ES3S201 - Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation 01 Jul 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: ES3S201
Module Title: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
Faculty: Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science
Faculty Group: Department of Chemistry and Forensic Science
Faculty Sub Group: Earth and Environment
Module Leader: Anthony Harris
Module Team: Niamh Breslin, Emma Higgins
First Intended Intake: SEP 2027 Final Year of Intake: 2027
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100369 - geographical information systems 100469 - environmental management 101070 - climate change
HECOS Code Weighting: 10 20 70

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Jul 2022
Valid To 31 Aug 2028

Module Aims

To examine the principles of climate change modelling and consider a range of potential future global and regional climate change scenarios and impacts.

To investigate and critically assess the solutions for climate change on a range of scales including adaptation and mitigation strategies.

In engaging with the module appropriately, students will fully achieve level-appropriate Behaviour Domains of the following USW Graduate Attributes:

Commercial Awareness - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Communication - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Leadership - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Innovation and Enterprise - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Project Management - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

Digital Literacy - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3

The Capabilities associated with these behaviours are found in the Graduate Attributes table at the end of the descriptor.

Content Summary

Future climate change scenarios. Climate change modelling.

Future global and regional climate change impacts on sectors of the anthroposphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.

Climate-related hazards, risks and management. Climate change vulnerability assessment, disaster risk reduction and resilience.

Future flood patterns with climate change and Integrated Flood Risk Management.

Future climate change and sea level rise adaptation strategies.

Needs, options, planning and implementation. Economic aspects of adaptation.

Approaches to climate change mitigation. Trends in stocks and flows of greenhouse gases and their drivers. Current and future emissions reduction with mitigation pathways and measures. Social, economic and ethical aspects. Future climate change mitigation in a range of sectors including energy, transport, built environment, agriculture and industry.

Carbon sequestration methods and holistic environmental management. Nature-based and technological solutions for future carbon storage. Carbon credits.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 32
Seminar 4
Practical classes and workshops 12
Independent Study 112
Directed Study 40
Groupwork 0
Problem / challenge based learning 0
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Critically consider future climate change scenarios and the impacts of climate change at a global and regional scale.
LO2 Critically evaluate a range of adaptation and mitigation strategies and assess their political, social, economic and environmental suitability.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Project Output 1 Remote sensing and GIS outputs for adaptation or mitigation project 0 2000 50 No 40
Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) 1 Regional climate change modelling and vulnerability assessment with adaptation solutions 15 N/A 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Project Output 1
Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) 1

Reading List

Brauch, H., et al., 2019. Facing Global Environmental Change: Environmental, Human, Energy, Food, Health and Water Security Concepts. Springer.

Bulkeley, H. and Newell, P., 2015. Governing Climate Change. Routledge.

Cowie, J., 2012. Climate Change: Biological and Human Aspects (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dessler, A., 2019. The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change: A Guide to the Debate. Cambridge University Press.

Dicken, P. 2015. Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World’s Economy (7th Edn.). London: Sage Publishing.

Henning, B. and Walsh, Z., 2020. Climate Change Ethics and the Non-Human World. Routledge

Hulme, M., 2019. Contemporary Climate Change Debates: A Student Primer. Earthscan – Routledge.

Ingram, J., 2010. Food Security and Global Environmental Change. Routledge.

IPCC, 2013. Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.

IPCC, 2014. Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.

Melieres, M.-A., Marechal, C., 2015. Climate Change: Past, Present, and Future. Wiley.

Ruddiman, W. F., 2013. Earth's climate: past and future. (3rd ed.). Freeman.

Tol, R., 2019. Climate Economics: Economic Analysis of Climate, Climate Change and Climate Policy (2nd ed.). Elgar.