EARS 8 Carbon Sequestration: Opportunities and Challenges
Global warming and ocean acidification resulting from the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) are a serious threat to the modern civilization and future generations. A transition to a low carbon economy remains in distant future. Effective climate change mitigation requires urgent reductions of CO2 emissions and a portfolio of strategies for sequestering CO2. The intent of this course is to introduce geochemical principles that are being investigated to sequester CO2 already present in the atmosphere or that is released to the atmosphere by point sources such as coal-fired power plants. We will first focus on the scale of the problem and then study the science behind the proposed strategies that could reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. The course will draw from readings of primary literature in the diverse fields of mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, and oceanography. These will be augmented by weekly student-led discussions with researchers in these fields. The course will conclude with a general discussion of issues of scaling and environmental impacts of the CO2 removal approaches and the way forward. Not open to students who have received credit for EARS 010.
Instructor
Sharma