Climate Change

6 EC

Semester 2, period 6

5264CLCH6Y

Owner Master Earth Sciences
Coordinator dr. ir. J.H. van Boxel
Part of Master Earth Sciences, track Environmental Management, year 1Master Earth Sciences, track Geo-Ecological Dynamics, year 1Master Earth Sciences, track Future Planet Ecosystem Science, year 1

Course manual 2017/2018

Course content

Climate is an important boundary condition for natural ecosystems and human societies. Climate change causes stress on natural ecosystems and provides challenges (and sometimes opportunities) for human society. In the past climate has changed due to several natural factors. Nowadays human activities are also interfering with climate and causing extra climate change. This course seeks to deepen your knowledge about climatology, meteorology and climate change by studying the relevant literature and writing an essay.

 

If the student has little prior knowledge of meteorology and climatology the student has the option to replace the essay by discussions on the basic principles of meteorology using a standard text book, followed by an examination.

 

The lectures will cover most chapters from Dessler (2011). Each student selects a chapter from the latest IPCC Report and presents this chapter. All students read the summary of this chapter and the chapter is discussed in class. The student writes an essay on a climate change related subject and presents this essay at the final presentations.

Study materials

Literature

  • Dessler, A. 2016. Introduction to modern climate change (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK, 257 pp. (ISBN 978-1-107-48067-4)

Other

  • Scientific publications from peer reviewed journals.

  • IPCC Reports of 2007 and 2013/2014 (Available at www.ipcc.ch).

Objectives

The student is able to:

  • describe the basic processes involved in meteorology and climatology.
  • explain the physics of climate change.
  • describe the function of models in climate change research.
  • interpret the results from climate models.
  • discuss scientific research.
  • find scientific literature on a climate change related subject.
  • present orally findings from scientific literature.
  • write a literature review (essay) on a climate change related subject.

Teaching methods

  • Lecture
  • Presentation/symposium
  • Writing an essay
  • Self-study

Lectures, discussions, presentations by students.

Learning activities

Activity

Number of hours

 

Lectures & discussion

28

 

Presentation

4

 
Self-study

136

 
Total

168

 

Attendance

The programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).

Additional requirements for this course:

Since discussions and presentations are important to meet the objectives, and because these are part of the grading, attendance is mandatory and active participation is required.

Assessment

Item and weight Details

Final grade

15%

Presentation chapters

15%

Participation

20%

Final presentation

50%

Essay

Assignments

Essay

  • The student writes an essay of about 5000 (+/- 1000) words on a subject related to climate change. For the essay the student uses 15-20 articles (or more), of which at least 12 are peer reviewed scientific papers. 

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Week number Day Subject Study materials
23 Monday, June 4 Kickoff meeting
  • IPPC, 2013. The Physical Science Basis, Summary for Policymakers.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 2: Is the climate changing?
  Tuesday, June 5 The Greenhouse Effect
  • Cubash et al. 2013. Introduction (Chapter 1 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Hartman et al. 2013. Observations: Atmosphere and Surface (Chapter 2 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 3: Radiation and energy balance.
  Thursday, June 7 Movie: Before the Flood
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 1: An introduction to the climate problem.
  • Climate Change Evidence and Causes (RS), or Climate Change Evidence and Causes (NAS).

 

Deadline essay: The Student notifies John van Boxel about the subject.

 
  Friday, June 8 Greenhouse Gases 
  • Ciais et al. 2013. Carbon and Other Biogeochemical Cycles (Chapter 6 in IPCC 2013) - Executive Summary.
  • Boucher et al. 2013. Clouds and Aerosols (Chapter 7 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 5: The carbon cycle.
24

Monday, June 11

 Exponential Growth & Global Warming
  • Rhein et al. 2013. Observations: Ocean (Chapter 3 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Vaughan et al. 2013. Observations: Cryosphere (Chapter 4 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 10: Exponential growth.
 

Tuesday, June 12

 Climates of the Past
  • Masson-Delmotte et al. 2013. Information from Paleoclimate Archives (Chapter 5 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Noble et al. 2014. Adaptation needs and options.(Chapter 14 in AR5-WG2) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 7: why is the climate changing.

 
 

Wednesday, June 13

 -

Deadline essay: Student sends a list of at least 10 papers to John van Boxel.

 
  Thursday, June 14 Why we should be concerned
  • Myhre et al. 2013. Anthropogenic and Natural Radiative Forcing (Chapter 8 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Mimura et al. 2014. Adaptation planning and implementation (Chapter 15 in AR5-WG2) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 6: Forcing, feedbacks and climate sensitivity.
 

Friday,  June 15

 Modelling the Climate
  • Flato et al. 2013. Evaluation of Climate Models (Ch 9 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • ArchutRao et al. 2013. Detection and Attribution of Climate Change: from Global to Regional (Ch 10 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 4: A simple climate model.
25 Monday, June 18 Climate in the 21st Century and Beyond
  • Alblaster et al. 2013. Long-term Climate Change: Projections, Commitments and Irreversibility (Ch 12 in IPCC 2013).
  • Porter et al. 2014. Food security and food production systems.(Chapter 7 in AR5-WG2) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 8: Predictions of future climate change.
  Tuesday, June 19 Weighing the Uncertainty
  • Churchet et al. 2013. Sea LevelChange (Chapter 13 in IPCC 2013) - Executive summary.
  • Jiménez-Cisneros et al. 2014. Freshwater resources. (Chapter 3 in AR5-WG2) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 13: A brief history of climate science and climate politics.
  Thursday, June 21 The Impact of Climate Change
  • Field et al. 2014. IPCC 2014 WG2: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. - Summary for Policy Makers.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 9: Impacts of climate change.
  Friday,  June 22 Mitigation of Climate Change
  • Edenhofer et al. 2014. IPCC 2014 WG3: Mitigation of Climate Change - Summary for Policy Makers.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 9: Impacts of climate change.
26 Monday, June 25 Spare Slot

To be determined if spare slot is needed.
 

Tuesday, June 26

 Long Term Policy to Address Climate Change
  • Sims et al. 2014. Transport. (Chapter 8 in AR5-WG1) - Executive summary.
  • Rhein et al. 2013. Observations: Ocean (Chapter 3 in AR5-WG1) - Executive summary.
  • Dressler (2011/2016). Chapter 14: Putting it together: A long-term policy to address climate change.

 

Deadline essay: Submit abstract for symposium bundle.

 
 

Thursday, June 28

 -

Deadline essay: Submit the draft of the essay by email.
  Friday,  June 29 Essay presentations -
27 Friday,   July 6  Feedback moment Comments by John van Boxel (first in, first out).
28 Friday,   July 13 - Deadline essay: Submit final version of the essay

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Basic knowledge climatology or meteorology is required.

 

A Blackboard page is available. Here all the PowerPoints and presentation schemes etc. will be published. Also, the Blackboard page contains information on recent scientific publications en news items related to climate change.

Contact information

Coordinator

  • dr. ir. J.H. van Boxel