Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
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 momentโand 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
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ค๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
Established in 1924 in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is one of the worldโs leading institutions for education, research, and patient care.
Subscribe โก๏ธ youtube.com/@dukeuniversity
๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ #๐๐ฎ๐ค๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
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
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 momentโand 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
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ค๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
Established in 1924 in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is one of the worldโs leading institutions for education, research, and patient care.
Subscribe โก๏ธ youtube.com/@dukeuniversity
๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ #๐๐ฎ๐ค๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
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
