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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2014/2015
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Postgraduate Courses (School of GeoSciences)

Postgraduate Course: Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation (Online) (PGGE11189)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis online course is only available to students registered on the Certificate in Global Health Challenges or the MSc in Global Challenges.

This course first introduces the underlying science of human-induced and naturally-occurring climate change, using the IPCC¿s Fourth Assessment Report (2007) as its basis. It examines predictive models of climate change and its impacts. It goes on to examine past, current and projected impacts globally, regionally and, using the UK as a case-study, nationally and locally. It then explores the potential for adaptation at these different scales and the potential win-wins of coupling adaptation with mitigation. Finally it covers the legal implications of human induced climate change, the way climate change is communicated, and the issues of transboundary climate change impact assessment.

The primary objective of this course is to provide participants with high-level understanding of climate change impacts and adaptation at global, national and local scales. Key impacts and adaptation strategies will be introduced via outputs from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP), with a focus on business and industry-relevant issues.
Course description The target audience are professionals who are working in areas related to climate change policy and practice, who are studying part time, and at a distance. The chosen approach aims to maximise the benefits of engaging with working professionals, in particular by relating the course topics to the particular needs and interests of students, and also by supporting students to bring their professional experience and expertise into the course and to share this with their peers.

The course programme builds from the scientific basis of climate change, attribution and projection, through to examination of impacts and adaptation at a range of scales. It is designed so that students with little or no previous expertise in climate change science, impacts and adaptation will gain the underlying knowledge required to inform impact and adaptation assessments. The group presentations in the second half of the course are aimed at developing team-working skills and to give students a hands-on opportunity to work with the assessment and adaptation tools currently available to the business community via the UKCIP.

Week 1 Introduction to Climate Change
Week 1 Attributing and Predicting climate Change (IPCC WGI)
Week 2 Reconstructing climate
Week 2 Climate feedbacks and interactions
Week 3 International Development and Adaptation
Week 3 Global, Regional and National Climate Change Impacts
Week 4 Regional and National Climate Change Adaptation
Week 4 Local Impacts and Adaptation: UK and Scotland
Week 5 UKCIP - Impacts Assessment and Adaptation Strategy [all day]
Week 5 UKCIP - Impacts Assessment and Adaptation Strategy [all day]
Week 6 Seed Conservation, Food Supply and Adaptation
Week 6 The Win-Wins of Climate Change Adaptation
Week 7 Teach Presentations
Week 8 Long-term planning, trans-boundary impacts and regulation
Week 9 The Law of Climate Change
Week 10 Reading Week
Week 11 Climate change education and communication
Week 11 Course review
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements This online course is only available to students registered on the Certificate in Global Health Challenges or the MSc in Global Challenges.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2014/15, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Course Start Date 12/01/2015
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Learning and Teaching Activities
Assessment (Further Info) Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Assessment Methods
Additional Information (Assessment) Course Assessment: In light of the e-learn mode, this course will no longer have a group presentation or final exam elements, but will be replaced with a 6,000 word 'interactive' project using pictures, videos, UKCIP tools etc. Assessments will include:

1) 1,000 word essay set in week 2 (entitled 'Sceptical climate change') and submitted in week 3: 20% of overall course mark

2) 6,000 word project report (80% of overall course mark) set in week 6 and focussed on presenting a climate change impact assessment and adaptation strategy for a specified business or institution (from a set list provided by the course organiser). The project report will allow use of interactive elements such as video and sound recordings, and will require students to utilise UKCIP assessment and adaptation tools, and to synthesise IPCC impact projections. The final report will be assessed in terms of evidence of research, understanding and use of projections and impact tools, quality of adaptation recommendations, and clarity of arguments and structure.
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. High-level understanding of projected climate change impacts and adaptation at global, national and local scales, with a focus on business and industry.
  2. Familiarity with climate prediction models, feedback processes and uncertainties.
  3. Ability to evaluate implications of climate change impacts and adaptation at scales ranging from global to local.
  4. Understanding of the legal issues of human-induced climate change.
  5. In depth understanding of climate change communication approaches, skeptical arguments and scientific counter-arguments.
Reading List
IPCC (2007) Fourth Assessment Report - Synthesis Report
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr.pdf

National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA) ¿ Republic of Maldives
http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/napa/mdv01.pdf

A Changing Climate for Business ¿ UKCIP (2010)
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/images/stories/Pub_pdfs/Georgina.pdf

UKCIP (2009) UK Climate Projections 2009
http://ukclimateprojections.defra.gov.uk/

SCCIP (2011) Business and Industry
http://www.sccip.org.uk/12/52/0/Business-And-Industry.aspx

UKCIP (2008) The Climate of the UK and Recent Trends
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/images/stories/08_pdfs/Trends.pdf

The Adaptation Tipping Point ¿ UKCIP
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/images/stories/Pub_pdfs/CDP4_UK.pdf

UKCIP (2006) Identifying adaptation options
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/images/stories/Tools_pdfs/ID_Adapt_options.pdf
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Cognitive: The course deepens and develops overall cognitive skills, including the numerical skills, analytical skills and skills of synthesis and presentation.

Key: On completion of the course, students should be able to make an assessment of the key climate change vulnerabilities of a business or industry sector and to have the necessary knowledge and skills to recommend effective adaptation strategies.

Specific: On completion, students should be able to understand and make use of the UK climate projection and adaptation tools (e.g. UKCIP) and to critically assess climate and impact projections.
KeywordsGlobal Challenges, Distance Learning, Climate Change
Contacts
Course organiserDr David Reay
Tel: (0131 6)50 7722
Email: David.Reay@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Alice Heatley
Tel: (0131 6)50 4866
Email: alice.heatley@ed.ac.uk
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