Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation
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Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation
This course is part of Climate Change and Global Affairs Specialization
Instructor: CFR Education
Included with
Recommended experience
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
How climate change is impacting humans and environments around the world.
How humans can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity.
How humans can limit damage caused by climate change and adapt to a warming world.
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There are 6 modules in this course
Climate change—or what many refer to as global warming—is one of the most significant threats that humanity faces.
"Climate Change and Global Affairs: Mitigation and Adaptation" explores the impacts of climate change worldwide, alongside the strategies available to address this global threat. After completing this course, learners will be able to identify and explain climate change's impacts on humans and the environment, evaluate existing pathways for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, assess different strategies to adapt to climate change's many effects, and evaluate emerging technological approaches to combating climate change. By enrolling in this course, you join a host of policymakers, professionals, and students committed to addressing climate change. By tackling this global challenge, we work to build a more sustainable future.
In this introductory module, we discuss course aims, organization, and measures for assessment. By familiarizing themselves with this material, learners will prepare themselves for success in later, more content-driven modules.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 discussion prompt
1 video•Total 4 minutes
- Before You Begin •4 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
- Welcome!•10 minutes
- How to Succeed in This Course•10 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Get to Know Your Classmates•10 minutes
In the context of climate change, mitigation refers to the policies and actions that are meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit future warming. Module Two explores the different ways humans emit greenhouse gases, as well as the various steps and strategies that exist to mitigate these emissions. Key areas of exploration include: industry, energy systems, buildings, transportation, and agriculture and land use.
What's included
6 videos19 readings6 assignments2 discussion prompts
6 videos•Total 30 minutes
- Before You Begin•2 minutes
- Renewable Energy Sources: How They Work•8 minutes
- Industry Sector Emissions: What is Causing Them?•6 minutes
- How Does the Agriculture and Land Use Sector Create Greenhouse Gas Emissions?•7 minutes
- How does the Transportation Sector Emit Greenhouse Gases?•4 minutes
- How Does the Buildings Sector Cause Greenhouse Gas Emissions?•3 minutes
19 readings•Total 195 minutes
- Introduction to Module Two•10 minutes
- How to Lower Energy-Sector Emissions•10 minutes
- Energy-Sector Mitigation: What’s Holding Us Back?•10 minutes
- What Are Humans Doing to Mitigate Energy-Sector Emissions?•10 minutes
- How Can the World Work Together on Greener Energy?•10 minutes
- How to Lower Industry-Sector Emissions•10 minutes
- Industry-Sector Mitigation: What Can Be Done?•10 minutes
- What is Holding Back Industry-Sector Mitigation?•10 minutes
- What is Being Done?•10 minutes
- How to Lower Agriculture and Land-Use Emissions•10 minutes
- How to Reduce Agriculture and Land Use Emissions•10 minutes
- What Are Humans Doing to Mitigate Agriculture and Land Use Emissions?•10 minutes
- How to Lower Transportation-Sector Emissions•10 minutes
- How Can Governments Help Mitigate Transportation-Sector Emissions?•15 minutes
- What Challenges Exist for Mitigating Transportation-Sector Emissions?•10 minutes
- How to Lower Buildings-Sector Emissions•10 minutes
- Strategies to Mitigate Emissions in the Buildings Sector•10 minutes
- What is Holding Us Back from Mitigating Buildings-Sector Emissions?•10 minutes
- What is Being Done to Mitigate Buildings-Sector Emissions?•10 minutes
6 assignments•Total 180 minutes
- Module Two Quiz•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: The Energy Sector•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: The Industry Sector•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: The Agriculture and Land Use Sector•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: The Transportation Sector•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: The Buildings Sector•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
- Module Two Introductory Discussion Forum (Optional)•10 minutes
- Module Two Discussion Forum•10 minutes
Module Three explores climate change's varied impacts on human life and the broader environment. It pays particular attention to the efforts that individuals, governments, and industries are making to adapt to a warming world, as well as the social concerns that accompany these efforts.
What's included
2 videos18 readings6 assignments2 discussion prompts
2 videos•Total 10 minutes
- Before You Begin•2 minutes
- How Climate Change Worsens Extreme Weather•8 minutes
18 readings•Total 250 minutes
- Introduction to Module Three•10 minutes
- How to Protect Against Extreme Weather•10 minutes
- How Forecasting Can Safeguard Against Extreme Weather•15 minutes
- Other Strategies To Safeguard Against Extreme Weather •20 minutes
- How to Address the Economic Costs of Climate Change•15 minutes
- What Infrastructure is Under Threat from Climate Change?•15 minutes
- Adaptation Strategies for Economies and Infrastructures•15 minutes
- How Climate Change Affects Our Health•10 minutes
- Climate Change and Human health•20 minutes
- Climate Change and Disease•10 minutes
- What Can Countries Do About Climate Change’s Health Threats?•10 minutes
- How Does Climate Change Impact Food and Water Security?•10 minutes
- How Climate Change Threatens Water Supplies in a Warming World•15 minutes
- How Climate Change Threatens Food Supplies in a Warming World•20 minutes
- Introduction•10 minutes
- Climate Change Threatens to Displace Many People •20 minutes
- How Climate Change Worsens Inequality•15 minutes
- How Does Climate Change Increase Inequality Within Countries?•10 minutes
6 assignments•Total 180 minutes
- Module Three Quiz•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Extreme Weather•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Economic Damage and Resilient Infrastructure•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Climate Change and Human Health•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Climate Change and Food and Water Security•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check - Climate Change and Society•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
- Module Three Introductory Forum•10 minutes
- Module Three Discussion Forum•10 minutes
Energy is essential for modern society, but at the same time, energy consumption is one of the core drivers of greenhouse gas emissions. Module Four examines the basics of energy, as well as ways to replace fossil fuel-generated energy with electricity and make sure that electricity is generated as cleanly as possible.
