The Health Effects of Climate Change

  • Free to audit
  • Paid certificate
  • Course certificate
  • Beginner
  • 7 weeks
Provider
Harvard
Cost
Free to audit
Certificate
Paid, $229
Level
Beginner
Duration
7 weeks
Effort
3–5 hrs/week
Format
Self-paced
Language
English
Subjects
Nutrition
Source
Harvard Online
Last verified
14 Sep 2026

Free access to the material ends after the course length; graded work and the certificate are paid.

The Health Effects of Climate Change, created with support from the Harvard Global Health Institute, explains how rising greenhouse gases affect public health through four lenses: air quality, nutrition, infectious diseases and human migration. Experts working in a variety of settings present their recommendations for responding, and interested students can learn about the research methods used to measure the health effects of climate change. The course covers how changes in the atmosphere translate into health outcomes, how to assess the various ways of addressing them, and strategies for mitigation and adaptation; Harvard frames it as a call to action rather than an elegy for the planet.

The first week introduces the professors and the edX environment. It is self-paced, seven weeks long at 3 to 5 hours per week, and rated introductory. Harvard lists it as free to audit on edX, with a verified certificate for $229.

Advertisement

What you’ll learn

  • Describe climate change's impacts on nutrition, migration and infectious disease
  • Explain how atmospheric changes affect health outcomes
  • Understand the research methods used in the field
  • Assess strategies to mitigate and adapt to health impacts

Who it’s for

Health workers, students and concerned citizens who want the evidence linking climate to nutrition and disease.

Source: Harvard Online (opens in a new tab) · Verified · Report a change

Advertisement
Free to auditOpens pll.harvard.edu Go to course (opens in a new tab)