Climate Change and Environmental Risk
Code: 104246Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Geography, Environmental Management and Regional Planning | OB | 2 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Graham Mortyn
- Email :
- graham.mortyn@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Successful completion of the Physical Geography course.
To take this subject you must have a command of English equal to or greater than level B2.
Objectives
To describe the functioning and operation of the climatic system from the knowledge and the understanding of the fundamental concepts of climatology. This subject considers atmospheric general circulation, introduced in the first course of Physical Geography. It includes the analysis of the terrestrial climatic system and the study of the factors and the elements of the climates of the Earth, and of the mechanisms that describe its climatic diversity. As detailed more during the first days of class, the subject also includes an obligatory field trip to a weather observatory.
Learning outcomes
- CM15 (Propose actions to combat climate change by identifying the social and spatial consequences of its effects.) Propose actions to combat climate change by identifying the social and spatial consequences of its effects.
- KM22 (Distinguish the main scientific positions on climate change from a global understanding of the climate system.) Distinguish the main scientific positions on climate change from a global understanding of the climate system.
- SM19 (Use instrumental and graphic data for the representation of climate analysis and its dynamics.) Use instrumental and graphic data for the representation of climate analysis and its dynamics.
Contents
Bloc 1. Introduction. The Atmosphere.
Bloc 2. Components of the climatic system.
Bloc 3. Solar radiation and temperature.
Bloc 4. Humidity, clouds, and precipitation.
Bloc 5. Atmospheric pressure and winds. General atmospheric circulation.
Bloc 6. Regional study of climate. Climatic classifications.
Bloc 7. Climatic changes.
Bloc 8. The rol of the global ocean.
Bloc 9. Past climatic changes from geologic archives.
Bloc 10. Field trip.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directed activity (theoretical class) | 30 | 1.2 | CM15, KM22 |
| Reading and study | 25 | 1 | CM15, KM22 |
| Tutorials | 4 | 0.16 | |
| Practical sessions | 17 | 0.68 | CM15, KM22 |
| Field Trip | 4 | 0.16 | |
| Practical exercices | 17 | 0.68 | CM15, KM22, SM19 |
| Practicals | 50 | 2 | CM15, KM22, SM19 |
- Lecture and discussion
- Individual student activity
- Small group activities and exercises
- Discussion and analysis
- Practical exercises
- Problem solving
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writing Practicals | 50 | 0 | 0 | CM15, SM19 |
| Theoretical quizzes | 50 | 3 | 0.12 | KM22 |
This subject does not provide for the single assessment system.
Continuous assessment
There is a written quiz at the conclusion of each block, whereby students have a range of questions (short essay answer) and a certain amount of flexibility and choice. There is also a practical exercise connected to each block topic. The overall course grade is determined by performance in both theoretical and practical portions (50% each). A minimum satisfactory performance (5 over 10) is required from each portion of the course, in order to successfully complete the class.
Non-assessable Students
Students will receive a grade of "Non-assessable" if they have failed to submit more than 30% of the assessment activities. If an assessment activity is not completed, the grade for that specific activity will be 0; it cannot be retaken, and this score will be factored into the weighted average.
Resits
To be eligible for a resit, students must have been previously assessed in activities that account for at least two-thirds (2/3) of the total final grade.
Assessment activities involving irregularities cannot be retaken.
The theoretical part (quizzes) can be retaken, but the practical exercises cannot.
Plagiarism
Partial or total plagiarising will immediately result in a FAIL (0) for the plagiarised exercise (first-year subjects) or the WHOLE SUBJECT (second-, third- and fourth-year subjects). PLAGIARISING consists of copying text from unacknowledged sources -whether this is part of a sentence or a whole text- with the intention of passing it off as the student's own production. It includes cutting and pasting from Internet sources, presented unmodified in the student's own text. Plagiarising is a SERIOUS OFFENCE. Students must respect authors' intellectual property, always identifying the sources they may use; they must also be responsible for the originality and authenticity of their own texts. http://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/unit_20/sot_2_01.html
Reviewing grades
The maximum deadline for providing feedback and communicating the grades of the assessment activities is three weeks.
In carrying out each evaluation activity, the professor will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
Bibliography
The books on which the course is mostly based (and which are recommended if you wish to purchase one, given their quality and reasonable price) are:
- CUADRAT, J.M. & PITA, M.F. (2000), Climatología. Madrid, Cátedra
- MARTIN VIDE, J. (2005). Los Mapas del Tiempo. Mataró, Davinci
Complementary bibliography
BARRY, R. G. I PERRY, A. H. (1973), Synoptic Climatology. Methods and
Applications, London and New York, Methuen.
BATTAN, L. (1976), El tiempo atmosférico, Barcelona, Omega.
CATALA DE ALEMANY, J. (1986), Diccionario de Meteorología. Madrid, Alhambra.
CLAUSSE, R. Y FACY, L. (1968), Las nubes, Barcelona, Martínez-Roca.
DURAND-DASTES, F. (1972), Climatología, Barcelona, Ariel.
DURAND-DASTES, F. (1982), Geografía de los aires, Barcelona, Ariel.
ELSOM, P. (1990), La contaminación atmosférica., Madrid, Cátedra Geo menor.
FLOHN, H. (1968), Clima y tiempo, Madrid, Guadarrama.
GRIMALT , M. et al (1995). Els núvols. Guia de camp de l’atmosfera i previsió del
temps. Ed. El Mèdol. Tarragona.
HARDY, R., et al (1985), El libro del clima, Madrid, Blume.
HIDY, G. M. (1972), Los vientos. Los origenes y el comportamiento del movimiento
atmósferico, México, Reverté Mexicana.
HUFTY, A. (1984), Introducción a la Climatología, Barcelona, Ariel.
JORGE, J, Y RIVERA , J. (1992), Diccionari de Meteorologia. Barcelona , Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya.
LONGLEY, R. W. (1973), Tratado ilustrado de Meteorología, Buenos Aires, Ed. Bell.
MARTIN VIDE, J. (1984), Interpretación de los mapas del tiempo, Barcelona, Ketres.
MARTIN VIDE, J. (1991), Fundamentos de Climatología analítica, Madrid, Ed.
Síntesis.
MARTIN VIDE, J. i OLCINA CANTOS, J. (1996), Tiempos y climas mundiales.
Oikos-Tau, Vilassar de Mar.
MEDINA, M. (1973), Introducción a la Meteorología, Madrid, Paraninfo.
MEDINA, M. (1976), Meteorología básica sinóptica, Madrid, Paraninfo.
MILLER, A.A. (1951), Climatologia, Omega, Barcelona.
PAGNEY, P. (1982), Introducción a la Climatología, Barcelona, Oikos-Tau.
PAPADAKIS, J. (1980), El clima, Buenos Aires, Albatros.
PEDELABORDE, P. (1970), Introduction a l'étude scientifique du climat, Paris,
SEDES.
PETTERSEN, P. (1976), Introducción a la Meteorología, Madrid, Espasa-Calpe.
SUREDA, V. (1986), La Climatologia . Col. Coneguem Catalunya 10. La Llar del
LLibre, Sant Cugat del Vallès.
TANK, H. J. (1971), Meteorología, Madrid, Alianza.
TOHARIA, M. (1983), Tiempo y clima, Barcelona, Salvat.
VIAUT, A. (1975), La meteorología, Vilassar de Mar, Oikos-Tau.
VIERS, G. (1975), Climatología, Vilassar de Mar, Oikos-Tau.
There will also be selected readings that come from journal articles during the course.
Software
Office
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |