814326 Climate change impacts, adaption and mitigation

Type
Seminar
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Organisation
Offered in
Wintersemester 2022/23
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation is an interdisciplinary E-learning course offered by the University of Copenhagen in close cooperation with the Danish Meteorological Institute, Oxford University and Australian National University.

Through distance learning it is available everywhere, and it is open for MSc students and continuing education students with a relevant BSc background in natural science, social science and economics.

The focus of the course is climate change impacts and the human response to climate change, including efforts to adapt to climate change, as well as efforts to avoid or reduce the negative impacts of climate change. Using IPCC Assessment Reports as the main reference together with recent complementary and contrasting findings, the relevant scientific tools are applied to analyse and discuss the different aspects of climate change.

The course is divided in four main parts. In the first part of the course the E-learning platform is introduced and a basic understanding of the physical science of climate change is given, together with a brief introduction to the ongoing climate change debate. Natural and anthropogenic drivers, and direct observations of recent climate change are presented. Different climate change models and scenarios are presented and discussed in relation to future climate change projections.

In the second part of the course the impacts of climate change and potential adaptation strategies in different sectors are presented. After a short introduction to different apporaches to climate change adaptation, the climate change impacts and adaptation practices for ecosystems, land use, water resources and human health are presented and discussed in relation to both options, constraints, costs and benefits. National climate change adaptation strategies from selected developed and developing countries are analyzed and discussed.

The third part of the course deals with climate change mitigation strategies. After a general introduction to potential mitigation strategies, the most relevant technological and economic mitigation strategies are presented and discussed, including biological and inorganic carbon sequestration, energy system transformation and renewable energy technologies, carbon trading and carbon offsetting. National climate change mitigation plans from some of the world's major emitters of greenhouse gases are analyzed and discussed.

In the fourth and final part of the course the focus is climate change policy and social change. First, the current status of international climate change negotiations is discussed. Afterwards, climate change policy is discussed in relation to the green economy paradigm. Finally, the course ends with a discussion of the need for social change in order to reduce the negative impacts of climate change.

For more information see the course homepage at www.climate-change.dk.
Previous knowledge expected

Finished Bachelor
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

The aim of the course is to give a solid understanding of climate change impacts, and provide the knowledge and tools to devise effective and cost-effective strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation on a global, sectoral and local scale. After completing the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge:
- Identify the natural and anthropogenic drivers of climate change
- Summarise the direct observations of climate change
- Describe the impacts of climate change for agriculture, forestry, ecosystems, water resources and human health
- Refer to common climate change models and scenarios

Skills:
- Assess the cross-sectoral impacts of climate change in designated areas
- Select and apply relevant scientific tools to analyze the options, constraints, costs and benefits for climate change adaptation
- Compare different climate change mitigation strategies and climate change policy options

Competences:
- Discuss the ecological, social and economic aspects of climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation on a global, sectoral and local scale
- Cooperate and work independently to devise strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation on a global, sectoral and local scale
- Evaluate climate change policies and reflect on the need for social change
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.