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

What is climate change ? How are mountain regions affected by the evolution of water resources and their uses ? What kind of risks need to be considered ?

Mountains are recognized as particularly sensitive physical environments where intense and rapid changes have in the past, and may increasingly in the future, place pressure on their resource base.

In this context, a team of roughly 100 experts worked from 2008 to 2013 for the European ACQWA project (www.acqwa.ch) which was coordinated by the University of Geneva. The primary objectives of the project were to assess the impacts of a changing climate on the quantity and quality of water originating in mountain regions, particularly where snow- and ice melt represent a large, sometimes the largest, streamflow component. A further objective of the project was to determine the potential disruptions to water-dependent economic activities related to the climate impacts on hydrological systems, and to propose a portfolio of possible adaptation strategies.

This particular MOOC is inspired by the ACQWA Project and offers a better understanding of climate change, its impacts on the quality and quantity of water in mountain regions and the risks related to changing water resources. From an interdisciplinary perspective, the participation of twenty-five instructors from five different countries (Switzerland, England, South Korea, India and Nepal) and fourteen institutions (UNIGE, RTS, UNIFR, UZH, ETHZ, Meteodat GmbH, WGMS, Imperial College London, Agroscope, République et Canton de Genève, Yonsei University, IHCAP, ICIMOD, SDC, FOEN) highlights the diversity of both theoretical and practical viewpoints related to these issues.

By the end of this course, you will be able :

- to define the general concept of climate change in mountain regions

- to understand the concepts associated with climate change such as adaptation and water governance strategies

- to consider the impacts of climate change on water resources in mountain regions

- to identify the impacts of climate change on hydropower, agriculture, aquatic ecosystems and health

- to enumerate risks that can occur in mountain areas and lead to disruptions in water availability and use.

Your acquired knowledge will be evaluated through multiple-choice quizzes at the end of each unit of the course.

This MOOC on “Climate Change and Water in Mountain Regions : A Global Concern” was initiated and financed by the University of Geneva, through its Institute for Environmental Sciences.

We look forward to you joining us !

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.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

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

Climate change and mountain water resources

According to learners, this course offers a highly informative and comprehensive exploration of climate change's impact on mountain water resources. Students praise the expertise of the multiple international instructors, finding the content presented by researchers involved in the ACQWA Project to be detailed and authoritative. The course covers physical changes, impacts on various sectors, and adaptation strategies from an interdisciplinary perspective. While the wealth of expertise is a major strength, the format with many lecturers results in varying presentation styles and pacing that can sometimes feel disjointed. The weekly quizzes are generally considered straightforward, perhaps less challenging for advanced students.

Diverse expertise but varying presentation.

"The course is taught by many different professors, which brings diverse perspectives but also means fluctuating lecture quality."

"While the expertise is undeniable, the shifts between speakers sometimes make the flow feel a bit uneven."

"It's fascinating to hear from so many voices, though presentation styles vary greatly."

Broad coverage of impacts and strategies.

"Loved the interdisciplinary nature, covering physical science, economics, health, and governance."

"The units on impacts on water uses and adaptation strategies were highly relevant and well-covered."

"Provides a holistic understanding of the complex challenges involved."

"Exploring risks and management from different angles was very insightful."

Detailed and authoritative insights from experts.

"The lecturers are experts in their fields and provide a lot of detailed and up-to-date information."

"Really appreciated hearing directly from scientists involved in cutting-edge research like ACQWA."

"The content is very thorough and covers all the stated learning objectives effectively."

"Provides authoritative information from renowned international institutions."

Assessments are relatively easy.

"The quizzes at the end of each unit are very basic and don't really test deep understanding."

"Found the multiple-choice quizzes to be quite easy; could be more challenging."

"Assessments felt more like a quick knowledge check than a test of learned concepts."

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

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Solve Water Resources Problems

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

Browse courses on Water Resources Management

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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.

Browse courses on Water Resources Management

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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.

Browse courses on Water Resources Management

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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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Glaciologist

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Climate Scientist

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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