Climate Change and Displacement: Issues and Implications

This course will explore the growing global challenge of climate displacement and its relationship to other global challenges. Students will examine how environmental change, extreme weather events, and slow-onset climate impacts drive human mobility. Students will investigate the social, political, and legal dimensions of climate related migration, with attention to vulnerable communities, urban and rural pressures, and the intersecting roles of governance, development, and humanitarian response. Through case studies, within the US and globally, from regions facing sea level rise, desertification, flooding, and ecosystem loss, the course will highlight diverse displacement experiences and community-led resilience strategies. Participants will critically analyze debates around climate justice, adaptation financing, planned relocation, and the protection gaps facing people who move within their country and across borders. Blending theoretical foundations with practical tools, the course will equip students to engage with policy, research, and field based approaches to climate-induced mobility. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to assess risks, support inclusive solutions, and contribute to more just and sustainable climate adaptation pathways.