Climate change is arguably the greatest existential risk that humanity has ever faced. This course explores the increasing impetus from scientific research and academia, the potential and need for sustainable global development, and why, despite this, international and domestic climate action is often limited. 

An overview is provided of the fundamentals of climate change science, including the astrophysical, atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial processes that drive natural climatic variability and anthropogenic climate change. 

Current and likely future impacts of global warming on ecosystems and human activities are considered, including biodiversity, system buffering and resilience, and regional inequality and vulnerability. 

We explore communication, denialism, ethics, and the roles of academia and scientific research. This culminates in an in-class discussion of climate change with climate deniers. 

Actual and potential societal response strategies are investigated, focusing on the realpolitik of international treaties; unilateral, private, and collective action; and international and Australian climate policy. The culmination of the course is a mock treaty negotiation for ‘The Canberra Agreement’ under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

Contributors to the course include experts from across the ANU and representatives of various government departments, industry and business groups, and research organisations.

Honours Pathway Option

Subject to the approval of the course convener; students taking this option will participate in weekly seminars on advanced topics and create a research proposal and annotated bibliography for a potential year-long research project. This can serve as direct preparation for an Honours or Special Topics research project. All other assessment and requirements remain the same.

Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to envs3020-convener@anu.edu.au

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. evaluate and critique current understandings of the science of climate change, as well as the vulnerabilities of and potential impacts on biophysical and social systems;
2. engage effectively with denialism, skepticism, and other forms of disagreement;
3. evaluate and critique a range of response strategies to climate change, including international and Australian climate policies;
4. debate future climate change policy in the context of international climate change negotiations.

Research-Led Teaching

Anthropogenic climate change forced by the enhanced greenhouse effect is viewed by many as the single greatest environmental challenge facing humanity in the 21st century. this course is designed to provide an overview of some of the significant current issues and themes in the area of climate change science, policy, and communications. The course is based on the principles of research-led inquiry-based learning; the topic is fundamentally interdisciplinary and theme-based, and it develops students' understanding of the role of science both in explaining aspects of the world and in interacting with policy and politics. A core of lectures given by experts in aspects of climate change research and policy is integrated with a complementary series of workshops that facilitates exploration of issues raised in lectures, providing opportunities for hands-on experience, discussion, problem-solving, and synthesis of knowledge in a collaborative context.

The principal themes in the course are:

Climate change science – The approach is holistic and integrated, and does not require prior knowledge of climate science.

Climate change impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation – The current and potential impacts of global warming-related environmental changes.

Climate change mitigation – Current technological and policy approaches and aspects of the perceived tension and trade-offs between adaptation and mitigation.

Climate change politics, communication, and society – The international and national interaction of science with policy, society, and politics.

Workshops develop skills including high-level thinking about complex issues, critical analysis and review, and information synthesis and integration.

Field Trips

n/a

Additional Course Costs

There are no additional costs for this course.

Examination Material or equipment

Information about any examination material or equipment will be available on the course Wattle site.

There is no final examination for the course.

Required Resources

All required readings will be advised and linked on the course Wattle page.

A laptop computer, tablet, or other WiFi-enabled device is required for many of the weekly workshops, with Word, Excel and PowerPoint (or equivalent software) and a web browser such as Firefox, Chrome or IE. These devices are not provided by the Fenner School of Environment & Society or the ANU.

Recommended Resources

Recommended student system requirements 

ANU courses commonly use a number of online resources and activities including:

• video material, similar to YouTube, for lectures and other instruction
• two-way video conferencing for interactive learning
• email and other messaging tools for communication
• interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities
• print and photo/scan for handwritten work
• home-based assessment.

To fully participate in ANU learning, students need:

• A computer or laptop. Mobile devices may work well but in some situations a computer/laptop may be more appropriate.
• Webcam
• Speakers and a microphone (e.g. headset)
• Reliable, stable internet connection. Broadband recommended. If using a mobile network or wi-fi then check performance is adequate.
• Suitable location with minimal interruptions and adequate privacy for classes and assessments.
• Printing, and photo/scanning equipment

For more information please see https://www.anu.edu.au/students/systems/recommended-student-system-requirements

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Honours Pathway Option (HPO)

There will be a different assessment model for students undertaking the HPO. HPO students must complete all regular assessment and, in addition, HPO-specific assessment. Details are provided on the course Wattle site. Students intending to take the HPO should make themselves known to the Convenor (either via email or in person) no later than the start of week 2.

HPO assessment details:

Written proposal and annotated bibliography for a research project that could be completed as a one-semester or one-year Honours thesis.

Due: 14 October 2021

Returned: 3 November 2021

Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4

Details are provided on the course Wattle site.

The intent is that the 10% unique assessment for the HPO cohort will replace the lowest 10% from any other assessment. If the % of the other assessment is less than 10%, it will replace the entire mark received for that assessment, if % of the other assessment is greater than 10%, it will replace a proportional amount of that mark. Only 1 assessment task will be adjusted as a result of the HPO.

