Causes of Climate Change

Who is the course for?

This course is intended for those with an interest in the physical aspects of climate variations and change.

It does not require any previous experience of studying the causes of climate change, but high school level mathematics and physics is recommended.

What topics will you cover?

Radiative forcing

Climate feedbacks and heat transport

Past changes in climate and ocean heat uptake

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to…

Reflect on the complexities of the climate system, and be able to put the recently observed, man-made changes in climate in the context of past natural changes.

Explain the underlying physical processes governing climate variations in the past, present and future.

Describe the role of atmosphere and ocean energy transport and their impact on regional variations in climate.

Summarise the main feedback mechanisms in the climate system.

Describe the role of ocean heat uptake for the timescales of response to changes in climate forcing.