ZX401 Climate change

Faculty of Science
Spring 2021
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jarmila Burianová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lukáš Dolák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jarmila Burianová, Ph.D.
Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: Mgr. Jarmila Burianová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 1. 3. to Fri 14. 5. Thu 8:00–9:50 Z3,02045
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
ZX401/01: Mon 1. 3. to Fri 14. 5. Thu 10:00–10:50 Z3,02045, J. Burianová, L. Dolák
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 1/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 71 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
At the end of this course students should be able to: Within reasonable level of detail understand and explain fundamental driving forces of global climate (greenhouse effect, insolation changes, oceanic and atmospheric heat distribution etc.) Explain and reason about climate change that is expected within next decades and reason about human induced climate change effects. On general level understand and explain local impacts in various parts of the wolrd. On general level understand and explain possible adaptation and mitigation strategies to expected climate change and also current international treaties.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course students should be able to: Within reasonable level of detail understand and explain fundamental driving forces of global climate changes.
Syllabus
  • 1. Basic physics of earth climate (zero-dimensional model, a variation of solar output, orbital factors, Milankovich cycles)
  • 2. Atmospheric processes (temperature profile, the effect of ozone, grey atmosphere model, infrared radiation in the atmosphere, effect of greenhouse gasses)
  • 3. Heat transfer (atmospheric and oceanic currents, thermohaline circulation, energy balance) and Water vapour in the atmosphere (cloud effect on radiation, moisture transfer, rain patterns)
  • 4. Climate measurements (data, remote sensing)
  • 5. Influence and course of greenhouse gasses, carbon cycle
  • 6. Climate models
  • 7. Paleoclimatology and historical climatology (proxy data, methods to explore and results about the climate in past ages)
  • 8. Past and recent climate change impacts in the world and the Czech Republic (air temperature increase, permafrost and glaciers melting)
  • 9. Expected impacts of climate changes in the world and the Czech Republic (a continuing increase of air temperature, an increase of extreme weather variability, changes in precipitation distribution)
  • 10. Concepts, conferences and agreements related to climate change (Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, National adaptive plan to climate change)
  • 11. Mitigation and adaptation opportunities of climate change in the world and in the Czech Republic (greenhouse gasses decrease, energy, water and food safety issue)
  • 12. Climate change as an economic and political issue (uncertainties and negatives related to climate change, "climate sceptics vs alarmists, myths and facts related to climate change)
Literature
    required literature
  • IPCC Fifth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2013 - The Physical Science Basis (AR5)
    recommended literature
  • ŠTĚPÁNEK P. a kol. (2019): Očekávané klimatické podmínky v České republice část I. Změna základních parametrů. Ústav výzkumu globální změny AV ČR, v.v.i., 77. ISBN 978887902288.
  • MŽP (2015): Národní akční plán adaptace na změnu klimatu, 59.
  • STERN, N. H. The economics of climate change : the Stern review. 1st pub. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007, xix, 692. ISBN 9780521700801. info
  • KALVOVÁ, Jaroslava. Scénáře změny klimatu na území České republiky a odhady dopadů klimatické změny na hydrologický režim, sektor zemědělství, sektor lesního hospodářství a na lidské zdraví v ČR. 1. vyd. Praha: Český hydrometeorologický ústav, 2002, viii, 141. ISBN 8086690016. info
  • HOUGHTON, John Theodore. The physics of atmospheres. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002, xv, 320. ISBN 0521011221. info
  • KALVOVÁ, Jaroslava and Bedřich MOLDAN. Klima a jeho změna v důsledku emisí skleníkových plynů. 1. vyd. Praha: Univerzita Karlova, 1996, 161 s. ISBN 8071843156. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussion, reading homework
Assessment methods
Oral exam which can be accomplished via MO Teams.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2019, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2021/ZX401