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The Earth System as Global Common

Ref. ES-GCOMMON
CategoryNatural and Environmental SciencesCategoryBeginner
What are the structural issues underlying the climate crisis? And how to fight it? Learn all about it by taking this course by Common Home of Humanity (2nd Edition).
  • Duration: 15 hours
  • Effort: 15 hours
  • Pace: Self paced
  • Languages: English
  • 1,720 already enrolled!
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What you will learn

  • Learn new scientific concepts in Earth System Science, Law, Governance and Social Sciences;
  • Understand how the Anthropocene geological epoch impacts the future of climate issues;
  • Learn to assess the climate crisis from a multi- and inter-disciplinary perspective;
  • Be engaged in contemporary political discourse concerning the legal status of a stable climate;
  • Research first-hand the measures and responsibilities you could apply in your urban environment.

Description

The challenge of looking at our planet as a single system!

In this course, we intend to address the challenge posed to the social sciences, by the recent evolution of Earth System Sciences, which approach the functional aspect of our planet as a single, deeply interconnected and indivisible system that knows no boundaries. How can this new approach of science be recognized and absorbed by the Law, which until now has treated this functional aspect of the planet as nobody’s stuff - res nullius - where the economy is sending the so-called “negative externalities” that have turned our planet's great circulation systems into the garbage dumps of the Industrial Age”.

This course was recorded in 2021-2022, and one of the modules is taught by the scientist who today is considered the “father of Earth System Science”. In this way, it is also a tribute to the life of Prof. Will Steffen.

Take up the challenge of combining the natural sciences with the social sciences and looking at our planet from a new point of view!

Prerequisites

This course is dedicated to everyone interested in the structural causes of the climate crisis and those willing to fight it.

Awareness and technological development are no longer enough to stop global warming. Societies need to create the minimum structural conditions necessary to enable collective action and achieve the goals set by multilateral agreements, such as the Paris Agreement.

The course was developed in English, with texts and subtitles available both in English and Portuguese.

Assessment and certification

Your knowledge will be tested throughout the course through quizzes that will prove your new skills.

To obtain the Certificate of Conclusion you’ll have to complete all evaluations (quizzes) and achieve a minimum percentage of 50% of correct answers.

Course plan

Module 1: Earth System Science
– with Prof. Katherine Richardson, University of Copenhagen, and Prof.Will Steffen, Australian National University
Module 2: Mitigation of Climate Change: The Climate Crisis
– with. Prof. Filipe Duarte Santos, University of Lisbon
Module 3: International Environmental Law and Governance
– with Lionel Chami, Global Pact Coalition, and Prof. Klaus Bosselmann, University of Auckland
Module 4: A Culture of the Commons
– with Prof. Viriato Soromenho-Marques, University of Lisbon
Module 5: Common Heritage (CH) and The Duty of Legal Innovation and the Common Heritage
– with Prof. Alexandra Aragão, University of Coimbra, and Prof. Prue Taylor, University of Auckland
Module 6: Earth System Law and Bringing the Functional Aspect of the Earth to International Law: Stable Climate as a Common Heritage of Humankind
– with Prof. Louis Kotzé, North-West University, and Paulo Magalhães, Common Home of Humanity
Module 7: Managing Global Commons
– with Prof. Iva Pires, New University of Lisbon

Course team

Katherine Richardson

Categories

Katherine Richardson is Professor of Biological Oceanography and Leader of the Sustainability Science Centre at the University of Copenhagen

Will Steffen

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Will Steffen was the Executive Director of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.

Filipe Duarte Santos

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Filipe Duarte Santos is a Portuguese geophysicist and university professor, researcher in the field of environmental sciences.

Lionel Chami

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Lionel Chami is an international law professional with experience in public relations.

Klaus Bosselmann

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Klaus Bosselmann has been teaching in the areas of public international law, European law, global environmental law and governance, and environmental.

Viriato Soromenho-Marques

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Viriato Soromenho-Marques is a Portuguese philosopher and university professor.

Alexandra Aragão

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Alexandra Aragão is an associate professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra.

Prue Taylor

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Prue Taylor specializes in the areas of environmental change and human rights, governance of the commons, ocean law.

Louis Kotzé

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Louis Kotzé is a professor of environmental law and the Director of the LLM Programme in Environmental Law and Regulation at the NWU.

Paulo Magalhães

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Paulo Magalhães Jurist and researcher at CIJ – Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Justice, Faculty of Law of the University of Porto.

Iva Pires

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Iva Pires has a PhD in Human Geography from the University of Lisbon.

Organizations

Common Home of Humanity (CHH)

Organizers

License

License for the course content

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

You are free to:

  • Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format

Under the following terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  • NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
  • NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
PRR Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência, República Portuguesa, Financiado pela União Europeia NextGenerationEUCompete2020, Portugal2020, União Europeia Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional
República Portuguesa, Ministério da Educação, Ciência e Inovação.FCCN - Serviços digitais FCT; FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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