Green Horizons: Pathways to a Clean Energy Economy

Catalog description

This course offers a broad overview of the global and American energy industries and the ongoing transition from fossil fuels to a green energy future, including scientific, economic, policy, and ethical perspectives on this critical shift in the world economy. Topics will include the structure and history of the energy sector; fundamentals of renewable energy technologies and their scalability; the economics of transitioning to green energy, including costs and investments, market dynamics, subsidies and incentives, workforce development, and economic growth impacts; the role of politics and public policy in shaping the energy landscape; major international agreements and national policies on climate change; and ethical considerations such as the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, equity and fairness in the distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, and the role of advocacy and community engagement in driving the clean energy transition. The course will take advantage of Tulsa's central place in the American energy industry, with guest speakers and site visits complementing classroom learning.