[SOLVED] Sociology and Climate Change
Part 1. What is the connection between sociology and climate change?Climate change is reasonably seen as one of the greatest global challenges for the 21st century. Changing climates will affect all humans in some fashion, and understanding the processes and consequences of climate change is, to my mind, the starting point for considering how we are going to respond to what will certainly be a different world in years to come. -TR KidderAccording to environmental sociologists and a range of scientists across multiple disciplines, climate change is a long-term shift in climate patterns, on either a global or a regional level. Components of climate change include global warming, extreme and unpredictable weather conditions, and rising sea levels. The cause of climate change is largely human activity. According to Julia Navárez (provided, not assigned; the quotes below are two separate excerpts) the city holds an interesting, even paradoxical place in broader issues of climate change:”…the role of the city is a paradox because the city becomes the root of that problem the problem of industrialization, the problem of pollution, the problem of carbon footprint but its also the solution because most progressive initiatives about climate happen in cities.In this Module, we draw from Navárez’s view of climate change and extreme weather conditions to first look at the realities of climate change and then how our cities are addressing those changes. We also draw from Norgaard (2008), who asserts that sociology isn’t attending to climate change as fully as it needs to. After reading this article, read more about both the causes of global warming and cities unique place within climate change – as both a leading cause of and a significant source of solutions to climate change:Norgaard (2018)-The Sociological Imagination in a Time of Climate Change (ERT 25:00)Why I like this article: it tells us that we need a sociological perspective to address climate change. The author also calls out sociology/sociologists and says that the field isn’t doing enough to address climate change. Norgaard states:Despite rising calls for social science knowledge in the face of climate change, too few sociologists have been engaged in the conversations about how we have arrived at such perilous climatic circumstances, or how society can change course. With its attention to the interactive dimensions of social order between individuals, social norms, cultural systems and political economy, the discipline of sociology is uniquely positioned to be an important leader in this conversation.Causes of Global Warming, Explained (ERT 10:00)Be sure to watch both videos, read the article, and check out the slideshow.Ending Climate Change Begins in the City (ERT 8:00)This is an infographic you will need to scroll down to see in its entirety.Cities as Solutions to Climate Change (ERT 7:00)Part 2. What is the relationship between cities and climate change?Cities significantly impact climate change: 2% of the earth’s surface are urban areas and these cities produce 71-76% of the world’s carbon dioxide. According to UN Habitat:”At the same time, cities and towns are heavily vulnerable to climate change. Hundreds of millions of people in urban areas across the world will be affected by rising sea levels, increased precipitation, inland floods, more frequent and stronger cyclones and storms, and periods of more extreme heat and cold. In fact, many major coastal cities with populations of more than 10 million people are already under threat as over 90% of urban areas are coastal. Climate change may also negatively impact infrastructure and worsen access to basic urban services and quality of life in cities. In addition, most of the vital economic and social infrastructure, government facilities, and assets are located in cities. The most affected populations are the urban poor [who] tend to live along river banks, on hillsides and slopes prone to landslides, near polluted grounds, on decertified land, in unstable structures vulnerable to earthquakes, and along waterfronts in coastal areas. The urban poor is indeed increasingly vulnerable: more than 1 billion people live [worldwide] in slums and informal settlements and are highly vulnerable to climate change.According to Climate Justice and the Right to the City (provided, not assigned; the quotes below are two separate excerpts) these numbers will only get worse:By 2050, the World Bank (2016) estimates that 1.9 billion city-dwellers will live in water-stressed cities, characterized by seasonal water shortages, up from 500 million in 2000.Most human beings now live in cities. The proportion will grow for decades. Since cities are where most people live, it is in cities where the impacts of climate change will hit hardest. In the long term, relentless sea level rise, increased extreme heat days, and stronger storms will pose enormous challenges to many coastal cities. Indeed, besides the singular threat of increasing heat, climate-linked weather extremes will mainly be experienced in terms of water: too much, in the case of storms and floods and sea level rise, and too little in the case of localized drought crises and exacerbated long-term water.Part 3. What are the impacts of climate change in our cities of focus?Photo of New Orleans flooded Photo of city in thick fog Photo of city near standing waterIn the Part 3, pay attention to the scope of climate change, the experiences/perspectives of city residents, and possible solutions. This is information you’ll need for Journal 3. If you haven’t reviewed the requirements for Journal 3 (assigned in Module 9), I would do that now and then return to this section. We begin this section with research into climate change and all three cities (New Orleans, New York, Detroit).Watch How the Climate Could Change in These US Cities by 2050. At the bottom of the article is this searchable map:America is warming fast. See how your citys weather will be different by 2050. Check out any city you want, and definitely check out our three cities. Pay attention to what you find there.Urban Adaptation Assessment: Watch the 3 minute video on the right of the screen. Then scroll down to GET STARTED. From there, check out our three cities. Spend some quality time on this website. Look at both the city profile and the sub city map. Use these maps to really get a sense of climate change in a variety of dimensions, since climate change and its effects is far more than just an increase in temperatures. Keep a record of what you find.Scope: Spotlight on New YorkThe Devastating Effects of Climate Change on New York, Visualized (ERT 5:00) Read the article and watch the video. Pay attention to the notion of 2 degrees Celsius.How Climate Change Would Impact NYC (ERT 10:00)Read the article and watch the video. The Paris Agreement mentioned in the article was the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. This agreement was designed to keep the planet from warming by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (above preindustrial levels). The Obama administration entered into the Agreement; the Trump administration withdrew the US from the agreement.Scope: Spotlight on New OrleansLearning to Live with Water (15:00)Climate change and environmental racism (our focus next module) go hand in hand. What happened in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina (and continues to this day) is a profound example of how environmental racism plays out in the lives of residents of color.Louisiana Disappearing: Living On the Brink of Climate Change (5:00)Photo Essay: A Sinking Louisiana Builds Climate Resilience (10:00) – Listen to the audio clips embedded in the photos and read the article; the video is not assigned.Part 4. What are some solutions?Detroit’s Urban Farming Revolution (25:00)Pay attention to dominant stories about Detroit, the history of the auto-industry + its impact on city planning, the impact of urban farming, and the people making this happen.Climate Change Web Series (15:00)Spend 15 minutes on this website — you get to pick which video (or part of a video) that most interests you.Congrats! You have finished reviewing the Module 7 Blog content.*****************************To complete your learning for Module 7, create a blog post that addresses the following:1. What worries or concerns you about what you learned in Module 7? Include at least 5 numbered facts in your answer.2. What gives you hope? To answer this question, be sure to draw specifically from Part 4 with concrete details.
