Modules are in Bold and GC I, or GC II Lectures are in regular font
1. Introduction (approach, goals and systems thinking) principles (2) and systems
(3-11) -BP/DA/TG
a. Introduction to Concepts
i. "Challenges we face" -Article & Discussion
2. Life system (time, building blocks/soils, complex life, speciation, evolution,
ecosystem) biological principles -DA
a. Scientific Principles
i. Natural Selection and Mutation: The Case of the Peppered Moth Modeling with STELLA
GC I Lecture
 Soils, Weathering and Nutrients (Allan) – Maybe this should move to Kling? Fits
with nutrient cycling.
 Emergence of Complex Life; The Fossil Record; Punctuated Equilibrium (Allan)
 The Process of Speciation (Allan)
 Evolution and Natural Selection (Allan)
3. Biodiversity (trophic systems, biological productivity, global inventory) -DA
a. Scientific Principles
i. Biological Productivity and Trophic Systems -Modeling with STELLA
b. State of the World
i. Protecting Biodiversity -ArcView
c. Societal Choices
i. Biodiversity Threats -Article & Discussion
GC I Lecture
 The Flow of Energy: Primary Production (Kling) – Move to Allan?
 The Flow of Energy: Higher Trophic Levels (Kling) – Move to Allan?
 Ecological Communities: Networks of Interacting Species (Allan)
 Competition and Resource Scarcity (Allan)
 Trophic Links: Predation and Parasitism (Allan)
GC II Lecture
 Threats to Biodiversity (Allan)
 Global Deforestation (Allan)
 Desertification (Allan)
 Coastal Environments (Allan)
 World Fisheries: Declines, Potential and Human Reliance (Allan)
 Parks and Protected Areas (Allan)
4. Human evolution and environmental justice (origins, agricultural practices,
resources and repression)-RF
a. Scientific Principles
i. The Environmental Consequences of Over-hunting Modeling with
STELLA
ii. Population Dynamics: Predator-Prey Interactions
b. State of the World
i. Global Water and Agricultural Resources -ArcView
c. Societal Choices
ii. Environmental Justice -Article & Discussion
GC II Lecture
 In the Beginning: Hominids and Environmental Change (Ford)
 The Cultural Transformation of the Environment I (Ford)
 The Cultural Transformation of the Environment II (Ford)
 Cultural Adaptation, Maladaptation and Global Change (Ford)
 Environmental Justice (Ford)
5. Human population (demographic transition, economic drivers, trends)-GN
a. Scientific Principles
i. Exploring Population Growth (J vs. S-shaped Curves) -Modeling with
STELLA
b. State of the World
i. Population and Economy (Distribution and Growth) -ArcView
c. Societal Choices
i. Population Growth and Global Society -Film, Article & Discussion
GC II Lecture
 Population Growth over Human History (Allan)
 Demographic Transition: An Historical Sociological Perspective (Allan)
 Human Appropriation of the World's Food Supply (Allan)
 Human Appropriation of the World's Water Supply (Allan)
 Emergence of Infectious Diseases (Allan)
6. Restless Earth: natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, landslides,
mitigation)-BP
a. Scientific Principles
i. Geophysical Data: Plates and Topography - Excel
b. State of the World
i. Distribution of Earthquakes and Volcanoes -Societal Impacts -ArcView
c. Societal Choices
i. Averting Natural Disasters -Article & Discussion
GC I Lecture
Put these here or in Energy?
 In the Beginning - Evolution of the Universe, Radiation Laws and Big Bang (Ben)
 Evolution of the Solar System and the Planets? (Ben)
 Evolution of Stars, Origin of the Elements? (Ben)
 Clocks in Rocks: Isotopes and Age of Earth (Ben) – Drop this?
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Continents and Oceans: Topography and Isostasy
Earth's Untamed Energy: Earthquakes and Volcanoes - Part I and Part II
Evolving Earth: Plate Tectonics
7. Energy and our world (fusion, electromagnetic radiation, radiative equilibrium,
fuel sources)-BP
a. Scientific Principles
i. Earth's Energy Balance Model - Modeling with STELLA
b. State of the World
i. Global Energy Resources - Population and Consumption -ArcView
c. Societal Choices
i. Making Better Energy Choices -Article & Discussion
GC I Lecture
 In the Beginning - Evolution of the Universe, Radiation Laws and Big Bang (Ben)
 Evolution of the Solar System and the Planets? (Ben)
 Evolution of Stars, Origin of the Elements? (Ben)
 Clocks in Rocks: Isotopes and Age of Earth (Ben) – Drop this?
