ENVM3115 Lecture 1: ENVM3115 WEEK 1
1 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Course Purpose
• Provide an objective understanding of what climate change is, how groups within society
perceive the issue and what the responses can be observed or anticipated.
• To draw out the role of environment management in responding to climate change- from
global to personal levels of concern
Course Outcomes
• Communicating with different media
• Preparing & evaluating Risk & Vulnerability Assessments
• Preparing & evaluating Adaptation Plans
• Advising Stakeholders
• Leading & participating in community & personal resilience building
Climate Change
Climate is a statistical description of weather conditions and their variations, including
both averages and extremes. Climate Change refers to a change in these conditions that
persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer.
Global Warming
Global warming refers to the recent & ongoing rise in global average temperature near
Earth's surface. It is caused mostly by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere. Global warming is causing climate patterns to change. However, global
warming itself represents only one aspect of climate change.
Climate Disruption
"The simple point is that we're way outside any conditions humanity has experiences or
really understands. During the last hundred years, humanity has rapidly created a break
with the past, disrupting the slow & gradual evolutionary changes."
Natural Hazard
Natural Process or phenomenon that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts,
property damage, loss of livelihoods & services, social & economic disruption, or
environmental damage
Risk
The combination of the probability of an event and its negative consequences
Vulnerability
The characteristics & circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it
susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard
Document Summary
Course purpose: provide an objective understanding of what climate change is, how groups within society perceive the issue and what the responses can be observed or anticipated. To draw out the role of environment management in responding to climate change- from global to personal levels of concern. Course outcomes: communicating with different media, preparing & evaluating risk & vulnerability assessments, preparing & evaluating adaptation plans, advising stakeholders. Leading & participating in community & personal resilience building. Climate is a statistical description of weather conditions and their variations, including both averages and extremes. Climate change refers to a change in these conditions that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. Global warming refers to the recent & ongoing rise in global average temperature near. It is caused mostly by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Global warming is causing climate patterns to change. However, global warming itself represents only one aspect of climate change.
