Climate Justice: Foundations

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Climate Justice: Foundations

This course is part of Climate Justice Specialization

Instructor: Tracey Osborne

Included with Learn more

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

4 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

4 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

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Shareable certificate

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This course is part of the Climate Justice Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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There are 3 modules in this course

This course introduces students to the foundations of climate justice by connecting climate science, inequality, and human impacts. Students begin by learning what climate justice means and why climate change disproportionately affects low-income communities, Indigenous peoples, communities of color, and nations in the Global South. The course then builds basic climate science literacy by explaining Earth systems, climate data, and the physical processes driving climate change. Finally, students examine climate migration and refugees, exploring why climate-driven displacement is not simply a natural misfortune but a justice issue shaped by vulnerability, adaptation gaps, and unequal global responsibility. Together, these lectures establish climate change as both a scientific crisis and a social, political, and ethical challenge.

In this module, Professor Tracey Osborne, of UC Merced, introduces the field of climate justice and examines how the impacts of climate change are distributed unevenly across communities. You will explore how social, economic, and political factors shape vulnerability, with particular attention to low-income communities, Indigenous populations, and regions in the Global South. Through this exploration, the module connects environmental change to questions of equity, human rights, and policy. By the end, you will be able to recognize key disparities, consider the ethical dimensions of climate action, and begin thinking about approaches that prioritize fairness and resilience in environmental solutions.

What's included

8 videos4 readings1 assignment

8 videosTotal 56 minutes

Introduction to Climate Justice3 minutes
Urgency of Climate Change4 minutes
Definitions of Climate Justice4 minutes
Root Causes of Climate Change12 minutes
Key Themes and Examples of Climate Justice - Part 110 minutes
Key Themes and Examples of Climate Justice - Part 28 minutes
Key Themes and Examples of Climate Justice - Part 38 minutes
Reasons For Optimism7 minutes

4 readingsTotal 20 minutes

Climate Justice Course Series5 minutes
Introduction to Climate Justice: Foundations4 minutes
Course Navigation and Safety Statement1 minute
The Six Pillars of Climate Justice10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Module 1 Knowledge Check30 minutes

In this module, you will explore climate change from an Earth science perspective by examining the fundamental components of the Earth’s climate system. You will learn key climate science concepts, including how natural processes and human activities influence climate patterns. The module also introduces how changes in the climate system affect societies around the world, helping you connect scientific principles to real-world impacts. By the end, you will have a foundational understanding of how the climate system works and why these changes matter.

What's included

6 videos1 assignment

In this week, Professor Fonna Forman explores accelerating climate migration across the world and how the world is responding, diving deep into the intersections of climate change and migration. She will help answer what is climate migration and why is it an injustice? What has been the international response to climate migration? Is it adequate? Is it just? How can we respond locally to accelerating climate migration?

What's included

6 videos1 reading1 assignment

6 videosTotal 56 minutes

Introduction to Climate Migration and Refugees3 minutes
Climate Migration12 minutes
International Response - Part 110 minutes
International Response - Part 29 minutes
International Response - Part 38 minutes
Localize and Humanize15 minutes

1 readingTotal 4 minutes

Climate Justice: Foundations Conclusion4 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Module 3 Knowledge Check10 minutes

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Instructor

Tracey Osborne

University of California, Davis

5 Courses1 learner

Offered by

University of California, Davis

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