LAW 319—Climate Change: Interdisciplinary Perspectives & International Law

Have we reached the end of nature? Are the dire predictions of a human-inflicted apocalypse something we need to worry about, or are they exaggerated? And what does the end of nature even mean for humans, non-humans, and our environments? Proclaiming that the natural world is disappearing is nothing new. As far back as Plato, people have complained about humans altering nature beyond repair. Is there anything that sets the period we are living through, newly referred to as the Anthropocene, apart from those earlier times? And does this situation really change everything, as Naomi Klein argues in her book about climate change? Finally, how do our scientific and legal systems account for this change? These questions are particularly acute in light of the assaults by the current political administration in the United States on the EPA, national parks, and efforts to mitigate climate change. This interdisciplinary course will draw on legal, scientific, and cultural perspectives to discuss climate change, species extinction, biodiversity loss, capitalism, and the Anthropocene. We will read books and articles from various disciplines, host experts from multiple fields, watch documentaries, and discuss the great ecological changes and challenges of our time, emphasizing the interconnections between law, science, and society.