In this class we will discuss the underlying science of the climate system and also explore how this information is communicated effectively. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Can you imagine a sustainable future? What would it look like? How can we get there? We are often bombarded by negative images about our future and the future of the planet. In this seminar class we will explore what a sustainable world might look like and ways that we can get there. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

This first-year foundation course will introduce students to the scope and seriousness of some of current ecological concerns, as well as some core principles and concepts in the field of the intersection of environment and culture, through the lens of feature films. Through journal reflections, class discussions and guided critical thinking exercises, and a paper, students will be able to build confidence and enthusiasm for further study in environmental studies, within a small seminar setting. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

In a fast-paced, high-tech world—and one that must rapidly decarbonize to address the climate crisis—the relationship between labour and environment is rapidly changing. This course explores the intersection of work and the environment, considering how ideas about leisure and idleness might offer new pathways for a more sustainable future. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

This foundations course is an introduction to Environmental Psychology and related disciplines. We will examine the mutual relationship between the human psyche and the environment, with a focus on mental wellness. Topics will include: psycho-evolutionary environments, place attachment and identity, neurological toxins and environmental health, the modern period, cultural perceptions on nature-psyche, climate anxiety and ecological grief, nature connectedness and restorative environments. As a foundations course, students will develop key academic skills such as academic literacy, communication and application, interdisciplinary critical thinking, as well as creative problem solving. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

The course examines current environmental issues for which there is no easy answer or consensus position. For instance, to help solve climate change should we generate more electricity from nuclear power-plants, which have no greenhouse gas emissions? Or instead, should we phase out nuclear plants because of possible accidents, costs and radioactive wastes? The seminar examines the scientific and political aspects of such issues and debates the pros and cons of each. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

The perspective which scientists bring to the understanding and resolution of environmental concerns having global implications: atmospheric systems and climate change, the biosphere and conservation of biodiversity.

This living things and their environment breadth course is intended to fulfill the environmental literacy requirement for students in the BA programs of the School of the Environment or the living things and their environment breadth course requirement for Commerce, Humanities and Social Science students

One of two foundation courses for the School’s undergraduate program. Introduces students to ways in which different disciplines contribute to our understanding of environment. Instructors and guest lecturers are drawn from the sciences, social sciences and the humanities and will present subject matter, assumptions, conceptualizations and methodologies of their disciplines.

ENV222H1 explores the concept and practice of sustainability by integrating scientific, technological, economic, political, psychological, historical, and ethical perspectives. The course begins by analyzing the challenges posed by the ecological crisis, including its historical roots. It then goes on to explore and evaluate a variety of approaches, strategies, and actions—at a personal, local, national, and global scale—that could move us towards authentic sustainability.

The practical, interdisciplinary and controversial nature of environmental issues, as well as the uncertainty that surrounds measures to address them demand mastery of a particular range of skills by environmental students. This course teaches the fundamental research, analysis and presentation skills required for effective environmental work. This course is for students enrolled in the Environmental Studies Major program, or permission of the Undergraduate Associate Director.

The course will cover basic physics of environmental processes and of measurement techniques in the atmosphere, the ocean, lake-land-forest systems, and other biological systems. It will place its work in the context of climate change and other aspects of environmental change. This course is solely intended for students who have NOT completed a previous first year physics core course, who are in one of the following programs: Environmental Science Major or Minor, Environmental Geosciences Specialist or Earth and Environmental Systems Major.

The course will cover basic physics of environmental processes and of measurement techniques in the atmosphere, the ocean, lake-land-forest systems, and other biological systems. It will place its work in the context of climate change and other aspects of environmental change. This course is solely intended for students who have completed a previous first year physics core course, who are in one of the following programs: Environmental Science Major or Minor, Environmental Geosciences Specialist or Earth and Environmental Systems Major.

Energy is a fundamental organizing principle of Nature. It has a central role in the origin and evolution of the universe, and is the basis of the ecosystem of the Earth and of technology and the world economy. This course will explore the science of energy in all its forms. ( ENV262H1 is primarily intended as a Breadth Requirement course for students in the Humanities and Social Sciences.)

Special topics course designed for students in School of the Environment programs. Content in any given year depends on instructor. See School of the Environment website for more details.

Special topics course designed for students in School of the Environment programs. Content in any given year depends on instructor. See School of the Environment website for more details.

