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Winter 2022
A complete review of the state of Earth’s climate and how we can mitigate and even reverse climate change
Chemistry 410/510 - Preliminary Syllabus
Science/Policy Interface: Climate Change
Winter 2022
Meeting Time: TBA
Instructor: Dr. John Perona; perona@pdx.edu
Office: SRTC 414; Office Hours: R 2:00-3:30 PM
Prerequisite - two quarters (terms) of university-level chemistry
Texts
John Perona, From Knowledge to Power: The Comprehensive Handbook for Climate Science
and Advocacy (2021) [K2P], see also https://www.fromknowledgetopower.com
David Archer, Global Warming, 2nd edition (2011). New copies are costly, but there are plenty
of used copies in circulation, and the book can be rented inexpensively for the term.
Selected additional readings for each class will be assigned from the climate science, policy and
advocacy literature.
Class Description
This class offers a state-of-the-art overview of climate science and the
technologies and policies underlying the renewable energy transition, focusing on US federal and
state laws and regulations. State policies will emphasize current events in Oregon.
The class is divided into two sections covering climate science and technology/policy solutions,
respectively. The first five weeks are devoted to a thorough overview of climate science basics,
including the greenhouse effect, carbon cycle, Earth's energy balance, natural and anthropogenic
climate change drivers, fossil fuel resources, carbon budgets, basics of climate modeling, and a
review of the impacts so far to natural and human systems.
The second half of the class begins with discussion of the roadmaps for achieving net-zero
greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which is necessary to limit overall warming to under 2°C. All
comprehensive roadmaps include the topics covered in this portion of the class: new visions for
the electricity grid, policies for increasing energy efficiency and cutting emissions from the
industrial, transportation and commercial/residential sectors, and atmospheric carbon drawdown
by natural and artificial means. Particular attention will be paid to the role of government and the
importance of administrative law in fostering the necessary policies to enable the zero-carbon
energy transition.
Exams and Grading
Grading is based on one in-class midterm, three problem sets, written
comments to the Oregon legislature on a climate or energy-related bill presently under
consideration, and a take-home final exam due on Thursday of finals week.
Learning Aids
The Climate Toolkit is a great resource manual for hands-on exploration of climate science and impacts, see https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/pdxopen/28/
The En-ROADS program suite allows users to investigate the consequences of global climate policies for limiting temperature increases; see https://www.climateinteractive.org/tools/en-roads/
For reliable Web resources on climate science and policies, see https://www.fromknowledgetopower.com
Testing center
Students with DRC-approved accommodations should register right away to take
the midterm at the testing center. Accommodations in the testing center are limited. The DRC
midterm must be taken on the same day as scheduled on this syllabus. Students allowed extra
time should schedule early in the day as the testing center closes at a specific time.
Required background
Two quarters (terms) of university general Chemistry. Thermodynamics, reaction
kinetics, atomic and molecular structure and spectroscopy are particularly important.
Syllabus
Part I. Climate science
Jan 4; class 1 Overview of Earth's climate system. Greenhouse warming.
Jan 6; class 2 Carbon cycle
Jan 11; class 3 Earth's energy balance
Jan 13; class 4 Climate change drivers and paleoclimatology
Jan 18; class 5 Week 1/2 problems; Climate change drivers (continued); climate feedback loops,
Jan 20; class 6 Climate impacts: cryosphere, extreme weather, biosphere, human world
Jan 25; class 7 Climate impacts (continued); fossil fuels and carbon budgets
Jan 27; class 8 Climate models and projections
Feb 1; class 9 Week 3/4 problems and review
Feb 3; class 10 Midterm examination (closed book; in class)
Part II. Climate solutions
Feb 8; class 11 Roadmaps for the renewable energy transition
Feb 10; class 12 Climate governance, regulation of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases
Feb 15; class 13 Climate and energy policies in Oregon
Feb 17; class 14 Electricity: power sources and energy storage technology
Feb 22; class 15 Electricity grid: national and local networks, policies for transformation
Feb 24; class 16 Industry sector: emissions challenges. Hydrogen economy.
Mar 1; class 17 Biofuels: technology and policy; clean fuel standards
Mar 3; class 18 Green buildings and cities
Mar 8; class 19 Natural carbon sequestration: forests and agriculture
Mar 10; class 20 Week 7-10 problems; Industrial CCS and CCU. Solar geoengineering.
A PDF version of the information presented above can be found here in this printable preliminary syllabus document.