This course addresses the question of how modern energy services can be provided sustainably and the challenges and barriers that must be overcome in order to do so. We will discuss the major environmental issues surrounding fossil energy: climate change, air pollution, and resource demands, introduce the global politics of energy and climate, and assess the potential of and barriers to reducing energy demand, generating low-carbon/clean energy, reducing air pollution, sequestering carbon, and intervening in the climate system.

ESS 70A Course Website (UCInet login required)

Recent Syllabus/Schedule (Winter 2020)

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Energy and agricultural production are the primary causes of global environmental change; humans are an undeniable part of the Earth system. This is a graduate level course, required for doctoral students in Earth System Science. It covers the key literature, data sources, and methodologies for quantifying the impacts of specific human activities as well as for assessing the risks and vulnerabilities of human systems to future environmental changes.

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What are the major environmental issues facing the planet today? What underlying characteristics do these problems have in common, and are there policies and approaches that may be effective in resolving them? This course will cover a wide range of problems, ranging from overfishing, antibiotic resistance, climate change, pandemics, food insecurity, and deforestation.

ESS 60C Course Website (UCInet login required)

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Recent Syllabus/Schedule (Spring 2016)

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