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Please note that course information listed in the Arts and Science Course Calendar supersedes any information listed on the Geography and Planning website.

For the most current course offerings, registered Queen’s students should consult .

Course Description

The study of historical and current climate change, projected future climates emphasizing the effects of global warming, impacts of climate change, and the role of humans as agents of climatic system change.

Course Overview

This course introduces students to the science of global climate change and explores potential outcomes and political aspects that surround the topic of climate change today. The course aims to provide students with a sound sense of background on how the climate system works and how the scientific community uses models, observations, and theory to assess changes, causes and impacts of climate through different time scales. A focus will be placed on past and present evidence of climate change, but some of the potential social, economic, and environmental consequences of future climate change are later explored in the course. Attention will be drawn to the latest research on climate change as well as the evolution of scientific data and conclusions that have emerged over the past decades. A focus will be placed on understanding climate change in the context of the complicated media environment that has emerged over the past decade.

Course Topics

• What is climate change?
• Scientific denial
• Earth’s radiation balance
• Climate history of the Earth
• Human and natural influences on climate
• Indicators of modern climate change
• Projected changes to the Earth’s climate
• Global impacts of climate change
• Canadian impacts of climate change
• Climate adaptation and mitigation
• Communication of climate science