CORE027 Climate change - causes, effects and possible solutions

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jarmila Burianová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lukáš Dolák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jarmila Burianová, Ph.D.
Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: RNDr. Pavel Lízal, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites (in Czech)
!TYP_STUDIA(ND) && !FORMA(C) && (!PROGRAM(B-UCB) && !PROGRAM(B-UCC) && !PROGRAM(B-UCF) && !PROGRAM(B-UCM) && !PROGRAM(B-UCZ) && !PROGRAM(B-LGM) && !PROGRAM(B-AEG) && !PROGRAM(B-GEK))
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 130 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/130, only registered: 87/130, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/130
Course objectives
At the end of this course, students should be able to understand and explain fundamental driving forces of global climate within a reasonable level of detail (greenhouse effect, insolation changes, oceanic and atmospheric heat distribution etc.), explain and discuss climate change that is expected within next decades and human-induced climate change effects. Further, on a general level understand and explain local impacts in various parts of the world. Last but not least, students should be able to understand and explain possible adaptation and mitigation strategies to expected climate change and also current international treaties (Kyoto protocol, Paris agreement) on a general level.
Learning outcomes
The student will be able to after completing the course
- describe the basic principles of the functioning of the climate system
- put ongoing change in the context of past climate change
- explain and discuss climate change expected in the coming decades and human influence
- understand and explain local impacts in different parts of the world
- understand and explain adaptation and mitigation strategies and current international negotiations
- identify the so-called climate myths
- find relevant information on the topic
Syllabus
  • 1. Climate system
  • 2. Atmosphere - composition, processes, data
  • 3. Greenhouse effect of the atmosphere - principle and changes
  • 4. Carbon cycle
  • 5. Climatic models, climatic scenarios
  • 6. Palaeoclimatology, historical climatology and climate change in the past
  • 7. Quaternary climate and selected climate fluctuations
  • 8. Past and recent climate change impacts
  • 9. Climate change in the Czech Republic and expected impacts in the world
  • 10. Conceptions, conferences and agreements concerning climate change
  • 11. Possibilities of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures
  • 12. Uncertainties, risks and issues of climate change
Literature
    recommended literature
  • MASSON-DELMOTTE, V. a kol. Climate Change 2021. The Physical Science Basis. Summary for Policymakers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021. 41
  • PŘIBYLA, O., ZÁKOPČANOVÁ, K., PECHNÍK, O. Atlas klimatické změny. Změny v atmosféře a rizika oteplování. Online, 34. ISBN 978-80-88212-36-2
  • MŽP. Národní akční plán adaptace na změnu klimatu. Praha, online, 113.
  • MAREK, Michal V. Klimatická změna - příčiny, dopady a adaptace. Vydání první. Praha: Academia, 2022, xii, 350. ISBN 9788020033628. info
Teaching methods
Lectures and discussions
Assessment methods
Colloquium in the form of a group discussion on the presented topics.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2025/CORE027