Study Group Details

We are surrounded by climate, climate change, and media coverage of climate change. In 2021, Dr. Koonin—a theoretical physicist who was both BP’s Chief Scientist for Alternative Energy and then Obama’s Deputy Secretary for Energy—published the book Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What it Doesn’t and Why it Matters. The book is divided into 2 parts: Part I Climate Science; Part II The Response (the economics related to how to respond to the science). The emphasis in this SG will be on Part I Climate Science (see syllabus), which even though it is the basis for most conversations about climate, will be novel to us. Koonin’s proposed “Response”—the  economics related to how to respond to the science—is controversial and has generated furious criticism, both with respect to his view of Climate  Science  and to his Economics related to it. This study group is an opportunity for the SGL and participants, as co-equals, to read this challenging book and criticisms of it. Each participant should expect to lead the discussion at least one week (see syllabus). Koonin writes very well. Nevertheless, this course will be demanding and 5-6 hours of reading per week may be necessary.