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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

It’S Not All Partisan Politics: The Interaction Between Religion And Extreme Weather Events In Shaping Attitudes Toward Anthropogenic Climate Change In The Greater Houston Metropolitan Area, Gary J. Fitzsimmons Dec 2019

It’S Not All Partisan Politics: The Interaction Between Religion And Extreme Weather Events In Shaping Attitudes Toward Anthropogenic Climate Change In The Greater Houston Metropolitan Area, Gary J. Fitzsimmons

Sociology & Anthropology Theses

This study investigates the effect that Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical Laudato Si had on Catholic beliefs about climate change using a Houston area case study, and presents a model for how religious affiliation and religious worldview impacts those beliefs. I tested three variables gauging respondent views on climate change included in the Rice | Kinder annual survey of Houston area residents for 2015, 2016 and 2018. My results show that Catholicism was not a factor in pro-climate belief formation in 2015, but was in 2018. The data also suggest that Catholics may have increased their risk perceptions of climate change …


Climate Change And Human Rights: Shaping The Narrative For Reflexive Responses From Civilization’S Leadership To Counter And Abate Climate Change And Enhance The Role Of Human Rights In The Rule Of Law, Michael Donlan Nov 2019

Climate Change And Human Rights: Shaping The Narrative For Reflexive Responses From Civilization’S Leadership To Counter And Abate Climate Change And Enhance The Role Of Human Rights In The Rule Of Law, Michael Donlan

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article offers a bold new legal process for enhancing and upgrading the rule of law to enable civilization to cope with and counter the mounting damage and injustice caused by climate change. Climate change, once an unimaginable threat, is now a brutal, ubiquitous game changer that is leading inexorably to the demise of all humanity. Only by enhancing the rule of law and melding international law with domestic law can civilization fashion a coherent, global action plan for survival.

For almost three centuries greenhouse gases have been emitted around the world by the burning of fossil fuel, and—most alarming—these …


Climate Change, Spring/Summer 2007, Issue 16 Sep 2019

Climate Change, Spring/Summer 2007, Issue 16

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.


Heat Islands, Fall/Winter 2014, Issue 29 Sep 2019

Heat Islands, Fall/Winter 2014, Issue 29

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.


Elite Influence On Climate Change Skepticism: Evidence From Close Gubernatorial Elections, Andrew G. Meyer Jul 2019

Elite Influence On Climate Change Skepticism: Evidence From Close Gubernatorial Elections, Andrew G. Meyer

Economics Faculty Research and Publications

Many theorize that public opinion follows political elite on climate change skepticism, yet evidence of a causal link is lacking. I use a regression discontinuity design to establish the impact of the political party of a governor on constituents’ global warming beliefs. I find that, relative to the election of a Democratic governor, the election of a Republican governor significantly decreases the probability of a Republican constituent believing in global warming by approximately 11–15 percentage points; there is no significant impact on Democratic constituents. I also find a negative effect of a Republican governor on belief in human-caused global warming …


A Life Cycle Assessment Of Jewelry, Jessica Fernandez, Christie Klimas Jun 2019

A Life Cycle Assessment Of Jewelry, Jessica Fernandez, Christie Klimas

DePaul Discoveries

Jewelry is unique in that it is not a necessity, yet it holds sentimental and material value to the owner. Jewelry sales in the US have increased throughout time, meaning the demand for gold has almost always been increasing, as well. With more than half of the gold mined going towards the production of jewelry, it is the product with the highest demand of the resource. However, mining for the metals to produce a piece of jewelry, specifically gold, has negative consequences on both the environment and the people working in or living near mines. This study is a life …


Nordic And American Social Capital And Its Effects On Climate Change Adaptation, Lara Heard May 2019

Nordic And American Social Capital And Its Effects On Climate Change Adaptation, Lara Heard

Senior Theses

The Nordic nations often rank among the most climate-prepared countries in the world, especially in regards to their rapid switch to renewable energy. In contrast, climate change legislation has faced an uphill battle in the United States, where environmentalists and activists meet with climate change denialism and widespread reluctance to change energy consumption habits. This thesis argues that the gap between American and Nordic adaptation arises in large part from difference in social capital. I n the United States, a recent decline in social trust and increase in individualism endanger adaptation efforts, creating a culture of consumerism and widespread reluctance …


No One To Blame But Ourselves (2019-2020), Shelby Soule Jan 2019

No One To Blame But Ourselves (2019-2020), Shelby Soule

Research Inquiry

This example of a research inquiry involves moving through various historical developments and statistics related to climate change (such as rising global temperatures, sea levels, ice sheets, and carbon dioxide emissions) in order to then contextualize global efforts to reduce climate change damage, such as the Paris Agreement. Throughout the research inquiry Soule uses an objective stance in presenting findings and developments ranging from the 1700s to present times, and supporting a conclusion that global devastation may be as close as 2100.