BB845: Climate adaptation (5 ECTS)

STADS: 04016801

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: saege@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None.

Academic preconditions:
Students taking the course are expected to:

• Have knowledge of ecology

Course introduction
The climate is changing and one of the solution to many of the challenges caused by that is climate adaptation. The aim of the course is to give the student a theoretical and practical understanding of climate adaptation – including needs and causes, methods and solutions as well as effects. Additionally the aim is that the students understand how Denmark is handling climate adaptation regarding legislation, administration, management and practical issues including the interaction with e.g. the EU Water Framework Directive.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired during the bachelor education

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• Give the competence to work with complex issues and develop cooperation and specialisation.
• Give skills to understand and handle cases involving many disciplines inside and outside biology.
• Give knowledge and understanding of the term climate adaptation

Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• Describe the background for using climate adaptation
• Explain which impacts a changing climate will have on the environment and the following need for climate adaptation
• Describe which climate adaptation methods to use in specific situations
• Evaluate the effects of climate adaptation also in relation to other measures in the catchment

Subject overview
The following main topics are contained in the course:

• Effects of climate changes in DK now and in the future and the need for climate adaptation
• Changes in discharge of water and dissolved and particulate substances from cities and agricultural areas
• Effects in freshwater and marine recipients
• Climate adaptation: Methods and solutions – such as:
• Methods to delay and treat runoff (stormwater ponds, buffer zones, constructed wetlands, advanced treatment etc.)
• SUDS – Sustainable drainage systems (green roofs, permeable surfaces, local infiltration etc.)
• Handling of water and nutrient transport in the open land (meadows, weed cutting etc.)
• Coast protection and methods to handle flooding
• Interactions between climate adaptation, the EU Water Framework Directive, Green development and other ongoing initiatives in this area.

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None.

Assessment and marking:

1. Written report. Internal marking, Danish 7-mark scale. All exam aids allowed.

The mode of exam at the re-examination may differ from the mode of exam at the ordinary exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 20 hours
Skills training phase: 30 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 24 hours
 - Excursion: 6 hours

Educational activities

Educational form
Activities during the study phase:

• Report writing
• Working with selected cases

Language
This course is taught in English, if international students participate. Otherwise the course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.