Climate Change 101 : Challenges and Opportunities

The course covers fundamental principles of atmospheric science, climate data collection methods, and tracking greenhouse gas emissions. It introduces basic climate modeling and investigates the effects of various scenarios for greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, it discusses the impacts of climate change on environmental, social, economic, and human systems, including coral reefs, sea level rise, and urban infrastructure. The course follows the general outline of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's 5th Assessment Report. Course Learning Objectives By the end of this course, you will: Develop a deep scientific understanding of HOW the climate system has been changing. Articulate WHY the climate system is changing. Understand the nature of these changes. Develop a system thinking approach to analyzing the impacts of climate change on both natural and human systems What You Will Learn Principles of atmospheric science Climate data collection and interpretation Zero-dimensional Energy Balance Models One-dimensional Energy Balance Models General Circulation Models Carbon emissions scenarios Future climate change projections Impacts on human systems Emissions reduction pathways This course is self-paced, which means you can complete the content anytime.