Course Outline 2021.2022
ESST 3104
COURSE TITLE:
Climate Change and Abatement Technology
COURSE CODE:
SEMESTER:
ESST 3104
I
NO. OF CREDITS: 3
LEVEL:
PREREQUISITES:
Undergraduate, Level II
ESST 2005 Pollution Management and Abatement Technology
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Climate change and its effects are a major environmental concern today; this is particularly so for small island
developing states in the Caribbean. This course will develop students’ understanding of the nature of climate
change and the strategies that can be used to mitigate its effects. The course will have two main units; the
first will discuss the issues surrounding climate change, primarily the science behind climate change; the
mechanisms that underpin the greenhouse effect, energy balances, molecular energy absorption by
greenhouse gases, the sources of these gases and the general global effects of the global warming and how
this translates into climate change. The consequences of climate change will be discussed, as well as the
continuing debate on whether or not global warming/climate change are happening at all, or being caused by
rising carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. The second unit will introduce the mechanisms that
are in use to mitigate the potential hazards of climate change. This will include legislative and technical efforts
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The course will cover international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol,
local and regional legislation, technological solutions, like alternative energy sources and strategies to reduce
the current climate change impacts being experienced by some nations. The delivery of course materials
would involve a combination of lectures, practicals, tutorials, and web based materials. Assessments are
designed to encourage students to work continuously with the course materials.
COURSE RATIONALE:
Climate change is a controversial yet important issue that may be the defining environmental issue of the 21st
century. It is of utmost importance that the core issues related to the science, impacts, economics, abatement
technologies, and policy solutions of climate change be addressed to enable the development of international
policy solutions to alleviate the imminent environmental crisis due to the changing climate over time. This
course addressed several important areas related to climate change and abatement technology.
GOALS/AIMS:
The aim of this course is to provide students with the necessary training in climate change and abatement
technology. This course is designed to equip students with an introduction to the science behind climate
change issues, practical techniques, tools, and tips necessary to ensure proper functionality of equipment
and testing facilities for empirical assessment of the measurement and efficacy of mitigation and
abatement strategies. Arising from this, the necessary global policy strategies to achieve lowering of
GHG emissions and global warming.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
After successfully completing this course, students should be able to:
Understand and explain the Science of Climate Change- measurement, recording and reporting on
empirical parameters used to assess data used for policy makers
Identify and describe the evidence of anthropogenically accelerated climate change and the impact on
the environment in present time and future projections.
Evaluate the status of past and current international, regional and local efforts to address climate change
and prospects for the future management of climate change.
Describe the successes and limitations of policy and legislation for climate change identifying the
success of marrying science and policy to solve international climate change issues.
Main Topics
Issues surrounding climate change:
The science of Climate Change;
Mechanisms that underpin the Global Warming
The Greenhouse Effect
Energy and the Environment
Contributors to GHG Emissions
Molecular Energy Absorption by Greenhouse Gases,
Global Effects of the Global Warming.
Consequences of accelerated Climate Change.
Adaptation and Mitigation for Climate Action
Policy and Global Action
Sustainability in Energy and Environmental Issues
Week
1
Module/Topic
Learning outcomes
Welcome & Introduction
Welcome should include
⸹ Instructors
⸹ Class times
⸹ Netiquette guidelines
⸹ Assessments
⸹ Overall learning
outcomes
What is climate change and
what is abatement technology?
RRS Welcome & Introduction
⸹
describe the difference
between meteorology and
climatology
Assessments
Briefly describe one
example of the interactions
between the atmosphere
Introduction to Climate
Change and Abatement
Technology
The Basics: Introduction to
Climatology; Introduction to
the Atmosphere; The
Greenhouse Effect,
Greenhouse Gases and Global
Warming.
2
3
4
5
6
7
RRS Climatological Processes: The
Climate System: Controls on
Climate; Effects on the
Climate System; Energy,
Matter, and Momentum
Exchanges near the Surface.
RRS Climatological Processes: The
Global Hydrologic Cycle and
Surface Water Balance;
General Circulation and
Secondary Circulations.
RRS Climates through time:
Climate Change and
Variability. Observed Climate
Changes and their Causes:
Observed Changes in the
Climate System; Causes of
Climate Change; Impacts of
Climate Change; Extreme
Events.
RRS Future Climate Changes, Risks
and Impacts: Key Drivers of
Future Climate; Projected
Changes in the Climate
System; Future Risks and
Impacts Caused by a Changing
Climate; Climate Change
beyond 2100, Irreversibility
and Abrupt Changes.
KK Future Pathways for
Adaptation, Mitigation and
Sustainable Development:
Foundations of DecisionMaking about Climate Change;
Climate Change Risks
Reduced by Mitigation and
Adaptation; Characteristics of
Adaptation Pathways;
Characteristics of Mitigation
Pathways
KK Future Pathways for
Adaptation, Mitigation and
Sustainable Development:
Foundations of DecisionMaking about Climate Change;
⸹
⸹
explain the ways climatic
data are described.
describe the different
components of the climate
system {the atmosphere, the
hydrosphere, the
cryosphere, the land surface
(lithosphere) and the
biosphere} and give
examples of the interaction
among the components.
and the other “spheres”
and the impact on the
potential impact on earth’s
temperature.
8
KK
9
KK
10
KK
11
KK
12
KK
Climate Change Risks
Reduced by Mitigation and
Adaptation; The Limits of the
Economic Assessment of
Climate Change Risks.
Greenhouse Gas Metrics and
Mitigation Pathways; Carbon
Dioxide Removal and Solar
Radiation Management –
Interaction among Mitigation,
Adaptation and Sustainable
Development.
Adaptation and Mitigation:
Common Enabling Factors
and Constraints for
Adaptation and Mitigation
Responses; Response Options
for Mitigation.
Adaptation and Mitigation:
Policy Approaches for
Adaptation and Mitigation,
Technology and Finance;
Trade-offs, Synergies and
Interactions with Sustainable
Development
International Policies and
Legislation; Costs and Benefits
of Climate Policy
Regional and Local Policies
and Legislation.
Useful Resources:
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report, published in 2014, available online
at www.ipcc.ch.
The US Climate Change Science Program (www.climatescience.gov), and their “Synthesis and Assessment
Products” on various topics, which can be downloaded for free.
Also the US Climate Change Technology Program (www.climatetechnology.gov).
Useful websites and news
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The Discovery of Global Warming website – www.aip.org/history/climate/
Real Climate - www.realclimate.org
New York Times – www.nytimes.com – “Times Topics”
“Global Warming”. Science – www.sciencemag.org
Pew Center on Global Climate Change – www.pewclimate.org
International Energy Agency – www.iea.org – Statistics on energy.
US Energy Information Administration – www.eia.doe.gov – Global energy statistics.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – www.unfccc.org – International body
responsible for the negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol.
STAFF ONLY
Practical
20 % Lab 1 {RRS}
Lab 2 {RRS}
MCQ Quiz (myelearning) 20% Synchronous in class session {RRS}
Discussion forum
10% Two topics (5% each) {RRS}
Research Assignments
50% Carbon calculator (10%) {RRS}
KK assignments (30%) {KK}
Regional and Local Policies and Legislation 10%{KK}
*Assessment dates to be set by agreement with First and Second Examiners and announced to
students in Week 1
Course outline
100% C/W In Class
Online Assessments 75%
Online Practical
25%
Total
100%