Teaching climate change planning: fostering hope while building capacity

Preparing planners to effectively engage with climate change poses vexing multi-level challenges for instructors across content, pedagogy, and relationships. There exists an urgent need, and demand, for training and education in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. This bi-national study assesses the current state of climate change planning pedagogy in Canada and the United States. Findings indicate wide variation in the breadth and depth of teaching climate change planning and major gaps to be addressed, including increasing the number of required and elective courses. Recommendations offered in the conclusion speak to program directors, instructors, and practitioners alike.