Climate Change and Policy

Program Overview

This fully online 4-week program from King's College London focuses on climate change and its policy implications, covering climate science, impacts and adaptation, and international climate policy. It is designed for mid-career professionals with relevant experience and aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change.

Program Outline

Degree Overview

Overview:

• The program focuses on climate change and its implications for policy, covering three key areas:
1. Essentials of climate science 2. Impacts and adaptation to climate change 3. International climate policy and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions globally
• The program consists of three lectures, three seminars, and a single final assessment.

Duration:

4 weeks

Delivery Format:

Fully Online with 3 weekly 1-hour webinars

Target Audience:

Mid-career professionals with 2:1 degrees and 3 years of relevant experience (5 years+ for non 2:1 graduates)

Objectives:

• Analyze the role of key actors, regulatory modes and enforcement in the process
• Compare and evaluate theories of regulation
• Critically evaluate strengths and weaknesses of regulation theories
• Assess the application of regulation theories to real-world cases
• Analyze factors driving real-world regulatory choices

Outline

Module Content:

Week 1:

• Fundamentals of climate change: processes and underlying mechanisms
• Future climate projections: Global and UK perspectives
• Key scientific uncertainties surrounding climate change
Week 2:
• Impacts of climate change on human and natural systems: Global and local perspectives
• Vulnerability and adaptive capacity concepts
• Climate adaptation policies and challenges: UK government examples
Week 3:
• Overview of international climate policy and UK government commitments
• Climate scenarios, carbon budgets and their application
• Discussion of climate targets in specific UK economic sectors

Assessment

• One written assignment
• Participation in webinars and discussion forums

Teaching

Teaching Methods:

• Interactive activities
• Discussion forums
• Online readings
• Interactive lectures
• Online tutorials

Faculty:

• Tamsin Edwards (Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, specializing in climate science and sea-level rise)
• Helen Adams (Senior Lecturer in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, specializing in environmental social science)
• Olga Siemers (Senior Lecturer in Public Policy)
• Professor Frans Berkhout (Executive Dean of Social Science & Public Policy, Professor of Environment, Society, and Climate)

Other

Fees:

£950

• Discounts available

Contact:

• Email: isfg-programmes-team@kcl.ac.uk