Global Climate Change (20 cr)
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| GEOG3062 | Geography | 3 | 20 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- GEOG3062
- School
- Geography
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
The module provides a big-picture state-of-the-art summary of one the greatest threats to global society, the climate crisis, including some of the options for reducing future climate change and ways in which society can build resilience to a warmer world. The module covers key areas that inform the climate change debate, including: projections of future climate change and confidence in them, climate policy, projected impacts of climate change on society and the natural environment, adapting to climate change, and mitigation of climate change. The module content is informed by the research specialisms of the teaching staff who are climate change experts in their fields.
Target Students
Available to Final Year UG students studying BA/BSc Hons Geography, BA Jt Hons Archaeology and Geography and BSc (Hons) Environmental Sciences (2 + 2) Ningbo students. Also available to students studying BSc Hons Natural Sciences, BSc Hons Environmental Science, MSci Hons Natural Sciences and Biosciences students. Also available to Exchange students.
Classes
Teaching will take place through a mixture of lectures and seminars.
Assessment
- 30% Coursework 1: Group presentation (10 minutes)
- 70% Coursework 2: Individual climate change summary card (4 pages)
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the science and issues that surround present and future climate change and its impacts on human society and the natural environment. The module will cover the scientific basis for global climate change together with its impact on society, policy, mitigation and adaptation.Learning Outcomes
a. Knowledge and Understanding. The student will be able to:
- Describe a range of projected impacts that climate change could have on human society and the natural environment.
- Explain a range of methods that are currently being implemented to combat future climate change.
b. Understanding. The student will be able to:
- Understand the wider issues surrounding future climate change.
- Understand the importance of scientific observations and modelling for exploring future climate change and its impacts.
c. Intellectual Skills. The student will be able to:
- Critically evaluate the robustness of climate change science, within the boundaries of current understanding of climate change and its inherent uncertainties.
- Appreciate and justify policy and environmental management decision-making on climate change issues, at global and national scales.
- Critically evaluate potential solutions to combating future climate change.
d. Professional Practical Skills. The student will be able to:
- Show an enhanced awareness of the latest science, debates and politics on climate change, which is an important attribute for many areas of employment.
- Assess and summarise the latest evidence from United Nations and government reports and other literature on a contemporary and fast-moving subject of high international priority.
- Understand the complexities of the issue, and to communicate with confidence the problem of climate change and potential solutions.
e. Transferable Skills. The student will be able to:
- Frame and scope complex global problems associated with climate change.
- Implement scheduling and time management operations.
- Engage in verbal and written communication with peers.
- Summarise complex scientific material in an engaging style.