Postgraduate Course: Nature-based Solutions (online) (PGGE11303)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is intended to highlight the burgeoning importance of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) across different environments. Globally NbS have become a major evidence-based approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation (as well as a method of combatting other environmental pressures like pollution). The rapid rise of NbS policies in several countries and at UN and IUCN level has resulted in an active body of scientific research. This course aims to provide a good grounding for students working in a climate change related area and highlights the importance of evidence-based science for policy and practice. |
| Course description |
General Structure
This is a 10-week online course delivered over 11 calendar weeks (reading week in week 6). Each teaching week will consist of one overarching topic covered by:
- one hour of asynchronous teaching (pre-recorded lecture)
- two hours of synchronous teaching (live online tutorials)
The asynchronous material will be broken down into smaller sections and will be delivered via a mix of pre-recorded videos (15-30 minutes each), reading material and activities. The asynchronous material will be delivered via Blackboard Learn Ultra.
The live online tutorials will be delivered via Blackboard Collaborate and repeated twice a week to take into consideration the different time zones of the student cohort. Students are urged to join one session per week, but the tutorials are recorded if they cannot attend. The tutorials will involve activities, guided discussions, or additional lecture material that is related to the week's asynchronous material.
The course will provide students with skills in critical analyses of scientific rationales for current NbS strategies which will be developed through lectures and tutorials. Students will engage and become familiar with NbS in different ecosystems and will develop their understanding of cross-cutting issues in ecosystem services, climate change and ecology.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 40 |
| Course Start |
Block 5 (sem 2) |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 40,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
136 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
50% - A3 infographic based on a management plan for the adoption of an NbS approach in a land or marine ecosystem of the student's choice. Learning outcomes met: 1, 2, 3, 4
50% - Essay (3000 words) - critical assessment of the evidence-base for an existing NbS strategy of their choice. This assignment is designed to hone the student's skill understanding the quality of the evidence-base. Learning outcomes met: 1, 3, 4, 5 |
| Feedback |
Students will be provided with formative feedback for both assignments through the live tutorials; students will be encouraged to discuss their ideas for each assignment in the weeks leading up to the deadline. Summative assignment feedback will be delivered via Learn. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the need for Nature-based Solutions and how they can meet climate change challenges through effective mitigation and adaptation applications across a wide range of ecosystem types.
- Analyse the national and international policy context and the history and development of Nature-based Solutions.
- Identify the biological and ecological underpinnings for NbS strategies across a range of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
- Evaluate the scientific evidence-base for several types of NbS strategies with a particular appreciation of when/where NbS are more effective and appropriate than alternative non nature-based approaches.
- Create evidence-based Nature-based Solutions to challenges faced in different types of marine or terrestrial ecosystem and apply that knowledge in a management plan.
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Reading List
Girardin, C. A. J., Jenkins, S., Seddon, N., Allen, M., Lewis, S. L., Wheeler, C. E., Griscom, B. W., & Malhi, Y. (2021). Nature-based solutions can help cool the planet - if we act now. Nature, 593(7858), 191-194.
Hill, B., Liang, Q., Bosher, L., Chen, H., & Nicholson, A. (2023). A systematic review of natural flood management modelling: Approaches, limitations, and potential solutions. Journal of Flood Risk Management.
Kalantari, Z., Ferreira, C. S. S., Pan, H., & Pereira, P. (2023). Nature-based solutions to global environmental challenges. Science of The Total Environment, 880, 163227.
Pettorelli, N., Graham, N. A. J., Seddon, N., Bustamante, M. M. da C., Lowton, M. J., Sutherland, W. J., Koldewey, H. J., Prentice, H. C., & Barlow, J. (2021). Time to integrate global climate change and biodiversity science-policy agendas. Journal of Applied Ecology.
Seddon, N., Chausson, A., Berry, P., Girardin, C. A. J., Smith, A., & Turner, B. (2020). Understanding the value and limits of nature-based solutions to climate change and other global challenges. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 375(1794)
Seddon, N., Daniels, E., Davis, R., Chausson, A., Harris, R., Hou-Jones, X., Huq, S., Kapos, V., Mace, G. M., Rizvi, A. R., Reid, H., Roe, D., Turner, B., & Wicander, S. (2020). Global recognition of the importance of nature-based solutions to the impacts of climate change. Global Sustainability, 3, e15
Seddon, N., Turner, B., Berry, P., Chausson, A., & Girardin, C. A. J. (2019). Grounding nature-based climate solutions in sound biodiversity science. Nature Climate Change, 9(2), 84-87 |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
This course will develop skills expected from a University of Edinburgh postgraduate. Creative problem solving and research, critical and reflective thinking, effective and influential contributions and skilled communication will be developed. Students will be able to demonstrate skills in interdisciplinary analysis, drawing upon different empirical sources, analytical perspectives, and sub-disciplines within the wide nature-based solution related literature. Students will also be able to demonstrate an ability to acquire and apply specialist knowledge and skills. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Academic year 2024/5. Not available to visiting students.
Course Start: Semester 3, 21/04/2025 |
| Keywords | Ecosystem-based adaptation; ecosystem-based mitigation; natural flood management; ecosystem service |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr James Paterson
Tel:
Email: James.Paterson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Dr Beata Kohlbek
Tel:
Email: Beata.Kohlbek@ed.ac.uk |
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