For Climate Action
Systems model by students in "Global Urbanism(s)" Johannesburg studio. Model facilitation and collage Andrea Godshalk
Climate change and the rapid destruction of biodiversity pose existential threats to the functioning of human society in the 21st century.
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Our current linear economy and resource use exceeds the earth’s carrying capacity and is fundamentally unsustainable. The Paris Agreement is a historic global effort to keep the increase in global average temperature below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. This goal requires rapid coordination to shift our energy and infrastructure systems off of fossil fuels.
Social ecological systems and ecological economics are
important tools for this challenge.
Social ecological systems theory helps us investigate the complex dynamics that drive change across space and time. Ecological economics challenges prevailing paradigms which assume an infinite planet and unlimited economic growth.
Launched at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC) COP23 ~
The Talanoa Dialogue is guided by these questions:
Where are we?
Where do we want to go?
How do we get there?
See more: https://talanoadialogue.com/
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Learning Objectives:
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Name the major causes of climate change, including primarily contributing sectors and industries.
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Communicate about major climate change impacts.
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Define climate change adaptation and mitigation and the relationship between them.
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Articulate the fundamental strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation focusing on urban systems and cities.
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Understand, apply, critique, and contribute to theories and methods of social ecological systems and ecological economics.
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Critically utilize systems dynamics modeling and ecological economics to propose interventions and programs which target leveraged systemic change.
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Read a variety of literatures on the implications of climate change on social ecological systems.
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Develop and communicate climate change action using a variety of methods and literatures (drawings) focused on urban systems.
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This course empowers spatial designers to implement sustainable relationships with the earth’s biosphere and the social systems it supports.
Spatial designers have a crucial role in climate action.
Students read a variety of literature on the implications of climate change on social ecological systems. Through analyzing these readings, they developed climate action proposals supported by systems dynamic modeling and ecological economics at project and policy scales.
About
Andrea Godshalk is the instructor and convener of this course and public dialogue. Andrea’s research and design focuses on resilience through social ecological system dynamics. Andrea has extensive experience delivering multi-stakeholder programs with a focus on sustainable urbanism and social equity. Andrea has conducted fieldwork and program delivery in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Cyprus & Northern Cyprus, Ireland & Northern Ireland, Germany, Mexico, and around the United States. Andrea holds a Master of Landscape Architecture, Master of Urban Design, with advanced studies in Sustainable Urbanism, and an undergraduate degree in American Studies with an emphasis in Ethnic Studies. Andrea served as a delegate to the 23rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Maggie is an interaction designer based in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2019 with a BFA in Communication Design.
For this project, she designed the logo for our Talanoa Dialogue, as well as the event flyers, stickers, booklets, and website you are on right now.
Reach out to maggierchuang at gmail . com
Students: Yaoyao Chen, Qiuchen Gao, Yanlong Gao, Danni Hu, Kathryn Karl, Shaoxuan Liu, Rachel Reinhard, Lingyue Wang, Zimeng Wang, Bixiao Yuan
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