ATOC 4800: Policy Implications of Climate ATOC 5000&ENVS5830: Critical Issues in Climate and the Environment

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1 ATOC 4800: Policy Implications of Climate ATOC 5000&ENVS5830: Critical Issues in Climate and the Environment China Smog: Lianyungang China: Here Are Some Great Things About Toxic Air (Think Critically)

2 New Delhi, India

3 Critical thinking: With vast amount of information online, where will you get more reliable information? How will you trust or analyze the information you obtain?

4 In the chart below: provide your personal opinion on each source of news (reliability, partisan bias, skewness) Slate The Economist The Wall Street Journal NPR BBC The Washington Post The New York Times ABC News Fox News CNN The Daily Caller

5 Nov 2017: The-Viral-Media-Graphic-with-special-thanks-to-Vanessa-Otero

6 ATOC 4800: Policy Implications of Climate ATOC 5000 & ENVS5830 Critical Issues in Climate and the Environment Meeting: Monday & Wednesday; 3:45-5:00pm; Classroom: SEEC N126 Instructor: Prof. Weiqing Han (ATOC); Phone: ; (or Office: SEEC, Room N227B. Office Hours: MW 2:30-3:30pm; or send to set up individual meetings Class Web Page: Lecture notes, reading materials, homework, discuss/debate assignment and project will be posted at the class website. Useful webpage:

7 WG1AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf The IPCC has three working groups: Working Group I: The Science of Climate Change Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability Working Group III: Mitigation of Climate Change and a Task Force on Greenhouse Gas Inventories WG1AR5_ALL_FINAL.pdf

8 Syllabus Textbook: none; Reading materials will be available online via class web page Course Goal: Humans influence global environment; In this course, we will discuss critical issues in climate and the environment, particularly as related to global climate change and policy implications. The course mainly focuses on discussing scientific evidence for climate and environmental changes, analyzing controversial aspects of these issues, and the role of science in formulation of public policy. Promote critical thinking skills. Prerequisite: ATOC 1060 & ATOC 3600

9 Class Format: Since the goal is to promote critical thinking skills, the students are always strongly encouraged, and sometimes are required, to search for their own materials for class discussions or projects. You will be spending a significant fraction of the class time discussing or debating climate related issues (as opposed to listening to lectures), including role play. You are strongly suggested to bring a laptop, iphone, or other devices with wireless internet access to class (in silent mode). Each student will have opportunities to lead and engage the class for discussions. Some lectures on background knowledge will be given: instructor and guest lecturers by internationally well-known scientists. Hot topic week: debate controversial topics Most classes start with introducing background information, either by the instructor or by students. Followed by class discussions, debate, sometimes we will break into small groups, or we will have role play.

10 Major discussion topics include (but not limited to)! Global climate & the environmental changes, issues, and policy implications;! Climate and weather extremes (e.g., heat waves and hurricanes, cold surges), policy implication & action plan;! Clean energy and policy;! Hydraulic fracturing, energy, the environment & policy;! Human land use/land cover;! Ozone depletion, global change & policy;! Climate & the media;! Final Project: presentation, discussion, debate & games.

11 Grading: Your final grade for this course will be based on the following: (1) Class participation (35% of final grade) (2) Reaction journal (45% of final grade) (3) Final project (20% of final grade)

12 Class participation (35%): The best way to improve your critical thinking skills is to practice them by doing your own thinking and reading, and by observing others and exchanging ideas with them. Thus both for your benefit and for the benefit of your classmates, this course places a strong emphasis on in-class contributions. Your participation grade will be based primarily on the quality of your contributions, although the quantity of your contributions will also be considered. Multiple Measures: Class attendance; Evaluation of participation by the instructor s observation; Student participation report, or Discussion Summary, after each discussion/debate (unless otherwise noted). 1-Page limit (project period, 2-page limit): (1) what your own assessment was before the class discussion, (2) what new information you have learnt from the class discussion, and (3) how you contributed to the discussion (e.g., you helped to move the discussion forward, introduced new ideas, answered a question, resolved a disagreement, etc.). It is hoped that this summary will help you to think critically: What has been missed in your own assessment before the discussion? What aspect of your own assessment made a significant contribution to the class discussion?

