Climate Change: Science, Society, and Policy

This intensive course is delivered in Winter 2026; f2f component delivered 29 June - 10 July. There is preparatory work prior to the f2f component. Anthropogenic climate change is arguably the greatest existential risk and most intractable wicked problem that humanity has ever faced. This course provides an overview of the fundamentals of climate and climate change science, reviews the history of climate change action internationally and in Australia, and outlines the current and projected state of climate change and climate change action. The course explores the impetus and options for climate change action, the intersection of climate change and sustainable global development, and why, despite the increasing urgency, international and domestic climate action is often limited. The astrophysical, atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial processes that drive and amplify natural climatic variability and anthropogenic climate change are introduced at a level appropriate for non-science students while selected lectures explore topics at the forefront of current climate science research. Current and likely future impacts of anthropogenic climate change on ecosystems, human activities, and societal development are considered, including biodiversity, human health, indigenous perspectives, and regional and socio-economic inequality and vulnerability. Our exploration of communication, denialism, polarisation, ethics, and the roles of academia and research culminates in an in-class discussion of climate change with climate deniers. Key principles of International Relations and examples from the realpolitik of international treaties are used to investigate actual and potential societal response strategies. International and Australian climate policies, key actors, and international processes are analysed to assess actual and potential unilateral, private, and collective action. The interactions with policy options in other domains (such as economics, foreign aid, energy, and innovation) are also examined. The culmination of the course is a mock treaty negotiation for "The Canberra Agreement" under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Contributors to the course include experts from across the ANU and representatives of various government departments, industry, business, NGOs, community groups, and research organisations. This course is co-taught with undergraduate students but assessed separately. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to envs3020-convener@anu.edu.au.