3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

This course will begin with a brief review of the climate system and climate change projections for the 21st Century and beyond. We will then study the impact of atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases on the earth’s energy budget and understand the effect of these gases on radiative forcing on the earth’s surface. Topics will include the impacts of rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns, Arctic amplification, climate tipping points and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), sources and impacts of rising sea levels, heat waves, droughts, and forest fires. We will study the impact of rising temperatures on energy needs, public health, vulnerable populations, and spread of infectious diseases. The course will emphasize use of simple physics-based models of the underlying processes to develop an understanding of the observations and projections. We will learn the workflow of retrieving climate change projections from reliable databases and sources, and using GIS tools for spatial analysis, we will quantify the impacts of climate change as predicted under different representative concentration and shared socioeconomic pathways. The course will also cover preparedness and potential adaptation solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the near term and in the long term. The course will include in-class discussions on relevant topics brought forward by students. Students will employ the tools and skills learned in the course to conduct a project (possibly in groups) focused on projected climate change impacts on a specific environmental or health issue and adaptation measures for a chosen location. Background recommended but not required: AS110.109 or equivalent; some background in climate studies is desirable but not essential.