13 If you have 2 discussion classes in one week, put the two discussion summaries in one word file, and submit via D2L dropbox under the folder name DiscussionSummary by 7 pm on Friday of that week. The file name should be: lastname_firstname_yyyymmdd_ds.doc (or.docx) Example: Han_weiqing_ _DS.docx Penalty: 1day (24hr) late, 10%; unacceptable after 5pm of following Monday.

14 Missing class policy: No penalty for missing 1 class without reason; the 2 nd miss needs a legitimate reason; If you know that for some (legitimate) reason you will need to miss more than 2 classes during the semester, please talk to me in person ahead of the time. Homework assignment (45% of final grade) I) Reaction journal for each article should include: 2 paragraphs: paragraph 1 summarizes the article content, and paragraph 2 provides your own assessment or reaction to the article. Do not exceed 1-page limit for Undergrad & 2-page limit for Graduate (figures do not count toward this page limit). If certain homework involves 2~3 short articles, you should produce one word file with the reaction to each article limited to the above page limit. For each reaction, write down the article title & author name.

15 II) Essays: For some assigned topics, each student is required to search for reliable information to either support or disapprove the topic; The essay aims to find evidence to support your opinion (with a reference list). Page limit: 1-page for undergrad. & 2- page for graduate. Reaction journals & essays should be turned in by 3:45pm of the day of the class, which is before the class starting time. Late reaction journals & essays are unacceptable (unless you have legitimate reasons) because they are intended to prepare you for class discussions and/or debate. Grading: Your grades will be based on the quality of your work, and not based on your opinion.

16 These should be turned in via D2L dropbox under the folder name HW1 (etc.), in word format (.doc or.docx) with the file name format of: lastname_firstname_yyyymmdd_hw1.doc (or.docx). Example: Han_weiqing_ _HW1.doc

17 Final Project (20% of final grade) Near the end of the class, each student will lead one discussion, debate, etc. You will choose a topic relevant to the course, and should obtain instructor approval before March 16, Friday. Formats: multiple (creative): Game that students can participate; Presentation/discussion/debate that engage the class, etc. You will be graded equally on evidence of your own critical thinking and on your ability to engage the class; A written project must be turned in electronically one week after your class presentation via D2L under the folder FinalProject

18 Tentative Schedule is online (subject to modification) Schedule for lectures, discussion/debate/role play, guest lectures, movies, projects; Lectures by the Instructor: Background knowledge: global climate system: climate variability & change: external forcing (natural and anthropogenic) & internal variability; environmental change & policy implication; (no Discussion Summary) Guest lectures (no Discussion Summary) Discussion/debate/role plays classes: (Discussion Summary required) Movies (no Discussion Summary) Projects (Discussion Summary required)

19 Exams: 1. No Exams and Extra-credits; 2. Website for assignments of Discussion/ Debate leaders; 3. Writing HW: listed in class website

20 The instructor s Scheduled Travels & class arrangements: Mar 5-9 (sea-level meeting, Switzerland): Mar 5&7 classes Classes arrangements: Dr. Matthew Newman, senior research scientist at NOAA

21 Important policies Students with Disabilities If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs can be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: , or by at dsinfo@colorado.edu. If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see guidelines at

22 Religious Observances Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled assignments, required attendance, or scheduled presentation. Please contact Professor Han at least two weeks in advance if you have a conflict with scheduled class project presentation, and one week in advance if you have conflict with scheduled homework because of religious obligations. See full details at

23 Honor Code All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council ). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at

24 Classroom Behavior Policy Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, color, culture, religion, creed, politics, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, disability, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See policies at

25 University of Colorado Policy on Discrimination and Sexual Harassment The University of Colorado at Boulder Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures, the University of Colorado Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedures, and the University of Colorado Conflict of Interest in Cases of Amorous Relationships policy apply to all students, staff, and faculty. Any student, staff, or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of sexual harassment or discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at or the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) at Information about the ODH, the above referenced policies, and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at