Climate Change Mitigation refers to efforts to reduce or prevent emission of greenhouse gases. Mitigation can mean using new technologies and renewable energies, making older equipment more energy efficient, or changing management practices or consumer behavior.

The aim of the course is to supply the correct elements in order to evaluate the effectiveness and the applicability of the actions in order to limit the magnitude or rate of long – term global warming and its related effects.

The students should have knowledge of the fundamentals of physics and chemistry.

The issue of climate change mitigation is treated under policy and technological perspectives. The course is organized into three main modules: A) Greenhouse gas emissions (classes: 12 h) Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. This module provides information on emissions inventories and relations between emissions and concentrations of the main greenhouse gases. The following topics will be addressed: o Emissions inventories from the different economic sectors (energy, transports, agriculture, building, etc.) o Relations between emissions and CO2 concentration B) Policy initiatives toward climate change mitigation (classes: 15 h) In pursuing the objectives of climate change mitigation, governments around the world have adopted policies and measuree to reduce their emissions of GHGs. This module shows the main policies adopted. The following topics will be addressed: o The UNFCCC, the IPCC, the Kyoto protocol and the Paris Agreement o Climate Change mitigation policies in selected OECD countries – Trade and Development implications for developing countries o GHG Minimization through circular economy initiatives (MSW recovery and reuse, mobility sector, food sector, built environment) C) Technology-based climate change mitigation (classes: 20 h, lab activities: 13 h) In this module technologies that have the potential to make significant contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions are analized. In some cases they offer the only known way to reduce emissions in a given sector. The following topics will be addressed: o Analysis of the GHG Minimization Technologies (industrial sector, advanced biofuel supply, energy storage) o GHG Minimization Technologies: case studies (concerning the MSW management, the energy planning and the quantification of carbon and water footprint) and lab activities (analysis of the CO2 reduction using micro – algae realized in the Laboratorio biologico - DIATI 3) o Analysis of the most consolidated Negative Emissions Technologies (Direct Air Capture, Lime-Soda process, Biochar, CCS, BECCS, etc) and evaluation of the environmental compatibility (with tool such as mass and energy balance, LCA, performance index, etc) o Analysis of the possible GHG minimization with the use of recycled material instead to the natural resources (using the tool of the LCA) o Analysis of the possible GHG minimization with the water reuse. Wastewater treatment/water potabilization: evaluation of the treatment modifications as a function of the climate change o Evaluation of Joint technique for reduce primary pollutants and GHG emissions

The course is organized in theoretical and practical lessons. The practical lessons shall be carried out in Lab (Laboratorio biologico – DIATI3).

The slides presented during lectures will be periodically uploaded on the web site of the course

Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria;

The final exam consists on: • Oral test with 3 questions (on the program of the course). The use of material (books, notes, reports, etc) is not permitted

Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria;

The final exam consists on: • Oral test with 3 questions (on the program of the course). The use of material (books, notes, reports, etc) is not permitted