Climate change: drivers, impacts and adaptation (Climate Change Pathway Only)

IMPORTANT: This module is only available if you are studying the MSc Environmental Management (Climate Change). 

The aim of this module is to provide a critical analysis of the nature of climate change during the recent past, present and near-future and, in light of likely environmental, economic and social impacts, the range of adaptation strategies that society might adopt. It also seeks to develop a sound understanding of relationships between climate change, impacts and selection of appropriate adaptation strategies extensive use will be made of recent case-studies from developed counties, Economies in Transition (or EITs), and developing countries.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Critically assess the current state of knowledge regarding the causes and patterns of climate change over a range of timescales
• Critically review the differential impacts of climate change on human and physical systems, circulation of the atmosphere; global patterns of temperature and precipitation; the greenhouse effect and impacts upon the human realm
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the range of adaptation strategies that countries and/or regions might adopt to offset the impacts of climate change.

Topics covered may include:

• The climate system: interaction and change. 
• Internal and external controls of climate change. 
• Human responses to climate change impacts in the context of developed vs. developing economies.