Geoscientists have documented continuous change in Earth's climate, environments, and biota through geologic time. Human activity is currently forcing climate change at rates that have previously been associated with periods of extreme ecosystem crisis and mass extinction. This course examines the natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) mechanisms that force climate to change. Modern measurements and observations of climate, energy balance, and biogeochemical cycles, combined with data that preserve climate records of the ancient past, provide the foundation for understanding global environmental change. These data allow geoscientists to document and interpret climate change and to predict the future livability of the planet for human inhabitants. The course is intended for advanced (senior-level) undergraduate or graduate students in STEM or allied disciplines.

Geoscientists have documented continuous change in Earth's climate, environments, and biota through geologic time. Human activity is currently forcing climate change at rates that have previously been associated with periods of extreme ecosystem crisis and mass extinction. This course examines the natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) mechanisms that force climate to change. Modern measurements and observations of climate, energy balance, and biogeochemical cycles, combined with data that preserve climate records of the ancient past, provide the foundation for understanding global environmental change. These data allow geoscientists to document and interpret climate change and to predict the future livability of the planet for human inhabitants. The course is intended for advanced (senior-level) undergraduate or graduate students in STEM or allied disciplines.