Module Code and Title:        CLM101 Climate Change

Programme:                          BSc in Environmental Management

Credit Value:                          12

Module Tutor(s):                   Kinley Dorji (Coordinator), Bikram Sharma, GP Sharma

General objective: This module introduces students to the fundamentals of weather and climate to enhance their understanding of the Earth's changing climate and its underlying causes. Students will learn about the impacts of climate change on various facets of livelihoods like food security and public health, along with potential mitigation and adaptation measures applicable for managing climate change.

Learning Outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Describe the elements of weather and climate. 
2. Analyse various weather variables for scientific purposes.
3. Identify possible factors affecting the climate.
4. Discuss climate change and its possible causes.
5. Explain the relationship between human activities and climate change.
6. Analyse the impacts of climate change on human well-being and the natural world.
7. Explain the principles of climate change vulnerability assessment.
8. Discuss the applications of dendrochronology in climate science studies.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Assessment Approach:

1. In-class group exercises (written): 10%

Students will undertake two in-class written exercises (5% each) in small groups of 3-4 focusing on answering questions based on readings. Students will be given an entire class period (50 min) to complete the exercises. These questions should require students to deliver clear and accurate summaries and identify main arguments as well as how these arguments have been supported. The written submissions will be marked on the correctness of the answers.

2. In-class group exercises (discussion): 10%

Students will undertake two in-class discussion exercises (5% each) in small groups of 3-4 focusing on addressing given discussion topics. The groups will be given different case studies among the following broad areas: 1. Global Climate Models, 2. Global Climate Change, Impacts of Climate Change on the natural world and human wellbeing, and 4. Measurement of Climate Change. The groups will share their case analyses using PowerPoint Presentation of about 10 minutes with the class. This exercise, with immediate guidance from the tutor, should enable students to learn about techniques to identify, analyse, interpret and discuss the different case studies.

2%       Summary of main ideas of the overall broad topic area and cohesive discussion on the specific questions posed by the tutor within the broad topic (group score)

3%       Content and delivery of individual discussion points (individually scored)

3. Meteorological data collection and analysis: 15%

Part 1: Students will be asked in turn to take care and keep a daily record of readings from the college meteorological station using a spreadsheet thrice a day (800 – 1300 – 1800 hours). Numerous instruments will be read including the Campbell Sunshine Recorder, Evaporation Pan, Anemometer, Wind Vane, Barometer, Hygrometer, Maximum/Minimum Thermometer, Dry and Wet Bulb Thermometer, Soil Thermometer and Rain Gauge for a record of at least three months. This assessment focuses on giving a hands-on-practice to collect data from various instruments measuring various weather variables. From the collected data, the various aspects of the weather will be displayed in class, for a day, a week and a month. Individuals will be assessed on:

2%       Correct and timely collection

2%       Correct and timely display in the classroom

4%       Maintenance of spreadsheet

Part 2: The class will be divided into groups of four students. Each group will be given overall data (of three months) collected from one of the aforementioned instruments measuring an aspect (variable) of weather. Students will perform some statistical analyses like mean, standard deviation, correlation and regression to gain better insight into characterizing the cumulative weather phenomena. After the analyses, within a week, students will produce a report of 500-750 words towards the end of the semester along with all appropriate tables and graphs.

3%       Content

3%       Analysis

1%       Language and Grammar

4. Written assignment: 10%

The students will be (individually) asked to write a review paper of 750-1000 words. They will be given a collection of scientific documentary films from which to draw on about climate change. The review will be based on one selected documentary. This exercise will keep the students abreast of recent development in the field of climate change.

4%       Review of the article (all the major points/main ideas of the article selected and discussed with supporting details)

3%       Organization and Writing (articulate and good build of arguments, well organised, good flow and coherence)

3%       Mechanics (Language and referencing)       

5. Midterm Examination: 15%

Students will take a written exam of 1.5-hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester. The exam will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

6. Semester-End Examination: 40%

Students will take a written exam of 2.5-hr duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: None

Subject Matter:

1.    Unit I: Fundamentals of weather and climate

1.1.        Definition of weather and climate

1.2.        Climatology and meteorology: Definition, Scope, History

1.3.        Observation of weather variables (Definition, recording, calculation, interpretation)

1.3.1.    Temperature

1.3.2.    Humidity

1.3.3.    Pressure

1.3.4.    Precipitation

1.3.5.    Cloud cover

1.3.6.    Sunshine

1.3.7.    Wind speed

1.3.8.    Wind direction

1.3.9.    Evaporation

1.4.        Weather Phenomena (Definition and its relationship to weather at microscale, mesoscale, and macro-scale of an area)

