The Future of Climate Adaptation

About

The global climate is changing. We have to deal with more extreme weather conditions, such as drought, heat and extreme rainfall resulting in flooding. All over the world, climate change has a huge impact on our liveability, food supply, economy, health and safety. Climate adaptation focuses on adapting our societies and ecosystems to long-term climate trends and preparing for extreme weather events.

This summer school introduces participants into the complexity of challenges in climate adaptation from an interdisciplinary approach. The participants will go on an excursion to meet one of the stakeholders to learn about the real-time challenges they face in relation to climate adaptation, and visit the test facilities at Hanze University of Applied Sciences to test practical innovations on climate adaptation such as innovative pavements, raingardens, green roofs, bio-swales and other green infrastructure. The participants (in smaller groups) will do research about the practical and/or theoretical sides of one of those challenges. During the course, lecturers from the RUG and Hanze will provide interdisciplinary perspectives on the challenge, each focusing on specific issues within their discipline. On the final day students will present the outcome of their research to their peers.

The program addresses:
- the transformation needed to shift systems towards a climate resilient society, thereby including environmental, social, economic, demographic and institutional changes and innovations,
- how to do research (both fundamental and applied) and develop innovations on climate adaptation and
- how to address climate adaptation in relation to other transitions, such as the energy transition

Course leader

Karsten Schulz – Campus Friesland/RUG; Floris Boogaard – Noorderruimte/Hanze; Maaike de Heij – Wubbo Ockels School/RUG

Target group

This summer school is for master students, PhD students, postdocs, and practitioners who are interested in the state of the art about both theoretical and practical research and innovation on climate adaptation and its perspectives for the future. The summer school is interesting for participants with a diverse background in disciplines such as spatial science, climate governance, political science, ecology, environmental management and law, built environment, civil engineering.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English

Course aim

Upon completing the summer school, a participant is able to:
1. discuss various dilemmas and policy options related to climate adaptation;
2. apply theoretical and practical insights from different academic disciplines on a challenge related to climate adaptation;
3. identify gaps in the existing knowledge on climate adaptation and ask relevant research questions about the future of adaptation;
4. present their findings effectively to an interdisciplinary audience;
5. reflect on the complex dilemmas in climate adaptation using insights from various disciplines.

Workload
- Preparation: 16 hours
- Lectures: 32 hours
- Presentation: 8 hours

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 56 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance

Fee info