Module manager: Emmanuel Aramendia
Email: e.aramendia@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Climate change caused largely by man-made combustion of fossil fuels since the industrial revolution is increasing. Global temperatures are rising, and the impacts of climate change (e.g. storms, sea level rise, flooding, heatwaves and wildfires) are becoming more severe and frequent. Urgent action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and cope with current and plan for future climate change impacts (adaptation). This module equips students to understand the fundamentals of both climate change mitigation and adaptation, and they gain insights into some of the key challenges and solutions to the climate challenge that will become part of their working and living environment.
The module aims to provide core, foundational knowledge of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation, and adaption to climate change impacts, at global, country and local levels. The key objectives (to meet that aim) are that on completion of the module students will have gained:
1. An understanding of the urgent need for both GHG emissions mitigation - to limit future global temperature rises - and adaptation - in response to current and future impacts of climate change.
2. An understanding of how the three main mitigation levers (renewable energy generation, energy-use reduction, CO2 removal) work, and be able to summarise key mitigation measures in sectors such as buildings, transport and industry.
3. An understanding of how the process of adaptation planning works, and be able to explain the adaptation cycle, including understanding climate projections, determining climate risks, identifying, implementing and appraising climate adaptation options.
4. An insight into the governance of climate adaptation across scales, as well as barriers and enablers to action on adaptation.
5. An appreciation of cross cutting mitigation and adaptation topics including the global south vs north, and issues of inequality, security and justice.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
LO1. Explain the urgency of climate change mitigation, what carbon budgets are, and the three key mitigation levers contribute to ‘net zero’ emissions.
LO2. Discuss different mitigation measures that can be applied in sectors such as buildings, transport and industry.
LO3. Explain the steps in the adaptation cycle and discuss possible challenges across the steps.
LO4. Discuss how adaptation is governed across different scales.
LO5. Appreciate how both mitigation and adaptation measures will be different across diverse contexts.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
SKLO1. Work collaboratively to produce joint outputs.
SKLO2. Communicate effectively in written or oral modes.
SKLO3. Undertake independent and applied research and demonstrate critical thinking.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Private study hours | 166 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 34 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students will receive formative feedback in each of the seminar tutorials on their outputs, which focus on group work and reporting back to the main seminar class.
We will run one x 2-hour drop-in support supervision before each assignment (2 x 2-hour drop-in total) for students to ask questions and get feedback on their ideas.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Group work | 35 |
| Coursework | Coursework | 65 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Group presentation – resit will be an alternative format, consisting of an individual written assignment which includes a reflection on collaborative working to demonstrate skills learning outcome.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 29/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team