Course name Introduction to Climate Change Planning

Name of academic (owner of the material) William J Drummond

Email address bill.drummond@design.gatech.edu

Topic Adaptation, Climate (Atmospheric and Oceanic) Science, Mitigation

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Main course information City planners, civil engineers, corporate executives, and individual concerned citizens can make important contributions to attacking the problem of climate change. Over the last two decades state and local governments have taken the lead in developing innovative policies in response to the threat of climate change. At present over 30 states have developed climate action plans, and other six states are in the process of developing plans. The mayors of over 900 cities have signed the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement and committed to “strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets.” More than 100 of these cities have developed climate action plans. At the federal level, in August 2015 the Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule requiring the states to develop energy plans that would reduce power plant emissions 32% from 2005 levels. The purpose of this course is to equip students with the knowledge and methods necessary to assume leadership positions in developing the next generation of state, local, and national climate action plans. The course will be divided into three major sections. In the introductory section of the course (about four weeks) we will consider climate change within three complementary perspectives. First we will review the basic scientific understanding of the causes of climate change and the role of human actions. The course will not attempt a comprehensive treatment of climate change science but will discuss the science necessary to address the causes and effects of climate change with an emphasis on opportunities for policy intervention. Next we will place climate action planning within the larger framework of planning for sustainability. Students will encounter a selection of sustainability readings and discuss the relationship between sustainability, sustainable development, and climate change. Third, we will consider climate change from an economic Georgia Power’s Plant Bowen, Cartersville, GA viewpoint in order to understand the costs and benefits of climate change action and inaction. The second major section of the course (six weeks) will focus upon the nation’s energy system, the single largest driver of climate change. Specific topics include calculation of carbon emissions, EPA’s Clean Power Plan for carbon emission reductions, and renewable and nuclear energy as substitutes for fossil-fuel-generated electricity. The final section of the course (five weeks) will consider different categories of policy actions that can address climate change. These include carbon taxes, cap and trade, and climate change adaptation.

Geographical scale Global

Region Examined Global (more than one region)

Language English

Other language: Please specify English

Level of Instruction Undergraduate

Year of publication (last updated max 5 years ago) 2018

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