ESS 60N: Cold Truths: Understanding Climate Change in Our Polar Regions

Course Description

Our polar regions have undergone some of the most dramatic climate shifts in recent decades. In the Arctic, rapid surface warming and ice loss have profoundly reshaped the landscape, impacting ecosystems, Indigenous communities, and international geopolitics. Meanwhile, the Antarctic has seen record-breaking maximum and minimum sea ice extent over the past decade. In both hemispheres, accelerating land ice loss continues to drive global sea level rise. These complex changes defy simple explanations, and distinguishing human-driven impacts from natural variability remains challenging. This seminar will explore the fundamental science behind climate change in polar regions, its cascading effects on natural and human systems, and potential geoengineering interventions to mitigate negative impacts. We will critically examine the latest research and its coverage in the media through lectures, assigned readings from scientific and journalistic sources, and in-class discussions.