Recent extreme weather events show us some of the profound impacts of climate change on people, ecosystems, livelihood, and health. Because we are in a climate emergency, this course focuses on sharing with students the knowledge and skills that will allow us all to survive and thrive in the twenty-first century, with special emphasis on water and health. We need to mitigate climate change impacts and adapt to current and projected future conditions, at scales from local to global. A stable, livable future is possible, but we must act now.
In this class, we engage in weekly seminars, readings, videos, discussions, and student-led tutorials, plus two sessions of En-ROADS climate simulations investigating pathways towards meeting the IPCC 1.5-degree Celsius target. Field trip sites include Blue Hill Observatory, green infrastructure, and zero-carbon buildings. We host expert lectures in climate science, climate modelling, “One Health,” the global COVAX program, and climate justice. Working individually or in teams, students develop a term project working on a climate solution of their choice. What we care about are real solutions to preserve “all we can save.”