CH987-15 Global Carbonisation: Causes and Consequences of Climate Change
Introductory description
The changes to global climate being brought about by human activity present one of the greatest challenges to confront humanity, and are likely to have a profound effect over the working lives of today's humans. Understanding these climate changes requires a comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of global carbonisation, and responses require an approach spanning multiple disciplines. This module will equip students to understand and address climate change by providing a grounding in the central scientific, economic and political issues surrounding climate change in the past, present, and potential futures.
Module aims
Principal aims of the module:
- Contextualise and evaluate underlying physical processes that govern global climate, the evidence for human-induced warming, predictions for the future, and assessment of mitigation strategy.
*Holistically interpret and evaluate the evidence for the ecological, economic, and social consequences of climate change.
*Demonstrate ability to determine and evaluate possible future scenarios and climate predictions
*Analyse and address key barriers to reaching a political consensus for action to mitigate climate change; political strategies and technological mechanisms to overcome them, and to adapt to future changes.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
This module takes a timeline approach to understanding the causes and consequences of global carbonisation. We will begin by analysing climatic histories, and pattens over geological timescales. We will explore the causes of both natural and anthropogenic climate change. Critically we will also explore the evidence for the drivers of change, and appropriate methods used to detect this change within planetary and social systems; framed within themes of globalisation and industrialisation.
As we move towards the present, we will explore the current status of our environment, and the factors impacting the ability of our planet to support our population. This will include topics such as: biodiversity loss, extreme weather, wild fires etc. This will open up discussions surrounding climate change conflicts, and key issues relating to global justice, governance, and who is responsible for mitigating current and future scenarios. Through this lens, we will explore the efficacy of supranational climate change policy and whether our current approach is fit for purpose. This analysis will involve the integration and analysis of existing evidence, addressing issues of uncertainty within data, and how climactic modelling can help us understand what futures may lie ahead for the planet, and our species.
Key topics covered here will include the impacts of climate change on our built environment, coastlines, food systems, oceans, and what is left of 'wild'. Throughout discussions on these key impacts, we will begin to explore opportunities for governance, and the possible applications of nature-based solutions, carbon sequestration, and possible new technologies.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Critically evaluate evidence for climate change
- Demonstrate knowledge of future scenarios and climate predictions
- Evaluate the potential impacts of climate change using an appropriate Sustainable Development Framework
- Identify and respond to barriers limiting effective carbon management and mitigation
- Use appropriate data sources to make informed predictions of potential future climactic scenarios
- Determine the applicability and efficacy of proposed mitigation mechanisms
Indicative reading list
Reading lists can be found in Talis
Interdisciplinary
The module provides an interdisciplinary grounding in the central scientific, economic and political issues surrounding climate change in the past, present, and potential futures enabling students to eloquently explore interdisciplinary causes and consequences of climate change.
International
This module looks at the causes and consequences of global carbonisation frames within themes of globalisation in industrialisation.
Subject specific skills
- Critically evaluate evidence for climate change
- Analyse the viability of mitigation options using appropriate data and techniques
- Communicate the causes and consequences of climate change to diverse audiences
- Demonstrate ability to eloquently explore interdisciplinary causes and consequences of climate change.
Transferable skills
- Data analysis
- Use of analytical frameworks for quantitative and qualitative analyses.
Teaching split
| Provider | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Global Sustainable Development | 50% |
| Life Sciences | 50% |
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 10 sessions of 2 hours (13%) |
| Practical classes | 2 sessions of 2 hours (3%) |
| Private study | 56 hours (37%) |
| Assessment | 70 hours (47%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
Reading and appropriate learning activities to prepare for class, practice workshops and exercises etc.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Parilamentary Post Note | 50% | 30 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
Students will write a Parliamentary Post Note on an future scenario, integrating analysis from key data sources. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Data Interpretation Excercise | 25% | 20 hours | Yes (extension) |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Climate Change research summary for public audience | 25% | 20 hours | Yes (extension) |
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Students will select a key peer-reviewed article, and discuss, review, and summarise it in the format of an article for 'The Conversation'. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Feedback through Tabula, and face to face feedback offered through tutor office hours
Courses
This module is Core for:
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TCHA-F764 Postgraduate Taught Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change
- Year 1 of F764 Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change
- Year 1 of F76B Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (Policy)
- Year 1 of F76A Global Decarbonisation and Climate Change (Science)