Biennial Course.   Not offered in 2012, next offered in 2013. 

Global environmental change, and particularly climate change, as a result of human activities is now generally accepted as reality. ‘Global warming’ is the term currently used to describe a wide range of climatic processes and impacts in the global system that are affected by anthropogenic activities. This course provides an introduction to climate change science, impacts and policy implications. The fundamentals are provided in an overview of climate change science, focussing on the atmospheric processes that drive climatic variability and change, and the roles of the terrestrial biosphere and the oceans in the global carbon cycle. The likely impacts of global warming on ecosystems and human activities are also considered, including biodiversity, system buffering and resilience, and regional inequality and vulnerability. Finally, possible response strategies are investigated, focussing on international environmental treaties, international and Australian policy approaches to global warming, and management and adaptation strategies. Practical work and tutorials are directed towards an understanding of the carbon intensity of energy use, and science-policy interaction in the area of climate change. Contributors to the course may include staff of the Fenner School of Environment and Society, the Research School of Biology, the Research School of Earth Sciences, the College of Asia and the Pacific, the College of Arts and Social Sciences, the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, the Faculties of Law and Engineering, and representatives of various government departments, industry and business groups and research organisations.

Honours Pathway Option

Subject to the approval of the course convenor; students taking this option must attend a series of tutorials to discuss analyses of specific reading material, in the context of the science-policy interaction theme of the course.  Each student will prepare a 500-word briefing paper for and facilitate discussion at one tutorial; this will account for 10% of overall assessment (the class tests will count 20%).  All other assessment and requirements remain the same. 

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. evaluate current understandings of the science of climate change, including future climate scenario development
2. evaluate information about current and future impacts of climate change on biophysical and social systems, and vulnerability to climate change
3. evaluate a range of response strategies to climate change, including international and Australian adaptation and mitigation policy approaches
4. debate future climate change policy, in the context of the international climate change negotiations. 

Students who fail to submit work by the due date or fail to participate in classes, practicals and tutorials may be excluded from examination.  Assessment will be based on:

• Three class tests (30%) (LO 1, 2, 3)
• Practical report on a selected topic relevant to local climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies (30%) (LO 1, 2, 3)
• Major report and debate focussing on issues of national interest and equity in international climate change policy negotiations (40%)  (LO 1, 2, 3, 4)

65 contact hours, comprising lectures, practicals and workshops/tutorials; approximately 65 non-contact hours.  Offered 2011; next offered 2013.

72 units towards a degree

SRES3020

IPCC, 2007: Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report, eds Pachauri, RK and Reisinger, A., Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, 104 pp.
(see http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/syr/en/contents.html)