Climate Change

The Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland are viewed as a “canary in the coal mine” in observing the effects of climate change. Climate models predict the loss of more than half of all regionally endemic bird and mammal species if temperatures in the region rise by 3°C or more. The iconic Great Barrier Reef, just off the coast of Queensland, is also under threat, both from rising temperatures and ocean acidification. Students investigate the potential responses and resilience of biotic communities to climate change and major climatic events.

Climate change is severely impacting Bhutan—diminishing water sources, changing rain and snowfall patterns, extreme weather events, landslides, flash floods, and glacial lake outburst floods are threatening people and ecosystems. Living in the shadows of the ‘third pole’, as the Himalayas are often referred to by climate scientists, students learn about environmental policies and laws, and mitigation and adaptation strategies for dealing with climate change. Students also have the opportunity to discuss the topic with policymakers and planners at the national and local level.

Cambodia is already experiencing severe impacts from climate change. We examine a range of climate issues, including impacts to ecosystems such as rivers, lakes, and forests. Students learn about ethics, governance, and livelihood resilience in a changing climate and take a field trip to a floating village on the Tonle Sap Lake to learn about climate change vulnerability and adaptation (Semester and Summer 2 programs).

The Southern Hemisphere is under assault from disruptive climatic events, and Chile and Argentina are often on the front lines. Both droughts and fires are pushing already-fragile ecosystems to their viable limits, while receding glaciers and ice fields are dramatically modifying landscapes and influencing global climate conditions. Few places on Earth bear evidence of climate change like Patagonia. Here, climate change is palpable.

Academic programming in Costa Rica concentrates on the impacts of climate change across the socioeconomic and environmental axes of sustainable development. Climate change is challenging the sustainable development goals of the country and threatening the biodiversity that has attracted millions of tourists. Students assess public perception of the problems and solutions associated with climate-related environmental impacts.

Disruptive climate events have large impacts on an ecosystem. In Kenya, droughts due to inconsistent rains and fire add ecological stresses to already vulnerable wildlife populations. Local people, especially the Maasai pastoralists, must adjust their livelihoods because weather anomalies have become more frequent and limited resources, like water, become less predictable. Students will study the effects of climate change on the varied ecosystems of the Kenya steppe and interview local people whose concerns about a changing planet are palpable.

Climate change and its impacts on natural ecosystems and islanders are interspersed throughout our curriculum as it is an inherent part of local and global environmental challenges. Through class discussions, field outings and observations, students consider climate change issues facing Panama and their home countries. Students perform coral bleaching and coral disease assessments within the Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park to quantify the current and future impacts of climate change on coral reef ecosystems.

Students learn firsthand how climate change is impacting the ecological patterns and processes that underpin the extraordinary biodiversity of the Amazon. Students explore the effects of climate change through the concepts of ecological resilience, dispersal and divergence of species, and the value of ecosystem services.

Climate change is causing shifts in hydrology and habitats in Tanzania, and protected areas—such as national parks and community wildlife sanctuaries—no longer provide a safe haven for wildlife. Students interview community members from various ethnic backgrounds about challenges they face due to climate change, the increasing competition for natural resources, their means of adaptation, and the impacts of these adaptation strategies on biodiversity. We examine the impact of climate change on age, gender roles, and lifestyle in rural areas, and implement small-scale climate change adaptation strategies in local communities.

The meteorological and biophysical impacts of climate change have put enormous pressures on marine and coastal ecosystems and on island-based livelihoods. We study the causes, mechanisms, and environmental impacts of climate change. Students learn how resources are managed in a changing environment, study the social impacts of changing climates, and assess the ecological impacts of climate change, particularly ocean acidification.