilience and adaptation in the social, natural and applied sciences. Through a critical reading and analysis of central bodies of literature, students are provided a conceptual and empirical basis for exploring applied practices and policies advanced in the name of climate change adaptation. The practice component of the course focuses on community resilience in urban planning and policy; technical resilience in civil and systems engineering and conservation ecology; multi-hazard risk assessment in disaster risk management; and adaptation mainstreaming in the public and private sectors. Positioned within an emerging field of study, this course identifies many of the key unanswered questions that are critical for future conceptual and empirical development. With a focus on environmental change and the built environment, students will develop a critical understanding of relevant public policies and institutions, design and engineering techniques, economic strategies, and planning models. While there are no prerequisites for this course, some interest and general familiarity with environmental studies is useful.