LPLK10381U Climate Solutions

Volume 2022/2023
Education

MSc Programme in Climate Change
MSc Programme in Environmental Science
 

Content

Climate Solutions is an interdisciplinary course offered by the University of Copenhagen. It is open for MSc students and continuing education students with a relevant BSc background in natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, law and economics.

The focus of the course is innovation and implementation of concrete solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the level of the private and public organization to achieve both environmental and economic sustainability. Many technologies and solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions are already available, but due to lack of knowledge transfer they are not implemented.

Private and public organizations having an actual intention to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions are selected as cases (e.g. a municipality, a farm, a manufacturing company, a local business, etc.). 

Students will be working together in groups as consultants for their case organizations and apply circular economy and sustainable design principles to create concrete plans for implementing the most effective and cost-effective solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

The students will be given the tools to create such a plan by participating in workshops together with university and industry experts in best available technologies and best available practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within relevant fields such as natural science, planning, economics and human behavior.

The course covers a wide range of the UN Sustainable Development Goals with a focus on SDG4 (quality education), SDG7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG9 (innovation and infrastructure), SDG11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG13) (climate action).

For more information see the course homepage at www.climate-solutions.dk

Learning Outcome

The aim of the course is to give MSc students with different academic backgrounds the capability to work together in interdisciplinary teams as consultants for private and public organizations to implement concrete solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. After completing the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge:
- Identify the best available technologies and best available practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions relating to specific industries or businesses

Skills: 
- Select the most relevant technologies and practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the level of the private and public organization
- Compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of selected technologies and practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the level of the private and public organization

Competences:
- Discuss advantages and disadvantages of different technologies and practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 
- Cooperate and work together as consultants for private and public organizations to create plans for implementing the most effective and cost-effective solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Reflect on the consequences of lack of knowledge transfer and the need for further research and development of better technologies and practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Literature

The learning resources consist of selected articles, reports and book chapters, which will be made available online.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
The teaching and learning methods consist of: 1) meetings with representatives from case organizations, 2) student and staff lead workshops on best available technologies and best available practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
3) group work to create concrete plans for implementing solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the case organizations, 4) multimedia project, 5) progress report and supervision and 6) individual oral examination with feedback from teachers.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 20
  • Class Instruction
  • 38
  • Preparation
  • 103
  • Excursions
  • 20
  • Project work
  • 206
  • Guidance
  • 24
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Total
  • 412
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)

Continuous collective feedback to the student's work on the climate solutions project and multimedia project is given at the progress report and supervision meetings.

At the final exam collective feedback is given to each group after all students within the group have been examined individually. 

Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Continuous assessment
Oral examination, 15
Type of assessment details
Description of Examination: Students will be assessed on the basis of: i) individual contribution to a group report and a multimedia project, ii) individual performance in an oral exam covering the group report and the general curriculum (15 min without preparation time).
Each students contribution will be indicated in the group report and the multimedia project.

Weight: 50% individual contribution to group report and multimedia project; 50% oral exam
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

Re-exam: Oral examination, 15 minutes. As the ordinary exam.

Individual report and multimedia project on an assigned topic must be handed in 2 weeks before re-examination.

Criteria for exam assesment

Please see the description of learning outcome