GEOS 1064: Climate History: Past, Present, and Future

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental components of the Earth’s climate system. Students will discuss changes in the Earth’s climate at different time scales, climate change induced by plate tectonics, variations in the Earth’s orbit, and transition to and from ice ages. They will utilize climate models as tools to interpret climate change, and discuss historical changes to the Earth’s climate and potential future changes. Students will also examine the impacts of climate change, and discuss climate ethics and policies.

Why take it?

GEOS 1064 provides an opportunity for students to independently and objectively evaluate information about a topic of critical global importance. Learning about how humans influence the present and near-future climate has broad implications for social and political actions at every level of society: individuals, cities, nations, and the international community. Students in this course will gain the skills needed to become active and competitive participants in this process.

This course fulfills an elective in the Climate and Society Pathways minor.

Requirements

There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course fulfills Pathways requirements in Reasoning in the Natural Sciences and Ethical Reasoning.