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CNCC

Carbon Neutrality and Climate Change

CNCC 5100
Carbon Neutrality and Climate Change
[3-0-0:3]
Description
This course explores the concepts of climate neutrality and climate change from a multidisciplinary perspective. The course covers the scientific, technological, economic, political, and social aspects of climate neutrality and climate change, including mitigation and adaptation strategies, carbon accounting, renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon markets, climate policy, and international climate negotiations. The course also examines the ethical and justice dimensions of climate change, including the distributional impacts of climate policies and the responsibilities of different actors in addressing climate change. By the end of the course, students will have a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities of achieving climate neutrality and addressing climate change, as well as the skills to engage in cutting-edge research in this field.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the concept of carbon neutrality and its significance in addressing global climate change.
- 2.
  Evaluate and apply advanced methodologies for measuring and assessing carbon footprints, as well as analyzing sources and types of greenhouse gas emissions, in order to develop and implement effective strategies for achieving carbon neutrality.
- 3.
  Analyze and compare different carbon offsetting mechanisms and carbon credit systems, and assess their effectiveness and limitations in the context of achieving carbon neutrality and mitigating climate change. 
- 4.
  Evaluate and propose innovative solutions for integrating renewable energy technologies into various sectors to achieve carbon neutrality, and critically assess the challenges and opportunities associated with renewable energy implementation.
- 5.
  Develop and propose strategies for implementing carbon capture and storage technologies, and critically evaluate their feasibility and potential impact on achieving carbon neutrality and addressing climate change challenges.
- 6.
  Synthesize and critically evaluate the role of policy, regulation, and government frameworks in facilitating the transition to carbon neutrality, as well as propose and assess policy recommendations and legal frameworks to support carbon neutrality initiatives at local, national and international levels.
CNCC 5120
Data Science for Carbon Neutrality Studies
[3-0-0:3]
Description
This course introduces students to the application of data science techniques in the context of achieving carbon neutrality. The course covers various data-driven approaches to understanding, quantifying, and mitigating carbon emissions across different sectors, such as energy, transportation, buildings, and land use. Students will learn to collect, process, analyze, and visualize large-scale datasets related to carbon emissions, and develop predictive models and optimization techniques to support decision-making processes aimed at reducing carbon footprints. The course will also explore the role of data science in informing climate change mitigation policies and strategies at local, regional, and global scales
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Understand the core concepts in data science and carbon neutrality studies.
- 2.
  Obtain a framework for evaluating the contributions, limitations, and the state-of-the-science on big data in carbon neutrality research.
- 3.
  Apply some of the tools and technologies that are used to analyze big data in empirical research.
- 4.
  Develop advanced data wrangling and visualization, and communication skills.
- 5.
  Collect and analyze the data of interest that can provide meaningful policy implications.
CNCC 5200
Climate Change: Science and Governance
[3-0-0:3]
Co-list with
IPEN 5400
Exclusion(s)
IPEN 5400
Description
This course prepares students to acquire the basic knowledge of climate change, which sits on the intersection of science and governance. It will review some of the scientific facts of climate change and contrast the scientific research findings with climate governance status. Case study on transforming to a low carbon society will be conducted in later part of the course. Aspects to consider include both scientific support and governance complexity of the low carbon city idea. Students are expected to build their own analysis of the climate change issue at the end of the course.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Define climate change issue.
- 2.
  Calculate the temperature rise from the human-being activities.
- 3.
  Select the theories that could be used to understand the governance of climate change.
- 4.
  Identify problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices.
- 5.
  Show their finding about a certain climate change problem.
- 6.
  Use the basic framework to analyze a certain regional climate change issue.
CNCC 5300
Policy and Technology for Carbon Neutrality
[3-0-0:3]
Co-list with
IPEN 5900
Exclusion(s)
IPEN 5900
Description
All industries in China are actively taking effective actions to develop new and clean technologies in order to achieve the carbon peak and neutrality goal of shouldering the common destiny of human beings. This course examines the scientific, technological, and policy approaches that China and the rest of the world can take to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Understand the technologies for carbon neutrality.
- 2.
  Assess carbon neutral development and the existing policy gap.
- 3.
  Define the trend and problems of carbon neutral technologies.
- 4.
  Demonstrate an understanding of the risks, uncertainty and injustice hidden behind different technologies.
- 5.
  Address innovation pathways for carbon neutral technologies.
CNCC 5400
Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development
[3-0-0:3]
Co-list with
IPEN 5820
Exclusion(s)
IPEN 5820
Description
This is a graduate-level interdisciplinary course focusing on the economics of environmental and sustainable development problems and the solutions to those problems. Students will learn to use tools from applied economics and relevant disciplines to better understand and evaluate a series of current policy questions, such as air and water pollution, climate change, environmental amenities, agricultural production, ecosystem services, and biodiversity.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Understand the core economic concepts such as externalities, moral hazard, social cost, willingness to pay, time value of money (discount rates), and efficiency.
- 2.
  Identify market failures and their causes, describe how they can result in inefficient equilibria, and interpret their effects across a range of settings.
- 3.
  Obtain hands-on experience with some of the tools and technologies that are used to analyze policy problems related to environmental protection and sustainable development.
- 4.
  Develop advanced data wrangling and visualization, and communication skills.
- 5.
  Collect and analyze the data of interest that can provide meaningful policy implications.
- 6.
  Develop and present a research project in groups.
CNCC 5500
Carbon Capture and Removal Technologies
[3-0-0:3]
Description
