SDG Detail

F&ES 979 Sub-national Playbook for Significant Greenhouse Gas Reductions by 2030

Postgraduate course

Project description

The recent IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5� C above preindustrial levels provided a stark warning of the future our planet faces unless we make dramatic and meaningful greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions by 2030�approximately 45% reductions below 2010 levels. In the United States, in the absence of leadership at the federal level, states, cities, and corporations must step into the breach if we have any hope of avoiding the most serious consequences of global warming. Students work in teams to develop a policy playbook designed for a hypothetical new governor, mayor, and/or CEO who is committed to significant GHG reductions by 2030. In this capstone experience, students apply skills and tools learned from previous classes to develop and pitch implementable policies and programs in five major categories (corresponding to the chapters of the playbook): Electricity, Buildings, Transportation, Materials Management, and Natural/Working Lands.