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introduction

Environment General Courses (EOS)

graduate level, taught in Durham

298.07 Climate Change Policy

Course Description:   This course is designed for students in the MEM Global Environmental Change Program but could be taken by others in the MEM program or elsewhere.  The course focuses on options for addressing the global warming threat.  The main purpose is to examine what the issues are and the options available. The course will primarily involve discussion of key papers and material related to the nature and status of international agreements (Kyoto Protocol), bilateral or unilateral efforts (ex., the new California initiative), and perspectives from developing countries.    Topics will include details of Kyoto Protocol and the California initiative, carbon trading, and technological alternatives (wind, solar, conservation, nuclear, clean coal, etc).  Class project will focus on strategies for technical and political implementation of new or existing policies.  Class structure will mainly involve discussion of key papers and include lectures/visits by outside specialists.  There will be also weekly group discussions of policy/science developments taken from news, journals, and websites.   Three credits.  Instructor:  Thomas Crowley.  Requirements:  prior course on global warming/climate or permission of the instructor.

Example Syllabus (by topic) and guest lecturers (not finalized)

  1. Scientific aspects of greenhouse warming (brief review)
  2. Ethical issues – “to act or not to act”, balancing proposals with other world needs (poverty, clean water, etc.)
  3. Kyoto Protocol – status, structure, limitations
  4. Policy Analysis Methods (Deborah Rigling Gallagher, Lori Bennear)
  5. Economic considerations (Randy Kramer, Nicholas School, ESP Div.)
  6. Carbon trading (speaker be to named later)
  7. U. S. Policy developments (Tim Profeta, Nich. Institute)
  8. Domestic litigation (Jim Saltzman, Duke Law School)
  9. California here I come
  10. Some positive actions:  Germany, the U.K., and Japan
  11. Perspective from the Developing World
  12. “Grounds up” initiatives
  13.  “Greasing the Wheel” – what realistically can be politically done to “unstick” the present dilemma?

 

Sample Papers for Reading:

Hoffert, M. et al., 2002, Advanced technology paths to global climate stability:  Energy for a greenhouse planet.  Science, v 298, pp 981-987.

Houghton, J., 2004.  Why should we be concerned?  (Chapter 8) in Global Warming, The Complete Briefing (3rd Ed.).  Cambridge Univ. Press.

Course Structure:

            Classes will meet twice a week, with one session devoted to roundtable discussion of a particular paper and the next session devoted to followup discussions, extensions, etc; this session will be led by students.

            We plan to have at least 4-5 visitors from the Duke or UNC faculty or from industry (e.g., Duke Energy, and their plans for a nuclear plant) to provide input, lead discussions, etc.  Several professors have already consented, others need to check their schedule for availability.

            There will be one class project whose topic will be established in conjunction with students at the time of the course – it could for example involve designing policy options for implementing a particular strategy.

            There will be additional independent projects that students will be evaluated on.  The topic is of the student’s choosing and students must give an oral presentation.

            Grading is based on class participation (15%), homework (10%), the student’s own project (50%), and contributions to a class project (25%).

 
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