Reading Materials & Lecture Notes

Class 1, Jan 14, Thursday: Welcome introduction & syllabus

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Class 2, Jan 19: The complex global climate system & the environment: fundamental concepts - overview (lecture)

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Class 3, Jan 21: Guest lecture. Title: IPCC Assessments: Process, Projections, and Predictions. Dr. G.A. Meehl, NCAR.

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Read IPCC AR5 WG1 Technical Summary (no reaction journal)

Class 4, Jan 26: Global climate & the environmental changes: observation, attribution & policies (lecture)

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Read IPCC AR5 WGII Summary for Policy Makers (HW1: reaction journal required. Start early; it has 30pages exclduing cover page and content table)

Class 5, Jan 28: Discussion and role play: rapid sea level rise (SLR) along US East Coast: natural/anthropogenic causes & policy implication

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Read this article (HW2a: reaction journal required)

Read Pages 7-12 of this article (HW2b: reaction journal required)

Read Horton et al. (2020) on global sea level projection uncertainty (no reaction journal but important for discussion)

Class 6, Feb 2: Policy analysis: regional coastal sea level rise & implementation

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Read this policy analysis article (HW3: reaction journal required)

Read this article on political risk of implementing adaptation pathwyas (no reaction journal required but important for our discussion)

Class 7, Feb 4: Science and policy analysis: policy guidance under sea level rise projection uncertatinties.

Read this article (HW4a: reaction journal required)

Read the executive summary (P3-6) of CA SLR guidance (HW4b: reaction journal required)

Class 8, Feb 9: Guest Lecture: The importance of natural internal climate variability in climate prediction & communication with policy makers. Dr. Matthew Newman, NOAA.

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Read this article (HW5: reaction journal required)

Suggested reading (important for in-class discussion: no need to read the appendix)

Class 9, Feb 11: Guest Lecture/Discussion: The art and science of climate model tuning. Dr. Matt Newman, NOAA

Suggested reading (HW6: reaction journal required)

Suggested reading

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Class 10, Feb 16: Watch movie: The Island President (Note: HW7 aims to prepare you for Thursday, Feb 18's debate)

Read this recent survey article (HW7a: Write reaction journal to this article)

Read this article on climate science communication (HW7b: reaction journal required; https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/communicating-climate-change-focus-framing-not-just-facts)

Class 11, Feb 18: Debate: Climate change facts and communication (part I): how should we talk and who should do the talk? (check "Discussion/debate assignment" for your group & duty)

Climate communicate article (HW8a: reaction journal required)

Climate change article (HW8b: reaction journal required)

Use anything you learnt from "The Island President" movie (youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK-8YX0A8xE&t=136s).

Mandated reading: article provided by Group 1 as supporting evidence for G1's position (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3852879/)

Mandated reading: article provided by Group 2 as supporting evidence for G2's position (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332220301524)

Class 12, Feb 23: Guest lecture: Extreme climatic events & policy implication. Dr. Micheal Alexander, NOAA.

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Marine Heatwaves: scientific article [HW9a: read P313-318 (sections 1-3.1) & P328-334 (sections 5-6) of the article & Write reaction journal]

Marine Heatwaves & fishery (HW9b; read this article and write reaction journal)

Class 13, Feb 25: Discussion/role play: Coral reefs, climate change, natural cycle (ENSO) & policy implication

Read P1-15 of this article (HW10: read P1-15 & write reaction journal)

Suggested reading on EPA coral protection: no reaction journal (https://www.epa.gov/coral-reefs/what-epa-doing-protect-coral-reefs)

Class 14, Mar 2: Climate change & communication controversy (part II)

Read this blog by prof. J. Curry (HW11a: reaction journal required)

Read this NYT article (HW11b: reaction journal required)

Read this article that comments on the M. Shellenberger article (no journal required)

Class 15, Mar 4: Using science to formulate climate policy: discuss/debate on feasibility & effective policy combating climate change

Recommended policy article 1 for HW12: (HW12: Write an essay on "In your opinion, what are the most effective policies to combat global climate change?" see HW12 at canvas for detailed instructions)

Recommended policy article 2 for HW12

Recommended policy article 3 for HW12

Class 16, Mar 9: The EPA's Clean Power Plan (CPP) & Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule: discussion/debate

Read Stanford news article

Read NYU law news article (https://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/state-impact/issues/climate-action/affordable-clean-energy-rule)

Read the two news articles posted above & search your own materials, write an essay (HW13)

Class 17, Mar 11: Watch movie: The hole (your analysis/reaction to this movie will be discussed at Mar 23 class, Dr. Fahey's guest lecture).

