Virtual Lectures via Zoom Webinar

January 7, 2025: A Global Overview of the Climate Crisis

To set the stage for our global journey from now into the future, we look at how the climate is negatively impacting humanity in so many regions across the globe. We will review how the climate is changing, focusing on the increasing temperatures that are scorching the planet every summer in the northern and southern hemispheres. The impact of the hydrological cycle will be explained and why we are seeing stronger storms, catastrophic flooding and, paradoxically, worsening drought.

January 14, 2025: A Planet in Peril

We review the most destructive impacts of the changing climate and examine why they are getting worse. We start with wildfires and their impact, and then review the changes in the cryosphere: the melting icesheets and the disappearing glaciers. We will look at the effect of climate change on food and health, and then the deadly effects of air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Finally we look at the impact of climate change on biodiversity.

January 21, 2025: Why is the Climate Changing?

There are geophysical reasons that explain the changes we are seeing in the global climate. We will review the greenhouse effect and the emissions that produce it. The Paris Agreement will be explained, and we will go on to look at the carbon emissions produced by different countries and how they are changing. The concept of net zero emissions will be discussed, along with the idea of negative emission technologies.

January 28, 2025: The Global Energy Transition

We will review the progress of the transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. Solar energy, wind power, geothermal energy and hydropower are increasingly important but their variability is a problem. Finally, we look at the economics of renewables compared with fossil fuels and nuclear energy.

February 4, 2025: The Great Electrification

This week we look at why a shift to electricity is key in managing the climate crisis. We will review the latest electric technology: ships, aircraft and utility vehicles. Also the electrification of buildings and industry. Can economies rely completely on renewable energy? Some countries have made the transition. We will look closely at nuclear energy and the development of small modular reactors. Lastly, we will examine the role of hydrogen.

February 11, 2025: Climate Change in Canada

A closer look at how climate change is affecting Canadians. The impact of wildfires, heat waves and floods is worsening. The differences across the provinces are examined and why Canada’s emission targets have not been reached. The question of carbon pricing is examined, together with nuclear waste disposal. Finally, we will explore the potential for wind power in the Atlantic provinces.

February 18, 2025: Denial, Disinformation and Degrowth

A quick review of the history of the discovery of carbon dioxide leads to an analysis of why the denial of climate change is continuing. We will look at companies like Exxon and Enbridge. The concept of a carbon footprint is examined. Then we move to the problem of planetary boundaries and why there are limits to growth. Finally, we examine climate inequality and the idea of degrowth.

February 25, 2025: Taking Action

In this final lecture, we will look into the future and ask what Canada needs to do to reduce the impacts of the changing climate – the increasing intensity of heat waves, wildfires, floods and sea level rise needs to be managed. How can people adapt to the impacts of climate change and what forms of protection are needed? Who should pay for these measures? Finally, we look at ten key actions that will help resolve the crisis.

Dr Martin Bush is a retired educator who taught chemical engineering at universities in Canada and the USA before embarking on a career in international project management. He has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Sheffield, England and an M.Sc. in protected landscape management from the University of Aberystwyth in Wales. He has led natural resources management projects in Haiti, Mali, Guinea, Egypt, Djibouti and Madagascar. He is the author of two technical books on climate change and renewable energy, and a book describing his travels overseas.