Type of course

Admission requirements

Generell studiekompetanse

Application code 9199

Course content

The course will deal with climate change adaptation with a focus on regional/local contexts in Norway/Nordic countries but having also a global and holistic perspective on climate change. Climate change adaptation will be approached within the study program dealing with Societal Safety and Security, and the connections of climate change adaptation to this academic and professional area will be made clear.

In particular, the course consists of four modules.

Module 1 looks at the rise of the climate change discourse. It consists of a historical review of the climate change discourse and an overview of the actors in climate change (including but not limited to: international/transnational, national, local actors; private actors, businesses, and the industrial sector; non-governmental organizations and civil society; as well as households and individuals). Module 1 also provide a brief introduction into climate change science, models, and forecasts as well as an overview of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies.

Module 2 is about climate change adaptation and its challenges. It provides an introduction as well as discussion about climate change governance and financing; climate change strategies; risk assessment, risk management, resilience, and crisis management; barriers to climate change adaptation; as well as the unintended consequences of climate change adaptation/maladaptation.

Module 3 is about climate change-induced hazards, including their cascading effects, with a focus on Norway/Nordic countries. Four types of hazards are discussed in this module: atmospheric-related hazards, hydrological hazards, permafrost and avalanches, and sea level rise.

Module 4 is about vital societal functions and critical infrastructure sectors (administration, energy, water, transport, rescue services, health, etc.) and their relationship to the climate change-induced hazards covered in Module 3.

Objectives of the course

Knowledge:

The student ...

• has broad knowledge in understanding the science behind climate change, including the main theories, methodologies, models, and forecasts associated with it.
• has knowledge about the societal impacts of climate change and the respective mitigation and adaption policies, with a special focus on the main actors and their respective interrelations in key sectors.
• is familiar with the concept of climate change adaptation, its theories and methodologies, its governance system, and its strategies.
• is familiar with the variety of implementation tools and approaches, such as risk and resilience management, used in climate change adaptation.
• can apply and update knowledge to analyze the regional and local consequences of climate change in different sectors, fields, and contexts.
• has knowledge about the respective research problems highlighted in the respective literature, from historical and comparative perspective.

Skills:

The student ...

• can apply academic knowledge to manage, under supervision, regional/local -level climate change adaptation, such as writing a regional or municipal climate change adaptation strategy and plan.
• can reflect upon the academic knowledge of regional/local climate change adaptation and adjust it, under supervision, according to concrete needs and circumstances.
• can find, evaluate, and refer to relevant climate change adaptation information and present it in a manner that sheds light on the practical problems at hand.
• masters relevant scholarly approaches, tools, techniques applicable to climate change adaptation in regional/local contexts, such as risk or resilience management, to implement a climate change adaptation strategy, as well as communicate it efficiently to and among relevant stakeholders.

General competence:

The student ...

• has an ability to utilise knowledge and skills in an independent manner in different situations.
• has insight into relevant academic and professional ethical issues related to climate change and climate change adaptation.
• can plan and carry out varied climate change adaptation assignments and projects over time, alone or as part of a group, and in accordance with ethical requirements and principles.
• can communicate important climate change adaptation-related academic subject matters such as theories, problems, and solutions, both in writing and orally, as well as through other relevant forms of communication.
• is familiar with newest thinking and innovation processes within the field of climate change adaptation.

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

The course is organized in three different blocks throughout the semester. Each teaching block takes place in a separate week.

• 33 hours of lectures
• Teamwork
• Individual paper
• Syllabus with obligatory readings outside of classroom time
• Interaction during lectures, via in-class assignments, group work, presentations, in addition to other activities

Information to incoming exchange students

Recommended reading/syllabus