Climate Change Science and Negotiations

About this course

The time to address climate change is now. The mean surface temperature of the Earth has risen dangerously and spurred devastating impacts and not just on natural ecosystems worldwide, but on daily human life. We are currently on pace towards a temperature increase of 4°C or more this century, while scientists and policymakers propose targets of just 1-2ºC to avoid the total destruction of the planet. In this massive open online course, learn solutions to mitigate the effects of the global greenhouse gas emissions causing temperature rise, and how to apply these solutions in different national contexts improvements.

Target audience

• Graduate students and advanced undergraduate students in the fields of sustainable development, environmental science, sustainable business, international relations or related fields who are interested in the latest on climate change
• Climate change activists who want a concise overview of the current issues shaping debate and action
• Sustainable development practitioners as well as private-sector actors, such as corporate sustainability and responsibility groups and those who work in the technology or energy industries who need to understand key issues and facts about climate change, including emissions targets and emerging regulations.

Learning objectives

• The basics of climate change, energy balance, and emissions.
• The 2-degree limit and why it’s important.
• The role of nuclear power, electric vehicles, and other technologies.
• The process of global negotiations and agreements to regulate climate change.