Credit course for supervised participation in faculty research project. Details at https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/academics/research-opportunities/research-opportunities-program. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Credit course for supervised participation in faculty research project. Details at https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/academics/research-opportunities/research-opportunities-program. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

This course builds on what you have learned about the nature of the climate crisis ( ENV101H1), science of global change ( ENV200H1) and the sustainability transition ( ENV222H1). It will provide students with a comprehensive framework for evaluating and comparing climate solutions. The course will begin with an assessment of the scale and urgency of the climate crisis as a basis for assessing solutions. Students will learn how to evaluate climate solutions from the point of view of feasibility, scale, timeframe, risk, equity, governance, likely co-benefits, and climate justice. Using a systems thinking approach, students will use a mix of qualitative and quantitative reasoning to assess current and proposed climate solutions. The course will also address current controversies and ethical dilemmas in addressing climate change, including mitigation versus adaptation, incrementalism versus system change, decoupling versus degrowth, greenwashing, and the ethics of geoengineering.

This course critically examines the concept of urban sustainability in theory and application. Case studies of ongoing urban sustainability programs in the developed and developing world help students assess the successes and failures of these programs. The course also examines the current state of research and implementation efforts toward urban sustainability. Toronto's urban sustainability and sustainable needs will be investigated through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) during the course (previous experience with GIS is not required).

This course focuses on methods of sampling and analyzing natural air, water and solid Earth materials for physical, chemical and biological properties that are relevant to current environmental issues. It will integrate approaches from chemistry, physics, geology and biology, and cover techniques in field sampling, laboratory analyses and analyses of large environmental data sets. Basic concepts related to quality control will be emphasized throughout the course: sample collection and storage methods, calibration of field and lab instruments, analyses in complex matrices, errors (accuracy, precision), and detection limits. This course is for students enrolled in the Environmental Science Major program, or permission of the Undergraduate Associate Director. A fee of $26 will be charged for lab supplies, lab instrument charges and technical services.

Examines ways in which governments develop and implement policy to protect the environment within their borders. Primarily Canada, plus comparisons with other countries. The focus is upon the politics of environmental policy making, which is understood by examining the interests and powers of the relevant state and non-state actors.

Examines the ways in which states negotiate and implement international agreements addressing global environmental issues, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Focus is upon factors which determine the efficacy of multilateral environmental agreements and the prospects for stronger global environmental governance.

Introduces students to public policy and institutional foundations of public policy in Canada, with an emphasis on environmental policy in Ontario. Provides an insiders perspective on how environmental policy has been developed in Ontario.

This course explores religious environmentalism, its proponents and opponents, and its core values within the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Religious environmentalists have used teachings from sacred texts as exemplars of sustainability. Some, however, claim that these texts teach domination, anthropocentrism and hierarchical values. Looking at a range of worldviews, we focus on the topics of wastefulness, consumption, and simplicity. Readings about barriers, motivations, and values that inform environmental behaviour are complemented with field trips to places of worship where we will hear religious leaders speak about the environmental initiatives undertaken in their communities and see sacred spaces.

Approaches to environmental concerns are often marked by assumptions that reflect distinct worldviews positing particular understandings of the role of the human with respect to nature. This course explores sundry economic, political, scientific, religious, and moral worldviews pertaining to the environment, including environmental ethics, Gaia, ecofeminism, scientific cosmology, and indigenous perspectives.

Environmental design, in the context of this course, refers to design strategies that account for the ability of supporting ecosystems to continue to meet human needs and those of other lifeforms without diminishing biological diversity or environmental quality. This course takes a hands-on approach to investigating several environmental design issues: climate-responsive design, energy consumption, health and comfort, natural lighting and ventilation, and water management. Students will build up a design of a net-zero carbon residential building through several instructive design exercises during the semester, including hands-on measurement and calculation activities.

A two week course offered at a Southern Ontario field station during late summer. Introduction to im-pacts of humans on semi-natural and human-dominated environments of southern Ontario and over-view of the most commonly used assessment tools for states of ecosystems. These environments play important roles in terms of ecosystem services.

The impact of 7 billion people on the planet is enormous and challenges future generations. What are these impacts today and in future? What solutions and tools can avert societal collapse? Using an integrated and interdisciplinary systems approach, we explore problems and solutions to the earth’s limits to growth.

Understanding the natural world and human perturbations to it requires data. All data has inherent biases and constraints. In this class we will explore the world of environmental data from the perspective of those interested in affecting positive change. The class will use case studies and current research to explore topics such as: How do environmental scientists design studies or experiments to answer specific questions? How do we characterize the limitations of the data we have and work within these constraints to answer scientific questions and make informed and meaningful decisions?

Examination of the linkages between human health and environment using an interdisciplinary, planetary health lens. Addresses basic public health and toxicological principles. Case studies are examined to highlight the multifaceted ways health and environment are interconnected and to understand key factors modulating environmental exposures and health outcomes in various populations.