Climate Change Syllabus for Spring 2003

Climate Economics Segment AGEC 677: One half of a 3 Credit course in Spring 2015

Instructor: Bruce A. McCarl, AGLS 373 C [email protected], Phone: 845-1706, http://agecon2.tamu.edu/people/faculty/mccarl-bruce/641.htm

Purpose: To introduce students to the economics of climate change and approaches to assessment regarding effect, adaptation and mitigation individually and jointly.

Conduct: Each week we will have 3 hours lecture in room 110

Grading Presentation 50% Exam 25% Homework 15% Class participation 10% One Midterm 30% Course Outline

General Lectures Topic 1: What is happening? Topic 3: What is Projected? Topic 4: What is the economic issue? Topic 5: Economic Vulnerability under Climate Change: With an Agricultural Emphasis Topic 6: Climate Change Mitigation Topic 7: Climate Change Adaptation Topic 8: Economic Analysis of Climate Change: Implications for US Agriculture Topic 9: Agriculture, Climate Change and Adaptation Topic 10: Climate Change and Agriculture: Mitigation Policy Topic 11: Will Bioenergy be Profitable: Markets, Lifecycle Carbon Footprint, Commodity Prices and Leakage Topic 12: Cost of Carbon: Discounts, Fungibility and Agricultural GHG Offset projects Topic 13: Co-Effects of CC and GHG Mitigation Policies Topic 14 Student Presentation Topic 15 Student Presentation Topic 16 Student Presentation

Class Procedure

We will have a mix of instructor and student given lectures.

Students in groups are responsible for lectures on topics negotiated with the instructor (perhaps red ones below). A student lecture will 1. Cover material related to the general topic of the lecture done just before. 2. Present a topic not being limited to the material in a single paper. 3. Not replicate the material in the previous lecture. 4. Cover the following where possible a. Technical aspects and description of issue at hand b. Description of economic problem inherent in topic and analytic framework to approach c. Description of quantitative approach or approaches relevant for addressing issue. d. Review empirical and theoretical findings relevant to issue. e. Research needs 5. Presentations to the class will be 50% of your class grade. (we will also have homework (15%), an exam (25%) and instructor grade on your participation (10%). The presentations will a. Be developed in consultation with the instructor based on lectures in the class periods before b. Be outlined at least 2 weeks before your time to lecture. c. Have had an outline of your lecture turned at least 1 week prior to your lecture (which will be graded and will be the subject of feedback and suggestions (25% of the presentation grade) 6. Be supported by the following materials a. A professionally done set of power point overheads which will be turned in for a grade (25% of the presentation grade) b. An annotated bibliography on your topic with an assignment of no more than 40 pages of reading to students in the class. c. Two questions – one for discussion at the end of your presentation and one for student homework, the latter of which you collect and grade (10% of the presentation grade) d. A short answer to the homework problem for distribution (10% of the presentation grade) 7. The presentation itself (30% of the presentation grade)

Possible Topics for Presentations by Students ST 1 Assessment of Climate Change Impact in Other Sectors ST 2 Adaptation to Climate Change in Other Sectors ST 3 Carbon market design ST 4 Adaptation incentive design ST 5 Stabilization ST 6 Fallacy of GWP ST 7 Market performance

A few words from Texas A&M

ADA Policy Statement

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of the Koldus Building. The phone number is 845-1637.

Copyright Statement

Please note that all handouts and supplements used in this course are copyrighted. This includes all materials generated for this class, including but not limited to syllabi, exams, in-class materials, review sheets, and lecture outlines. Materials may be downloaded or photocopied for personal use only, and may not be given or sold to other individuals.

Scholastic Dishonesty Statement

As commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one’s own ideas, work, writings, etc., which belong to another. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst academic sins, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely communicated. If you have questions regarding plagiarism, please consult the latest issue of the Texas A&M University Student Rules, under the section “Scholastic Dishonesty.”