ESP 165: Climate Policy

Course description:

How aggressively and in what way should society take action to reduce damages from climate change?  In this course we will examine the balance between expected impacts and their costs one hand and policy options and their costs on the other.  We will consider mitigation options to reduce future climate change, as well as adaptation alternatives to prepare for the changes that do occur.   Using both economic and ethical perspectives, we will examine the models, data and assumptions behind competing leading arguments for how society should respond.   We will evaluate policies implemented to date at the international, national and state levels.  The gap between ideal and actual responses will be discussed using insights from game theory, theories on the use of science in policy and analysis of public attitudes.   

This class is designed to develop your writing and critical thinking skills in evaluating climate policy, so that you can express well-reasoned, well-sourced and clearly articulated viewpoints. Writing is a central component of the course (comprising 85% of course credit) and our in-class activities are focused on small and whole group discussion.

Required resources:

Reports, journal articles and other readings will be made available online linked to the course website.

Writing:

This is a writing-intensive course--as of 2023 the course provides General Education Writing Experience credit.

Assignments and grading:

Your final grade will be based on:
Active and informed participation in class   15%
Writing assignments:
   Warm-up and Policy Memos                     50%
   Explainer Sets                                           35%

Active and informed participation in class includes being present, prepared and engaged.  Engagement in class takes the form of asking questions, answering questions and offering commentary in discussion. Your participation grade will be assessed each day based on presence, preparedness and engagement in small and large group discussions.

  • One unexcused absence will be automatically dropped for the quarter.
  • Absences may be excused for valid reasons (illness and/or family emergency) by emailing the TA before the class that is missed. For excused absence requests for a class meeting that has already started, please provide documentation (e.g. doctor's note). 
  • Unearned participation credit from absences can be excused (see above) but cannot be made up. This credit is a proxy for informed participation in a group activity or discussion, which cannot be made up outside of class.

Warm-up and Policy Memo writing assignments
  • Warm-up: Referencing and Reflection (1 per quarter). This 200-word written assignment is assigned in the first week of class to serve two objectives. The first is for you to practice the use of three different forms of in-text citation. The second objective is to practice taking a strong position on a point of your choosing and provide brief support for it.
  • Policy Memo Essays (3 per quarter): These ~600-word essays are written in policy memo form, i.e., assuming the reader is a non-expert decision maker seeking explanation of a climate science and policy issues and a well-reasoned and supported recommendation for a policy position that should be taken. You are expected to demonstrate comprehension of complex course subject-matter by providing clear, plain-language explanations.  Further, you are expected to take a strong position on a policy debate question, which is supported with logic and evidence.
  • Explainer Sets (2 per quarter): These ~525-word assignments are comprised of three brief (175-word) "explainers" in which you answer a set of focused questions about a given topic covered in reading and discussion. You are expected to demonstrate comprehension of complex course subject-matter by providing clear, plain-language explanations.  In contrast to the Policy Memo Essays which focus on depth in a single topic, these Explainer Sets prioritize evaluating comprehension breadth across three different topics.

Assignment logistics:
  • Assignments will be turned in via Canvas by the due date and time. You should strive to turn in assignments with plenty of buffer time to handle any logistical issues that arise with technology or your schedule.
  • Late policy:
    • A one-hour grace period will automatically be granted without penalty.  After that, credit will still be granted to submissions received within 24 hours of the due time but with a 10% deduction in the grade.
    • Please note that it is your responsibility to complete the assignment with enough time to spare so that if you have a problem uploading to Canvas you have time to pursue a backup method (smartphone, personal computer, campus computer, etc).  Technical difficulties and conflicting work/travel schedules are not acceptable excuses for late submission.
  • When submitting written assignments, you will use Canvas.  Within the Canvas submission system we will use TurnItIn, a tool compares your work to online sources and a comprehensive database of other papers. TurnItIn creates an originality report identifying whether parts of your work match or are similar to any of their sources. The work submitted to TurnItIn will be retained as source documents in the TurnItIn reference database to be used solely for the purpose of checking future submitted work for originality.

Academic integrity:
As a University of California, Davis student, you have agreed to abide by the University's Code of Academic Conduct. It is your responsibility to be familiar with the code. All academic work must meet these standards. Lack of knowledge of the academic honesty policy is not a reasonable explanation for a violation. Questions related to course assignments and the academic honesty policy should be directed to the instructor
. UC Davis Academic Senate policy requires instructors to report any suspected plagiarism to Student Judicial Affairs (SJA). Please see the class "Writing Packet" for more guidance on avoiding plagiarism.

Use of course materials:
Short version: Please don't post materials from this course to the web.
Long version
: My lectures and course materials, including PowerPoint presentations, tests, outlines, and similar materials, are protected by U.S. copyright law and by University policy. I am the exclusive owner of the copyright in those materials I create. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own use. You may also share those materials with another student who is enrolled in or auditing this course in this quarter. You may not reproduce, distribute or display (post/upload) lecture notes or recordings or course materials in any other way — whether or not a fee is charged — without my express prior written consent. You also may not provide the materials for someone else to do so. If you do so, you may be subject to student conduct proceedings under the UC Davis Code of Academic Conduct.

Special accommodation:
Please let me know if you have a learning disability, chronic condition, sensory or physical disability or if English is not your first language and you need special assistance in lecture, reading or writing assignments contact. Students needing accommodations because of disability should register with UCD’s Student Disability Center (SDC) and complete the appropriate SDC forms issued before accommodations can be provided. The SDC is located at 54 Cowell Building. They may be reached by phone at (530) 752-3184.

Mental health:

  • If you are feeling especially stressed or just need to talk to someone, you should take advantage of the free counseling services offered on campus.
  • If you’re having a hard time studying efficiently and adjusting to university academic expectations, you should visit the Student Academic Success Center.
  • University is expensive and it can be difficult to make ends meet. If you are living in Davis and having a hard time finding a healthy meal or getting basic necessities, please visit the UC Davis Pantry.

Covid-19 considerations:

  • Masks are no longer required in class but they are still strongly recommended.
    • Starting with our second class meeting we will begin every class with a short small group (4-person) discussion. I would like to make a special request that you please wear a mask for these small group discussions.
  • After a Covid-19 diagnosis please follow UCD policy.