Read this article (HW14: reaction journal required)

Class 18, Mar 16: No class today (Land use discussion moved to Apr 27); Please work on your final project or your midter exams

Class 19, Mar 18: Guest Lecture: Land use/land cover and its impacts on climate: Prof R. Pielke Sr.

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Read this article (HW16: reaction journal required).

Read this article

Read Executive Summary in this article

Class 20, Mar 23: Guest Lecture: Ozone depletion: Science, policy an dpolitics. Dr. David Fahey NOAA

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Read this article on challenges and solutions for integrating variable renewable energy (HW17: read P2271-2281; reaction journal required: start early - this article is a bit long)

Suggested reading: no reaction journal (https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/csd/assessments/ozone/2014/twentyquestions/)

March 25, Thursday: Wellness day, no class

Class 21, Mar 30: Keystone pipeline - energy, economy, and environment controversies: What's your perspective?

Read this NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) article on Keystone XL Pipeline (HW18: reaction journal reaquired); https://www.nrdc.org/stories/what-keystone-pipeline

Read this BBC News article

Read this recent Fox News article on Keystone pipeline & jobs: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/laid-off-keystone-pipeline-workers-biden-order-jobs

Class 22, Apr 1: Debate: Climate change and clean energy policy: To reduce greenhouse gas emission, should the US phase out fracking and completely switch to rewable energy in the next 30-50years?

Read this article on natural gas and rewable energy (HW19; reaction journal required): https://energycentral.com/c/ec/environmental-case-natural-gas-and-renewable-energy

Read this research article on wind turbine & warming

Read the executive summary of EPA study on Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas and Its Potential Impact on Drinking Water Resources

Read this article provided by Group 1

Read this article provided by Group 2 (https://www.manhattan-institute.org/issues-2020-economic-consequences-fracking-ban-recession)

Class 23, Apr 6: Final Project Presentation: Sydney Walker & Jack Barker

Suggested reading from Sydney

Suggested reading 1 from Jack

Suggested reading 2 from Jack

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Download presentation slides from Jack

Class 24, Apr 8: Final Project Presentation: Ben Stasny & Mallory Barndollar

Suggested reading from Ben

Suggested reading from Mallory (read sections 1-3 & 5)

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Download presentation slides form Mallory

Class 25, Apr 13: Final Project Presentation: Meaghan Cunniffe & Rob Dodge

Suggested reading from Meaghan

Suggested reading from Rob

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Download presentation slides from Rob

Class 25, Apr 15: Final Project Presentation: Jake Foutz & Brandon Klein

Suggested reading from Jake

Suggested reading from Brandon

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Download presentation slides from Brandon

Class 25, Apr 20: Final Project Presentation: Sam Rosen & Rachel Rosenfield

Suggested article 1 from Sam

Suggested article 2 from Sam

Suggested reading 1 from Rachel

Suggested reading 2 from Rachel

Download presentation slides from Sam

Download presentation slides from Rachel

Class 25, Apr 22: Final Project Presentation: Rita Sherwood, Luke Silvester & Nicholas Turco

Suggested reading from Rita

Suggested reading from Luke

Suggested reading from Nicholas

Download presentation slides from Rita

Download presentation slides from Nicholas

Class 29, Apr 27: Land use: urban heat island, energy, climate, vulnerability and health

Read this article: (HW15: reaction journal required)

Read this article: required for class discussion

Class 30, Apr 29: Climate issues: migration & refuges

Watch this DW documentary: Fleeing climate change - the real environmental disaster (2019)