Postgraduate Course: Foundations of climate science and politics (on campus) (PGGE11298)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Our planet's climate is rapidly changing causing unprecedented challenges to humanity. This course will introduce the fundamentals of climate science, and politics. It allows students to gain a solid appreciation of the key scientific concepts which are essential for policy makers to know in order to make informed decisions and political concepts which help to explain how these decisions are and should be taken. |
| Course description |
This is a 10-week course delivered over 11 calendar weeks (1 week reading week in week 6). Each teaching week will consist of one overarching topic covered in a flipped classroom style over:
- 1 hour of asynchronous teaching, and
- 3 hours of synchronous teaching.
Each week's synchronous tutorial will be delivered on-campus. The tutorials will involve activities, guided discussions, or additional lecture material that is related to the week's asynchronous material. The asynchronous material will be delivered in a more traditional lecture format and will be available to the students on Blackboard Learn Ultra.
The course will be split into two distinct but linked parts. The first half will discuss the science of climate change and the second the politics of climate change. The rationale for this is that science and politics are the two drivers of policy so it is increasingly important that students recognise and understand the way these two processes interact in the development of climate policy. This may be policy for global institutions such as the IPCC or UN, or for governments at various scales (national, regional, local), or it may be for private and civic organizations. Possible topics are included below:
Introduction: Our evolving climate
Science: Drivers of climate change
Science: Climate models and detection and attribution
Science: Climate projections
Science: Climate change information for impact and risk assessment.
Politics: Scale, Governance and the Wicked Problem of Climate Change
Politics: Valuing the Future Climate
Politics: Climate Justice - Accounting for the past
Politics: Democracy, Activism and Participatory Climate Politics
Conclusion:(Mis)Communication and Climate Science
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 40 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 30,
Other Study Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
146 )
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| Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) |
Groupwork
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Group presentation (50%): Class will be split into 10 groups of three (depending on class number). Each group will be assigned one of the 10 figures in the AR6 IPCC summary for policymakers (AR6 SPM). Each presentation will be 15 minutes long and will cover the contents of the plot, how well it conveys the message and the implications for policy relevant decision making. Each presentation will then be followed by a class discussion. Marks will be given based on the presentation's contents, delivery and the students ability to answer questions. (50%). Presentations will be held in the tutorial sessions in week 5.
Individual Written Piece (50%): Students will take forward the figure from their assignment 1 group project to reflect on how the science in question gets politicized and de-politicized in various ways by policy makers at different scales. Drawing on the themes discussed in the second half of the course the essay would cover issues of who exactly the 'policymakers' being targeted are (and who they 'should' be); what these policymakers are supposed to 'do' with the information; and why it might be that they don't give it the political priority that scientists think it deserves. The essay length will be 2000 words and the submission date will be the first Monday in the examination period at the end of the semester. |
| Feedback |
Formative feedback will take place during tutorials and one-to-one sessions. During the live tutorials, students will be asked if they have any comments or questions about the course material. Students will also be able to ask questions or request feedback through learn discussion boards or on-page comments. The course team will also provide overall class feedback after each assignment is marked. Students may request a one-to-one feedback session with a member of the course team at any time.
Written feedback on assignments will be provided within 2-3 weeks of submission. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Synthesize complex information from a wide variety of different topics such as how natural and human drivers affect Earth¿s climate, climate models and feedback processes that combine to produce uncertainties in climate predictions.
- Develop the knowledge required to critically assess the climate science being used to inform climate impact assessments.
- Evaluate how science and politics interact in the development of climate policy.
- Discuss the various political, economic, and ethical arguments for taking action against climate change.
- Interpret in-depth climate change communication approaches, skeptical arguments and scientific counter-arguments.
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Reading List
IPCC (2021) Sixth Assessment Report, Working Group I, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis ¿ Technical Summary https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/#TS
Hale, T., 2024: Long Problems: Climate Change and the Challenge of Governing Across Time. Princeton University Press. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
This course will develop attributes and skills expected from a University of Edinburgh graduate including: creative problem solvers and researchers, critical and reflective thinkers, effective and influential contributors and skilled communicators. Students will be able to demonstrate skills in interdisciplinary analysis, drawing upon different empirical sources, analytical perspectives, and sub-disciplines within carbon management studies. Students will also be able to demonstrate an ability to acquire and apply specialist knowledge. Finally, students will be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. |
| Keywords | Climate Change,Science,Politics,Policy-making,Communication |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Andrew Schurer
Tel: (0131 6)50 5098
Email: A.Schurer@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Dr Beata Kohlbek
Tel:
Email: Beata.Kohlbek@ed.ac.uk |
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