4.0

credits

Average Course Rating

Within the past decade, North America has commenced a path towards a global energy super-power, expanding known Canadian oil reserves to include the huge shale deposits that sparked the recent boom in the United States. At the same time, the continent has seen shifts towards clean power and renewable energy with the goal of reducing impacts of climate change. Climate policies span a large spectrum of measures that include reducing emissions, adaptation to new climates, and geoengineering the planet’s climate trajectory. This course will focus specifically on how policy in North America has – and sometimes has not – addressed the climate challenge. The driving forces and political palatability of decision-making related to climate will be discussed as well as the subsequent policies that are applied in North America. Classroom sessions will include active learning through classroom exercises, structured student debates, engaging discussion on course materials, and guest lectures. Students will learn to undertake research and participate in dialogue that evaluates and critically assesses climate policy in the countries in question, which will have broader comparative applicability in future work. <a href="https://jh.box.com/s/eatlmnt6fi35rg0rwf4cb4mrdcem8oza" target="_blank">Click here to see a video introduction for the course.</a> <a href="http://bit.ly/1bebp5s" target="_blank">Click here to see evaluations, syllabi, and faculty bios</a>