Course objectives:

Climate change has been called the most complex challenge that humans have ever had to face. Many argue it is also an opportunity for us to be confronted with, and change, the most unsustainable elements of the way we live on the planet. It is – but only if we take it, and  that may mean changing the way we think about ourselves, about the quality of our lives, and about capitalism and even democracy. Can we reimagine the state, the economy, society, and our ideas about quality of life? For instance, the US considers itself an exemplar of justice, but allows some parts of the population to consume huge amounts of the earth’s resources for profit -largely through systematic deprivation of other parts of the population, including future generations. This state of affairs presents an inescapable practical and ethical challenge that we must meet.

On the other hand, others argue that we can mitigate the effects of climate change sufficiently that we will not need to cease the exploitation of the earth and other species.  So….

• What is the evidence for each of these positions?
• What is the potential cost of the various approaches to adaptation vs mitigation?
• What is the potential cost of inaction?

These are some of the questions we will engage this course, as well as generating new ones.