09 August 2009

I'm Giving a Short Course in Denver

If you are in the Denver-Boulder area and would like to learn a bit more about climate policy, then you might be interested in a three-lecture Enrichment Program course (non-credit) that I am giving this fall through the University of Denver titled "Climate Science and Politics: A Dysfunctional Union."

The course will meet over three successive Monday evenings starting September 21 at DU and in the lectures I'll cover mitigation policy, adaptation policy, and science in policy and politics. Here is the blurb on the course from the DU web site:

Climate Science and Politics: A Dysfunctional Union

Leaders around the world agree that the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere poses risks requiring action. However, acknowledging the need for action and implementing effective policies are two different things. In fact, over the past decade when concern has increased about climate change, the world economy has become even more carbon intensive. This is a complex problem. Just ask Roger Pielke, Jr., a CU Environmental Studies professor who studies the science and politics of climate change. What are the obstacles to de-carbonization of the global economy? Pielke argues that success will require many decades of cooperative work and significant amounts of money. By contrast, quick fixes in the form of legislation or treaties are all but certain to fail. Learn about efforts to deal with the impacts of the changing climate with a focus on recent disasters exacting higher tolls on humanity. Discuss the role of scientists, advisors and policy makers in these politicized debates. How is science used and/or misused? How can the scientific community help to encourage a healthy interaction of science and politics? Come away with greater understanding of the often-dysfunctional union between climate science and politics, how it impacts society, and where we go from here.

Sign up here.