SNES 200: Environmental Sciences Colloquium

Fall 2007: Climate Change - Mitigation and Adaptation

Friday afternoons – 12:20 – 1:10 PM – 135 Emerson Hall

Instructors:      Susan Riha and Johannes Lehmann

Credit option: S/U, 1 credit (required for SNES SO/SR, credit optional for others)

The Environmental Sciences Colloquium
is open to the entire Cornell community and the public

Contemporary environmental issues pose complex challenges to societies that require multidisciplinary views and interdisciplinary approaches to their solution. SNES 200 is a series of lectures on an annually changing theme central to the Environmental Sciences, which poses biophysical, economical and political challenges to modern society. Participants will become familiar with contemporary issues of environmental degradation and opportunities for their mitigation. The colloquium will provide a platform for discussion about current issues in the environmental sciences and introduce students to the complexity of information, views, and approaches.

• August         24Organization, expectations, format


• August         31Discussion and preparation for first speaker


• September    7Forests as CO2 sinks
• William Schlesinger, Institute of Ecosystem Studies


• September   14Comparing carbon cap-and-trade programs to carbon taxes
• Antonio Bento, Cornell University, Applied Economics and Mngmt


• September   21How states are tackling climate change
• Franz Litz, Center for Climate Strategies


• September  28Observed and projected climate change in the Northeast
• Arthur T. DeGaetano, Cornell University, Earth and Atm. Sciences


• October        5 Discussion section


• October      12 Using models to predict climate change
• Natalie Mahowald, Cornell University, Earth and Atm. Sciences


• October       19Sustainable energy initiatives at Cornell
• Lanny Joyce, Cornell University, Directory of Facilities


• October       26Local options for carbon mitigation in the Northeast
• Tim Fahey, Cornell University, Natural Resources


• November     2New York State action to address climate change
• Peter Iwanowicz, Department of Environmental Conservation


• November     9Potential impacts of climate change on plants in the Northeast
• Ian Merwin & David Wolfe, Cornell University, Horticulture


• November   16Youth and the national climate movement
• Carlos Rymer, Cornell University

SNES Program
Director of Undergraduate Studies: Dr.Tim Fahey
Program Contact: Suzanne Wapner (sw38@cornell.edu)

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