Climate Change Courses

Climates over the geological, historical and instrument periods. Theories of climatic change. Monitoring and modelling the climate system. Impacts of change on environmental and socio-economic systems.

Concepts and techniques employed in environmental research; challenges in the areas of climate change, water use, knowledge translation and natural hazards.

Physical and biological characteristics of the circumpolar Arctic, emphasizing terrestrial environments and the impacts on and by humans, including: glacial history; climatology; biogeography/ecology of arctic tundra; human-environment interactions, settlement and exploration; and current environmental, social and economic problems.

Geographical ecology emphasizing contemporary species distributions at local to global spatial scales, population and community dynamics, and human impacts. Labs emphasize collecting data (sometimes outdoors) and interpreting results.

The impact of urbanization upon atmospheric processes and climates. The energy and water balances of cities. Meteorological effects (urban heat island, precipitation modification, etc.) and their significance. Models of the urban atmosphere.

The impact humans have had on the environment, and the ways in which the physical environment has shaped human history: climate, agriculture, energy use, and urbanization.

Causes and effects of air pollution in the context of technology and society. Topics include: impact of air pollutants on air quality and climate, atmospheric science, public policy, collective action, environmental justice, science communication, economic externalities, and ethical engineering design.

Human health impacts of the current and projected environmental crisis; study of key concepts and ideas to prepare for the future to promote wellbeing of individuals, communities and populations.

The fundamental physics behind global issues of energy use and climate change.

Domestic and international determinants of environmental policy; alternative approaches to environmental protection. The sustainable development paradigm; public opinion and interest group pressures; risk assessment; mandatory, voluntary and market-based policy instruments.

Energy sources, markets, and impacts critical to energy policy, including oil, natural gas and coal markets; electricity and utilities policy; local and global environmental impacts; renewable energy; nuclear power and security; energy efficiency; technological innovation; and energy poverty.

Offerings respond to current policy debates, topics of emerging interest, availability of visiting scholars, and interest in non-traditional courses incorporating practitioner expertise, interest in particular disciplinary perspectives missing from core courses and electives, and interest in specific regions or countries.

Faculty and students from different disciplines act as an interdisciplinary team studying specific resource problems with ecological, economic, demographic and social dimensions. Techniques and methods are emphasized to show their value in integrating knowledge, defining policy and facilitating communication. Several sections with different emphasis offered each year.

Sociological approaches to the study of environmental conflicts, issues, movements, impact of changing technology, economic development on the environment.