Human-caused climate change is a product of social, economic and environmental ways of thinking (paradigms). Understanding the causes and solutions to climate change requires an understanding of Earth’s energy balance and physical systems, as well as how our social and cultural systems contribute to those causes and solutions. Climate change is not a future issue. It is right here, right now. It affects each of us, directly or indirectly.

From the places where we live or care about, to the work that we do throughout our careers, climate change will influence the things that matter. The primary learning objective for this course is to grow your capacity to understand how climate change affects us, and the role we can play in responding to its impacts and providing solutions, whether we come to that role through social, environmental, economic, consumer and/or citizenship dimensions. At a practical level, our objective is to ensure you know how to find credible information about climate change when you need to, and to interpret and use what you find.