85996 - Energy Planning, Climate and Public Policies (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide basic knowledge on climate change causes, mitigation and adaptation processes, with special reference to energy planning, conversion and distribution. Public policies toward climate change proposed by IPCC (Intergovernmental panel on climate change) will be presented.

Course contents

This introductory course will give students an integrated overview of the science of climate change and an analysis of the implications of this change for patterns of daily life in their own circumstance and around the world.

Humankind is facing an unprecedented environmental crisis of global proportions. Scientists from across the world have issued stark warnings about the potential disruption and destabilization that changes in Earth’s climate will most likely cause in the near future for the life systems upon which modern civilization depends. The social and political implications of climate change have begun to become apparent as local communities in widely different parts of the world struggle to adapt to new patterns of excessive rainfall, prolonged droughts and severe weather events. Internationally, nation states have endeavored to forge diplomatic agreements to help humankind cope with both the causes and consequences of global climate change.

This course has four principal objectives.

1) First, it will introduce students to the science of climate change, drawing attention to the latest research and evolving pattern of scientific data that has emerged on climate in recent years.

2) Second, emphasis will be given to analysing the social changes and adaptations that human communities have already made and those they will most likely to have to make as the Earth’s climate continues to change in the coming years.

3) Energy is either directly or indirectly the main source of climate-related emissions. Hence, energy conversion, distribution and use is critical. Energy planning and trends will be presented, together with a feasible scenario that would lead to a 100% renewable society by 2050. Energy savings, that is a main driver towards a renewable society, will be analysed and qualitatively described with reference to building, transportation and industrial processes.

4) Finally, specific attention will be given to the diplomatic efforts that have been launched since the creation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) during the first world-wide Earth Summit on the environment in Rio de Janeiro in June of 1992. A brief description of the public policies suggested by IPCC will also be given.

Readings/Bibliography

Antonello Pasini, Luca Fiorani, "Il pianeta che scotta. Capire il dibattito sui cambiamenti climatici", Città nuova, 2010

Nicola Armaroli, Vincenzo Balzani, "Energia per l'astronave Terra", Zanichelli, terza edizione, 2017.

IPCC, "Climate Change 2014 Report", http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/

Alberto Bellini, "Ambiente clima e salute. La sfida per le città negli anni Dieci", BUP, 2016.

Teaching methods

Lectures.

Teamworking.

Seminars delivered by experts in the topics of the course.

Assessment methods

Locally developed pre- and post- tests will be used to assess skills in energy planning, climate change adaptation and mitigation and knowledge of IPCC public policies. Teamwork will be used to assess the capability of tackling challenges and sharing of innovative ides.

All students will show substantial improvement in stated learning outcomes, as indicated by pre- and post- evaluation of real problems.

Teaching tools

Power point slides.

Scientific papers, IPCC reports.

Office hours

See the website of Alberto Bellini