How a Historian Fights Climate Change

Can history help fight climate change?

When most people think about climate change, they picture scientists in the field or working in laboratories. But Duke historian Justin Shapiro argues that understanding our past is just as important for shaping our future.

As a postdoctoral associate at Duke University, Justin explores how history, environmental justice, and the humanities help us understand the choices that brought us to this moment—and why the future is still ours to shape. Through his teaching and research, he encourages students to see that you don't need to be a scientist to contribute to climate solutions. History, art, economics, literature, and countless other fields all have a role to play.

This video is part of Climate Pathfinders, a series highlighting the people across Duke who are advancing climate research, education, and solutions in unexpected ways.

Learn more about Duke's Climate Commitment: https://climate.duke.edu

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐃𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲

Established in 1924 in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is one of the world’s leading institutions for education, research, and patient care.

Subscribe ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/@dukeuniversity

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 #𝐃𝐮𝐤𝐞𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲

Home: https://duke.edu/

News: https://today.duke.edu/

X (Formerly Twitter): @DukeU

Instagram: @dukeuniversity

Facebook: @dukeuniv

LinkedIn: @DukeUniversity


Transcript:

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:01:12
So have a question for you. Yeah.

00:00:01:12 - 00:00:04:13
When do you think we first had

00:00:04:14 - 00:00:08:00
we had the first scientific publication
about anthropogenic climate change.

00:00:08:03 - 00:00:11:03
I'm going to say.

00:00:11:09 - 00:00:12:23
1623.

00:00:12:23 - 00:00:15:07
That's really early.
That's really early.

00:00:15:07 - 00:00:20:13
It was 1896, which is still pretty early.

As an historian here at Duke,

00:00:20:14 - 00:00:23:23
I try to connect the work I do,
which is, of course, about the past, to

00:00:24:00 - 00:00:27:03
this very present
and future problem of climate change.

00:00:27:04 - 00:00:31:05
The question I struggle with is obviously
history is by nature...

00:00:31:21 - 00:00:32:23
It looks in the past, right?

00:00:32:23 - 00:00:35:00
If my students asked me
for like policy recommendations,

00:00:35:00 - 00:00:36:23
I say I've got my head
screwed on backwards.

00:00:36:23 - 00:00:39:21
Like climate change
is an unprecedented problem.

00:00:39:21 - 00:00:41:11
And so it's very much
a problem of the present

00:00:41:11 - 00:00:44:14
and future the way we engage with climate
change is not just through science,

00:00:44:14 - 00:00:47:16
but climate change can be understood
through literature, art history,

00:00:47:16 - 00:00:51:12
music, science, economics, really,
any field can be a climate field.

00:00:51:23 - 00:00:55:13
What I do at Duke is all sorts of climate
education, helping students

00:00:55:13 - 00:00:58:14
understand that any field
they want to engage with here at Duke

00:00:58:15 - 00:01:02:23
and after they graduate, can be a field
that can focus on climate change.

00:01:03:01 - 00:01:05:02
History is not a timeline.

00:01:05:02 - 00:01:06:23
History is something very much alive.

00:01:06:23 - 00:01:09:03
We have the ability to make choices.

00:01:09:03 - 00:01:12:14
We have the ability to envision
a better future and start

00:01:12:15 - 00:01:15:15
walking on the path towards
the future that we want.

00:01:15:17 - 00:01:18:16
The future is never foreclosed on.

00:01:18:16 - 00:01:21:22
If you enjoyed this story and want to hear
from more Climate Pathfinders,

00:01:21:22 - 00:01:23:10
please like and subscribe.




MB01CLTA8QJEGGN