Plant Ecology and Global Change: Science Motivated by Conservation

New ‘Big Ideas’ class launched: Climate Change and the Future of California

D.A. and three colleagues – Whendee Silver (Environmental Science, Policy and Management), David Sedlak (Civil and Env. Engineering), and Steve Weissman (Goldman School of Public Policy) have launched a new lower division course: Climate Change and the Future of California (L&S, ESPM c46). The goals of the course are to introduce students to the fundamentals of climate change science, the potential impacts of climate change on the people and environment of California, and the environmental, social and technical options we have to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changes ahead.  The course has 8 core units: 1) overview of California geography and history; 2) the science of global climate and climate change; 3) introduction to California governance and politics; 4) California’s energy system; 5) water in California; 6) California ecosystems and agriculture; 7) Public health and environmental justice; and 8) urban planning, economy and the global context.

We are offering the course for the first time in Spring 2016, and are excited to have more than 90 students enrolled from colleges and departments across the Berkeley campus. Curriculum development support was provided by the Berkeley Energy and Climate Institute and the L&S Big Ideas program.

 

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Left to right: Steve Weissman, David Ackerly, Whendee Silver, David Sedlak

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Whendee Silver introducing the geography and climate of California, second day of class!

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