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Climate Change Leadership – Power, Politics and Culture
Spring 2015
Assignment Instructions:
Sector 1: Changes in the Climate – Past, Present and Future
During this section of the course, we will cover the physical science of climate change and apply a
historical lens to sustainable development and climate change. There are countless ways to
disagree with these scientific and historical interpretations of data, and we will see that there is a
strong resistance to the acceptance that climate change is a crucial, human-induced challenge that
the planet faces.
Related Course Goals:
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from an interdisciplinary, environmental historical perspective critically compare different
explanatory models of how changes in the climate have influenced different historical and
contemporary societies
interpret different theoretical models concerning the emergence of the industrial society
as a cause for anthropogenic climate change
Required Literature:
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James Hansen, Storms of my Grandchildren
IPCC 5th Assessment Report
Steffen, W., Persson, A., Deutsch, L., Zalasiewicz, J., Williams, M., Richardson, K., Crumley,
C., Crutzen, P., Folke, C., Gordon, L., Molina, M., Ramanathan, V., Rockström, J., Scheffer,
M., Schellnhuber, H.J., Svedin, U. (2011) The Anthropocene: From Global Change to
Planetary Stewardship.
Hobson, Kersty and Niemeyer, Simon (2012) “What Sceptics Believe”: The effects of
information and deliberation on climate change skepticism. Public Understanding of
Science, 22(4), 396-412.
Part 1:
At the end of the section and as part of the final workshop, we will take a co-created ‘dugga’, a
test on your knowledge in climate science. The questions for the test you will propose and send in
three days before the test. We will select up to 30 questions you will then answer individually in
class and discuss them afterwards.
As a tool to practice asking questions and giving each other feedback on them, we have created a
course for you all to participate in on Peerwise, find out more about it here:
https://peerwise.cs.auckland.ac.nz/docs/students/
We’ll give you more information on how to log on and use this tool after the Roll Call.
Requirements:
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submit two multiple choice questions and one open question
also submit answers to the respective questions
 for multiple choice question provide 3-4 different choices
 for open questions: supply 1-2 key points/concepts that any answer needs to entail
when formulating answers and questions keep the related course goals in mind and think
of which concepts and facts you find valuable to know from what you have heard in the
lectures and read in the literature
Name the document (Word or PDF) in the following way: firstname.surname.quiz and
upload it on www.studentportalen.uu.se
Due: Sunday, February 1st
Part 2:
In this assignment, you are challenged to take the role of a specific person or organization which
has a skeptical or very critical view towards climate change. As there is a wide spectrum of people
and groups who are resistant to the idea of anthropocentric climate change, choose one. Also pick
one area to focus on and make sure your perspective and focus match.
Examples could include:
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An oil lobbyist questioning the way science is conducted
Sarah Palin, who just loves “the smell of emissions”
A family member who doesn’t believe in climate change for religious reasons
These are mere suggestions to give you some inspiration. You are strongly encouraged to find your
own example. Your task is to express your views as if you were writing an article for a newspaper
or journal. Make sure not to rant, but express ‘your’ opinion on the specific problem in a
structured way and propose a solution.
Requirements:
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Length: 1-2 pages (common formatting, for example Times New Roman size 12, or Arial
size 11, spacing: 1.0)
You may use references if necessary but it is not required
State the name of the person or group whose perspective you are writing from and provide
some more background information on them if you feel it is necessary for the reader
Name the document (Word or PDF) in the following way: firstname.surname.skeptic and
upload on www.studentportalen.uu.se
Due: Sunday, 8th February