| Unit name | Sea Level Rise in a Warming Climate |
|---|---|
| Unit code | GEOG30046 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Bingham |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None. |
| School/department | School of Geographical Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
This unit explores topics in the Earth's Climate and Cryosphere themes. With more than 10% of the world’s population - projected to exceed one billion by 2050 - living in low-lying coastal regions, sea level rise is one of the most pressing consequences of a warming climate. Over the coming century, it will have a profound impact on the global economy and existing social structures. The world’s poorest will be the first to feel the impact. But even rich nations will struggle to defend themselves against rising seas and increased extreme weather events.
Although sea level rise may seem a relatively simple concept and something that should be rstraightforward to measure and project into the future, it is in fact challenging to both measure and model. Its measurement is confounded by the fact that we live on a rotating and deformable planet, still experiencing the effects of the termination of the last glacial period. Modelling is challenging as sea level is sensitive to many influences, including the gravitational attraction of the moon and water stored on land, the energy exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere, and the melting of mountain glaciers and ice sheets.
The over-arching aim of this unit is to provide you with a clear understanding of the processes driving sea level change so that you can appreciate both the reasons why sea level is rising and how we estimate past sea level rise through a blend of observations and modelling. Reliable projections of future sea level change are essential for making informaed decisions to mitigate and adapt to sea level rise. Therefore, we will explore how knowledge of past sea level change is used to improve projections of future sea level rise, while assessing the limitations and uncertainties of such approaches. Finally, we will reflect on the economic and social consequences of sea level rise and assess options for responding to this threat.
After completing the unit, successful students should be able to:
Teaching will be delivered via lectures, seminars and a computer-based practical.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Report on sea level rise and its consequences, based around a practical exercise.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay on sea level change (100%).
When assessment does not go to plan
Reassessments will be in the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. GEOG30046).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
