Climate change impacts everyone — from record-breaking heat waves, to physical and mental health impacts, to food shortages. Understanding the science behind climate change provides you with the foundational knowledge necessary for taking action in your community and enhancing your career. No matter your age, job, goals, or interests, this course will enable you to meaningfully engage with one of the defining challenges facing humanity today.
Climate Science for Everyone
Climate Science for Everyone
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level
Recommended experience
7 hours to complete
3 weeks at 2 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
What you'll learn
Describe the observational evidence for climate change
Explain the physical science basis of climate change
Identify the drivers and trends of greenhouse emissions
Explain how the climate could change in the future
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
Shareable certificate
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Recently updated!
August 2024
Assessments
4 assignments
Taught in English
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There are 4 modules in this course
Welcome to Climate Science for Everyone! We’ll begin this week by introducing the course and explaining why understanding climate change science is important to you. Then, we’ll quickly discuss a short history of climate change science. Finally, you will learn about the increase in global average surface temperature since the pre-industrial era in the context of international agreements to limit warming. This will provide foundational knowledge for the rest of the course material.
What's included
3 videos11 readings1 assignment3 discussion prompts
This week, you will learn about the energy balance of the earth system and how the increase in global average temperature since the pre-industrial era can be explained in terms of changes in this energy balance.
What's included
3 videos4 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
This week, you will learn about how human activities have changed the atmospheric concentrations of the two main greenhouse gasses, carbon dioxide and methane. We will also touch on how the atmospheric concentration of anthropogenic sulfate aerosols, which have offset some of the warming from greenhouse gasses, is changing because of pollution control measures.
What's included
4 videos5 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
This week, you will learn how global average surface temperature will evolve over the course of this century under various greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Additionally, we will give you a chance to reflect on what you’ve learned in the course and how you can take action to help with climate change both personally and professionally.
What's included
4 videos10 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Instructor
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Environmental Science and Sustainability
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Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.