NES1206 : Climate Change and the Earth System
NES1206 : Climate Change and the Earth System
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Cees van der Land
- Lecturer: Dr Simon Peacock, Dr Miguel Morales Maqueda, Professor Yit Arn Teh
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
This module aims to provide students with a deep understanding of Earth System Science and its implications for climate processes.
To provide students with a holistic understanding of Earth System Science and its role in shaping climate processes.
To foster an interdisciplinary approach, integrating principles from meteorology, oceanography, geology, and biology and other relevant fields to study Earth's climate dynamics.
To develop critical thinking and practical skills, enabling students to analyse complex Earth processes and phenomena and evaluate the impact of human activities on the Earth system.
Outline Of Syllabus
1. Global Systems, topics to be covered include: The Earth's geosphere, the atmosphere, the oceans, the biosphere, the cryosphere
2. Transport, topics to be covered include: global cycling elements (e.g., carbon and oxygen).
3. Energy, topics to be covered include: solar energy (radiation, latent and sensible heat) and climate.
4. Homeostasis, topics to be covered include: positive and negative feedback, climate change and global warming.
5. Global warming and climate change: PaleoclimateRece
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
1. Describe and explain key Earth system components, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, and understand their interactions
2. Analyse the processes driving Earth's systems, such as plate tectonics, climate dynamics, and biogeochemical cycles.
3. Integrate knowledge from multiple scientific disciplines to address complex earth and environmental science questions.
4. Understand the drivers and consequences of contemporary climate change, integrating Earth System Science principles.
5. Discuss mitigation strategies and examine adaptation strategies, recognizing the need to address and prepare for the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and societies.
Intended Skill Outcomes
Successful students will be able to use basic algebra to describe environmental and climate systems, including chemical reactions, material fluxes, Earth’s radiation budget.
They will be familiar with: Chemical elements and reactions, units and scales, the manipulation of equations, logarithms and exponentials, the use of graphs and tables, independent literature study, and summarising key information in written form.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 54:00 | 54:00 | Includes background reading and reading lecture notes for a full understanding of material |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 20:00 | 20:00 | Exam preparation |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Lectures covering the syllabus |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Topic Tutorial preparation |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 5 | 1:00 | 5:00 | Topic Tutorials |
Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures introduce core information (linked directly to all Intended Knowledge Outcomes). Small group teaching (tutorials) is designed to put this information into context of “real world examples”, and to apply information to solving explicit problems, encouraging a deeper understanding of gained core information and further reading (linked directly to Intended skills and Knowledge Outcomes).
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Digital Examination | 60 | 1 | A | 100 | MCQ Digital Examination |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
Practical/lab report | 1 | M | Topic Tutorial Practice |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Given the breadth of subject areas covered in this introductory module for a range of programmes, the assessment method will be based on an exam.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES1206's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- NES1206's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2024 academic year.
In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.
Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2025/26 entry will be published here in early-April 2025. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.