Energy Pathways to Net-Zero

The transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions will involve a significant transformation of the global energy system. This will fundamentally change where energy is generated and how it is consumed. These required changes will have broad economic, socio-environmental, and geopolitical challenges. Such as, the uneven endowment of wind and solar resources in regions that may be rich in biodiversity, with or without large human populations, or existing transmission infrastructure. However, continuing to rely on fossil fuels also exposes nations, businesses, and essential services to geopolitical instabilities and social injustice. A systematic view is needed to analyse, predict and chart viable pathways for our energy transition. This subject provides a capstone experience for the Environmental Science major specialisation in Energy Transition, while also providing a sustainability lens for discipline-focused majors in the energy space. This subject builds upon a fundamental understanding of thermodynamics, chemical, mechanical and/or electrical energy to explore the role of energy in nature and human society. Students will learn about the various forms of energy generation with their associated environmental and social impacts, and the degree to which the supply and demand of energy must be transformed, in order to mitigate climate change while conserving biodiversity and sustainable economic development. Students will evaluate real-world decision-making problems, and develop the skills needed to assess and critique energy transition pathways towards a sustainable future. The energy transition is also a key component of environmental, social and governance (ESG) of businesses. Students will learn from industry experiences and potentially present to an industry panel.

向净零温室气体排放的转型将涉及全球能源系统的重大变革。这将从根本上改变能源的产生方式和消耗方式。这些必要的变革将带来广泛的经济、社会环境和地缘政治挑战。例如，风能和太阳能资源在生物多样性丰富、人口众多或现有输电基础设施区域分布不均。然而，继续依赖化石燃料也使国家、企业和基本服务面临地缘政治不稳定和社会不公。需要一种系统性视角来分析、预测和规划。

• 1Identify the role of the energy system in society and explain how it leads to critical dependencies in our social, economic, and environmental systems.
• 2Distinguish elements of the energy system that must change in order to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions to Net-Zero.
• 3Identify, analyse, and critique transition pathways of the energy system needed to mitigate climate change.
• 4Apply, examine and compare a range of quantitative and qualitative change frameworks for the energy transition.
• 5Assess energy transitions across different spatio-temporal scales and consider their global ramifications.