This course is designed for students who are interested in advancing their knowledge and research skills in the area of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and cleaner fossil energy. The course will cover the latest advances in CCS and cleaner fossil energy technologies, policies, and practices, and their potential to mitigate climate change and promote sustainable energy development. Throughout the course, students will engage in critical analysis of the scientific literature, case studies, and policy debates related to CCS and cleaner fossil energy. They will also have the opportunity to develop their research skills by conducting independent research on a topic related to CCS and cleaner fossil energy, and presenting their findings to the class.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Analyze and evaluate the scientific and technical principles underlying carbon capture, utilization and removal (CCUR) technologies, demonstrating an advanced understanding of the complexities and challenges in the field.
- 2.
  Design and conduct original research in the area of carbon capture and removal technologies, applying advanced research methodologies and experimental techniques to address key knowledge gaps and contribute to the advancement of the field.
- 3.
  Synthesize and critically assess the economic, environmental and social implications of carbon capture and removal technologies, and propose innovative strategies to optimize the efficiency, sustainability, and feasibility of CCUR processes.
- 4.
  Evaluate and compare different carbon capture and removal technologies, and demonstrate the ability to propose and develop novel solutions to enhance the performance, scalability, and integration of CCUR technologies.
- 5.
  Communicate research findings and proposals effectively through scholarly publications, presentations, and scientific disclosure, contributing to the dissemination of knowledge and the advancement of understanding in the field of carbon capture and removal technologies.
CNCC 5600
Energy Economics and Policy
[3-0-0:3]
Co-list with
IPEN 5330
Exclusion(s)
IPEN 5330
Description
This course provides an in-depth examination of the economics and policy issues surrounding energy. Topics include energy demand and supply, market structures, renewable energy technologies, fossil fuels, energy security, climate change, transportation, innovation, and policy analysis. Students will also participate in a research project to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Identify economic and policy issues concerning energy production, consumption, and market dynamics.
- 2.
  Compare different types of energy sources in terms of their impacts on the environment, society, and the economy.
- 3.
  Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of different energy policy instruments.
- 4.
  Develop and propose policy solutions to address energy challenges by undertaking research projects.
- 5.
  Communicate complex energy concepts, issues, and solutions effectively through oral and written presentations to diverse audiences, such as policymakers, industry leaders, and the general public.
CNCC 5700
Energy Systems and Policy
[3-0-0:3]
Co-list with
IPEN 5350
Exclusion(s)
IPEN 5350
Description
This course explores the challenges associated with climate change, energy and environmental policies from multiple perspectives, disciplines and scales. Students will examine the evolving science and policy of climate change, observe the conflicts between energy companies and interest groups in China, discuss technology innovations and its impact on reducing greenhouse gases emission.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Understand the interaction between politics and economics, especially in a Chinese context.
- 2.
  Understand the economic dimension of foreign policy and international politics regarding energy and environmental issues.
- 3.
  Understand the interaction between mitigation, energy efficiency and technology innovation.
- 4.
  Integrate different stakeholder perspectives, disciplines, scales and geographic contexts in evaluating China’s mitigation efforts, energy and environmental policies.
- 5.
  Understand China’s developmental approach and the shift from a GDP-orientation to a more balanced development.
- 6.
  Develop both oral and written communication skills to facilitate systematic analysis and effective consideration of these complex issues.
CNCC 5800
Climate Innovation: Policy and Development
[3-0-0:3]
Co-list with
IPEN 5360
Exclusion(s)
IPEN 5360
Description
Climate innovation, driven by technological innovation and system change, has the potential to be a disruptive force in combating global challenges. This course will cover policy issues of cleantech development and introduce students to both incentives and challenges of climate investment. Through lectures, discussions, and case studies, students will explore how policy and financial instruments can influence the development of clean technologies.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Understand the evolution of climate innovation and identify issues concerning the development of innovations.
- 2.
  Identify policy and financial instruments used to support the development of climate innovations.
- 3.
  Analyze the impact of policy and financial instruments on climate innovation deployment.
- 4.
  Examine specific clean technology issues from a policy evaluation perspective.
- 5.
  Develop both oral and written skills to effectively communicate climate innovation issues to stakeholders.
CNCC 6900
CNCC Program Seminar I
[1-0-0:1]
Description
This course is expected to expose the RPg students to the current carbon neutrality and climate change research and development, and provide them with opportunities to make social contacts with the speakers in environmental and climate change communities. This course will be an essential part of training for our RPg students. Graded P or F.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Develop cutting-edge knowledge about carbon neutrality and climate change (CNCC).
- 2.
  Solve a certain CNCC problem.
- 3.
  Exemplify the basic framework to analyze a CNCC issue.
CNCC 6910
CNCC Program Seminar II
[1-0-0:1]
Description
This course is expected to expose the RPg students to the current carbon neutrality and climate change research and development, and provide them with opportunities to make social contacts with the speakers inenvironmental and climate change communities. This course will be an essential part of training for our RPg students. Seminar II is an extension of Seminar I. While the overall design of the seminar course looks essentially the same, topics covered and guests invited will be differentiated. Graded P or F.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Develop cutting-edge knowledge about carbon neutrality and climate change (CNCC).
- 2.
  Solve a certain CNCC problem.
- 3.
  Exemplify the basic framework to analyze a CNCC issue.
CNCC 6990
MPhil Thesis Research
Description
Master's thesis research supervised by supervisors from different disciplines. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Design, develop and conduct cross-disciplinary research in carbon neutrality and climate change.
- 2.
  Communicate research findings effectively in written and oral presentations.
CNCC 7990
Doctoral Thesis Research
Description
Original and independent doctoral thesis research supervised by supervisors from different disciplines. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.
  Design, develop and conduct cross-disciplinary research in carbon neutrality and climate change.
- 2.
  Communicate research findings effectively in written and oral presentations.

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