Overview

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This course explores natural climate solutions through wildfire justice, regenerative agriculture, tropical forest protection, and climate equity. Students examine wildfire as a climate justice issue shaped by climate change, fire suppression, housing inequality, labor vulnerability, and the exclusion of Indigenous fire stewardship. The course then turns to regenerative agriculture, showing how soil carbon, biodiversity, prairie restoration, polyculture farming, and ancestral food systems can help address climate change while repairing relationships among land, food, culture, and community. The final lecture expands the course globally by examining tropical forests, REDD+, carbon markets, forest offsets, and the role of Indigenous peoples and local communities in forest protection. Across all three lectures, students learn that natural climate solutions are not simply technical tools for carbon reduction; they must also address land rights, community leadership, historical injustice, and ecological care.

Syllabus

Getting Started & Who Burns? Wildfire Mitigation and Climate Justice
- In this module, Dr. Crystal Kolden explores the complex relationship between wildfire, climate change, and social equity. You will examine how human-caused climate change is reshaping wildfire behavior and increasing risks for communities. The module also investigates who is most vulnerable to wildfire disasters and the historical and structural factors that contribute to wildfire injustice. By the end, you will understand wildfire not only as an environmental issue, but as a climate justice issue, and consider what more equitable and just approaches to living with wildfire could look like.
Healing Grounds: Climate, Justice and the Deep Roots of Regenerative Agriculture
- In this module, Dr. Liz Carlisle explores the intersection of climate justice, regenerative agriculture, and ancestral knowledge. You will examine how communities of color—despite long histories of exclusion from land ownership—are leading innovative efforts to restore ecosystems and strengthen social relationships. Through real-world examples, the module highlights regenerative practices such as prairie restoration and polyculture farming, grounded in Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and Asian traditions. By the end, you will understand how these approaches contribute not only to addressing climate change, but also to repairing connections between land, culture, and community.
Climate Change Mitigation in Tropical Forests: An Equity Perspective
- In this module, Professor Tracey Osborne examines climate change mitigation in tropical forests through an equity and justice lens. You will explore why tropical forests are critical to mitigating climate change and review common strategies used to protect and manage these ecosystems. The module also introduces key concepts such as carbon markets and carbon offsets, while highlighting the essential role of local communities and Indigenous Peoples in sustaining forest ecosystems. By the end, you will be able to evaluate mitigation approaches in terms of both environmental impact and climate justice.