Climate Change and Public Policy
Develop your knowledge of climate change policy and explore the innovations and unique solutions to the global climate crisis.
2,301 enrolled on this course
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
3 hours100% online
How it works
Climate Change and Public Policy
The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies. Find out more.
Uncover the complexities of climate change
Climate change presents the most profound challenge to have confronted human social, political, and economic systems.
On this four-week course, you’ll explore the fundamentals of climate change. You’ll focus on the interaction between science, economics, and public policy, providing an introduction to environmentalism from the private sector.
Explore the common policy proposals to fight climate change
You’ll begin by focusing on China and the US, examining their climate policies and what changes they need to make to reduce their climate impact.
Then, you’ll look at a range of climate policy ideas, from command and control to carbon taxes. You’ll discuss the opportunities and challenges of each policy, allowing you to come to your own conclusion of which, if any, is the better option.
Discover innovative climate change solutions such as carbon capture and geoengineering
Energy production is the largest driver of climate change. As energy demand grows, the world needs to shift to cleaner energy sources and technological innovations.
This course will take you through a variety of clean energy solutions, such as nuclear, wind, solar, and natural gas. You’ll also explore the human innovations that are leading the fight against climate change, including geoengineering.
Learn from climate policy experts at the Adam Smith Center and the IER
This course has been designed and created by the Adam Smith Center and Jordan McGillis, Deputy Director of Policy at the Institute for Energy Research (IER).
McGillis has written extensively on energy policy, including IER’s 2019 White Paper on carbon taxes, which makes him well-positioned to provide you with a holistic and incisive examination of the causes, environmental effects, and policy implications of climate change.
Syllabus
Week 1
Climate Change and Public Policy Basics
Course Introduction
We will cover the following pertinent questions – What is climate change? Why is it happening? What is being done? How is the climate system investigated?
Climate Change Basics
Let's get down to the nuts and bolts of climate change.
Public Policy Basics
Find out how climate change has changed policy principles and priorities.
Regional Focus: China
How has China responded to climate change?
Regional Focus: United States of America
How has America responded to climate change?
End of Week 1
Let's recap what we've learned.
Week 2
Importance of Markets
Policy Ideas: Command and Control
Command and Control policies are top-down solutions typically enacted by governments. How do they work and what role do they play in climate policy?
Policy Ideas: Free Markets
In contrast, market-based solutions rely on decentralisation. How do free markets address climate change problems?
Policy Ideas: Carbon Taxes
Carbon taxes are one leading example of a market-based solution to climate change. How effective are they?
End of Week 2
Let's recap what was covered this week.
Week 3
Energy Mix and Solutions
Energy Mix
What is an energy mix? What are some energy solutions within the energy mix?
Energy Solutions: Nuclear
Should nuclear energy be harnessed to mitigate climate change?
Energy Solutions: Wind and Solar
Can wind and solar energy illuminate new ways of dealing with climate change?
Energy Solutions: Natural Gas
How can we harness natural gas to combat climate change?
Energy Efficiency
How efficient are cleaner sources of energy?
Electric Vehicles
How are electric vehicles better for the environment?
Carbon Capture and Storage
What is carbon capture and sequestration?
End of Week 3
Let's recap what was covered this week.
Week 4
Human Creativity and Technological Innovation
Importance of Human Innovation
Most accounts of climate change do not factor the power of human innovation. How could it move the needle on climate progress?
Entrepreneurship
If innovation is important, then entrepreneurs are the central actors in society. Indeed, environmental entrepreneurship promises a new wave of progress in our fight to improve the climate.
Geoengineering
Geoengineering is one example of human ingenuity. While still in its early stages of research, one wonders what role it will play in the future.
The Importance of Local Decentralisation
Central governments may often be too removed from the local environment. Local, ground-up solutions can prove to be more effective in mitigating climate change.
End of Week 4
Let's recap what was covered this week.
Who is this accredited by?
The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Apply economic theories and frameworks to environmental issues
- Explain how climate change is a public policy issue
- Evaluate different climate policies and their effectiveness
- Discuss the social and political challenges of climate change
- Compare the commercial and environmental attributes of various energy solutions
- Describe how market processes and human innovation achieve good environmental outcomes
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for anyone with an interest in climate change or public policy. It will be especially useful for students pursuing economics, political science, public policy, or sociology, and for professionals working in environmental and resources sectors.
Who will you learn with?
Dr. Bryan Cheang is an academic political economist from King's College London. His research is on economic development and public policy. He also is the Founder of the Adam Smith Center, Singapore.
Jordan McGillis serves as the Deputy Director of Policy for the Institute for Energy Research. He is an expert on global energy trends, international climate negotiations and climate change policy.
Who developed the course?
Adam Smith Center
The Adam Smith Center is an independent, non-profit organisation in Singapore dedicated to economics and public policy education.
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $134/one-off payment | $244.99 for a whole year Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 11 Nov 2024 |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$244.99 for a whole year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$134/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 11 Nov 2024
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 31 October 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 31 October 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
Learning on FutureLearn
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Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
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Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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