Climate Science and Policy

Topic 1: The history of climate science and basics of the climate system
Information on the history of climate science, the earth's energy balance and how the climate system is investigated.
Topic 2: Human driven climate change
The indicators of climate change and the influence of people on the climate system.
Topic 3: The carbon cycle - Linking climate to policy
The key themes of the carbon cycle and linkage to human activity and overarching policy requirements.
Topic 4: Future scenarios of climate change
The methodology used to create global climate models and changes in key climate indicators under a number of different representative concentration pathways.
Topic 5: Carbon budgets
Carbon budgets and how they are affected by the COP 21 agreement and negative emissions technologies. The implications for carbon budgets of the recent IPCC report on the Paris 1.5°C target.
Topic 6: The Anthropocene climate: A Earth System perspective on climate change
The role of humans as the dominant influence on the earth's complex system, including implications for the future and potential tipping points.
Topic 7: Risks and impacts of climate change
The broader impacts of climate change such as disturbances of the global water cycle, and the influence of climate change on extreme weather events.
Topic 8: Approaches and limits to climate adaptation
General approaches to adaptation to climate change and the associated challenges.
Topic 9: Climate policy
The role of science in making good policy, different policy types and international policy mechanisms.
Topic 10: Scenario planning: Examination, development and use
The examination, building and use of scenarios as a tool for understanding energy and climate implications.