You’ve probably seen the news headlines: “Has global warming stopped?”, “Is the Earth’s climate getting more extreme?”, or “Is climate change just a big hoax?”  It seems that we are inundated daily with news reports linking recent weather events with global climate change.  Are recent cold winters and the current California drought signs of human-induced climate change, or just part of the natural variability in the climate system?  These are questions you likely have already been asked by family and friends, and will likely be asked in your future careers as environmental scientists.

As environmental scientists, our job requires us to objectively assess observations of Earth’s climate system, discern the mechanisms responsible for observed climate variability and change, and then make educated projections about what might happen in the future.  The goal of this course is to provide you with the skill set necessary to independently evaluate media reports and scientific literature concerning global climate variability and change to allow you to make informed decisions about this topic in your future career.

Prerequisite: EVSC 3300, or instructor permission