Climate Change and Water in Mountains: A Global Concern from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Unit 0: Welcome Unit

View an introductory video on the ACQWA Project, read key introductory documents, say hello to your fellow classmates and express your interest in the topic.

Unit 1: Introduction to climate change

In this module, you will learn about the functioning of the climate system, in particular the numerous interacting components such as the atmosphere, the oceans, the cryosphere and the biosphere. Physical mechanisms that can disrupt climate on different time and space scales will be outlined, and the concepts underlying anthropogenic climate change will be introduced. Following a brief overview of how climate simulation models function, you will be able to see what may be the evolution of climate over coming decades in response to increases in greenhouse-gases in the atmosphere, and what are the limits and uncertainties to these model projections.

Unit 2: Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources

In this unit, you will learn about observed trends in glacier retreat and changes in mass balance. Different methods of mass balance measurements are presented. Ongoing and projected climate change by the end of the century will have fundamental consequences on the cryosphere. In this module, you will realize what the consequences of glacier retreat are on glacial runoff regimes and on global scale runoff. You will become familiar with changes in snow cover in different mountain regions of the World. Further, the basic mechanics of glacier flow and an overview of processes leading to glacier instability will allow you to understand how climate variables, among other factors, may potentially modify the frequency of glacial lake drainage, glacier surge and the break-off of glaciers. Finally, this module discusses how the calving of ice sheets will impact sea level rise and where uncertainties persist in the projection of these changes.

UNIT 3: Impacts of Climate Change on Water Uses

In this module, you will learn about the impacts of climate change on different sectors, such as the economy, the environment or the health. In mountain regions, glacier retreat, warmer waters or modified runoffs will for instance impact hydroelectric installations production, biodiversity and all kind of living organisms. In the lowlands, the agricultural sector will also have to deal with water scarcity to reduce yield vulnerability. You will also see that warmer temperatures can be beneficial to certain plants like grapevine but that it can also enhance the development of insect pest generating damages or favour disease transmissions to human being.

Unit 4: Recommendations for Adaptation and Water Governance Strategies

In this module, you will learn about the concepts of social network analysis and adaptive capacities, and the central role they play in the implementation of adaptation strategies and in the reduction of ecosystems vulnerability to climate change. The ecosystems will illustrate the mutual benefits that can occur between actors and mechanisms. Concrete examples and case studies will emphasize the mutual benefits and the mechanisms that can occur in a network of actors and how those interactions can help in reducing natural risk disasters.

Unit 5: Risk management

In this module, you will learn about the role ongoing climatic changes have on the occurrence of natural hazards in high mountain environments, and how their temporal frequency and magnitude is being influenced by the ongoing warming. Concrete examples and case studies will emphasize these changes in process behavior of glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs), debris flows and rockfalls. In addition to the illustration of changes in the physical processes, this module will also illustrate how Switzerland is coping with these changes and how natural hazard risk is being addressed by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) through an Integrated Risk Management.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Examines climate change in mountain regions, a topic highly relevant to the impacts of climate change globally

Develops foundational knowledge of climate change and its impacts on water resources in mountain regions, a topic highly relevant to both academics and practitioners in the field of climate change science

Covers a wide range of topics including climate change impacts on hydropower, agriculture, aquatic ecosystems, and health, reflecting the multifaceted impacts of climate change in mountain regions

Offers an interdisciplinary perspective with instructors from various backgrounds and institutions, providing diverse insights on climate change and water resources management in mountain regions

Emphasizes risk management and adaptation strategies to address climate change impacts in mountain regions, a topic of increasing importance in the context of global climate change

Reviews summary

Well-received mountain water course

Learners say this course on Climate Change and Water in Mountains is engaging and informative. The lectures discussed a wide range of subjects around water in mountainous regions. Many students found the course comprehensive and well-produced. However, some students noted that the difficulty of the exams and quizzes was challenging.

Course largely positive about climate change risks in mountain water resources.

"This course provides very good comprehensive knowledge of climate change risks in mountain."

"Climate change was interested course"

"it was wonderful experience to learn about climate change"

Course discusses a wide range of topics in climate change and water in mountains.

"Very diverse and interesting course. Each module was given by the person who was expert in that area and very informative."

"Very interesting course that deals with a wide range of subjects around water in mountainous regions."

Learners found engaging assignments on water management in mountain regions.