Adjustment for remote participation

This course has been adjusted for remote participation in Sem 2 2021, however students are encouraged to attend on-campus activities if possible. Unless requested not to record by a guest lecturer or due to unforeseen technical difficulties, all lectures are intended to be livestreamed and recorded. Recordings will be made available through the course website in a downloadable format. Separate online and in-person workshops and HPO seminars are planned with equivalent activities in both delivery formats.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	This course is delivered through on-campus 'face-to-face' (or online livestream) weekly lectures, seminars, and workshops. The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and workshops on key theoretical and applied aspects, as well as guest presentations and student-led seminars/workshops. Important information about the structure of the course: During Weeks 1-8, there will be three lectures. During weeks 9-11 there will be two lectures. You are expected to attend all workshop sessions for your group (one per week). All students MUST attend their workshop in week 12. Attendance and participation are compulsory. There may be unavoidable changes to the lecture and workshop schedule, depending on the availability of individual lecturers. You will be advised of any changes as early as possible, in lectures or workshops and via the course Wattle site. The length of the workshops increases as the number of lecture hours in a week decreases.
2	Week 1 - Theme: Climate science, policy, and society Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
3	Week 2 - Theme: Climate science, policy, and society Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
4	Week 3 - Theme: Climate science, policy, and society Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
5	Week 4 - Theme: Climate science, policy, and society Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
6	Week 5 - Theme: Economics, health, and policy Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
7	Week 6 - Theme: Energy and policy Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
8	Week 7 - Theme: International science, policy, and politics Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
9	Week 8 - Theme: Australian science, policy, and politics Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
10	Week 9 - Theme: Societal response: Past and future Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
11	Week 10 - Theme: Societal response: Past and future Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
12	Week 11 - Theme: Societal response: Past and future Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.
13	Week 12 - Theme: ANU CoP Location: On-campus and livestream Please refer to the course Wattle site for the full program.

Tutorial Registration

n/a

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Climate Science Quiz	10 %	24/08/2021	31/08/2021	1,2
Climate Politics, Policy, and Negotiation Quiz	10 %	24/08/2021	31/08/2021	2,3
Group briefing paper on national circumstances and interests	15 %	03/09/2021	20/09/2021	1,2,3,4
Op-ed and reflection on climate change science communication	25 %	20/09/2021	07/10/2021	1,2
Group submission to Canberra Agreement negotiations	5 %	27/09/2021	18/10/2021	1,2,3,4
Personal reflection on contribution to and learning from Canberra Agreement negotiations	5 %	04/11/2021	26/11/2021	2,4
Major report	30 %	04/11/2021	26/11/2021	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Participation in this course requires as a minimum:

• familiarity with lecture, seminar, workshop, tutorial and any other course materials, including required reading
• completion of both required and additional reading as needed to support learning and complete assessment items
• attendance at and positive contribution to all workshop sessions
• For HPO students, attendance at a minimum of 75% of the postgraduate and HPO student seminars
• submission of all assessable work (practical reports and class tests) in appropriate format to comply with ANU and Fenner School requirements regarding referencing, plagiarism and other standards for academic work
• submission of all work, assessable or not, by the prescribed deadlines.

Participation in the preparation for and presentation of the ANU Conference of the Parties (CoP): Canberra Agreement negotiation sessions is compulsory. Failure to participate in the preparation sessions means that your written report may not qualify for assessment; failure to attend and actively participate in the negotiation session in Week 12 means that your report will receive a grade of 0 (zero).

Examination(s)

This course does not include formal examination during the examination period.

Assessment Task 1

Climate Science Quiz

Covers lectures and workshop materials and designated supplemental readings for weeks 1-4. Short-answer and multiple-choice questions. Completed online through Wattle.

Details are provided on the course Wattle site. Return date depends on workshop in which student is enrolled.

Assessment Task 2

Climate Politics, Policy, and Negotiation Quiz

Covers lectures and workshop materials and designated supplemental readings for weeks 1-4. Short-answer and multiple-choice questions. Completed online through Wattle.

Details are provided on the course Wattle site. Return date depends on workshop in which student is enrolled.

Assessment Task 3

Group briefing paper on national circumstances and interests

A report on (a) your group's (country's) national circumstances, focusing on those that are likely to benefit most from climate change and those that are at greatest risk due to climate change and (b) the most significant national interests of your country (related to or affected by climate change) that your group seeks to maintain or enhance during negotation of a mock international treaty. Presented as if it were a briefing paper to your national government.

Details are provided on the course Wattle site.

Assessment Task 4

Op-ed and reflection on climate change science communication

Discussion on climate change denier arguments and/or climate change communication, based on course materials and self-study research, and reflection on learning during the Dealing with Denialism workshop exercise. Presented as if it were an op-ed article for a non-specialist, non-academic audience.

Details are provided on the course Wattle site.

Assessment Task 5

Group submission to Canberra Agreement negotiations

Statement of your group's (country's) initial negotiation points desired for inclusion in the Canberra Agreement along with justifications relating the chosen negotiation points to your group's (country's) national circumstances and national interests.

Details are provided on the course Wattle site. Due date depends on workshop in which student is enrolled.

Assessment Task 6

Personal reflection on contribution to and learning from Canberra Agreement negotiations

Written reflection on how you personally contributed to and learned from the Canberra Agreement negotiations.

Details are provided on the course Wattle site.

Assessment Task 7

Major report

Written individual report (a) describing, justifying, and reflecting on the effectiveness of your group's strategy(ies) as employed during the Canberra Agreement negotiations, (b) assessing the treaty negotiation outcomes against your country's national interests, and (c) offering and justifying recommendations for future negotiations. Presented as if it were either a policy report to your national government or an academic analysis.

Details are provided on the course Wattle site.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline on Wattle for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Assessment pieces that are over the maximum specified length will be penalised in accord with the Fenner School policy. Links to these policies and procedures are provided on the course Wattle site.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Student work will be marked electronically and comments provided via Turnitin or Wattle in normal circumstances.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Assignments may not be resubmitted

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students