Contemporary Climate Change

Presentation of causes, effects and manifestations of contemporary climate change as well as tasks, which help to protect the environment.

Causes of climate change. The magnitude of changes of most important climate variables. Effects of climate change with particular focus on agriculture and water management. Extreme weather events. Climate protection.

Lectures (15 hours):

1. The development of the notions and definitions of climate.

2. Climate change and climate variability.

3. The past and present-day climate change.

4. Natural and human induced climate change.

5. Thermal manifestations of present-day climate change.

6. The changes of other meteorological elements, indicators and meteorological phenomena.

7. Climate extremes.

8. Projections of future climate change, IPCC reports, climate forecasts and climate change extrapolation, the modeling of climate.

9. The ecological effects of present-day climate change, the changes in hydrological processes, the cryosphere, sea level rise.

10. Climate change and its impact on water resources and water management.

11. The impact of climate change on agriculture.

12. The impact of climate change on settlement in coastal areas.

13. The social consequences of climate change.

14. The prevention of, and adaptation to climate change.

15. Climate policies.

Laboratory classes (15 hours):

1. Introductory information. The Macro -processes and the processes taking place in the atmosphere, atmospheric processes and phenomena, the weather, meteorological elements, the relations and interdependencies among meteorological elements, the climate, climatic factors, the dependence of the values of elements of climate on climatic factors, climate indicators and basic statistical characteristics of the climate.

2. The homogeneity of observation stretches as a condition for the detection of climate change.

3. A selection of published materials and meteorological studies on the special diversity of the climate of: Poland, the Carpathian Mountains, the area near Cracow, or Cracow itself. A critical evaluation in the light of the climate change taking place.

4. Statistical measurements of the variability of selected meteorological elements. The classification of temperature and precipitation deviations from the norm, in the light of the climate change taking place.

5. The changes of air temperature observed in Poland and some of their consequences.

6. The values of selected thermal and precipitation indicators in the Polish part of the Carpathian Mountains depending on the altitude above sea level, the lie of the land, and slope exposure in the light of global warming.

7. Precipitation and the balance of water in various regions of Poland in the light of the climate change taking place.

8. Rainstorms and downpours. Atmospheric and agricultural droughts. Stretches of rainy days. Other extreme meteorological phenomena.

9. The change, variability and agricultural effectiveness of precipitation in the light of global warming.

10. Meteorological conditions of the vegetation of the more important cultivable plants in the light of the climate change taking place. The possibilities of cultivating stenothermal plants.

11. The chances and sources of threats to recreation areas in the country in the light of both: the climate change taking place and the one expected.

12. The biometeorological conditions and global warming. Urban climate, the urban heat island.

13. Climate system, climate models, and climate modeling.

14. The modeling of thermal and pluviothermal regionalizations of the area of Poland in the light of the climate change taking place.

15. Using alternative sources of energy.

Subject statistic

1. Number of hours and ECTS credits - compulsory subject Hours: -; ECTS: -

2. Number of hours and ECTS credits - facultative subject Hours: 75; ECTS: 3

3. Total number of hours and ECTS credits, a student must earn by direct contact with academics (lectures, classes, seminars....) Hours: 30; ECTS: 1,2

4. Total number of hours and ECTS credits, a student earns in the course of a practical nature, such as laboratory, field trips and design classes Hours: 15; ECTS: 0,6

5. Expected personal workload (without or with academics participation during consultations) necessary for realization of subject objectives. Hours: 45; ECTS: 1,8

1. Houghton J.T.: Global warming. Cambridge University Press, 2004, ss. 457.

2. Kożuchowski K. (red.): Materiały do poznania historii klimatu w okresie obserwacji instrumentalnych. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego, Łódź, 1990, ss. 452.

3. Kundzewicz Z.W., Kowalczyk P.: Zmiany klimatu i ich skutki. Wydawnictwo KURPISZ, Poznań, 2008, ss. 216.

4. Neelin J., D.: Climate Change and Climate Modeling, Cambridge University Press, 2011, ss. 304.

5. Newell P., Paterson M.: Climate Capitalism, Cambridge University Pr., Cambridge University Press, 2010, ss. 205.

6. Ziernicka-Wojtaszek A., Zawora P., Sarna T, Zawora T.: Estimated changes of pluvio-thermal coefficient in Poland in the light of climatic changes. Environmental Engineering III, Taylor & Francis, 2010, 557-560, ISBN 978-0-415-54882-3.

7. Ziernicka-Wojtaszek A., Zawora T.: Thermal regions in light of contemporary climate change in Poland. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, Vol. 20, No. 6 (2011), 1627-1632.

Knowledge:

The student has a basic knowledge of the causes, manifestations and effects of present-day climate change as to projecting, constructing and maintaining selected engineering objects whose purpose is to improve the quality of human life.

The student also has a basic knowledge of the ventures aimed at protecting the climate.

Skills:

The student interprets the effects of present-day climate change on global and local scales.

The student applies the statistical methods, is familiar with describing climate change.

Methods and criteria of grading:

Lectures: written test

Classes: group work presentation

Grade E (2.0) 50% > Final Average

Grade D (3.0) 60% > Final Average > 51%

Grade C (3.5) 70% > Final Average > 61%

Grade B (4.0) 80% > Final Average > 71%

Grade B+ (4.5) 90% > Final Average > 81%

Grade A (5.0) Final Average > 91%