Climate Policy and Politics

Climate change is one of the defining public policy challenges of the 21st century. This course begins by reviewing the essential climate science most relevant to policymakers before turning to policy responses and the political challenges of implementation. The first part of the course focuses on decarbonization, or how societies can transition away from the use of fossil fuels to renewable energy. We will evaluate key strategies, from specific tools like carbon pricing to broader approaches such as green industrial policy, proposals for a “Green New Deal,” as well as the international politics of climate diplomacy. The second part examines adaptation, or how governments prepare for and respond to climate impacts such as flooding, sea level rise, heat waves, and water scarcity, with a focus on how urban areas are tackling these threats. Throughout the course, we will emphasize the politics of climate policy: why some ideas gain traction over others, who participates in decision-making, who benefits or bears costs, what tradeoffs are involved, and why some affected groups might promote, obstruct, or delay particular initiatives.