What's included
2 videos16 readings2 assignments2 discussion prompts
2 videos•Total 12 minutes
- Before You Begin•2 minutes
- Why Countries Need Energy Storage•10 minutes
16 readings•Total 195 minutes
- Introduction •10 minutes
- What is Energy?•15 minutes
- What is Electrification?•10 minutes
- How Are Humans Working to Electrify Energy?•15 minutes
- How to Generate Electricity Cleanly•10 minutes
- Why Energy Storage is Essential for a Green Transition•10 minutes
- The Future of Energy Storage•10 minutes
- Green and Resilient Energy as a Security Measure•15 minutes
- How Can Climate Change Threaten a Country’s Energy Security?•15 minutes
- How Can Countries Better Protect the Energy Grid?•10 minutes
- How Renewable Energy Sources Can Boost a Country’s Energy Security•10 minutes
- How Energy Conservation Can Help Fight Climate Change•10 minutes
- Why Reducing Energy Consumption is Important•10 minutes
- How to Increase Energy Efficiency•20 minutes
- How Individuals and Governments Can Work to Conserve Energy•15 minutes
- Does Energy Conservation Work?•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
- Module Four Quiz•30 minutes
- Knowledge Check: Energy and Electrification•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
- Module Four Introductory Discussion Forum•10 minutes
- Module Four Discussion Board (Optional)•10 minutes
Module Five explores the history of climate-combatting technology, as well as the new and emerging technologies that industries and governments are adapting to address climate change. Key areas of exploration are artificial intelligence (AI) and geoengineering.
What's included
1 video11 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts
1 video•Total 2 minutes
- Before You Begin•2 minutes
11 readings•Total 135 minutes
- Introduction to Module Five•10 minutes
- What Technologies Have Humans Developed to Combat Climate Change?•10 minutes
- Climate Technology Timeline•20 minutes
- How Can AI Combat Climate Change?•10 minutes
- Five Ways AI Can Combat Climate Change•10 minutes
- Could AI Accelerate Climate Change?•10 minutes
- What is the Future of AI and Climate Change?•10 minutes
- Geoengineering to Combat Climate Change•10 minutes
- What is Geoengineering?•20 minutes
- What are the Concerns About Geoengineering?•15 minutes
- What Are the Rules Around Geoengineering?•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Module 5 Quiz•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
- Discussion Board•10 minutes
- Module Five Discussion Board (Optional)•10 minutes
Module Six concludes the course. In it, learners will read a brief summary of the material they have covered, take a full course assessment, and explore some additional steps to continue their climate learning journey.
What's included
1 video4 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
1 video•Total 2 minutes
- Course Summary•2 minutes
4 readings•Total 170 minutes
- Introduction to Module Six•10 minutes
- Supplementary Resources•90 minutes
- Course Project: Solar Geoengineering (Optional)•60 minutes
- Congratulations!•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 60 minutes
- Full Course Assessment•60 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Solar Geoengineering Discussion Forum (Optional)•10 minutes
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Frequently asked questions
CFR Education offers a three-course specialization on climate change and global affairs. While learners may complete these courses in any order, we recommend completing them in the following order:
- Climate Change and Global Affairs: The Basics - Climate Change and Global Affairs: Mitigation and Adaptation - Climate Change and Global Affairs: Policy Opportunities and Obstacles
This course is offered over a six-week period. It covers the following topics:
Week 1: Introduction to Course
Week 2: Mitigating Climate Change
Week 3: Adapting to Climate Change
Week 4: Energy Challenges
Week 5: Emerging Technologies
Week 6: Course Conclusion
Purchasing a Certificate to this course provides you with access to all course materials, including graded assignments.
Upon completing the course and passing all required assessments, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page, where you can download or share it at any time.
A Course Certificate includes the course name, the instructor’s signature, the logo of the partner institution offering the course, a verification URL that allows others to check the certificate’s authenticity, and a statement that Coursera has confirmed the identity of the learner who completed the course.
Course Certificates academic credit from the partner institution offering the course, the final grade you received in the course, your ID photo, the hours you spent working on coursework, or a printed or mailed copy of the Course Certificate.
If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. You are able to upgrade to a paid Certificate at any time during or after your audit.
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