1.4.1.    Fog and Frost

1.4.2.    Fronts and storms, Jet streams, Cyclones, Tornadoes and Hurricanes

1.4.3.    Cold and Heat Waves

1.4.4.    Thunderstorm: Supercell, Derecho, and Squall Line.

1.4.5.    Winter storm: Blizzard and Ice storm

2.    Unit II: Natural factors affecting climate

2.1.        Constitution of the atmosphere

2.1.1.    Structure of atmosphere

2.1.2.    The chemical composition of the atmosphere

2.1.3.    The vertical profile of temperature, pressure and density

2.2.        Solar Radiation

2.2.1.    Distribution of radiant energy from the Sun

2.2.2.    Effects of the atmosphere

2.2.3.    Average radiation budgets

2.2.4.    Surface-energy budgets

2.3.        Atmospheric circulation

2.3.1.    Isobaric heating and cooling

2.3.2.    Adiabatic reference processes

2.3.3.    Convective stability

2.3.4.    Scales of atmospheric motion: microscale, mesoscale and synoptic

2.3.5.    The general circulation

2.4.        Ocean Currents

2.4.1.    Cold and warm currents

2.4.2.    Geostrophic flow

2.4.3.    Thermal winds

2.5.        Latitude, Elevation, and Relief

3.    Unit III: Causes of climate changes

3.1.        Defining climate change

3.2.        Causes and factors contributing to climate change: natural and anthropogenic

3.3.        Past, current, and future concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG)

3.4.        Major sectors and human activities contributing globally to GHG emissions

3.5.        Detection and Attribution of Global Temperature Changes

3.5.1.    Atmosphere and Surface: Temperature, Water Cycle, Atmospheric Circulation and Patterns of Variability.

3.5.2.    Changes in Ocean Properties: Temperature, Salinity, Sea Level, Oxygen and Ocean Acidity.

3.5.3.    Cryosphere: Sea Ice, Ice Sheets, Ice Shelves and Glaciers, Snow Cover.

3.5.4.    Extremes: Attribution of Changes in Frequency/Occurrence and Intensity of Extremes.

3.6.        Emerging strategies for addressing climate change

3.7.        Basic concepts in climate change adaptation and mitigation: approaches in Bhutan

4.    Unit IV: Impacts of climate change on people and the environment

4.1.        Climate Change and Food Security

4.1.1.    Effects on agriculture and food security

4.1.2.    Women vulnerabilities in relation to agriculture and food security

4.1.3.    Adaptation actions to reduce the negative impacts

4.1.4.    Reduction of emissions from agriculture land use

4.1.5.    Agricultural systems to improve food security

4.2.        Climate Change and Human Health

4.2.1.    Diseases exacerbation - local, regional, and global

4.2.2.    Vulnerable populations health affection

4.2.3.    Adaptations on health issues, risks, and problems

5.    Unit V: Responses to climate change

5.1.        Principle and practices of Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment

5.1.1.    Resilience and vulnerability

5.1.2.    Elements and principles

5.1.3.    Gender sensitive vulnerability assessment framework

5.1.4.    Vulnerability assessment results and adaptation strategies

5.1.5.    Uncertainties associated with projected climate change impacts

5.2.        Climate Change and ecosystem Services

5.2.1.    Framework of ecosystem services assessment and response

5.2.2.    Emerging ecosystem markets for carbon and watershed services

5.2.3.    Role of ecosystem-based adaptation and mitigation solution

5.3.        Global frameworks for responding to climate change: Paris agreement, Resilient development

6.    Unit VI: Dendroscience as a tool to understand and measure climate change

6.1.        Introduction to tree biomass growth

6.2.        Physical and biological basis of tree rings

6.3.        Wood anatomy, structure, and function

6.3.1.    Tree growth & woody tissue

6.3.2.    Composition & structure of wood cells

6.3.3.    Softwood structure

6.3.4.    Hardwood structure

6.4.        Weather, climate and tree growth

6.5.        Growth Stresses and Strains in Trees

6.6.        Mechanistic model of tree-ring growth

List of practical work:

a.    Students will visit the college meteorological station in turns and record the daily readings from instruments measuring different elements of the weather (using Campbell Sunshine Recorder, Evaporation Pan, Anemometer, Wind Vane, Barometer, Hygrometer, Maximum/Minimum Thermometer, Dry and Wet Bulb Thermometer, Soil Thermometer and Rain Gauge). 

Reading List:

Essential Reading

Creasman, P. P. (2011). Basic principles and methods of dendrochronological specimen curation. Tree-Ring Research, 67(2), 103-115.

DiMento, J. F. C., & Doughman, P. (Eds.) (2007). Climate change: What it means for us, our children, and our grandchildren. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

McIlveen, J. F. R. (2010). Fundamentals of weather and climate (2nd ed.). Berlin, Germany: Springer – Science + Business Media.

Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research. (2017). Dendrochronology manual. Bumthang, Bhutan: UWICER Press.

Northern Light Production (2021, January 10). Climate emergency: Feedback loops [Video]. https://feedbackloopsclimate.com/

Additional Reading

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2018). Special report: Global warming of 1.5°C. Geneva: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2018). Climate change and land. Geneva: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2014). Climate change 2014: Synthesis report: climate change 2014. Geneva: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2014). AR5 Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Geneva: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Houghton, J. (2015). Global warming: The complete briefing (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Krusic, P.J., Cook, E.R., Dukpa, D., Putnam, A.E., Rupper, S., & Schaefer, J. (2015). Six hundred thirty-eight years of summer temperature variability over the Bhutanese Himalaya. Geophysical Research Letters, 42, 2988 – 2994. DOI: 10.1002/2015GL063566

Lovejoy, T.E., Hannah, L., & Wilson, E.O. (Eds.). (2019). Biodiversity and climate change: Transforming the biosphere. London, England:  Yale UnivEn410ersity Press.

Press, S., & Rennenboog, R. (2018). Principles of climatology. Hackensack, NJ: Salem Press.

Schweingruber, F. H. (1989). Tree rings: Basics and applications of dendrochronology. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Date: June 2021