The IPAT Identity expresses environmental impact (I) as the product of population (P), affluence (A), and technology (T). This session will examine the historical and projected future values for each variable in the IPAT Identity. We will discuss the feasibility of mitigating environmental impacts through the different levers of the IPAT Identity and explore how different target values for each variable would translate to specific constraints on technology performance and consumption. Required readings: and regional drivers of accelerating CO2 Raupach et al. “Global 2007. PNAS, emissions”, Chertow, IPAT Equation and Its Journal of Industrial “The Variants,” 2001. Ecology, Optional readings: Ehrlich and Holdren, impact of population 1971. Science, “The growth,” April 19 | Lab Week 12: April 23 | Choosing metrics for modeling environmental change and engineering solutions Technologies and environmental impacts are frequently evaluated using metrics, simple numbers that quantify complex engineering/natural problems. This session will discuss metrics for characterizing different dimensions of environmental impact and explore how to compare technologies across these dimensions. A second objective of this session is to develop a systems perspective on technology impacts, moving beyond end of tailpipe/smokestack to incorporate a full life cycle or cradle-to-grave environmental perspective. Required readings: Rockstrom safe operating space for 2009. Nature, et al. “A humanity,” of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and Jacobson, “Review 2009. Energy and Environmental Science, energy security,” Optional readings: Pilkey and Pilkey-Jarvis, Useless Arithmetic: Why Environmental Chapter 1 Mathematical Fishing the Future, Scientists Can’t Predict – April 25 | Brian April 26 | Lab Week 13:
The IPAT Identity expresses environmental impact (I) as the product of population (P), affluence (A), and technology (T). This session will examine the historical and projected future values for each variable in the IPAT Identity. We will discuss the feasibility of mitigating environmental impacts through the different levers of the IPAT Identity and explore how different target values for each variable would translate to specific constraints on technology performance and consumption. Required readings: Raupach et al. “Global and regional drivers of accelerating CO2 emissions”, PNAS, 2007. Chertow, “The IPAT Equation and Its Variants,” Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2001. Optional readings: Ehrlich and Holdren, “The impact of population growth,” Science, 1971. April 19 | Lab Week 12: April 23 | Choosing metrics for modeling environmental change and engineering solutions Technologies and environmental impacts are frequently evaluated using metrics, simple numbers that quantify complex engineering/natural problems. This session will discuss metrics for characterizing different dimensions of environmental impact and explore how to compare technologies across these dimensions. A second objective of this session is to develop a systems perspective on technology impacts, moving beyond end of tailpipe/smokestack to incorporate a full life cycle or cradle-to-grave environmental perspective. Required readings: Rockstrom et al. “A safe operating space for humanity,” Nature, 2009. Jacobson, “Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy security,” Energy and Environmental Science, 2009. Optional readings: Pilkey and Pilkey-Jarvis, Useless Arithmetic: Why Environmental Scientists Can’t Predict the Future, Chapter 1 – Mathematical Fishing April 25 | Brian April 26 | Lab Week 13: