UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT DENVER
The Business School
BUSN 6870, Section OL1Professor John Byrd
Business and Global Climate Change
Fall 2015–August 17 to December 7Phone: 970-247-9182
COURSE OVERVEW
This class was offered for the first time Fall 2010. It is one of just four MBA classes, that I am aware of, that addresses climate change from the perspective of business. That is one of four in the world. This semester I have revised the class extensively. I hope it provides you with information that you can use to assure that your organization is prepared for some of the climate-related changes that could occur in the next 15 or 20 years. Over the next decades managers will increasingly have to consider aspects of climate change - energy costs, regulatory requirements, disclosure and developing competitive products and services for a low carbon world. No matter what your personal views are about climate change, most companies will have to develop a strategy or plan that includes the effects carbon and climate. More progressive companies are trying to find ways to turn this potentially serious constraint into some sort of opportunity and thereby shape their own destiny rather than having it determined for them. I hope this class helps you be in that group of ‘destiny-shapers’ as you progress through your career.
Because the course is so new there is no established set of topics to cover or classroom-tested materials. We will be using a book about climate economics, articles, websites, worksheets and a few purchased cases. During the semester you will probably contribute materials. The class may be more dependent on student contributions and collaboration than other MBA classes. The UN climate conference, COP 21< will occur in December in Paris. We will devote some class time to seeing how countries are positioning themselves and what is needed to make meaningful progress against catastrophic warming.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Discuss the business case for preparing for climate change
- Introduce the predicted impacts of climate change as currently understood.
- Consider how carbon emissions are measured and assigned to countries.
- Consider policy responses (implemented and being discussed) to climate change.
- Learn about different climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
- Consider the linkage between energy and climate and business.
- Learn the basics of developing a carbon footprint for a company.
- Consider how carbon emissions are disclosed to investors.
- Consider investment opportunities and constraints in a low carbon economy
PREREQUISITES
There are no formal prerequisites for this course.
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS, E-MAIL AND CONTACT INFORMATION
I check e-mail and the class website often, i.e., daily. During the week (Monday-Friday) I will try to respond to e-mails or postings in the virtual office within 24 hours unless I am out of town. Weekends tend to be filled with family activities. Questions posted or emails received from late Friday through Sunday may not be answered until Monday.
When you send an e-mail be sure to put your name in the note and have BUSN/INTB 6870 in the subject line. I am teaching three classes this semester and this will help me better understand and respond to your question. My e-mail address is:
In case you need it, my home phone is 970-247-9182. We turn in early, so please limit calls to the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.
COURSE MATERIALS
Textbook: The Climate Casino by William Nordhaus, Yale University Press, 2013.
Cases and other readings: We will use a packet of Harvard cases during weeks 11 & 12. You can purchases these cases at:
We will also use lots articleswhich you will download from the class website (at no cost to you!).
Grading
Business School policy suggests that the average GPA for this class should be between 3.1 and 3.5. The GPA of the final letter grades in this class usually average about 3.4. Final letter grades are based on the total points each student earns from the 400 points available. I expect that everyone to earn all or most of the points for many of the assignments. Usually the lower bound for final letter grades is 93% for an A, 90% for an A-, 87% for a B+, 82% for a B, and a B- requires at least 78% of the possible points. This scale may shift a little depending on the distribution of total points.
Assignments
Country emissions data (Week 3) 25
Mitigation or Adaptation example (Week 5 or 6) 25
Carbon Footprint Case (Week 7) 25
Cap & Trade Exercise (Week 8) 25
Carbon Reporting (Week 9) 25
Case responses 2 @ 25 (Weeks11, 12 & 13) 50
Ski Area Carbon Case (week 14/15 50
Quiz (Week 16) 50
Final Project (Week 16 – December 5th) 125
Total 400
Assignment descriptions
Country emissions data (Week 3) Choose a country and find its most recent (probably 2013) emissions without and without LULUC and its historical emissions.
Mitigation or Adaptation example (Week 5 or 6) Post a way to reduce carbon emissions or adapt to climate change. You do only one (mitigation or adaptation).
Carbon Footprint Case (Week 7) Compute the carbon footprint for Simon Pearce. You can work with one other person on this assignment.
Cap & Trade Exercise (Week 8)See why cap-and-trade is preferred to command-and-control regulation, and how a cap-and-trade mechanism might work. This assignment will be done in groups.
Carbon Reporting (Week 9)Find a publicly-traded company and post the company’s reporting of its carbon footprint. Make a few comments about the quality of the disclosure and how it could be improved.
Cases Responses (Weeks 11, 12 and 13) Submit a one-page response to posted questions about 2 of the 3 topics discussed these weeks: The sustainability (?) of fast or luxury fashion; Why are some companies are seen as very green?; How FedEx and UPS address climate and carbon issues.
Ski Area Carbon Strategy Case (Weeks 14/15) Develop a carbon (or more broadly a sustainability) strategy for a small ski area.
Quiz (Week 16) An online quiz over basics from the class. There will be a study guide.
Final Project (Week 17 – Due date December 5th)This is a presentation of an approved topic related to climate, carbon or energy. The presentations will be posted on the class website so everyone can review them. My preference is for the topic to look into the future and developa climate strategy for a company or organization given carbon pricing or a low-carbon constraint. Other topics related to business and climate change will also be accepted.
Key Dates for Fall 2015
Calendar Dates: Spring 2014
- Monday August 17 – first day of classes.
- Monday, August 24 – last day to drop without $100 per course penalty.
- Tuesday, August 25 to September 2 – students may add class with faculty approval.
- Wednesday, September 2 – (census date) last day to drop classes with tuition adjustment. After this date dropping a class requires instructor approval.
- Monday, October 26 – last day to drop without special petition and signature of the dean. It still needs the signature of the instructor.
- November 23 through November 29 – Fall Break
- December 7-12 – Finals Week
Tentative Class Schedule
Assignments in BOLD
Week / Date / Topic1 / 17-Aug / Business Case for addressing climate change
2 / 24-Aug / Basics of climate change;
3 / 31-Aug / Key numbers; Measurement; Curbing climate change
Country emissions assignment due September 6
4 / 7-Sep / Impacts of climate change
5 / 14-Sep / Mitigating Carbon Emissions
Posting due September 20
6 / 21-Sep / Adapting to Climate Change
Posting due September 27
7 / 28-Sep / Carbon footprinting/Greenhouse gas inventory
Carbon footprinting case due October 4
8 / 5-Oct / Climate policies (cap-and-trade vs Carbon tax)
Cap-and-Trade exercise due October 11
9 / 12-Oct / Carbon reporting, disclosure, and labeling; Science-based targets Carbon disclosure assignmentdue October 18
10 / 19-Oct / Investors and climate; Shareholder activism over climate
11 / 26-Oct / Corporate Strategies: Fast & luxury fashion The True Cost H&M (in HBSP Packet); Stella McCartney (in HBSP Packet)
Fashion case response due November 1
12 / 2-Nov / Patagonia (in HBSP Packet); Puma Nike
Excellent Green Company case response due November 8
13 / 9-Nov / FedEx and UPS
FedEx and UPS case response due November 15
Identify Final Project topic (due November 10)
14 / 16-Nov / Ski Area Carbon Strategy Case(due November 30)
15 / 23-Nov / Thanksgiving Break
16 / 30-Nov / Paris COP 21; Quiz(complete by December 6)
17 / 7-Dec / Final Project (due December 5)