Anthony Patt: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2016

Award: The Golden Owl
Name Prof. Dr. Anthony Patt
FieldClimate Policy
Address
Professur Klimaschutz & -anpassung
ETH Zürich, CHN J 74.2
Universitätstrasse 16
8092 Zürich
SWITZERLAND
Telephone+41 44 632 58 21
E-mailanthony.patt@usys.ethz.ch
DepartmentEnvironmental Systems Science
RelationshipFull Professor

NumberTitleECTSHoursLecturers
701-0650-00LRisk Analysis and Managment3 credits2GA. Patt, J. Jörin
AbstractThis course introduced students to principles of quantitative risk analysis, across a wide variety of environmental areas including weather and climate, natural hazards, and toxic substances. It also introduces them to established practices of risk management, including regulatory approaches, insurance, and contingency planning.
Objective- Competence in applying methods of quantitative risk analysis.
- Understanding of common approaches towards risk management.
- Understanding of the importance of risk and uncertainty in decision- and policy-making.
- Ability to communicate risk information clearly and effectively.
ContentStatistics for risk analysis; Monte Carlo simulation; toxicology and epidemiology; exposure assessment; fault tree analysis; risk in decision-making; risk perception and communication; loss spreading and insurance; mitigating natural hazard losses; risk and climate change policy.
Prerequisites / Noticenone
701-0658-00LSeminar for Bachelor Students: Anthroposphere2 credits2SA. Patt, K. T. Seeland, A. Müller, M. Siegrist
AbstractAnalysis and presentation of scientific articles in the domain of Human Environment Systems with focus on the relevant methods and theories. Skills in literature research concerning a given topic in the ISI Web of Knowledge.
ObjectiveThe sudents have to read current scientific articles on research issues in the field of Human-Environment-Relations and to learn to understand them, to present them in a summarized form, to document the most important points (including methods), to search for publications in the web of knowledge (ISI) and to give a constructive critical assessment of them.
ContentDas Forschungsfeld Mensch-Umwelt Beziehung ist gekennzeichnet durch eine grosse Themen- und Methodenvielfalt. Dies kommt unter anderem in den wissenschaftlichen Beiträgen der an der Veranstaltung beteiligten Professuren zum Ausdruck. Die Studierenden wählen aus einem breiten Angebot eine wissenschaftliche Publikation aus und referieren darüber im Seminar (s.o. link). Erwartet wird insbesondere das Herausarbeiten der Fragestellung, die Beschreibung der gewählten Methode, die wichtigsten Erkenntnisse des Beitrages sowie offene Fragen bzw. zukünftige Forschungsfragen. Zusätzlich zum verarbeiteten Artikel sollen zwei weitere Publikation aus dem ISI Web of Knowledge zum gleichen Thema recherchiert und zum präsentierten Artikel in Bezug gesetzt werden. Durch Teilnahme an der Diskussion der präsentierten Artikel wird zudem das Stellen und Beantworten von Fragen zur Präsentation geübt.
Lecture noteskeines
LiteratureEs wird eine Liste von Publikationen aus den an der Veranstaltung beiteiligten Professuren abgegeben.
701-0660-00LPractical Course Anthroposphere Restricted registration - show details 7 credits14PJ. Lilliestam, P. Krütli, A. Patt, O. van Vliet
AbstractThe subject of this course is the analysis of interactions within human-environment systems.The students will learn to develop energy scenarios, guided by different natural and social constraints and aims in a simple optimisation model. We then appraise the relative merits of the different scenarios using multi-criteria analysis.
ObjectiveIn the practical course Anthroposphere students learn how to analyze the interactions in human-environment-systems with scientific tools. Methods from the natural sciences and social sciences are applied and linked with each other.
ContentMulti-criteria analysis (MCA) is a widely used methodology for providing guidance to decision-makers on problems touching many different aspects of people's lives, where it is impossible or undesirable to reduce all outcomes associated with a particular choice to monetary values. In the MCA problem that forms the heart of this course is the question of climate change. Students will gain practice at writing computer simulation models, ultimately developing a simplified model linking together the global energy system and the climate, in order to quantify the tradeoffs between human energy consumption and climate impacts. Using this model it will be possible to identify a number of different effects on society associated with alternative energy system scenarios. Using data on preferences and values collected via surveys, it will be possible to rank the relative attractiveness of the alternatives.
Lecture notesHandouts will be presented during the course.
LiteratureReferences will be given during the course.
701-1562-00LCases in Environmental Policy and Decision Making Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 40.
6 credits4PA. Patt, M. Morosini, D. Schröter, A. Scolobig
AbstractThe course will proceed through a series of case studies, modeled after those often used in business and policy teaching curricula. Students will engage in individual and group work to practice the art of effective decision-making, recommending a course of action for the individual and organization that is the subject of each case, gaining valuable insights into environmental policy-making.
Objective- Identify the facts, assumptions, theories, and social constructions guiding the decisions of different stakeholders to a range of environmental and natural resource policy problems.
- Recognize key institutional and interpersonal challenges in decision-making situations.
- Design communication and decision-making processes that can work effectively in the context of stakeholder worldviews and perspectives.
- Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis of value to decision-makers, and communicate that in a manner that is clear and effective.
- Consider broader policy issues applicable across the cases, such as the appropriate roles of public, non-profit, and private sector organizations, the decentralization of authority, and possible societal pathways towards sustainability.
ContentThe course will cover a range of environmental problem areas, include land conversion, water quality, air quality, climate change, and energy. Across these issues, cases will force students to confront particular decisions needing to be made by individuals and organizations, primarily in the public and non-profit sectors, but also in provate sector firms.
Prerequisites / NoticeIt would be desirable, but not essential, that students had already taken a course on policy analysis and modeling.