WFM 6311: Climate Change Risk Management

                        Semester: October 2011

 

1. Instructor:

Part-A Dr. Rezaur Rahman Professor, IWFM, BUET Email: rezaur@iwfm.buet.ac.bd  Phone: 880-2-9664640-44 PABX Ext 7814 Web: http://teacher.buet.ac.bd/rezaur/
Part-B Dr. A.K.M. Saiful Islam Associate Professor, IWFM, BUET Email: akmsaifulislam@iwfm.buet.ac.bd Phone: 880-2-9664640-44 PABX Ext 7923 Web: http://teacher.buet.ac.bd/akmsaifulislam/

2. Class Hours:

  Saturday     2:15p.m. - 4:35.m.  (Ground Floor, IWFM)

3. Office Hours:

Saturday (subject to change)    5:00p.m. - 5:30p.m.  (Room 309,  IWFM)

4. Syllabus:

• The global climate system: global heat and water balance, atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation, coupled ocean and atmospheric processes;

• Climate variability and climate change;

• Assessment of climate change risks;

• Forecasts and scenarios development;

• Impact of climate change on water related hazards;

• Economic, social and environmental implications;

• Mitigation measures and adaptation techniques;

• Mainstreaming climate change risk management
   

5. Grading Policy (subject to change):

Mid Term  =30%  Final Exam = 40%
Term Paper =25% Attendance = 5%
 

7. Lecture Topics:

• Module-1: Climate System and Hydrologic cycle
  [downloads: Syllabus and  Lecture -1]

  • Atmosphere

  • Cryosphere: Sea, Ice sheet, Glacier

  • Hydrosphere: River, Lakes, ocean interactions

  • Hydrologic Cycle

  • Biosphere and Ecosystem

• Module-2: Climate variability and climate change
  [ download: Lecture-2 ]

  • Global warming and green house gases

  • Historic aspects of global climate change

  • Climate change in South Asian context: Case study
     

• Module-3: Prediction of climate change
  [ download: Lecture-3 , Lecture-4, Lecture-5a, Lecture-5b, Lecture-5c, Lecture-5d, Lecture-6 and Uncertainty
  Assignment data: Rainfall.txt ]

  • Global and regional climate change predictions

  • Dynamic and static downscaling for impact study.

  • Uncertainty of predictions
     

• Module-4: Impact of climate change on water sector

  • Flood risk assessment

  • Drought risk assessment

  • Sea level rise and salinity intrusion

  • River Erosion and livelihoods

  • Cyclone and storm surges
     

• Module-5: Economic, social and Environmental implications of climate change

  • Economics of climate change

  • Social impact of climate change: vulnerable social groups and gender.

  • Impact of climate change on deltaic ecosystem (arid, coastal and deltaic system).

  • Implication of climate change on agriculture, food security and livelihood.

  • Implication of climate change on water supply, sanitation and health (heat stress and vector born diseases).

  • Vulnerability analysis, adaptive capacity and sensitivity.
     

• Module-6: Mitigation measures and adaptation techniques.

  • Mitigation measures and carbon trading.

  • Non structural and structural adaptation.

  • Adaptation techniques in the context of integrated water resource management.
     

• Module-7: Policy, laws, international conventions and country program.

  • Global awareness and IPCC interpretations

  • Koyoto protocol and other international conventions.

  • Responses to climate change: global, national and local

  • National Climate change strategies and activities.

  • Institutional arrangements of climate change.
     

9. Term Paper:

•  Guideline: Students are advise to select a topic relevant to their profession.

• Report: 10 page report written in Ms Word, due on Last week. Report should contain - introduction to the problem, methodology, results, conclusion.

• Presentation: Each group will present their study at the end of the semester

 

10. Software: Regional Climate Models, Ms Excel

9. References:

• No text book; Reading materials will be suggested in the class.