ASTR212

This course explores the science of climate change and the political and commercial issues related to global warming. The first part of the course focuses on the scientific basis of climate change. The students will investigate the concepts and principles required for understanding planetary climates. They will assess the observational evidence for climate change and quantify the relative roles of natural and human drivers in causing it. They will connect and compare recent changes to historical climate trends and examine predictions for the consequences of future climate change on the environment and our lives. The second part of the course focuses on the political and commercial issues related to climate change mitigation. The students will analyze policies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and explore their impacts from the perspectives of policymakers, commercial interests and the public.

CE - CL (Cross Listed), GE - T2-NATS (Tier 2 Natural Sciences), GEED - BC (Gen Ed: Building Connections)

Fall, Spring