GEOG*3020 - Global Environmental Change

Course Description

This course studies the social drivers of global environmental change focusing on dynamic interactions among socio-economic systems, governance institutions, and biophysical processes. Specific attention is given to the causes of climate change, its intersections with other global environmental changes and issues, and implications for people and the places they call home.

Note: This course can be taken individually or as a part of a certificate program.

What You'll Learn

By the end of the course, the learner should be able to:

• Define climate, describe the greenhouse effect, and discuss post-industrialization emissions and climate change trends and patterns driven by human activity;
• Summarize the history of the United Nations and outline key meetings, agreements, development goals, and other events important to the integration of environmental concerns into this international body;
• Discuss and provide examples that support the claim that environmental change is uneven and socially complex;
• Describe key methods and approaches used in climate and environmental science and explain how indicators help us to track and monitor the social-ecological impacts of global environmental change;
• Explain achievements, challenges, and advances in global environmental governance and discuss reasons for 'hope' in the face of global environmental change;
• Illustrate and apply key course concepts, including (but not exclusive to) mitigation, adaptation, sustainable development, environmental (in)justice, double exposure, common but differentiated responsibility, and social-ecological systems; and
• Synthesize research on a specific country, an economic sector within that country, and climate science projections relevant to that country and sector.

Additional Requirements

Prerequisite(s): 7.50 credits

If there are any concerns regarding missing prerequisites and/or restrictions, the Learner Success Advisor will contact you directly for further clarification after registration has been completed.   

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Certificate in Environmental Citizenship : Electives
• Certificate in Environmental Conservation : Electives