Climate Change: Disasters, Challenges and Opportunities

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label Diverse autorenew 2025-09-29, 17:00 history_edu Diana Ignat
A favourable climate is a crucial precondition for our existence, and it affects our daily life in many respects. Accordingly, the threat of "Climate Change" constitutes one of the greatest challenges of our century. It is a topic extensively debated among scientists, policy makers, governments and NGOs, and, most importantly, a concern for every citizen on our Globe. A common view is that, with no action taken, we shall face disasters because of the effects of global warming on many, if not all, processes that are crucial to sustain our present state of life.

For example, icecaps and glaciers are expected to melt, which will cause sea level rise. Extreme weather conditions have been forecast, etc.In this course, convened by Prof. Van Koten and Prof. Philipse, an interdisciplinary panel of scientists from the "Earth, Life and Climate" research programme at Utrecht University and some international experts will offer students a critical introduction to the various aspects of Climate Change.Questions to be addressed will include:

a. What is the scientific evidence for the claims that climate change is occurring, and that it is in part due to human activity? What are the uncertainties?

b. What is the impact of climate change on future developments of our society at local and global levels, and how are we going to cope with the effects of Climate Change?

c. Is it only "Disaster" that we have to prevent "to solve the problem" or can we consider Climate Change also as a Challenge that we have to learn to deal with? How should prevention and adaptation be related?

d. What are the "Opportunities" provided by new insights and developments in Science, the Geosciences, the Social Sciences and the Humanities that can guide our thinking and actions concerning Climate Change?

The students will be involved in an intensive one-week programme with lectures, work sessions around various cases and group presentations. Before coming to the course the student will be asked to write a short (500 words) essay about Climate Change. An excursion to a project aimed at dealing with one of the consequences of Climate Change in the Netherlands will be planned. Examination is on the basis of essays.

Period
08-07-2013 - 12-07-2013 (1 weeks)



Target group
Masters/ PhD studentsThis is an interdisciplinary course for masters/ PhD students who are preparing a degree in Science or Liberal arts and Sciences. Maximum number of participants: 25

Course aim
To inform students about the various aspects of Climate Change by a multidisciplinary team of experts of Utrecht University (Science, Social Sciences and Humanities). There will be lectures, work sessions on various cases, and group presentations.

Credits
2.5 ECTS creditsCertificate of attendance

Course fee
EUR 500: Course + course materials

EUR 300: Course + course materials

Course leader
prof. dr. Gerard van Koten and prof. dr. mr Herman Philipse

Scholarships
Utrecht Summer School doesn't offer scholarships for this course.

Utrecht University
Address: PO BOX 80148
Postal code: 3508 TC
City: Utrecht
Country: Netherlands
Website: http://www.utrechtsummerschool.nl
E-mail: summerschool@uu.nl
Phone: 0031302534400