Page 14 - Guidelines for Training/ Orientation of Faculty on IKS

Unit VI. Climate Change: Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation

Learning Outcomes
After completing this unit, students would be able to :

• gain a comprehensive knowledge of climate change, its science and response measures

• have an overview of national and global efforts to address climate change adaptation and
mitigation.

Unit Outline

Understanding climate change: Natural variations in climate; Structure of atmosphere; Anthropogenic
climate change from greenhouse gas emissions– past, present and future; Projections of global
climate change with special reference to temperature, rainfall, climate variability and extreme events;
Importance of 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C limits to global warming; Climate change projections for the Indian
sub-continent.

Impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change: Observed impacts of climate change on ocean
and land systems; Sea level rise, changes in marine and coastal ecosystems; Impacts on forests and
natural ecosystems; Impacts on animal species, agriculture, health, urban infrastructure; the concept of
vulnerability and its assessment; Adaptation vs. resilience; Climate-resilient development; Indigenous
knowledge for adaptation to climate change.

Mitigation of climate change: Synergies between adaptation and mitigation measures; Green House
Gas (GHG) reduction vs. sink enhancement; Concept of carbon intensity, energy intensity and carbon
neutrality; National and international policy instruments for mitigation, decarbonizing pathways and
net zero targets for the future; Energy efficiency measures; Renewable energy sources; Carbon capture
and storage, National climate action plan and Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs);
Climate justice.

Suggested Readings

1. Pittock, Barrie (2009) Climate Change: The Science, Impacts and Solutions. 2nd Edition.
Routledge.

2. www.ipcc.org; https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/.

3. Adenle A., Azadi H., Arbiol J. (2015). Global assessment of technological innovation for climate
change adaptation and mitigation in developing world, Journal of Environmental Management,
161 (15): 261-275.

4. Barnett, J. & S. O’Neill (2010). Maladaptation. Global Environmental Change—Human
and Policy Dimensions 20: 211–213.

5. Berrang-Ford, L., J.D. Ford & J. Paterson (2011). Are we adapting to climate change ?
Global Environmental Change—Human and Policy Dimensions 21: 25-33.

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