Climate Change: Solutions

We know that climate change is real and manmade. What are we to do about it? After a brief review of climate change science and impacts, we will examine potential solutions. With 1.5°C temperature increase looking inevitable, we will examine the possibilities of geoengineering, both solar radiation management and carbon dioxide removal, including manmade solutions like sulfur dioxide injection and carbon capture and sequestration; as well as natural processes like reforestation. We will consider demand sectors, buildings, industrial, and transportation impacts. How can we as consumers decrease our energy use and carbon footprint? We will look at conservation, electric heat pumps and other options.

We will study the primary industries: steel, cement, plastics, and fertilizer, and examine opportunities to use alternate fuels like hydrogen and possible carbon sequestration pathways. In the transportation and agriculture sectors, electric vehicles, sustainable aviation, and marine fuels will be studied as will climate friendly farming techniques like no-till farming and cover crops. We will review solar, wind, geothermal, tidal and wave power, and small modular nuclear reactors for power generation. Alternatively, we will examine adaption to climate change like managed retreat, sea walls, fireproof houses, homes on stilts, and submersible dams. Finally, we will run the climate solutions model, En-ROADS, where you will be the climate czar and use what you've learned to keep global temperature increases to no more than 1.5°C.