Climate change is an urgent and multifaceted challenge facing all of society.
Harvard faculty teach an expanding array of courses examining the many dimensions of this shared challenge. Explore courses in climate and sustainability ranging from economics and English to public health and climate science.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
THE SALATA INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY
This course examines how natural and anthropogenic changes in the earth system are affecting the composition and the functioning of the world's land and ocean ecosystems.
Human caused climate change has already irreparably altered the earth’s natural environment, and in the coming years these changes are certain to accelerate into routine and unrelenting catastrophe. In noting that religion often attends to the dying through practices of mourning and grief, this course will seek to consider how categories of apocalypse, pastoral care, lament, loss, and the creative arts might be crucial to our common future. Readings and film screenings will focus upon depictions of apocalypse from the ancient to the contemporary, as well ethical and theoretical considerations of the end of the world in critical and theological writings.
Can international law be a tool for promoting global justice? This course will explore diverse issues, including: Can environmental law help reduce climate change and provide justice for climate refugees?
We can define transportation infrastructure to comprise all the physical objects that provide mobility: including everything from trains, highways, and ports to sneakers, trails, and scooters. The amount and type of available infrastructure that is available to urban travelers depends very much on who is willing to pay for it and how.
This course will explore (i) the legal framework in which climate change action occurs in the United States, (ii) policy tools available to regulators, (iii) impacts on regulated entities and individuals and (iv) opportunities for private stakeholders to participate in and influence climate change decisions.
In an effort to draw general lessons for those interested in making change, we will assess a range of political and legal approaches; examine mass movements and the leadership by organizations, governments, and individuals; and attempt to gauge outcomes.
This course will provide students with an introduction to environmental science and engineering by providing an overview of current environmental issues, including climate change, air pollution, and water pollution.
The intersection of environment and health is by necessity an interdisciplinary focus. The most promising advances in lung biology and respiratory disease are resulting from teams of scientists with diverse disciplinary training, including biology, medicine, engineering, and physics. In addition to a strong foundation in a specific discipline, the ability to recognize and act upon opportunities presented by outside disciplines is a crucial skill. This course is designed to train scientists to approach lung biology and respiratory diseases with an interdisciplinary perspective, in particular by bridging the gap between life sciences and physical/engineering sciences.
This course introduces graduate students to operational issues in sustainable electric energy systems. The first part covers basic electrical engineering, optimization, and economic concepts. The second part examines the “modular” view of energy processing components (e.g., generators, transmission network, demands). The third part explores physical and market operations in the evolving electricity industry. Computer-based demos and homework will help students understand key concepts relevant to the power industry.
