Teaching Climate Change and Climate Sustainability with Energy Studies

We developed a curriculum for energy studies that teaches capture, utilization, and storage of CO2. In teaching these topics, we find that the urgency of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) must be addressed. Analysis of health, safety, environment and sustainability risks are critical to social acceptance of successful CCUS projects. Climate vulnerability afflicts the entire globe differently. Failure to address diverse societal and cultural needs in engineering design may contribute to lack of climate equity and sustainability. The need exists for the development of college-level material that may be included in discipline-specific programs that address climate change and climate sustainability. We present our experience in teaching climate change and climate sustainability principles in a university program consisting of graduate students with diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. We analyze student learning of the science of climate change, design and application of CCUS projects globally, and their intended and unintended consequences. Further, we compare students interpretation of climate equity and sustainability practices to inform effective teaching methods in future course design.