GEO 458: CLIMATIC CHANGE

 (Spire# 81820)

 

SPRING 2008: Tuesday and Thursday 11:15 – 12:30 pm, Morrill 2, Room 245

 

An increasing body of observations gives a collective picture of a warming world and other associated changes in the climate system.  In this course we will examine past, current, and future climate change and explore causes, impacts, and possible mitigation strategies for dealing with future anthropogenic (human-influenced) climate changes.  Climate change is an issue of concern because of its potentially escalating and far-reaching impacts.  This has brought the topic of climate change and “Global Warming” very much into the public eye and to the forefront of political debate.  Misunderstanding and/or misrepresentation of the science often characterize the public and political debate.  There is clearly a need for a wider understanding of the science and its inherent limitations.

 

This course focuses on the science of climate change – highlighting what is known and what remains uncertain. The goal is to encourage you to debate the issue actively and critically, both verbally and in writing.

 

The first part of the semester (weeks 1-9) will involve lectures. The second part of the semester will be “seminar-style” with assigned reading of relevant papers and discussions of topics related to climate change. The specific topics and schedule will be determined by student interest. The semester ends with in-class presentations of the research projects.

 

 

INSTRUCTORS

Profs. Robert Deconto [deconto@geo.umass.edu] and Raymond Bradley [rbradley@geo.umass.edu]

Offices: Morrill II, Rooms 228 (Deconto)& 138A (Bradley)

Office Hours: By appointment

 

 

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK

John Houghton (2004) Global Warming, The Complete Briefing, 3rd Edition”.

Available at the Jeffery Amherst Bookshop, South Prospect Street, Amherst, or at amazon.com here

 

In addition (highly recommended): IPCC (2008) “Climate Change 2008 – Synthesis Report”.

Available at www.ipcc.ch as a PDF(no need to buy this).  Readings from these sources will be assigned throughout the course.  In addition, other short articles will be distributed weekly.

 

ASSESSMENT & POLICIES

 

Paper Presentations/Discussion

Starting in April we will focus on “seminar-style” paper presentations and discussions.  All students will be expected to make oral presentations and join in the discussions.  The specific topics, readings, and schedule will be determined based on student interest.

 

RESEARCH PROJECT

The research project represents the core of this course. It allows you to express your advanced knowledge and research on a pre-approved topic relating to climate change. These projects have to include an in-depth literature review, if possible some original data analysis and a discussion.

 

The research project consists of three parts:

  1. Paper presentation/discussion facilitator (during the second part of the semester)
  2. Oral presentation to the class during last 3 weeks of the semester (15-20 minutes, max., using PowerPoint or similar software).
  3. Research paper of not less than 15 and not more than 20 pages, written journal-style, with references and figures.

 

Evaluation will be based on effort, content, accuracy, and creativity. Every effort should be made for a concise presentation that demonstrates advanced knowledge of the selected topic.

 

Important Deadlines:

Thursday, March 6 2008               Project Proposals due

Tuesday, April 29 2008               Start of In-class Presentations

Thursday, May 22 2008                        Project Papers due

 

Possible Topics for the Research Project

COURSE SCHEDULE (tentative)

 

Week

Class

Day

Date

Topic

Comments/Readings

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #1

TU

01/29/08

RB/DC: Introduction – Syllabus – Projects

Houghton: Ch 1

1

Class #2

TH

01/31/08

RB: Climate Change – anthropogenic vs. natural change

IPCC Summary for Policymakers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #3

TU

02/05/08

RD:The Greenhouse effect – climate feedbacks

 

2

Class #4

TH

02/07/08

RD:The carbon cycle -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #5

TU

02/12/08

RB:Greenhouse gases –past, present, future

 

3

Class #6

TH

02/14/08

RB  Emissions today & future

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

No Class

TU

02/19/08

MONDAY SCHEDULE

 

4

Class #7

TH

02/21/08

RD: Intro to climate models

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #8

TU

02/26/08

RD:IPCC models I

 

5

Class #9

TH

02/28/08

RD:IPCC model scenarios II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #10

TU

03/04/08

RB:Natural archives

IPCC Paleoclimate chapter

6

Class #11

TH

03/06/08

RD :Abrupt climate change

Research Project plans due

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #12

TU

03/11/08

RB: Climate impacts I

 

7

Class #13

TH

03/12/08

RD:Climate impacts II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

No Class

TU

03/18/08

UMass Spring Break

 

8

No Class

TH

03/20/08

UMass Spring Break

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #14

TU

03/25/08

RB:Mitigation & adaptation strategies

 

9

Class #15

TH

03/27/08

RB:Politics of climate change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #16

TU

04/01/08

Seminar-style paper discussions

 

10

Class #17

TH

04/03/08

Seminar-style paper discussions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #18

TU

04/08/08

Seminar-style paper discussions

 

11

Class #19

TH

04/10/08

Seminar-style paper discussions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #20

TU

04/15/08

Seminar-style paper discussions

 

12

Class #21

TH

04/17/08

Seminar-style paper discussions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week

Class #22