1. Understanding climate change, sources and development linkages: Different approaches to understanding climate change - society linkages; Interaction between climate change, poverty and livelihoods. Multiple stressors and tipping points; sources of and growth in emissions; carbon & methane cycles and carbon sequestration; nitrogen transformation and N2O emissions from the soil; adapting agriculture to climate change.

2. Issues and Responses to Climate Change: Case studies from different parts of the world. Political dimensions of climate change adaptation; Renewable energy and policy; Food security in a changing climate; Biofuels; Ethics of climate change; Water and climate change; Humanitarian policy and practice, disaster risk reduction and sustainable adaptation; Adaptation and Resilience; forestry sector & REDD+; carbon footprint and life cycle assessment; seminar debates.

3. Transformation and Climate Change: Transformation ¿ in theory and in practice; the low emission society and its political measures; International climate negotiations; IPCC role play; seminar debates; documentary & debate

Learning outcomes

Lectures:

The student is able to understand the relationship between climate change and development, has an overview of the main socio-environmental mechanisms of change and is able to critically analyse those from a social-environmental angle.

Student seminars:

The student is able to put critical thinking about the links between climate change and development into practice and to perform a critical evaluation of a development project that focuses on climate change adaptation.

The student is able to present a critical evaluation of a development project that focuses on climate change adaptation written and orally.

The student is able to work collaboratively with others across different cultures and scientific backgrounds.

Term paper:

The student is able to critically explore particular topics related to climate change and development (related to the course content) in-depth and convey this in writing. The student is able to find and understand academic references that are relevant to the exploration of the aforementioned topics, formulate a sound academic hypothesis and provide supporting arguments in a structured, academic way while using standardized guidelines for academic writing.

4 hours lectures/seminars per week & term paper

Selected lectures & student seminars are mandatory

Teaching support

Lectures: Course readings (refer to course syllabus) and lecture notes. Further course readings will be added prior to course start. Lecture notes are provided after each lecture.

Student seminars: 1 session of 2 hours is set aside for students to prepare in groups for the student seminars under supervision of the course responsible.

Term paper: When selecting a topic for the term paper, each student can contact the course responsible to discuss possible topics individually with him/her. After approval of the topics, one session of 2 hours is set aside where students can work in class on their term papers under supervision of the course responsible. After submission, each student receives a page of feedback on his/her term paper and can contact the course responsible for more feedback.

Term paper graded A-F (40%).

Written exam graded A-F (60%).

Please note that passing the term paper is a requirement for being eligible for a grade on this course