Understanding and addressing climate change, demands transdisciplinary approaches and this unit will start to scope out this field framed through a socially equitable place-based planetary health lens. The strengths and limitations of orthodox disciplinary explanations and solutions will be scrutinised. Inter and transdisciplinary explanations and remedies will then be considered drawing upon themes, topics and issues including climate justice and just transitions; the fraught politics shaping responses to climate change; the limits to growth; technological solutions, ecological balance; public and private ownership and custodianship; critical Indigenous and human rights discourses.

Unit details

Location:
Online Self Paced
Remote
Study level:
Postgraduate
Credit points:
12
Unit code:
VPH6002

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Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. Articulate the scientific bases of climate change;  
  2. Interrogate the cross-disciplinary nature of climate change and its inter-connectedness with all other human-related systems;  
  3. Critically review local impacts of climate change and future climate;  
  4. Advocate collaboratively in formulating perspectives from research evidence;  
  5. Critically evaluate positioning of climate change within the public sphere.  

Assessment

Assessment type Description Grade
Exercise Compose an opinion editorial persuasive writing piece responding to a current issue in climate change 30%
Assignment Present an argument to a commission hearing Part A: Written Statement Part B: Oral Presentation 40%
Presentation Podcast advocating climate change action 30%

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