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The Earth System as Global Common

Ref. ES-GCOMMON
CategoryNatural and Environmental SciencesCategoryBeginner
  • Duration: 15 hours
  • Effort: 15 hours
  • Pace: Self paced
What are the structural issues underlying the climate crisis? And how to fight it? Learn all about it by taking this course by Common Home of Humanity
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No open course runs

What you will learn

  • Learn new scientific concepts in Earth System Science, Law, Governance and Social Sciences;
  • Understand how the Anthropocene geological epoch impacts the future of climate issues;
  • Learn to assess the climate crisis from a multi- and inter-disciplinary perspective;
  • Be engaged in contemporary political discourse concerning the legal status of a stable climate;
  • Research first-hand the measures and responsibilities you could apply in your urban environment.

Description

Our daily decisions impact the the Earth System and, consequently our climate. A stable climate is our Common Heritage and we are all responsible for restoring and maintaining it.

In the real world, a stable climate is a common good not only from a legal perspective as it is materially and legally indivisible, but also from an economic perspective, as it is limited, exhaustible, and rival in consumption. These factors are highly relevant in the failure of carbon markets designed to reduce global emissions.

Despite 25 years in climate negotiations, none of the proposed solutions have generated a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. To fulfill the Paris Agreement goal, emissions would have to decrease 45% by 2030, not 0.5% as previously estimated.

The Earth is approaching a potential planetary "Tipping Point" with no point of return, but there is still a possible restoration path, which will only be achieved if we are capable of truly rapid and coordinated collective action.

This MOOC deepens into the roots of the climate crisis and teaches us how to collectively act to stop global warming.

Prerequisites

This course is dedicated to everyone interested in the structural causes of the climate crisis and those willing to fight it.

Awareness and technological development are no longer enough to stop global warming. Societies need to create the minimum structural conditions necessary to enable collective action and achieve the goals set by multilateral agreements, such as the Paris Agreement.

The course was developed in English, with texts and subtitles available both in English and Portuguese.

Assessment and certification

Your knowledge will be tested throughout the course through quizzes and a peer-reviewed activity that will prove your new skills.

To obtain the Certificate of Conclusion you’ll have to complete all evaluations (quizzes and peer-reviewed activity) and achieve a minimum percentage of 50% of correct answers.

Course plan

Module 1: Earth System Science
– with Prof. Katherine Richardson, University of Copenhagen, and Prof.Will Steffen, Australian National University
Module 2: Mitigation of Climate Change: The Climate Crisis
– with. Prof. Filipe Duarte Santos, University of Lisbon
Module 3: International Environmental Law and Governance
– with Lionel Chami, Global Pact Coalition, and Prof. Klaus Bosselmann, University of Auckland
Module 4: A Culture of the Commons
– with Prof. Viriato Soromenho-Marques, University of Lisbon
Module 5: Common Heritage (CH) and The Duty of Legal Innovation and the Common Heritage
– with Prof. Alexandra Aragão, University of Coimbra, and Prof. Prue Taylor, University of Auckland
Module 6: Earth System Law and the Stable Climate as a Common Heritage of Humankind
– with Prof. Louis Kotzé, North-West University, and Paulo Magalhães, Common Home of Humanity
Module 7: Managing Global Commons
– with Prof. Iva Pires, New University of Lisbon

Course runs

Archived

  • From Feb. 22, 2022 to Aug. 25, 2022

Course team

Katherine Richardson

Categories

Katherine Richardson is Professor of BiologicalOceanography and Leader of the Sustainability Science Centre at theUniversity of Copenhagen

Will Steffen

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Will Steffen is Executive Director of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.

Filipe Duarte Santos

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Filipe Duarte Santos is a Portuguese geophysicist and university professor, researcher in the field of environmental sciences.

Lionel Chami

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Lionel Chami is an international law professional with experience in public relations.

Klaus Bosselmann

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Klaus Bosselmann has been teaching in the areas of public international law, European law, global environmental law and governance, and environmental.

Viriato Soromenho-Marques

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Viriato Soromenho-Marques is a Portuguese philosopher and university professor.

Alexandra Aragão

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Alexandra Aragão is an associate professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra.

Prue Taylor

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Prue Taylor specializes in the areas of environmental change and human rights, governance of the commons, ocean law.

Louis Kotzé

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Louis Kotzé is a professor of environmental law and the Director of the LLM Programme in Environmental Law and Regulation at the NWU.

Paulo Magalhães

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Paulo Magalhães Jurist and researcher at CIJE - Center for Legal and Economic Research, University of Porto.

Iva Pires

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Iva Pires has a PhD in Human Geography from the University of Lisbon.

Organizations

Common Home of Humanity (CHH)

Organizers

Funders

License

License for the course content

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

You are free to:

  • Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format

Under the following terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  • NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
  • NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
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