NR 120A Environmental Conservation [CRN 79592]

Overview of Course

This course explores some of the most pressing environmental conservation challenges shaping our planet today – from overfishing and deforestation to climate change, plastic pollution, and the spread of zoonotic diseases. As we sail between continents, we will investigate the ecological principles underlying these issues and examine how different regions confront them through science, policy, and local action. Understanding these challenges, and our connections to them, is essential to envisioning and enacting a sustainable global future. Drawing on the unique experiential opportunities of Semester at Sea, students will engage directly with the diverse ecosystems, cultures, and conservation strategies of coastal communities around the world. We’ll consider the drivers and global implications of deforestation in Brazil, examine the intersection of biodiversity conservation and water scarcity in South Africa, and explore marine conservation challenges such as coral reef degradation and overfishing in Mauritius and Vietnam. Students will analyze the complex web of stakeholders involved in each issue, from local fishers and farmers to multinational corporations and international NGOs, and reflect on their own roles as global citizens. Through case studies, discussions, and experiential learning, we will also assess individual and collective strategies for reducing ecological footprints in realistic and meaningful ways. Over the course of the voyage, students will develop a deeper ecological literacy and a personal understanding of what conservation looks like across cultures and continents in a rapidly changing world.