GE 260 - Global Climate Change

1. Develop an understanding of the elements of weather and climate and the processes associated with the creation of atmospheric conditions.
2. Develop skills in numeracy for analyzing the elements associated with atmospheric conditions (e.g., temperature, moisture, pressure, wind).
3. Gain an understanding of spatial patterns characteristic of specific atmospheric conditions (and aberrations in these patterns).
4. Enhance numerate skills with reference to calculating water budgets associated with places considered typical of specific climatic regimes.
5. Engage in the classification of climates vis-à-vis the Koppen scheme (GELO 3).
6. Gain an understanding of the context of climate change today with special reference to greenhouse gas emissions (GELO 3).
7. Gain an understanding of the societal causes of climate change associated with energy, land use, and other human activities, particularly within the context of historical climate change (GELO 1).
8. Engage in analysis of the impacts of climate change on people and places, particularly with reference to vulnerable populations (GELO 1).
9. Explain the history of climate science and climate change denial.
10. Comprehend the influence of political actors with reference to fueling (or reducing the rate of) climate change (GELO 3).
11. Gain understanding of climate change policies associated with adaptation.
12. Gain an understanding of climate change policies associated with mitigation.
13. Forecast future scenarios vis-à-vis global climate change (GELO 3).
14. Present pragmatic solutions to lessen the impacts of global climate change.
15. Develop skills for communicating climate change science and policy (GELO 1).

1. An Introduction to the Climate Problem

1. Weather and Climate Fundamentals
2. Weather and Climate Controls
3. Mapping Atmospheric Phenomena

2. The Fundamentals of Atmospheric Science and Climatology

1. Radiation and Energy Balance
2. Carbon Cycle
3. Temperature Patterns
4. Precipitation Patterns
5. General Pattern of Atmospheric Circulation

3. Thornthwaite’s Water Balance Equation

1. Hydrologic Cycle
2. Potential Evapotranspiration and Actual Evapotranspiration
3. Soil Moisture Storage and Runoff

4. Climate Classification and Global Climate Regions

1. A Climates
2. B Climates
3. C Climates
4. D Climates
5. E Climates

5. Why Climate Change Occurs

1. Context of Recent Warming
2. Plate Tectonics
3. Sun
4. Earth’s Orbit
5. Greenhouse Gases

6. Predictions of Future Climate Change

1. Factors Controlling Emissions
2. Emissions Scenarios
3. Predicting Future Climates

7. Impacts of Climate Change

1. Physical Impacts
2. Abrupt Climate Changes

8. Fundamentals of Climate Change Policy

1. Adaptation
2. Mitigation
3. Solar Radiation Management
4. Carbon Dioxide Removal

9. Mitigation Policies

1. Economic Basis of Climate Change
2. Conventional and Market-based Regulations
3. Voluntary Methods

10. A Brief History of Climate Science and Politics

1. Emergence of Climate Science
2. Environmentalism
3. Ozone Depletion and Acid Deposition
4. Climate Policies and Treaties
5. Kyoto Protocol
6. George W. Bush Administration
7. Barack Obama Administration
8. Donald Trump Administration
9. Joseph Biden Administration

11. A Long-term Policy to Address Climate Change

1. Reducing Emissions
2. Warming to 1.5 or 2.0 degrees C
3. Pragmatic Solutions to Ameliorate Impacts

20%-60% Exams

0%- 60% Term paper

 
Course-Specific Placement Test: None
Course Aligned with IRW: IRW 99
Consent to Enroll in Course: No Department Consent Required