Carbon Accounting & Lifecycle Analysis
Developing effective climate change mitigation strategies requires a comprehensive quantitative understanding of how to measure greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted as well as removed from the atmosphere. This course will equip students with the skills as well as knowledge to quantify GHGs emissions across countries, economic sectors, and corporations as well as the emissions embedded in goods and services. In addition, students will learn best practices to quantify both avoided and/or reduced emissions as well as carbon removed from human managed, hybrid, and engineered solutions. Finally, it will work to help students learn how to best contextualize these calculations as they relate to broader environmental and societal issues.
Topics
- Students will acquire a working knowledge of the essential underlying science and policy guiding carbon accounting and conducting life cycle assessment. Students will learn how to quantify GHGs removals or reduction from human managed, hybrid and engineered climate solutions, using big data and emerging technology as applicable. Students will develop a working understanding of the compliance and voluntary GHGs registries as well as emissions trading schemes. Students will gain a critical understanding of issues at the intersection of nature, climate, and society. Students will build comfort and competency in manipulating tabular data and other quantitative information to quantify GHGs emissions as well conduct life cycle assessments.
Official catalogue course objectives and student learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027