Climate Change Education Across the Curricula, Across the Globe

Climate Change Education Across the Curricula

Tag: International Relations

Reading: Erosion of State Sovereignty

Posted by on in International Relations, Social Sciences

A reading titled ‘Climate Change, the Erosion of State Sovereignty, and World Order’ by Francesco Femia and Caitlin E. Werell that discusses how climate change can potentially stress natural resources and its effect on state stability and sovereignty. The reading discusses different threats to state sovereignty and potential causes of political instability, conflict and state collapse with respect to climate change induced natural resource stress. 

Students will learn about how climate change causes stress on a state’s natural resources and how it impacts its functioning and development. They will also learn about different types of state structures and their vulnerability to climate change induced human migration, political instability and conflict. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change affect the internal security of a country?
  2. Discuss the six types of erosion of sovereignty from the reading.

About the tool: 

Tool NameClimate Change, the Erosion of State Sovereignty, and World Order
DisciplineSocial Sciences, International Relations
Topic(s) in DisciplineInternational Studies, Geopolitics, Peace and Conflict Studies, Security, State Sovereignty, Human Migration, War
Climate Topic Policies, Politics, and Environmental Governance; Climate and Society
Type of tool Reading
Grade LevelUndergraduate 
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byFrancesco Femia and Caitlin E. Werrell in Epicenters of Climate and Security: The New Geostrategic Landscape of the Anthropocene eds Caitlin E. Werrell and Francesco Femia
Hosted atThe Center for Climate and Security
LinkLink
AccessOnline/Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Reading: Climate Risk and Megacities

Posted by on in International Relations, Social Sciences

A reading from ‘The Epicenters of Climate and Security: The New Geostrategic Landscape of the Anthropocene’ by The Center for Climate and Security on the impacts of climate change on large urban cities.The reading describes risks and direct and indirect impacts of climate change on the security of urban cities specifically coastal megacities.

Students will understand the impacts of climate change on urban megacities including large coastal agglomerates. They will also learn about the fragility and resilience of cities vulnerable to security risks caused by climate change.They will further understand related security, environmental, human rights and governance issues and policies.  

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change impact urban coastal cities? 
  2. How does climate change cause human migration and displacement? Give examples.
  3. Does migration to megacities create instability and conflict? 

About the Tool 

Tool NameCoastal Megacities vs. The Sea: Climate and Security in Urban Spaces
DisciplineSocial Sciences, International Relations
Topic(s) in DisciplineUrban Environment, Development Studies, Urbanization, Human Migration, Security, Peace and Conflict Studies
Climate Topic Climate and Society; Policies, Politics and Environmental Governance
Type of tool Reading
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal 
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byJanani Vivekananda and Neil Bhatiya in Epicenters of Climate and Security: The New Geostrategic Landscape of the Anthropocene eds Caitlin E. Werrell and Francesco Femia
Hosted atThe Center for Climate and Security
Linkhttps://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/7_coastal-megacities.pdf 
AccessOnline/Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Reading: Fish and Food Security

Posted by on in International Relations, Social Sciences

A reading from ‘The Epicenters of Climate and Security: The New Geostrategic Landscape of the Anthropocene’ by The Center for Climate and Security that discusses the impacts of climate change on the fishing industry. It includes discussions on the history of fisheries governance, recent disputes, how climate change is a major threat to the fishing industry and the need for evaluating current laws and treaties. The reading introduces the concept of “fish security epicenters” such as the South China Sea (SCS), the Arctic, and the African great-lakes where climate change can perhaps impact regional security and international relations.

Students will learn about the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems, fisheries, and fisheries governance. They will also understand how climate change is impacting the food security and national security of different regions. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change impact the fishing industry?
  2. What is the relationship between fisheries and national security?
  3. What are “fish security epicenters”?

About the Tool 

Tool NameFish, Food Security and Future Conflict Epicenters
DisciplineSocial Sciences, International Relations
Topic(s) in DisciplineFood Security, Security, Fisheries, Peace and Conflict Studies, Overfishing
Climate Topic Policies, Politics and Environmental Governance; Climate Change and Food Security
Type of tool Reading
Grade LevelUndergraduate
LocationGlobal 
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byDr. Michael Thomas in Epicenters of Climate and Security: The New Geostrategic Landscape of the Anthropocene eds Caitlin E. Werrell and Francesco Femia
Hosted atThe Center for Climate and Security
Linkhttps://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/10_fish-conflict.pdf 
AccessOnline/Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Reading: Coffee Production and Food Security

Posted by on in International Relations, Social Sciences

A reading from ‘The Epicenters of Climate and Security: The New Geostrategic Landscape of the Anthropocene’ by The Center for Climate and Security that discusses the impact of climate change on crop security. The reading specifically discusses the impacts of climate change on coffee production in different parts of the world. It further lists countries that primarily rely on coffee export for economic sustainability and related security issues. 

Students will understand the impacts of climate change on food security. They will also learn how climate-sensitive crops such as coffee relate to economic and political stability in some parts of the world.  

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. How does climate change impact food security?
  2. What is the impact of climate change on coffee production?
  3. Discuss the impact of climate change on coffee production and security in Honduras and Uganda.

About the Tool 

Tool NameClimate, Coffee and Security
DisciplineSocial Sciences, International Relations
Topic(s) in DisciplineFood Security, Security, Coffee, Peace and Conflict Studies 
Climate Topic Climate and Agriculture; Climate Change and Food Security
Type of tool Reading
Grade LevelUndergraduate
LocationGlobal, South America, Africa, Central America, Honduras, Uganda 
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byShiloh Fetzek in Epicenters of Climate and Security: The New Geostrategic Landscape of the Anthropocene eds Caitlin E. Werrell and Francesco Femia
Hosted atThe Center for Climate and Security
Linkhttps://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/11_the-coffee-belt.pdf 
AccessOnline/Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video/Microlecture: Did Drought cause the Syrian Civil War?

Posted by on in International Relations, Social Sciences

A short video from the Yale Climate Communications series titled ‘Drought, Water, War, and Climate Change’ on climate change as a catalyst for crises. The video discusses how climate change potentially contributed to the drought in Syria causing large scale human migration, poverty, political instability and, possibly, the civil war.  

Students will learn about how global warming and rising temperatures has an effect on the natural resources of a state. They will also learn about various factors that could have caused the civil war in Syria such as large-scale migration from farmland to urban areas and the subsequent collapse of the state. Students will further learn about the implications of the civil war on global geopolitical alliances and global security. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Discuss how climate change may have caused the drought in Syria from 2007-2010.
  2. Discuss how climate change and the drought could have contributed to the civil war in Syria.

About the tool: 

Tool NameDrought, Water, War, and Climate Change
DisciplineSocial Sciences, International Relations 
Topic(s) in DisciplineInternational Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, War, Civil War, Security, Human Migration
Climate Topic Disasters and Hazards; Climate and Society; Policies, Politics, and Environmental Governance; Climate Change and Food Security 
Type of tool Video/ Microlecture (5 min 45 secs)
Grade LevelHigh School, Undergraduate 
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byYale Climate Connections
Hosted atYouTube
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic