Brandeis University

    GECS 188B: Human/Nature: European Perspectives on Climate Change

    Instructor: Sabine von Mering
    Prerequisites: None. Open to All Students.
    Course Description: The climate crisis is here, and it is scary. Increased heatwaves, storms, fires, and floods, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, ocean acidification—the loss and damage are devastating. The most recent report by the IPCC (2018) confirms that prior estimates were too conservative. Scientists now believe that we may only have until 2030 to completely stop pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere if we want to avoid catastrophic warming. Yet emissions continue to rise, and despite the fact that China and India are seeing the highest increases in emissions overall, Americans continue to be by far the biggest polluters per capita (apart from very small countries like Qatar). The United States continues to be held hostage by a fabricated “debate” about the facts: From President George W. Bush’s decision not to ratify the Kyoto protocol in 2001 to the Koch brothers’ massive sponsorship of climate denial (see Merchants of Doubt) to the US media’s problematic predilection for “balanced” reporting on the issue. Significant progress was finally achieved by President Barack Obama and the historic Paris Agreement of 2015 ratified in record time, but Donald Trump’s administration did everything it could to systematically undo all progress on climate. The Biden administration has rejoined the Paris Accord in January 2021, and President Biden has promised to make climate action a centerpiece of his presidency. But time is of the essence. And this is a social justice issue. The Paris Agreement acknowledges the “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities” of countries in the global North and South. In other words: Climate change will hit those countries the hardest that have contributed the least to the problem and have the least resources to protect themselves. Climate denial is highest in countries with the most resources that have contributed the most to the problem. Like the Paris Agreement, climate activists are calling for global climate justice around the world. In Europe, young people have taken to the streets by the millions, inspired by Greta Thunberg from Sweden, demanding for fossil fuel divestment, 100% Renewable energy, and a just and livable future for all. The high cost of addressing the problem has long been used as an argument by opponents of climate action. Yet the cost of damages caused by extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change is rising every year: In the US alone such costs accumulated to a total of $1.3 trillion between 1980 and 2017 according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – not even including the damages incurred in second half of 2017. Many Americans are looking to Europe for inspiration on how to tackle the problem of climate. Contrary to North Americans, Europeans have largely accepted the reality of climate change, and many European governments are contributing significant funds to study climate change mitigation to curb CO2 emissions and adaptation to build resilience. The European Union is committed to spending at least 20% of its budget on climate. Denmark plans to be 100% powered by renewable energy by 2050. Many countries have committed to phasing out gas-powered cars. How is it that Germany is able to produce more than twice as large a portion of its electricity needs from renewables than the US in far less favorable conditions? How come The Netherlands are so much better prepared than the US for the kind of flooding we are likely to see in the coming years? What preconditions must be met that politicians will act in the best interest of the people? What can we learn from Europe? An issue like climate change suffers in part from the fact that those who understand its intricacies best (the scientists) tend to be least prepared/willing to communicate them. Indeed, the problem of climate change is the ideal case to be made for a liberal arts education: Only through close cooperation of science, social science, humanities and creative arts can a problem of this magnitude be appropriately addressed. In this course you will become "climate-literate" in numerous ways. You will learn and practice how to speak and write intelligently about the climate crisis. You will investigate how the European discourses about climate change evolved, how Europeans have addressed and are addressing the issues in the media, in politics, economics, art, literature, and film, and what lessons we can draw from that. We will study the historical roots of these discourses, how they resulted in political and policy directions, and what role the humanities must play in helping us understand the problem, and develop solutions. The course qualifies for credit in GECS, ENVS, IGS, and CAST. It covers hum, wi, djw, and oc requirements.
    Session: Session II
    Day: M, T, W, Th
    Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
    Credit Hours: 4 Credits
    Course Format: 2034
    Brandeis Graduation Requirement Fulfilled: DJW, HUM, OC, WI
    Enrollment Limit: None
    Course Classification: Undergraduate Level Course
    Course Tuition: $3,100
    Course Fees: None
    Open to High School Students: No