Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

None

Co Requisite Comment

None

Aims

The module aims are to:
•introduce the likely hazards (impacts) associated with climate change in a range of contexts;

develop understanding of risk, its composition in terms of hazard, exposure and vulnerability and how these can vary spatially and temporally depending on local circumstances;

apply a relevant framework for the assessment of risks and corresponding adaptations in different contexts, for example, the built environment;

develop understanding of adaptation strategies to identified risks in the context of a changing climate.

The module introduces the concept of risk in the context of natural (hydro-climatological) hazards in a changing climate. The impacts of climate change on different sectors, principally (but not exclusively) related to water are described and responses to these impacts are examined. The module demonstrates how climate information and methods introduced previously are used in practice in risk assessment frameworks to adapt to these future risks and aid decision-making.

Outline Of Syllabus

Students will learn not just how climate change will impact society, but how climate interacts with other, non-climatic factors, and how we can assess risk and decide how we should respond. Students will be well equipped to create and assess sustainable adaptation strategies in a range of key settings. The module will address key concepts of impacts, hazard, exposure, vulnerability and risk in the context of climate change to understand climatic risks at specific locations or in specific systems on different spatial scales. Students will use relevant climate and non-climatic information/data/models in impact studies that may be applied in risk assessment frameworks to devise adaptation (including engineering) strategies for hydro-climatic hazards, for example these could include heat, flooding, water resource, sea level rise, and their application in different settings, for example on people and/or infrastructure. These will be considered in the context of concurrent action on climate mitigation and legal and institutional frameworks for climate adaptation (and mitigation) as well as wider international contexts.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of this module, students should be able to:-

1.Identify and appraise the key vulnerabilities and risks of climate change and the need for assessment and response (M11).

2.Understand the stages of a relevant risk assessment framework and how it is used to develop climate adaptation plans to identified risks (M6, M9).

3.Identify and evaluate adaptation responses to a range of hydro-climatic hazards for different contexts and sectors (M5).

4.Interpret adaptation responses in the context of national and international legislation and agreements (M4).

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of this module, students should have achieved the following skills:-

1.To assess the vulnerability of nations, cities, or systems (for example, infrastructure components) to climate change hazards and likely risk (M3, M4).

2.Interpret relevant climate (hazard) and non-climatic (exposure and vulnerability) data presented in different formats (M3, M4).

3.Create and present a climate change risk assessment using an established framework to appraise and prioritise sustainable adaptation strategies in a range of settings (M5, M6, M9, M11, M17).

4.To apply research methods (M4).

5.To employ open-source web-based tools and datasets for climate change and risk analysis (M4, M12).

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures allow transfer of the various knowledge, methods and practices available for understanding impacts and adaptation, and in person computer-based practicals and other tutorials and workshops allow for consolidation of this knowledge prior to its application in a given problem (which is carried out as coursework). Guided independent study will comprise short recorded lectures some of which will be supported by short exercises and learning from these will be consolidated in group discussions and seminars.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Assessed by coursework. This allows a student's knowledge and understanding of the theory and practical methods introduced in the teaching to be monitored, applied and tested.

Assessment is :-
(a)       Coursework - which assesses understanding of the nature of risk as a function of hazards and vulnerability and how these are incorporated into the risk assessment and adaptation planning processes using climate change impacts information. Ability to appraise a range of viable adaptation responses to identified risks is assessed. Assesses knowledge outcomes 1-4 and skills outcomes 1-5.
(b)       Canvas quiz - which assesses understanding of the key terms, concepts, and processes which apply to the summative coursework.

The rationale is to assess the students’ grasp of the practical skills and understanding represented by the knowledge outcomes. The written exercise involves using a risk assessment framework for the assessment of vulnerability and risk and the development of an adaptation plan for a chosen city. It assesses skills in the use of the taught methods, available open-access tools and datasets, and ability to critique their use by identifying their limitations.
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General Notes

N/A