Carbon Dioxide Removal & Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage (432-0-20)
Instructors
William Charles Geoffrey Burns
650.281.9126
1808 Chicago Avenue
Office Hours: call or email
Dr. Wil Burns is a Visiting Professor at Northwestern and Professor of Research and Founding Co-Executive Director of the Institute for Carbon Removal Law & Policy at American University in Washington, DC. He serves as the Co-Chair of the International Environmental Law Section of the American Branch of the International Law Association. Previously, he served as well as President of the Association of Environmental Studies & Sciences and was the 2019 recipient of the organization’s Lifetime Achievement War for Scholarship and Service in the field. His research agenda includes: climate geoengineering, climate loss and damage, and the effectiveness of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System. He received his Ph.D. in International Law from the University of Wales-Cardiff School of Law and is the author of more than 85 publications.
Meeting Info
Harris Hall L06: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
Achievement of Paris temperature objectives will require both aggressive emission reductions initiatives and large-scale deployment of carbon dioxide removal/negative emissions technologies and processes (CDR), sometimes also referred to as a major sub-category of climate geoengineering, and carbon capture and sequestration with storage (CCS), technologies that capture carbon dioxide remissions at the flue stack.
This course will discuss the exigency of deploying CCS and CDR approaches at scale, including potential benefits and risks of these options. It also will discuss regulatory and governance considerations at both the national and international level, as well as business and policy-oriented strategies to incentivize large-scale adoption of these approaches.
Registration Requirements
Open to graduate registration only, with permission from the department and subject to roster availability. Please email mses@northwestern.edu if interested.
Learning Objectives
1/ Distinguish between carbon dioxide removal and carbon capture and storage approaches;
2/ Understand the technological aspects of carbon capture and storage, potential risks and benefits, and constraints to large-scale deployment;
3/ Understand the potential risks and benefits of natural and industrial carbon removal approaches;
4/ Assess the adequacy of current governance mechanisms for CCS and CDR options and identify gaps in governance;
5/ Identify constraints to large-scale deployment of carbon dioxide removal approaches