PL4-304 Climate adaptation in spatial planning

Innhald og oppbygging

The course combines knowledge and theories about climate change adaptation with practical exercises related to land use planning. In the theoretical part of the course, the focus on will be on societal characteristics and changes of importance for climate change adaptation, as well as different approaches to climate change adaptation in planning. This will provide a foundation for critical reflection on different strategies for climate change adaptation, interlinkages between societal change and climate change, and interactions between climate change adaptation and mitigation.This is meant to provide the necessary background to complete the practical exercises and course work.

The practical exercises have a vocational focus, offering valuable planning experience to the students. The Norwegian planning context will be introduced, and used as a framework for understanding how such planning may be carried out. An excursion is offered to provide insights into specific challenges that are of importance for local land use planning.

A basic introduction to the Norwegian Planning System and the Planning and Building Act will be given.

Læringsutbytte

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of central theories, concepts and methods of adaptation to climate change
• Knowledge of central challenges for sustainable local climate change adaptation
• Knowledge of societal change that influences adaptive capacity
• Knowledge of how different factors and contexts influence adaptive capacity
• Advanced knowledge of methods and tools for assessing the vulnerability of local communities facing climate change
• Knowledge of legal instruments for planning for climate change adaptation
• Advanced knowledge of advantages and challenges associated with different approaches to climate change adaptation
• Knowledge of approaches to climate change adaptation around the world
• Knowledge of specific challenges of planning for climate change adaptation compared to other planning processes

Skills:

• Understand and assess downscaled, local climate projections
• Conduct analyses and assessments relevant for spatial planning at local level
• Understand, use and assess plans and strategies for sustainable climate adaptation in social and land-use planning
• Select relevant theories and approaches to understand and assess adaptation measures
• Present and discuss, in oral and written form, complex issues across scientific borders

General competence:

• Plan with the aim of reducing vulnerability to climate change and mitigating natural disasters
• Identify societal characteristics that influence the adaptive capacity and vulnerability to climate change
• Coordinate measures for climate change adaptation and mitigation 
• Communicate climate issues in social and land-use planning processes
• Take a leading role in planning processes
• Reflect on future perspectives on sustainable land use

Krav til forkunnskapar

Completed bachelor degree of 180 ECTS

Tilrådde forkunnskapar

It will be an advantage to have completed the following courses (or equivalent knowledge): 

• GE4-300 Climate Change and Climate Policy 
• BI4-301 Climate Change and Ecosystems
• GE4-302 Geohazards for land-use planning 
• PL4-303 Run-off Management

Basic knowledge of land-use planning, and the Norwegian Planning and Building Act, will be an asset.

Undervisnings- og læringsformer

• Lectures, seminars, exercises, group work and excursion
• Practical exercise in planning 

Obligatorisk læringsaktivitet

• Compulsory excursion
• Written group assignment and oral presentation 
• Compulsory exam seminar

Vurderingsform

Individual project assignment including planning of climate change adaptation/measures

Grading A-F

Hjelpemiddel ved eksamen

All

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