"Very useful course to understand the climate change scenario on mountainous region. the groundwater recharge process, hazards related to climate change, glaciology etc. are very nicely described. Thank you"

"This course was very helpful to gain insight over the impacts of climate change on mountain water resources and ecosystems. Knowledge of measures to reduce risks of climate change on these regions was also very interesting and well explained."

Students said the course features top professors and highly-qualified professionals.

"A great learning experience from top professors"

"A lot of specific evidence-based knowledge with interesting case-studies. Highly-qualified professionals and scientists."

Some learners said the accents of some lecturers made it difficult to understand the course materials.

"Some videos were difficult to understand due to accent and the text was not transcripted properly"

"I liked the content and structure of the course, the cons for me was the english of some of the lecturers."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Climate Change and Water in Mountains: A Global Concern with these activities:

Organize Course Notes

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Organize your course notes and materials to improve your retention and understanding of the subject matter.

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Review course notes and materials
Create an organized filing system

Read Beyond the Limits: Global Collapse or a Sustainable Future

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Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to climate change and sustainability.

View Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update on Amazon

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Read Beyond the Limits
Research current events related to Sustainability
Summarize key points and discuss with others

Explore Water Treatment Technologies

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Learn about different water treatment technologies and how they are applied to improve water quality.

Browse courses on Water Treatment

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Explore Water Treatment Technologies article
Learn about various Water Treatment Processes

Four other activities

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Solve Water Resources Problems

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Practice solving water resources problems to improve your understanding of the concepts and calculations involved.

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Gather practice problems
Solve practice problems
Review and learn from solutions

Develop a Water Conservation Plan

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Create a water conservation plan for a household or community to promote efficient water use and reduce water consumption.

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Estimate water usage
Identify water-saving opportunities
Develop a water conservation plan

Create a Water Management Plan

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Develop a water management plan for a specific region or watershed to apply the concepts and principles learned in the course.

Browse courses on Water Resources Management

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Identify the study area and project scope
Collect and analyze data on water resources
Develop water management strategies
Create a water management plan report

Contribute to Water-Related Open-Source Projects

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Contribute to open-source projects related to water resources to gain practical experience and support the development of water-related solutions.

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Find Open-Source water projects
Identify contribution opportunities
Start contributing

Career center

Learners who complete Climate Change and Water in Mountains: A Global Concern will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Hydrologist

Hydrologists study the distribution, movement, and quality of water on Earth. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to hydrologists because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on water resources. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on water resources.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hydrologist

Glaciologist

Glaciologists study glaciers and ice sheets. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to glaciologists because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on glaciers and ice sheets. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on glaciers and ice sheets.

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Water Resources Engineer

Water resources engineers design and manage systems that control and distribute water resources. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to water resources engineers because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on water resources. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on water resources.

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Climate Scientist

Climate scientists study the Earth's climate system. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to climate scientists because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on the Earth's climate system. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on the Earth's climate system.

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Environmental Scientist

Environmental scientists study the environment and its components. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to environmental scientists because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on the environment. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment.

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Geographer

Geographers study the Earth's surface and its features. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to geographers because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on the Earth's surface and its features. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on the Earth's surface and its features.

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Meteorologist

Meteorologists study the Earth's atmosphere and its weather patterns. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to meteorologists because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on the Earth's atmosphere and its weather patterns. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on the Earth's atmosphere and its weather patterns.

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Oceanographer

Oceanographers study the Earth's oceans and their features. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to oceanographers because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on the Earth's oceans and their features. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on the Earth's oceans and their features.

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Soil Scientist

Soil scientists study the Earth's soils and their properties. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to soil scientists because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on the Earth's soils and their properties. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on the Earth's soils and their properties.

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Forester

Foresters manage and protect forests. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to foresters because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on forests. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on forests.

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Wildlife Biologist

Wildlife biologists study wildlife and their habitats. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to wildlife biologists because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on wildlife and their habitats. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on wildlife and their habitats.

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Environmental Planner

Environmental planners develop and implement plans to protect the environment. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to environmental planners because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on the environment. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment.

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Conservationist

Conservationists work to protect natural resources and ecosystems. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to conservationists because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on natural resources and ecosystems. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on natural resources and ecosystems.

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Sustainability Consultant

Sustainability consultants help businesses and organizations to become more sustainable. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to sustainability consultants because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on sustainability. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on sustainability.

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Climate Policy Analyst

Climate policy analysts develop and evaluate policies to address climate change. They may work in a variety of settings, including academia, government, and the private sector. This course would be beneficial to climate policy analysts because it provides a comprehensive overview of climate change and its impacts on policy. The course also covers risk management strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of climate change on policy.

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