Our Changing Climate

• • Week 1 - Introduction
  • Week 2 - Concepts and Earth’s mean climate
  • Week 3 - Introduction to climate system Modelling
  • Week 4 - Climate observations
  • Week 5 - The Human Influence on the Climate System; IPCC
  • Week 6 - Detection and attribution
  • Week 7 - The Cryosphere Ice Sheet Modelling
  • Week 8 - Paleo climate change
  • Week 9 - The Biosphere Marine + Terrestrial
  • Week 10 - Climate variability
  • Week 11 - Climate extremes
  • Week 12 - Communicating climate change
  • Week 13 - Climate change impacts on ecological/natural systems
  • Week 14 - Summary and the future

You must either have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject, or currently be enrolled in the following subject(s) in a prior study period; or enrol in the following subject(s) to study prior to this subject:

• TAS-KGA204-Earth, Climate and Life

Please note that your enrolment in this subject is conditional on successful completion of these prerequisite subject(s). If you study the prerequisite subject(s) in the study period immediately prior to studying this subject, your result for the prerequisite subject(s) will not be finalised prior to the close of enrolment. In this situation, should you not complete your prerequisite subject(s) successfully you should not continue with your enrolment in this subject. If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite subject(s) and believe you may not complete these all successfully, it is your responsibility to reschedule your study of this subject to give you time to re-attempt the prerequisite subject(s)

Additional requirements

No additional requirements

Human induced climate change is arguably the most serious problem currently facing our planet. Detection and attribution of human-induced climate change requires an understanding of the mechanisms of natural climate variability as well as trends in climate. Earth's climate is a coupled system between atmosphere, ocean, land surface, biota, snow and ice. Gaining an understanding of how our climate system works is an important first step to more confidently diagnosing and predicting the effects and impacts of human induced climate change. 

In this subject you will learn how Earth's climate works. We will begin to understand mechanisms underpinning important known natural climate variations such as El Nino Southern Oscillation. To achieve these ends, we examine global climate observations (in situ and by satellite), estimations of past climate variability;  learn about global and regional climate models; consider detection and attribution techniques to discern human induced climate change above natural variability; the impacts of climate change on human and biological systems; and examine recent statements by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on human induced climate change.

• Introduction to Paleoclimatology: Tree Rings (15%)
• Essay (20%)
• Lecture Quiz (10%)
• Group Oral Presentation and Discussion (10%)
• Monash Simple Climate Model (10%)
• Report - Climate Topic of Choice (35%)

For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).