 Energy Balance of the Surface of Early Planets, Radiative Equilibrium?
Temperature, and Natural Greenhouse Gases (Sampson)- Does this go with
Ben’s Energy Module?
GC II Lecture
 Energy 1: Today (Ben)
 Energy 2: Tomorrow (Ben)
 Energy 3: Systems and Policy (Ben)
8. Climate: Atmosphere and Ocean (circulation, climate zones, greenhouse effect,
future scenarios)-TK
a. Scientific Principles
i. Analysis of Vostok Ice Core Data - Excel Exercise
b. State of the World
i. Carbon Dioxide Emissions -ArcView
c. Societal Choices Exercise
i. Climate Negotiations Role Play & Discussion
GC I Lecture
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The Earth System - Feedback Mechanisms in Climate (Sampson)
Energy Balance of the Surface of Early Planets, Radiative Equilibrium?
Temperature, and Natural Greenhouse Gases (Sampson)- This should go with
Ben’s Energy Module
Earth's Early Years: Differentiation, Water and Early Atmosphere (Sampson)
Evolution of the Atmosphere: Composition, Structure and Energy (Sampson)
Climate Patterns Past and Present (Sampson)
Global Warming Potential of Greenhouse Gases and the Energy (Im)Balance of Our
Current Atmosphere. (Sampson)
Climate Models & Predictions for the Future (Sampson)
The Blue Planet: Salinity, Circulation, and the Conveyor Belt (Sampson)
Future Weather (Sampson)
GC II Lecture
 Global Climate Change (Ben)
 Mechanisms and Scenarios of Climate Forecasting (Ben)
 Potential Impacts and Mitigation Strategies (Ben)
 Forecasting the Future – Models (Allan)
9. Ecosystems and elemental cycles-GK
a. Scientific Principles
i. Creation of a Global Hydrologic Cycle Model -Modeling with STELLA
b. State of the World
i. Alteration of the Global Carbon Cycle -Modeling with STELLA
c. Societal Choices
i. Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry -Exercise and
Discussion
GC I Lecture
 Soils, Weathering and Nutrients (Allan) – Maybe this should move to Kling? Fits
with nutrient cycling.
 Microbes: Transformers of Matter and Materials (Kling)
 The Concept of the Ecosystem (Kling)
 The Global Water and Nitrogen Cycles - the Case of Acid Rain (Kling)
 The Global Carbon Cycle (Kling)
 Climate Change in Great Lakes Region (Kling) – Drop?
 Using Ecosystem Science to Solve Problems: The Case of the Killer Lakes of
Cameroon (Kling)
 The Flow of Energy: Primary Production (Kling) – Move to Allan?
 The Flow of Energy: Higher Trophic Levels (Kling) – Move to Allan?
 The Tropical Rain Forest (Kling)
10. Development and pollution (air and fresh water pollution, urbanization and
poverty)-VA
a. Scientific Principles
i. Air and Water Pollution - Modeling with STELLA
b. State of the World
i. Population Growth and Urbanization -ArcView
c. Societal Choices
i. Urbanization and Pollution -Article & Discussion
GC I
 Ozone: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Sampson)
 Dust in the Wind (Sampson)
GC II
 Economic Growth and How We Measure It (Abreu)
 Developed and Less Developed Countries (Abreu)
 Development, Poverty, and the Environment (Abreu)
 Urbanization (Abreu)
 Urbanization and Pollution (Abreu)
 Environmental Economics and Pollution Control (Abreu)
 Sustainable Development (in relation to urbanization) - (Abreu)
11. Environmental economics and Inequity (broadly defined) TG
a. Scientific Principles
i. Systems Thinking Workshop – The Coming Anarchy Systems Thinking
Workshop
b. State of the World
i. Inequity and Civil Liberties -ArcView
c. Societal Choices
i. Ecological Footprint -Activity, Article & Discussion
GC II
 Connecting Human Health Patterns with Environmental and Social Change
(Gladwin)
 Trends in, and Consequences of, Global Inequality (Gladwin)
 Assessing the Spread of Democracy and Human Rights (Gladwin)
 The Global Communications Revolution & Rise of Civil Society (Gladwin)
 Appraising the Consequences of Economic Globalization (Gladwin)
 Human Conflict and Security (Gladwin)
 Mind Futures: Confronting the Challenges of Global and Long-Term Thinking
(Gladwin)
12. Closing chapter (sustainability scenarios; to be decided)