Urban Climate Adaptation
Cities face rising seas, heat, flooding, and storms, and this MIT course looks at how they can prepare. The curriculum covers strategies for climate adaptation with attention to global disparities, vulnerable populations, and resource-constrained locales, examining how local government and community-based initiatives can pursue equitable climate readiness. Drawing on planning theory and case studies, the course asks what separates a workable adaptation plan from a merely aspirational one, echoing Jane Jacobs's distinction between designing a dream city and rebuilding a living one. Materials include readings, assignments, and course notes as published through MIT OpenCourseWare, free to access under a Creative Commons license. The course suits students of urban planning, environmental policy, or public administration who want a structured look at the practical and political sides of climate resilience in cities, rather than just the science of climate change itself.