Lectures
- Thursdays, 7:35-9:30 - Harvard Hall Room 202
| Class Discussion Section
- Sever Hall, Room 201, Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 pm |
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Course
Description:
This introductory course will give students
an integrated overview of the science of climate change and an
analysis of the implications of this change for patterns of daily
life in their own circumstance and around the world. |
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Climate
Change Headlines
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Humankind is facing an unprecedented environmental crisis of
global proportions. Scientists from across the world have issued
stark warnings about the potential disruption and destabilization
that changes in Earth’s climate will most likely cause
in the near future for the life systems upon which modern civilization
depends. The social and political implications of climate change
have begun to become apparent as local communities in widely
different parts of the world struggle to adapt to new patterns
of excessive rainfall, prolonged droughts and severe weather
events. Internationally, nation states have endeavored to forge
diplomatic agreements to help humankind cope with both the causes
and consequences of global climate change.
This course has three principal objectives. First, it
will introduce students to the science of climate change, drawing
attention to the latest research and evolving pattern of scientific
data that has emerged on climate in recent years. Second, emphasis
will be given to analyzing the social changes and adaptations
that human communities have already made and those they will
most likely to have to make as the Earth’s climate continues
to change in the coming years. Finally, specific attention will
be given to the diplomatic efforts that have been launched since
the creation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC)
during the first world-wide Earth Summit on the environment
in Rio de Janeiro in June of 1992.
| Course
Schedule
| Week
2
February 8 |
| History
of Climate Science |
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William
R. Moomaw
The History of Climate Science and the Science
of Climate History |
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| Week
5
March 1 |
| A
'Southern' Perspective on Climate Change |
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Adil
Najam
- The Fletcher School |
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| Week
7
March 15 |
| The
Environmental Impact of Climate Change - 1 |
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Paul
Epstein -
Climate Change and Public Health |
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| Week
8
March 22 |
| The
Environmental Impact of Climate Change -2 |
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Paul
Kirshen
- Local & Global Water Issues |
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Spring
Break
| Week
12
April 26 |
| Current
State and Forthcoming Trends of the Science
of Climate Change |
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James
J. McCarthy - Harvard
University - OEB |
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| Week
15
May 17 |
| **
All Course Papers Due ** |
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Course
Requirements
Requirements
for the course include completing
1)
a mid-term examination
- Thursday, 5 April 2007 [note
change of date from previously posted 22nd March]-
[ Distance learning students
should consult the procedures for "Proctored
Examinations" in the Extension School catalogue.
You are responsible for identifying an appropriate
Proctor, completing the online
proctored examination form and making arrangements
for the administration of the examination at a distance.]
(This exam counts for approximately 20% of the final
grade):
2)
a final hour exam exercise
- Thursday, 24 May 2007 -
(to count approximately 20% of the final grade);
3)
class participation - (including classroom participation,
where possible AND completion of all online class
assignments, quizzes, etc. - to count approximately
20% of the final grade).
and
4)
Final Research Term Paper
- to be submitted in writing, in class on or before
Thursday, April 5, 2007
and Thursday, May 17, 2007,
respectively . [That is, a brief prospectus for this
paper must have been submitted by Thursday,
April 5 2007, while the term paper itself is
due on Thursday, May 17, 2007].
The Prospectus and the Research Term Paper will together
account for approximately 40% of the final grade.
Further
guidelines on the Midterm Exam, Final Exercise, Prospectus
and Research Term Paper will be given in class and
posted online when appropriate. But Nota
Bene: Distance Learners
who will not be taking the "Final Exercise"
in class are required to make arrangements for a Proctor.
Instructions
for "Proctored Examinations" are available
in the Extension School Catalogue, and you must complete
an online
proctored examination form for this Final Exercise
-- just as in the case of the mid-term.
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| Assigned
Reading for the Course are drawn from:
| Elizabeth
Kolbert |
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2006 |
Field
Notes from a Catastrophe (New York, Bloomsbury
USA, 2006). |
| Stephen
H. Schneider (Editor), John O. Niles (Editor), Armin
Rosencranz (Editor) |
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2002 |
Climate
Change Policy: A Survey (Washington, D. C.,
Island Press, 2002). |
| Tony
Blair (Foreword), Hans Joachim Schellnhuber (Editor),
Wolfgang Cramer (Editor), Nebojsa Nakicenovic (Editor),
Tom Wigley (Editor), Gary Yohe (Editor), Rajendra
Pachauri (Introduction) |
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2006 |
Avoiding
Dangerous Climate Change (Cambridge, Cambridge
University Press, 2006).
[PDF
version] |
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| The
Unassigned, Required Reading & Listening/Viewing |
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